Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that damages the small intestine. People with celiac disease cannot eat gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye and common in foods such as bread, pasta, cookies, and other baked foods. As many as one in 141 Americans has celiac disease. The disease can cause long-term digestive problems and keep you from getting nutrients you need.

If you have celiac disease, you may experience digestive symptoms or symptoms in other parts of your body. Some people with celiac disease have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they can include: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, bloating, decreased appetite, skin rashes, bad gas, bowel movements that are oily and float, invisible symptoms such as weak bones or low iron levels.

Doctors treat celiac disease by prescribing a gluten-free diet. Symptoms significantly improve for most people with celiac disease who follow a gluten-free diet. It is important to avoid both eating gluten and being exposed to flour particles in the air.

Your doctor along with a nutritionist can teach you how to avoid gluten while following a healthy and nutritious diet.

You can find more information about Celiac Disease at :

• Celiac Disease Foundation
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases