September 13th is National Celiac Awareness Day! In honour of this, we thought we would share some celiac disease information.
DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational purposes only. We do not provide specific nutritional or medical advice and always recommend you consult a healthcare professional for any symptoms or illnesses you may be experiencing.
We hope that this celiac disease information, not only helps shed some light, but answers some questions about what celiac disease is, how it differs from non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and some information to help deal with both.
Celiac Disease Information
What is celiac disease?
According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, celiac disease is defined as “a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide, but only about 30% are properly diagnosed.”
Why is it so underdiagnosed?
There are two main reasons why this disease is underdiagnosed.
The first is that the symptoms of celiac disease mimic the symptoms of other ailments. So, it can be a challenge to narrow down, and correctly diagnose.
The second reason could be that with more detailed celiac disease information and a wide variety of gluten-free foods available, people may try a gluten-free diet before their testing. For the testing to be accurate, the patient has to be consuming gluten- the rule of thumb is once per day for six weeks before testing. Therefore, some people may get false negatives if they are gluten-free before their testing.
How does celiac disease differ from non-celiac gluten sensitivity?
Some people may experience similar symptoms to those who have celiac disease when they consume gluten. However, even if they follow all proper protocols, they do not test positive during medical testing. The Celiac Disease Foundation says that the symptoms of non-celiac gluten sensitivity can include but are not limited to: “‘foggy mind’, depression, ADHD-like behaviour, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, bone or joint pain, and chronic fatigue.” Not to mention that non-celiac gluten sensitivity can inflame some autoimmune diseases like arthritis.
Celiac Disease Information: Where to start your gluten-free journey
How to start a gluten-free diet?
Reading is fundamental. Take in as much information as you can when learning how to navigate a gluten-free lifestyle. In order to live your life as normally as possible, read our 15 steps to being gluten-free. In this resource, you will find information about how to safely dine in restaurants. Plus, a resource for your family, as well; because not everybody will understand your new diet, and the reasons for it. So it’s much easier for them, to be able to help you on your gluten-free journey.
Find Community
The beginning stages of being gluten-free can be difficult, and it can seem overwhelming. It is helpful to find a community of people who can support you and can help you on your journey. We have built a community like that of over 47K people from around the world in our Gluten Free Foodees: Gluten-Free Living, Tips, And Recipes Facebook group. Here you will find amazing people, who will share with you their firsthand experiences, knowledge, recommendations, and recipes. Having these incredible people post their personal experiences, is invaluable!
Shopping:
Reading food labels is so very important, because some foods you may not think of as containing gluten, often do. That is why we have made these lists to help you at the grocery store. Know that you still need to check the labels, because manufacturing practices can change, and often do.
- The Ultimate Gluten-Free Condiment List
- The Ultimate Gluten-Free Chocolate List
- The Ultimate Gluten-Free Candy List
- The Ultimate Gluten-Free Chip List
- The Ultimate Gluten-Free Cereal List
Cooking:
If you are a seasoned cook or a total newbie, we have easy and affordable recipes the whole family will enjoy. They are even organized by diet, so if you need dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian recipes, or are looking for a specific meal like pasta, dinner, soups and stews, lunch, desserts etc…
Two main issues people often have are finding lunch and snacks on-the-go ideas and we even have you covered there. too.
Hopefully, with the help of all this celiac disease information, and gluten-free living tips; you’ll better understand celiac disease, and how to live gluten-free.
Do you have any tips you’d like to share with us?
Leave us a comment below and let us know.
By sharing information, we can all live our best, and safe, gluten-free lives.
