Celiac Disease symptoms are over 300. However, most people walking around with the Celiac Disease do not have any symptoms. It is a disease that affects the small intestines because of its inability to tolerate the gluten in your diet. Gluten is a protein. It is found in wheat, barley and rye. There are over 3 million people that are affected by this inherited autoimmune disease. When gluten is ingested into the body, it causes an immune response which damages the villi of the small intestines and causing havoc on the body.

Symptoms of celiac disease can be one or more of the following: chronic diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, weight loss, stools that are pale in color and foul smelling, fatigue, painful joints, tingling and numbness in the legs, and dermatitis herpetiforms.

Antibody tests can be performed to diagnose Celiac disease. Doctors test the blood and measure the levels of certain antibodies. These antibodies are EMA-IgA and TG-IgA. If it is positive, it means that you need a biopsy. The “gene tests” are performed to rule out Celiacs Disease. If a biopsy is needed, the biopsy is taken from the small intestine to see if any damage has occurred. A Marsh Score is used to rate the damage to the villi. The diagnosis is then confirmed using a gluten free diet with a positive response. A gluten free diet is the only known Celiac disease treatment available.

Gluten-free diets can create an overwhelming lifestyle of modification and adjustment; however it is a very necessary one. Just a hint of gluten is enough to trigger the disease and create internal damage. Your local doctor can refer you to a Registered Dietitian that is familiar with the disease and gluten free diets. A Registered Dietitian can be a great resource for your Celiac disease treatment.

What does a gluten-free diet mean? A gluten-free diet means avoiding all foods that contain wheat, rye, and barley. Did you know there are gluten-free breads and pastas? Do you know instead of using wheat flour, that you can use flour made out of potatoes, rice, soy, corn or beans? There are certain foods that do not contain gluten. They are plain meat, fish, rice, fruits, and vegetables. So, eat as much of these foods as they like.

You must be extremely careful about what you buy for lunch at school or work or grab from the refrigerator for a snack. Also, eating out can be a real challenge. You must learn to scrutinize the menu for foods with gluten. Learn to ask questions and if the waiter doesn’t know, ask the chef and avoid any Celiac disease symptoms.