Celiac Disease Means Eating Gluten Free
Changing over from a gluten-rich to a gluten-free diet is not going to be easy. However, the prospects of developing osteoporosis, malnutrition and worse could encourage you to stick to this new diet. You’ll likely feel like you’re entire lifestyle has to change, but soon you’ll be in the habit of reading labels and learning which foods you can eat and which ones to avoid.
Here is a list of ingredients which have been known to cause problems for people with Celiac disease:
Unidentified Starch
Binders and fillers
Excipients and extenders
Malt
If you have doubts about whether or not gluten in included in any food product don’t hesitate to contact the manufacturer. They will be able to tell you whether or not gluten is included in their foods. Since more people are being diagnosed with Celiac disease, you can also look for foods which are made specifically for people with gluten intolerance and are labeled “gluten-free.”
Your doctor may recommend you visit a professional dietitian if you’re newly diagnosed with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The dietician will teach you to properly read the labels for the foods you eat and identify any foods which may contain gluten. This knowledge will help you to be able to make informed choices in regard to the food you purchase at a grocery store or when you go out to eat.
Once you remove all gluten from your diet, it’s possible for the small intestine to begin healing in as little as three months in children. Expect healing to begin after several years in adults. Remain off gluten for the rest of your life and you can expect a full reversal of the condition. Adding or failing to remove all gluten from the diet, however, can leave you with little to no benefit.
In some rare instances, people who have been diagnosed with Celiac disease will continue to have problems. The intestinal injury continues despite having removed gluten from their diet. These people are said to have Refractory Celiac disease. These people will require nutrients to be added intravenously until appropriate medications can be developed.
Eating gluten free doesn’t have to be a battle. Knowing what you can tolerate and knowing the facts about the foods you eat are the best defense you can have in the fight against Celiac disease.
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