Hi there! When I was first diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2017, I thought my life was over. I thought I would probably never be able to eat good stuff again. Granted, the healthier you eat, the better you will feel. However, if you really crave chocolate and sweets, the market is overflowing with unhealthy gluten-free choices. Yes, I eat the unhealthy stuff, but I do know in order to keep the inflammation under control and to keep the likelihood of developing even more autoimmune diseases, I need to eat as healthy as possible. More on that later.
Let’s take a look at what Celiac Disease is, it’s symptoms, testing, gluten free foods, and other information.
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease an autoimmune condition that can damage the small intestine. The small intestine is lined with tiny hairlike projections called villi, which absorb sugars, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from the food you eat. In celiac disease these villi are damaged making it hard for the body to absorb nutrients necessary for health and growth.

Celiac Disease Symptoms
You will probably only have a few of these symptoms. For me, I suffered from extreme fatigue, stomach pain, diarrhea (just before being diagnosed I lost 7 pounds in 5 hours – not the diet plan I was looking for). I also suffered from eczema. I suffered from brain fog. I found teaching school difficult because I couldn’t remember things and I was SO tired! It wasn’t until many years later that I found out the reason I experienced early menopause (I was in the my 30’s) was due to autoimmune. My doctors congratulated me on my early onset since I didn’t want any more children. I knew something was wrong with my body, I just didn’t know what. Apparently, they didn’t recognize Celiac as being a possible culprit.
- Fatigue
- Stomach Pain
- Eczema / Rashes / DH
- Inflammation / Bloating
- Anemia / Iron Deficiency
- Diarrhea
- Brain Fog
- Bone / Joint Pain
- Migraines / Headaches
- Anxiety / Irritability / Mood Swings
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Weight Loss
- Constipation
- Depression
- Vitamin Deficiency
- Acid Reflux / GERD
- Hair Loss
- Failure to Thrive (children)
- Dental Issues
- Nerve Damage / Neuropathy
- Mouth Ulcers / Canker Sores
- Sinus Infections/Chronic Colds
- Gas
- Vertigo / Dizziness
- Fertility Issues
- Heartburn
- Insomnia
- Acne
- Osteoporosis
- Weight Gain
- IBS
- Low Appetite
- Muscle Spams
- Tingling Hands/Feet
- Asthma
- Irregular/Heavy Periods
- Malnutrition
- Brittle Nails
- Stomach Gurgling
- Dark Circles
- Dysphagia (Trouble Swallowing)
- Chest Pain
- Ataxia
- Dehydration
- Elevated Liver Enzymes
- Excessive Burping
- Irregular Heart Rate
- Night Sweats
- Restless Leg Syndrome
- Bruising
- Cough
- Poor Vision
- Stroke-Like Symptoms
- Fainting
- Indigestion
- Shortness of Breath
- Tinnitus
- Chills
- Chondromalacia
- Droopy Eyelid
- Endometriosis
- Eosinophilic Gastritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Hormone Imbalance
- Hot Flashes
- Internal Bleeding
- Low Blood Pressure
- Nose Bleeds
- Pancreatitis
- Poor Blood Circulation
- Seizures
- Ulcers
- Type 1 Diabetes
Celiac Testing and Diagnosis
I went to see my primary care physician when I began having stomach symptoms. I was an elementary teacher at that time and I had a rough school year and assumed it was an ulcer. I was treated for an ulcer. While the medication did help for a while, it didn’t totally alleviate the problems I was experiencing. Finally, I went to a gastroenterologist who quickly scheduled me for an upper and lower scope plus bloodwork. The upper scope showed that I did indeed have an ulcer. The lower scope showed that I had Celiac, and the blood work supported that diagnosis as well.
For blood tests to work you must be eating gluten beforehand for several weeks. Testing for celiac disease may involve:
- A blood test to check for high antibodies produced when your body sees gluten. Antibodies are proteins that your immune system uses to protect your body from threats.
- A positive blood test needs to be confirmed by a small bowel biopsy. A few small pieces of your bowel are taken and examined under a microscope to check for damage. The test can take less than 30 minutes and you are usually put to sleep.
Symptom Improvement
A gluten-free diet relieves symptoms and allows the small intestine to heal. The length of time this takes can vary from several months to years. Once I began a gluten free diet, I gradually felt better and had less symptoms. It did take maybe a year to feel like myself again.
Things to consider
If symptoms remain on a gluten-free diet there are a few things to consider. There may be some hidden sources of gluten in your diet, even though you think it’s gluten-free. There are ingredients in processed foods that you need to be aware of. I will share a list of those later in a different article. You may be also experiencing cross contamination, meaning, the food itself may be gluten free, but it is mixed with food that isn’t. For example, consider fast food options: French fries may be gluten free, but if they are cooked in the same grease as chicken nuggets, cross contamination can occur.
Until Next Time…
The next article I will post will be about the ingredients that sneak up on you when you are trying to eat gluten free. Stay tuned!
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