Celiac Disease: What Do You Need To Know?

Celiac Disease is a typical form of autoimmune issue. Under this problem, your body’s immune system overreacts to the presence of gluten giving rise to some symptoms.

For those who do not know, gluten is mostly a form of complex protein rich in barley and rye. We will tell you about the food items that you need to avoid when having this issue.

The immune system likely responds by causing some issues in the small intestine. If this condition is left as it is, without any remedy, it severely affects the ability of the small intestine to digest and absorb nutrients. Doctors call this situation as malabsorption.

With time you can get issues like diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, anemia, and other problems that are more severe than this.

In this article, you will also get an idea of some complications of celiac disease in the upcoming sections.

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Signs That Show You Have Celiac Disease

So how can you figure out that your body’s immune system responds vehemently to the presence of gluten? Here is a list of symptoms that may indicate this issue-

• Diarrhea that is often not curable within a few days
• Fatigue with even slight work or labor
• Major weight loss in just a few months
• Bloating and gas after even taking a small meal
• I have stomach pain in the abdomen and other areas.
• Feelings of nausea and vomiting often
• Constipation occurs from time to time.

Now, at times this issue can show up signs that have no direct influence on your digestive tract. For example, these issues are-

• Anemia
• Major loss of bone mass and conditions like osteoporosis develop soon.
• Rashes that may itch, get red, or even form blisters with time.
• Ulcers in mouth
• Fatigue and severe headache
• Tingling sensation at the tips of feet and hands
• Poor cognitive development
• Pain in the joints
• Rise in liver enzymes

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What May Cause Celiac Disease?

Often this condition is passed down from your parents. So, it is a form of hereditary issue and affects the immune system. However, taking too many gluten-rich food items such issues can develop with time as well.

At times, this issue can provoke some gastric disorders, after childbirth, during pregnancy, after surgery, having some viral infections or even having severe stress.

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How Does Celiac Disease Cause Problems In The Small Intestine?

Within the small intestine, there are very small and minute projections known as villi. It is these that carry the major role of absorbing vitamins and many other nutrients. When your immune system reacts too much it makes these villi incapable of absorbing the nutrients any further.

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Are You Prone To Celiac Disease?

So, let us find out if someone can be more prone to having this issue. As per a few studies here are some people who are more prone to this issue-

• Your immediate family members like parents have this issue.
• Having diabetes
• Down’s syndrome or Turner’s syndrome
• Thyroid disease
• Colitis
• Addison’s disease

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What Other Health Issues May Crop Up Due To Celiac Disease?
As the small intestines become more and more incapable of absorbing nutrients it is only logical to think that you will have different health issues. Let us find out about them in more detail-
Malnutrition	Your cells and tissues do not get as many nutrients as they should and eventually, you end up with many problems. For example, anemia or iron deficiency, severe weight loss which is more common in children.
Weaker Bones	As the small intestine is not able to absorb vitamin D and calcium it affects the bones. It can give rise to a soft bone condition known as rickets and this is more common in children. However, even adults can lose a lot of bone mass and end up with osteoporosis.
Low Fertility	Without the right nutrients, you tend to become less fertile as the body’s major reproductive and sex hormones become less effective.
Cancer	Studies show that people who have celiac disease are more prone to having certain forms of cancer affecting their lymphoma and bowel.
Nerve Disorders	As your nerves do not get the right nutrients it is common that they can get affected too. For example, they can show signs of early damage, a condition known as neuralgia, or even seizures. In all this, you can end up with brutal nerve pain.
Poor Cognitive Development In Children	Without the right nutrients, your brain has low cognitive development which mostly occurs at a very tender age. Children having this issue as per healthcare experts are more prone to low memory and often show issues with a lack of coordination.
Muscle Injuries And Cramps	Your muscle tissues throughout the body need ample proteins, vitamins, and some micronutrients. Without this, you can end up with issues like muscle cramps, weakness, and strains often.

Treating Celiac Disease- What Is The Way Out Of This Condition?

As a simple remedy, you need to avoid taking in any food items that are rich in gluten. Here is a list of all food items to avoid those who have this issue-

• Barley
• Rye
• Bulgur
• Durum
• Malt
• Semolina
• Triticale

It is not only the food items that you need to be wary about. Certain other substances also come under this list. For example-

• Food items with lots of preservatives and starch
• Pills to cure vitamin and mineral deficiency
• Supplements that contain some herbal items
• Toothpaste and lipstick
• Certain makeup products

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Final Thoughts

It seems that till now celiac disease does not have an ideal cure or remedy process. Most often if you have this issue the right diet choices and avoiding gluten-rich food items will keep you in very good health.