• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
G-Free Foodie logo
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Baked Goods
    • Beverages
    • Dairy Free
    • Desserts
    • Kid Zone
    • Main Dishes
    • Paleo Friendly
    • Quick & Easy
    • Recipes & Techniques by Cooks We Love
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Vegan
  • Articles
    • Dining Tips
    • G-Free Foodie Guides
    • G-Free Foodie Mommies
    • G-Free Foodie Product Reviews
    • Gluten Free Advice + Experts
    • KC's Blog
  • About
  • Shop
  • Help!
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Browse Recipes
  • Articles
  • About
  • Shop
  • Help!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home / Articles / Gluten Free Advice + Experts

    Celiac Disease Q&A

    Leave a Comment

    Celiac Disease Q&A
    Gluten Free Advice + Experts

    Share

    What is celiac disease?
    You may have never heard of celiac disease, but it is actually a fairly common problem. In fact, 1 out of every 133 people has it. That is over 2 million people in this country. It is really more of an allergy than a disease, although it is typically called an intolerance to gluten.

    What is gluten?
    Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, triticale, and couscous. People who have celiac disease cannot eat any foods made out of these flours. Gluten is the thing that makes bread, well, bread. It allows bread to rise and keeps it together with lots of nice little air pockets, making your bread light and spongy. Without gluten it is difficult to make bread that is not heavy and dense.

    What are the symptoms of celiac disease?
    The symptoms vary widely. Celiac disease is typically thought of as a condition that causes diarrhea, abdominal pain, gas and bloating. However, many people do not experience these symptoms at all. They may experience constipation, weight gain, fatigue, headaches, heartburn, skin problems such as eczema and acne, or any number of health problems.

    What exactly happens to the body in celiac disease?
    In people with celiac disease, eating gluten leads to damage of the small intestine. Damage is specifically done to the villi of the small intestine. Villi are tiny finger-like extensions of the surface of the intestinal tract. They can only be seen under a microscope. In celiac disease the villi are in essence worn down, or blunted. This is known as villous atrophy. It’s something like the difference between holding your hand open with your fingers out, and having your hand clenched into a fist. The fist represents the blunted villi.

    Why does this happen?
    In people with celiac disease, their immune system is triggered by gluten to not only attack gluten, but to attack their own intestinal tract. This leads to villous atrophy. It is not known exactly why this happens, but it appears to be a genetic response to gluten.

    How is it diagnosed?
    Celiac disease is diagnosed by measuring the damage to the small intestine. The presence of villous atrophy can be determined by a biopsy taken during an endoscopy (a procedure to scope your esophagus, stomach and the upper part of your small intestine) and seen under the microscope. The blood test for tissue transglutaminase antibodies has also been shown in scientific studies to be equally effective at determining whether or not there is villous atrophy.

    Endomysial antibodies and reticulin antibodies are older blood tests that are not as reliable as the transglutaminase antibody, but if these tests are positive then they are also diagnostic for celiac disease.

    What is the treatment for celiac disease?
    The treatment for celiac disease is to stop eating gluten. That is easier said than done, but many thousands of people find that they are capable of completely removing gluten from their diet. Of course, it does take conscious effort. Gluten is found in almost all bread products, pastas, soy sauce, and many, many processed foods. However, there are many companies now producing gluten free alternatives, and more are coming out every month.

    What is the long term outcome for people with celiac disease?
    Fortunately, removing gluten from the diet usually reverses the damage that had already been caused. Significant improvement is usually noticed within weeks if not days, and continued improvement and healing may go on for 1-2 years.

    Are there other forms of gluten intolerance?
    Many people do not have celiac disease, but it is clear to them that eating gluten is making them sick. This is an important topic. Be sure to read Part Two in the next newsletter, Understanding Non-Celiac Forms of Gluten Intolerance.

    Article Courtesy:  Dr. Stephen Wangen
    Image thanks to wikipedia.org

    You May Also Like

    • peanut butter and peanuts
      What are Lectins; and could I Be Allergic to Lectins?
    • glutenfree menu in-n-out five guys shake shack
      Gluten-Free Menus at In-N-Out Burger, Five Guys and…
    • loaf of gluten-free coconut bread
      What is Gluten-Free?
    • biggest cooking mistakes
      The Most Common Cooking Mistakes!
    « Are You Eating (Enough) Peanut Butter?
    Learning to Speak Up »

    Share

    Reader Interactions

    Let Us Know What You Think Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    K.C. the G-Free Foodie

    K.C. is a farm-grown foodie, born and raised in the fertile fields of California’s San Joaquin Valley. After being diagnosed with Celiac Disease following years of unexplained illness, she has infused her gluten-free life with flavor, fork in hand. Learn more about K.C.

    Featured Recipes

    Glass bottle filled with tomato vinaigrette in front of a salad on a wooden table.

    Tomato Vinaigrette: An Easy Salad Dressing To Try Now

    gluten free coconut layer cake recipe

    The BEST Gluten-Free Coconut Cake

    tomato water

    Tomato Water | The Fresh Tomato Recipe You Didn't Know You Needed

    easy single serving sangria

    Easy Single-Serving Sangria

    SHOP GLUTEN FREE FAVES

    Popular Categories

    • Appetizers + Snacks
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Dining Tips
    • Main Dishes
    • Quick + Easy
    • Salads + Dressings
    • Soups
    • Tips + Tricks

    Footer

    People

    • About Us
    • Meet K.C. Cornwell
    • G-Free Foodie Gluten Free Advocates + Experts

    Business

    • Partnerships
    • Contact
    • Gluten Free Consulting Services
    • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer
    • Links & Cool Stuff

    Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • TikTok

    G-Free Foodie © 2025 · All Rights Reserved