About Celiac Disease
A genetic autoimmune disease, often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed because of vague symptoms or atypical presentation and estimated to affect as many as 1 in 133 people in North America.
Common Symptoms of Celiac Disease
The following symptoms may be present in varied combinations:
- anemia (iron and/or folic acid)
- chronic fatigue
- vitamin deficiency (A, D, E, K & B12)
- depression
- diarrhea and/or constipation
- flatulence, bloating, abdominal pain
- nausea and/or vomiting
- mouth ulcers
- weight loss
- easy bruising
- bone/joint pain
- edema (swelling) of hands and/or feet
- lactose intolerance
- amenorrhea
Additional Symptoms in Children
Children may also experience the following:
- dental abnormalities
- irritability
- failure to grow
- delayed puberty
Associated Conditions
These are some associated conditions:
- dermatitis herpetiformis
- type 1 diabetes
- thyroid disease
- osteoporosis
- infertility and miscarriages
- lymphoma
- neural tube defects in newborns
Treatment
There is no cure for Celiac Disease, but the treatment is 100% effective and no surgery or drugs are required. The only treatment is a strict, gluten-free diet for life.
This means:
- no wheat, including triticale, spelt, kamut, semolina, farina or other forms of wheat
- no barley, including malt and malt vinegar
- no oats (unless pure and uncontaminated, currently unavailable in North America)
- no rye
Some hidden sources of gluten are:
- starch or modified starch of unknown origin
- hydrolyzed vegetable or plant protein of unknown origin
- drugs with a starch filler of unknown origin
- spices/seasonings with added starch of unknown origin
Important Information About the Safety of Oats
Please read this important article about the safety of oats: www.celiac.ca/Articles/PABoats.html
