Celiac Disease Diet

Introduction

Celiac disease is an immune disorder that is caused due to gluten intolerance. It can damage the small intestine and can be a serious disease. As it affects the small intestine, absorption of nutrients is compromised, which causes malnutrition and other serious issues such as osteoporosis and anemia. The treatment for celiac disease is lifetime avoidance of gluten consumption. This can be done by following a gluten-free diet.

What Is Celiac Disease?

It is an immune disorder that is chronic in nature and damages the small intestine. The consumption of gluten-rich food triggers the disorder. Gluten is a natural protein found in barley, wheat, and rye and is common in dishes such as pasta, bread, cookies, and cakes. It is also present in many products such as lipsticks, lip balms, toothpaste, vitamins, nutrient supplements, and a few medicines.

Celiac disease is a long-lasting digestive tissue that can be serious as it prevents the body from getting all the nutrients required for proper functioning. It can also affect other organs outside the small intestine. Celiac disease is different from gluten sensitivity as the latter does not damage the small intestine.

Celiac disease is also observed in cases of chromosomal disorders such as:

• Turner Syndrome: A genetic disorder in which a girl or woman is partially or completely missing the X-chromosome. It can cause infertility, heart issues, and appearance alteration.

• Down’s Syndrome: A genetic disorder caused due to presence of an extra chromosome 21. It is a set of physical and cognitive symptoms.

• Williams Syndrome: This is a rare syndrome characterized by delays in cognitive development and learning difficulties. The patient may have a distinctive facial appearance and unique personality with friendliness and increased levels of anxiety and empathy.

What Are the Complications of Celiac Disease?

The long term complications of the disease include:

• Malnutrition: Deficiency of nutrients, vitamins, essential minerals, and fluids in the body.

• Anemia: Decrease in the count of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the body.

• Osteoporosis: Decrease in the density of bones which increases the chances of fractures. In cases of celiac disease, osteoporosis is accelerated.

• Problems related to the reproductive system and nervous system.

Can Lifestyle Changes Cope With Celiac Disease?

As mentioned above in the article, celiac disease is a long-term condition that needs lifelong maintenance. A gluten-free diet intake is the only treatment option in cases of celiac disease. Even the slightest amount of gluten can stimulate the immune system and damage the intestine.

How to Follow a Gluten-Free Diet?

Here are some tips to follow a gluten-free diet easily:

• Avoiding all gluten-rich foods such as:

1. Barley: It is a cereal that is very useful for heart diseases and high cholesterol. It can be consumed as flour or can be cooked directly as grain.

2. Rye: It is a grass-grown grain that is also a cover crop and a forage crop. It belongs to the family of wheat and is closely related to both wheat and barley. It can be used as flour, bread, whiskey, and vodkas. It is also used as animal fodder.

3. Triticale: It is a hybrid formed by a cross between rye and wheat. It contains nutrients from both kinds of cereal, and it is easy to grow.

4. Farina: It is a milled form of wheat that is rich in carbohydrates and can be prepared as a porridge.

5. Semolina: It is a coarse flour made from durum wheat. It is the most nourishing part of milled durum wheat.

6. Graham Flour: It is a type of coarse-ground flour of wheat named after Sylvester Graham.

• Careful consumption of corn and rice products. They do not contain gluten but can sometimes be mixed or contaminated with wheat gluten either in the production factories or at the shops or sellers.

• Consumption of oats is considered safe as they do not contain gluten and possess very few chances of contamination with wheat gluten.

• Wheat flour should be substituted with food items such as rice, soy, potato, quinoa, bean flour, or buckwheat.

• Sorghum, chickpeas, Bengal gram, cornflour, and tapioca starch extract can also be used as they act as thickeners and leavening agents.

• Be aware of hidden gluten; some food products such as wheat bran, wheat germ, cracked wheat, emulsifiers, mono-glycerides, di-glycerides seasoning, and caramel colors may contain gluten.

• Always check the labels of all the packed foods before consumption, as gluten can be suspected in any food items. Some of the food items that are not expected to contain gluten can have it are candies, chips, french fries, hot dogs, salami, sausages, or drinks like beers and lagers.

• At home, separate all the kitchen items into two segments, gluten-rich and gluten-free. Even the utensils such as saucepans, plates, and spoons should be separated as any trace of gluten can trigger the disease.

• While eating outside or at restaurants, it is important to inquire about all the ingredients used to make the food before consumption.

• In cases of medicines, it is essential to consult the pharmacist whether the medicines contain any wheat extract or not.

• Gluten-free foods are safe but not calorie-free, so a proper diet plan should be followed.

• After following all the instructions and keeping precautions, if there are still symptoms felt, then double-check is necessary with food items as there might be some hidden gluten in salad dressings, sauces, canned foods, and other products such as cosmetics.

Conclusion

Celiac disease is a chronic condition triggered by gluten-rich food consumption, which is long-lasting with complications such as malnutrition, anemia, and other nervous and reproductive problems. As it affects the small intestine, it alters nutrients absorption, which is necessary for the proper functioning of the body. The only way to control the disease is to avoid gluten-containing food and products such as cosmetics. The food rich in gluten includes wheat, barley, and rye. Food prepared from these flours contains gluten, such as bread, pasta, cakes, and cookies. Proper diet planning and precautions minimize the symptoms of celiac disease.