Astrid/ July 29, 2017/ Nutrition/ 2 comments

Systemic inflammation is influenced by the make of probiotics and gut flora. We know based on recent research that the health of your gut flora depends on the right ratio of micro-organisms in the gut. If this ratio is not optimally balanced 85:15– good bacteria:bad bacteria your body can definitely react to many diseases including celiac disease.

According to a national survey conducted by the American Journal of Gastroenterology, about 3 million individuals in the United States are suffering from celiac disease, with at least 1 in 133 individuals affected by this digestive and autoimmune disorder.  If you have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease or have been going about it the wrong way, I think you are going to find this information valuable.

Here’s what I have learned on celiac disease recently:

 What Is Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that can affect people of all ages. If you are suffering from celiac disease without knowing and you consume foods containing gluten, the immune system triggers a toxic reaction, which is capable of damaging the small intestine. As a result, food is not absorbed properly.

In  celiac disease, the immune system tends to overreact to gluten in food, rye, wheat, oats, and barley. The consumption of certain kinds of grain-based items can trigger an immune reaction, which may damage the hair-like projections, known as villi, in the small intestine and thus adversely affect the ability of the small intestine to absorb nutrients in food. This may lead to malnutrition along with other complications.

 What Causes Celiac Disease

The real cause behind celiac disease has not yet been established, though it is believed to be hereditary. However, not all cases of celiac disease are triggered by a genetic history. The siblings or offspring of a person having celiac disease are likely to have 5-15% chance of developing the condition. This condition is more common in 70% of identical twins.

There are several factors that can act as triggers, including emotional stress, viral infections, pregnancy, surgery, and childbirth.

Celiac Disease is definitely an inflammatory Disorder

Systemic inflammation is influenced by the make of probiotics and gut flora.  We know, based on recent research, that the health of your gut flora depends on the right ratio of micro-organisms in the gut.  If this ratio is not optimally balanced 85:15– good bacteria:bad bacteria your body can definitely react to many disease,s including celiac disease.

So, How do you balance your gut flora for optimal balance?

A diet rich in naturally occurring prebiotics and probiotics should be part of your treatment after being properly diagnosed.  However, if you, like most of us, have no time to make your own fermented probiotic-rich foods, there are a couple of gut-enhancing supplements like GutReg by Biotrust at 71% or one of my favorites like ProX Live Probiotics –will do.

Here is an awesome video by Sean from Sean Croxton  Celiac Disease & Gluten Sensitivity with Dr. Tom O’Bryan

Celiac Disease Symptoms

Celiac disease symptoms include bloating, abdominal cramping, chronic diarrhea, intestinal gas, anemia, fatty stools, and unexplained weight gain or loss. Other symptoms that an individual suffering from celiac disease may experience include depression, infertility, delayed puberty, osteopenia, dental enamel defects, fatigue, joint or bone pain, and migraine headaches.

How Celiac Disease Is Diagnosed

According to the British Society of Gastroenterology, diagnosis of CD is by serology and duodenal biopsy ideally, with the patient on a normal, that is, gluten-containing diet. Biopsy remains essential for the diagnosis of adult CD and cannot be replaced by serology. Exceptions are patients with coagulation disorders and pregnant women, in whom biopsy may not be feasible or should be postponed until postpartum. To state a definite diagnosis of Celiac Disease villous atrophy is required. Read the full article here

Treatment and Prevention of Celiac Disease

It is critically important that celiac disease is diagnosed and treated in time. If left untreated, it can result in long-term complications, such as malfunction of the gallbladder, iron deficiency or anemia, neurological manifestations, vitamin as well as mineral deficiencies, pancreatic insufficiency, GI cancers, intestinal lymphomas, and early onset of osteopenia or osteoporosis.

If you truly want to take the healing of your celiac disease to the next level, then I highly recommend watching the immensely valuable  Digestionestion sessions, which I virtually attended this year (back around 2015) with Sean Croxton from Underground Wellness and another top 25 professional experts in gut healing and digestion.

I can’t begin to tell you how incredibly educational these sessions are. I even learned how to remove parasites more effectively, and reinforced my belief in detoxing with coffee enemas (find a kit here)– but those two will be addressed in future articles.

IMAGINE BECOMING FULLY EQUIPPED WITH ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE THE MOST INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR DIGESTIVE HEALTH

With this critical information at your fingertips, you’ll finally have everything you need to:

• Find the root cause and stop your symptoms in their tracks … for good.
• Uncover exactly which foods may be triggering your digestive issues.
• Know exactly which lab tests to demand from your doctor.
• Decide for yourself whether a prescription drug or natural healing protocol is right for you.
• Reverse the damage done to your liver, adrenals, and hormones by years of compromised gut health.
• Sleep better, boost energy, elevate your mood, and reduce stress by nourishing your body with a properly-functioning digestive system.
• Lose weight and eliminate sugar cravings fueled by candida and bacteria overgrowth.
• Take back your life and never have to worry about your digestive problems again.
• And much, much more!

Additionally, while attending another virtual conference this year I learned about two amazing books~

1.  The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body  by  Sarah Ballantyne.  who has basically debunked the myth of celiac disease and healed herself of a host of diseases.  Although her diet is mainly geared towards a paleo lifestyle, I still love her approach to healing.

Here is an excerpt of a review from the book: For anyone with an autoimmune disease, this is the most incredible gift from heaven you could ever wish for. It is the most thoroughly researched, detailed and comprehensive roadmap for recovery. Seriously, this book is going to change thousands of lives, and that is no understatement!

2. A Practical Paleo: A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle by Diane Sanfilippo.

Since celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder, celiac disease symptoms are most effectively addressed with diet, and lifestyle changes in order to reverse the disease.

Now, your turn. What do you think, is celiac disease in your opinion better diagnosed and treated today?