If you’ve been significantly tired lately, can’t seem to gain or lose weight, or are experiencing mood swings, these may be signs that you’re condition is more than just stress on the job or lack of sleep. These are all symptoms of celiac disease, a condition that often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years in a number of Americans. Here are some basic facts about the disease, and how you and your family can be tested.

What exactly is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is a condition that damages the small intestine by eliminating villi, which are small protrusions in the intestine that absorb the nutrients in food to be passed into the blood stream. Individuals with celiac disease can not process the protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. Each time a person with celiac disease eats foods that contain gluten, the small intestine is damaged, because the villi are destroyed.

Celiac disease is considered an autoimmune disorder because the body’s own immune system is causing the damage. It is also known as a malabsorption because nutrients are not absorbed in the bloodstream properly. Other names for celiac disease include celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy, which can also be classified as a skin disorder called dermatitis herpetiformis. Dermatitis herpetiformis is similar to acne vulgaris, and can cause reddish, itching blisters on the face, back, neck, buttocks, and legs.

Celiac Diagnosis

In order for you to know if you have celiac disease, you’ll have to visit your doctor to conduct a few tests. The doctor will test for autoantibodies in the body, which are proteins that react against the body’s tissues and molecules. A blood test is conducted to detect levels of immunoglobin in the blood, as well as anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA) or IgA anti-endomysium antibodies.

Once a blood test indicates that celiac disease is present, a bowel biopsy is usually done. For this procedure, the doctor takes a small piece of the small intestine to check for villi damage. An endoscope, which is a long thin tube goes through the mouth and stomach into the small intestine, is the main instrument used in this test.

If you plan on being tested, it’s important that you continue to eat foods containing gluten before the test, so that the results will be accurate. Celiac is often misdiagnosed, and has been confused with irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and intestinal infections, which is why so many people live with the disease and don’t know it.

Currently, about 1 in every 300 people in the United States has celiac disease. And, the disease is hereditary, so checking your family history for symptoms related to intestinal discomfort and anemia may help you to determine whether you are at risk for the disease, since up to 15 percent of an individual’s first degree relatives will have the disease. In some cases, people do not experience any symptoms, but this does not mean that the intestines are not being damaged. It is now recommended that Americans be tested for celiac disease routinely, since many individuals who have type 1 diabetes also have celiac disease, and up to 10 percent of children with Down Syndrome will be diagnosed with celiac disease.

Symptoms of celiac disease

Aside of the intestinal damage that celiac disease causes, other symptoms of celiac disease include extreme fatigue and irritability, weight loss and fluid retention, and depression and anxiety. Other symptoms include muscle weakness due to lack of potassium and magnesium, and anemia (iron deficiency), and nerve damage due to B12 deficiency. Many people with celiac disease struggle with infertility, depending on how long the disease has gone untreated, and some patients have experienced symptoms similar to epilepsy and have had frequent seizures due to the severe nerve damage brought along by celiac disease.

All of these very serious symptoms can be reduced and even eliminated when a person is able to absorb the vitamins and minerals in healthy food. It may take a while for the body to heal itself after being diagnosed, but there is a ‘cure’ for celiac disease.

How to treat celiac disease

Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease is to follow a gluten-free diet. This can be very demanding and limiting, since so many foods contain wheat or wheat by-products. However, there are a number of health food stores and specialty food markets that sell gluten-free products. Fruit, vegetables, and most dairy products are completely safe for celiacs, although some individuals are lactose intolerant in addition to celiac disease. In this case, soy-based milk, yogurt, and cheeses can be used for snacks and recipes.

Taking food enzymes are also a good way to reduce the symptoms of celiac disease and restore the body’s natural balance. Enzymes will help to absorb the nutrients in food, and intestinal villi can be restored after following a gluten-free diet for anywhere from a few months to a couple of years.

Because gluten-free foods may be difficult to find and prepare, many celiacs look for meals to prepare that are ‘safe’ to eat. Many people with celiac disease also have a hard time eating out or having dinner with friends due to the strict diet, so telling friends and family about the disease as soon as you find out you’re diagnosed is helpful. In order to prepare meals at home, here are some gluten-free recipe suggestions that the whole family may enjoy. For more information on celiac disease, treatment and symptoms, progressive research, and recipe ideas, visit www.csaceliacs.org, www.glutenfree.com, and www.medicinenet.com.

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

1/4 c butter or margarine (melted)2 t GF baking powder1/2 c white sugar1 1/4 c rice baking mix2 eggs1 c plus 2 T buttermilk1/2 t salt3/4 c blueberries

Directions

Mix the blueberries with a little of the sugar and rice baking mix. Mix together the melted butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs, one at a time combine the baking powder and rice baking mix; add to the egg mixture. Stir in buttermilk. Gently mix in the blueberries. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins (or use cupcake papers). Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes or until done.

Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients

16-oz cornbread cubes, GF1 c parsley, chopped1/4 lb butter or margarine1 egg, slightly beaten1 c celery, chopped1 c giblet stock or chicken1 c onion, choppedbroth, GF1 t thyme, driedsalt and pepper to taste1 t sage, dried

Directions

Cool cornbread slightly and cut into 1-inch chunks or break it into small bite-size pieces. Place cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until toasted; stirring every 10 minutes. Remove cornbread cubes from the oven and cool to room temperature. Melt butter in pan; sauté the celery and onion until soft. Stir in the thyme, sage, and parsley. Cool. Stir the cornbread and cooked onion-celery mixture together. Add egg and mix well. Add the stock or broth and mix lightly but thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the cavity of a turkey or bake the stuffing in a casserole dish.* To make lactose-free, use unsalted margarine with no milk products added

Salmon Spinach Loaf

Ingredients

1 15 oz can salmon1 pkg frozen spinach, chopped1 t garlic powder1 c onion, finely chopped1/2 t salt1/2 t pepper

Directions

Drain and clean the salmon; thaw and drain the spinach, combine spinach and salmon. Add seasonings. Mix. Place in a 6 x 9-inch greased baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.