Saturday, October 3, 2009

October is Celiac Awareness Month

Since 1987, October has been Celiac Disease Awareness Month.
According to the Celiac Sprue Association Celiac disease is:
a genetically linked disease with an enviornmental trigger. In people with CD, eating certain types of protein fractions, commonly called gluten, set off an autoimmune response that causes damage to the small intestine. This, in turn, causes the small intestine to lose the ability to absorb the nutrients found in food, leading to malnutrition and a variety of other complications.

Celiacs must avoid all sources of gluten such as wheat, barley, rye, and to a lesser extent, oats. Related proteins are found in triticale, spelt, kamut.

In What's Your Poo Telling You? we briefly discuss how intolerance to gluten can effect your poo. Some people who cannot eat gluten find out about their condition when they see their doctor about digestive and excretory issues, and ultimately are diagnosed. Some affected people have reactions that are similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

If you would like to find out more about Celiac disease, visit the Celiac Sprue Association.