Health and Lifestyle

To Shine the Light - Celiac Disease Awareness '22

Dr. Veena Madhankumar

Sep 13, 2022 — 3 min read

Every year’s September 13th, we celebrate national celiac disease awareness day. If you did not know this already, at least three million people are diagnosed with the condition, and the count keeps rising day after day. Why do we celebrate an illness, you may ask? It is a day we encourage people without celiac disease to support those with it: to fight it and to have a better gut. More of all, we take this day to honor the one who discovered a connection between diet and celiac disease. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Samuel Gee, a pioneer in the study of celiac disease. Once more, why September 13th? Since it was this gentleman’s birthday. Taking you further into the topic…

1. The Celiac: Basics to Know

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder (where one’s own immune system attacks their cells as if a fence grazed the crop) that affects your small intestine. This condition also goes by the name; celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, a condition in which the small intestine can not digest gluten – the protein. People with the condition may experience anemia, growth problems, gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Cutting back on gluten is their only resort to feeling better. Now, this is one good reason for you to pay a visit to those “gluten-free” labeled racks on your supermarket runs.

2. Take a Peek Into the Celiac Gut

Gluten, a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye, brings about a reaction in the intestine in people with the disease. And what next? The villi in the intestine get swollen up, making it difficult for the body to take in the essentials. Left untreated, it could end up with more detrimental issues like cancer, osteoporosis, and infertility. So yes, it does not mess up the digestive system solo; your whole body takes a hit.

3. Wheat Allergy and I – Are We the Same?

Nah, wheat allergy is not the same as celiac disease. Wheat allergy is an actual allergic condition, and celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder. Now, the question is, how do we find out which is what? Get an appointment for an endoscopy with your doctor. And if you have already stopped eating gluten but want to be tested, you might want to reintroduce gluten again to get accurate results. Precisely, set your own trap to never get into the same trap, ever again!

4. The Celiac’s to Do

Well, there is no cure for this condition, and it is pretty much permanent. Sadly, switching to a gluten-free lifestyle is the only way out of the symptoms. This is your reminder never to miss out on reading the labels and always have an eye for “gluten-free.” Being careful about what goes into the body is the crucial step to mitigating these reactions in the body.

5. We Spread the Word, How?

Spread the word! According to reports, one percent of all Americans have celiac disease, and moreover, approximately 97 percent of cases go undiagnosed, causing many people to suffer needlessly. People; do spread the word about the necessity of a gluten-free diet for those sensitive to it. In this modern era, we strive to find alternatives to almost any hassle. One happy news for the celiacs is that the hassle has already been sorted in your case. Almond, oat, brown rice, arrow root, buckwheat, and a lot more are qualified and tested for you to eat. Time for a happy dance!