Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which gluten (found in wheat, barley and rye) is not tolerated.
When I learned about celiac disease 30 years ago, we thought it was a childhood disease found in children with “failure to thrive”. Now we know it can show up at any age, and while some people do lose weight, others have trouble losing weight with it.
The symptoms vary, and some people don’t have symptoms at all. Here is a list of the most common types of symptoms associated with celiac:
Bloating, gas and/or abdominal pain
Hard to flush, bulky or loose stools
Diarrhea or constipation
Nausea and vomiting
Indigestion/reflux (heartburn)
Fatigue and weakness
Itchy skin rash
Tingling or numbness in hands and feet
Discolored teeth or loss of enamel
Mouth ulcers (canker sores)
Joint pain
Easy bruising of the skin
Edema (swelling) of the hands and feet
Migraine headaches
Irritability or behavior changes
Significant unexplained weight loss
Missed menstrual periods
Infertility, recurrent miscarriages
Lactose intolerance
Iron, folate and/or vitamin B12 deficiency
Other vitamin and mineral deficiencies (A,D,E,K,calcium)
Fractures or thin bones
Elevated liver enzymes
In children: irritability and behavioral changes
Concentration and learning difficulties
Poor weight gain (and short stature)
Delayed puberty
Dental enamel abnormalities
Many of these symptoms can be caused by other things, but if you have any of them I think it is worth considering the possibility of celiac and testing for it. If nothing else, think of it as at least ruling it out.
There are a number of conditions associated with celiac that also are a good reason to test:
Osteoporosis or osteopenia
Dermatitis herpetiformis
Type 1 diabetes
Thyroid disease
Sjogren’s disease
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Irritable bowel syndrome
Intestinal cancer
Peripheral neuropathy
Down syndrome
Turner syndrome
Williams syndrome
If you have one autoimmune disease, you have a higher risk of having other autoimmune conditions.
My sources for the symptoms and related conditions are the NFCA (National Foundation for Celiac Awareness) and Gluten Free Diet by Shelley Case.
My newsletter will be coming out soon with more information about celiac disease.
Find more nutrition information, my Mindful Eating CD, and my monthly newsletter on my website: http://healthyhabitscoach.com. Eat well!
