| v>Do you get stomach pains, feel tired, urgently have | | | | putting yourself on a gluten-free diet because when |
| to use the toilet after eating? | | | | you stop gluten your intestine starts to heal, and its |
| Do you suffer from nausea, mouth ulcers, diarrhea, | | | | possible to test negative even after a few days on |
| bloating, wind, or constipation? | | | | the diet. Many times when a person is screened for |
| Do you have headaches, depression, bone and joint | | | | Celiac disease, despite taking all precautions mentioned |
| pain, weight loss, or anemia? | | | | above, tests still indicate that the disease is not present |
| The list goes on and on because up to 43% of the UK | | | | despite the fact that these persons suffer from |
| population is thought to suffer from food intolerance, | | | | symptoms upon digesting food containing gluten. This is |
| meaning your diet could be causing you problems. This | | | | confusing to many, but put simply, this person may be |
| could mean you have IBS, or any one of these | | | | Non Celiac Gluten Intolerant (NCGI). |
| symptoms could also mean that you have Celiac | | | | It is estimated that around 15% of the world population |
| disease, which is gluten intolerance. | | | | is NCGI as opposed to less than 1% who actually have |
| Early diagnosis is essential as the danger of gluten | | | | Celiac disease. The appearance of Dermatitis |
| intolerance cannot be over-stressed. Left untreated, | | | | Herpetiformis (DH), an itchy blistering skin rash is also a |
| Celiac disease carries a dangerously higher risk of | | | | strong indicator of celiac disease. DH affects fewer |
| causing osteoporosis and bowel cancer. More than | | | | people than typical Celiac disease -- one in 10,000 |
| half a million people in Britain are estimated to have | | | | people and can appear at any age but is most |
| Celiac disease, but have not yet been diagnosed. | | | | commonly diagnosed in those aged between 15 and |
| Recent estimates that 1 in 10 people originally | | | | 40 years old. The rash most commonly occurs on the |
| diagnosed with IBS actually have Celiac disease which | | | | elbows, knees and buttocks, but any area of skin can |
| is a life-long inflammatory disease of the upper small | | | | be affected. |
| intestine caused by intolerance to gluten. Many | | | | So What Is Gluten? |
| individuals worldwide, it is estimated that three million | | | | Gluten is a protein extracted from wheat and other |
| Americans, have celiac disease and most of them | | | | grains by washing the starch out of the grain. While |
| don't know it largely because the disease can be | | | | people who follow a gluten-free diet cannot consume |
| difficult to nail down. | | | | anything made of wheat, rye or barley including all |
| The intestinal damage gluten causes weakens the | | | | commercially prepared cakes and pastries -- there are |
| body's ability to absorb nutrients from food. This can | | | | other grains and flours that do not contain gluten. |
| lead to malnutrition and related conditions such as | | | | Damage to the small intestine can occur when a |
| infertility, diabetes, thyroid disease, lupus, rheumatoid | | | | person with gluten intolerance consumes even a small |
| arthritis and some cancers. Being wheat or gluten free | | | | amount of gluten. |
| can change the quality of your life. Millions of people | | | | Most dairy products are gluten-free foods, with the |
| suffer needlessly enduring a variety of unpleasant | | | | exception of some cheese spreads, some flavored |
| symptoms although relief may come easily through | | | | milks, and custards. Meats are gluten-free foods unless |
| altered food habits. | | | | prepared with batter or overly processed, such as in |
| Although some people with gluten intolerance suffer | | | | the case of sausages. Meat pies, frozen meats, and |
| extreme symptoms others have no symptoms, | | | | chicken broth usually contain gluten in some form or |
| however they may still suffer damage to the small | | | | another and are best avoided. The same is true of |
| intestine. Diagnosis usually involves blood tests and | | | | fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Unless sauces, starches, or |
| may include a biopsy of the small intestine. | | | | thickeners have been added, all of them are naturally |
| If you think you suffer from Celiac disease, resist | | | | gluten-free foods. |