Celiac Disease: The New Terror




Celiac Disease, literally known as gluten allergy, is a serious lifelong auto immune disorder. Two and a half million Americans remain undiagnosed.

In this, the patient develops immune responses against gluten protein attacking the small intestine thereby reducing the absorption of nutrients from food. This is most common in Caucasians but now found globally. The rate of incidence is 1 in 100 worldwide.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Ingestion of these grains triggers cellular immune responses, development of antibodies against gluten protein, damaging the lining of small intestine. Small finger-like projections, micro-villi, line the small intestine. Antibodies generated in response to gluten protein damage these tiny projections hampering optimal absorption of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from food.


3 W’s: When, Whom and Why
Celiac can develop at any age once humans start eating foods and medicines containing gluten. But individuals with following are at an elevated risk:
  • ·      Type 1 Diabetes
  •        Celiac running in families or hereditary celiac 
  •        Down syndrome/Turner’s syndrome
  •        Autoimmune Thyroid Disease
  •        Rheumatoid Arthritis
  •        Addison’s Disease

Celiac tends to run in families. Being a genetic disorder occurs primarily due to interaction between genes, it can be passed on from parents to progeny. Celiac might also be a joint effect of several environmental factors, surgery, pregnancy, child birth, viral infection or severe emotional stress.

Signs and Symptoms

Celiac is difficult to diagnose as it manifests in varied manner in different people. More than 200 celiac symptoms have been observed. Some develop celiac as a child and some as an adult, also many individuals positive for celiac show no symptoms at all.

Types of Celiac Diseases
World Gastroenterology Organization has categorized celiac into three classes:

Associated Diseases
1.   Dermatitis Herpetiformis
§  Itchy blistering skin disease that stems from intestinal gluten intolerance
§  Rashes occur on knees, torso, buttocks, scalp and elbows
§  Changes in villus lining of small intestine
2.   Type 1 Diabetes

When to see a Doctor
Consult a doctor on experiencing diarrhea or digestive discomfort. In case of children, when a child is pale, irritable, failing to grow, surfacing potbelly and bulky stools indicates need for medical supervision.
Complications
·      Malnutrition
·      Loss of Ca+2 and bone density
·      Infertility and miscarriage
·      Lactose Intolerance
·      Neurological Disorders
·      Skin Disorders
·      Cancer
Screening
There are several serological (blood) tests available that screen for celiac disease antibodies, but the most commonly used is called a tTG-IgA test. For this test to work, you must be consuming gluten. This test detects the formation of gluten antibodies in individual’s blood. If blood test results suggest celiac disease, your physician will recommend a biopsy of your small intestine to confirm the diagnosis.





    

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

One's Waste Another's Treasure !

Image
                                    On the roads of becoming technologically advanced, we leave behind incredible tonnes of waste both biodegradable and non-biodegradable. According to World Bank , current MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) generation levels are approximately 1.3 billion tonnes per year which are expected to double by 2025. Only 10-20% of the waste is recycled in eco-friendly manner and the rest is allowed to rot in landfills. Such pits being scavenged by hawks and pigs is a common site and many-a-times hazardous chemicals leach out to water bodies eventually leading to bio-magnification and extinctions. Looking at such huge quantities of waste, there is a tremendous scope for devising strategies to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Waste is an indispensable part of our lives but how would it be if it could be used anew. Nudge the creator in you and carve out teapot covers from r...
Read more

Is Coconut GOOD for Diabetics ?

Image
If you’re living with diabetes, you’ve likely been through the diet overhaul and may want to replace the daily fats used in cooking. Researchers suggest coconut oil as a good substitute, but you may not be sure how it would affect your diabetes. Here’s what you need to know about coconut oil and diabetes. Diabetic patients, especially type 2 diabetes , need to maintain a healthy weight because this type begins with elevated levels of body’s resistance to insulin. Insulin resistance is linked to excessive weight gain. Studies found that people consuming medium-chain fats like coconut oil as part of a weight loss plan lost more fat than participants using olive oil. This means coconut oil, a solid fat, is harder to convert to stored fat making it easier for our body to burn it off Coconut is regarded as a highly nutritious ‘functional food’. It is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Coconut oil is extracted from the coconut fruit, known historically for containing h...
Read more

"ONE-DIET-FITS-ALL 4"- The Myth

Image
Shut Soul ’s last blog “One-Diet-Fits-All 3”- The Myth had content related to Blood Type B and their respective physiological traits like digestive capacities, muscular strength and stress handling. This blog will throw some light on  Blood Type AB and its respective functioning in response to diet, stress and exercise. Also it will highlight lifestyle strategies to maintain overall health. BLOOD GROUP “AB” People with blood type AB carry both antigens A and B on their red blood cells. But they possess  no antibody  which undoubtedly makes it receive blood from all blood types whether its blood types A, B, AB or O donors but can donate to none other than self. Thus, it’s called Universal Recipient . Type AB is Different! Blood group AB is the rarest of all the blood groups, found only in 5% of the total population. It’s newest of all the blood types formed due to intermingling of blood types A and B. They share qualities and drawbacks of both Type A a...
Read more