Gluten Intolerance and Your Health

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http://blog.drdavidwilliams.com/blog/dr-david-williams/0/0/gluten-intolerance-and-your-health

courtesy of David Williams Blog

Published 06/24/10

Gluten intolerance is a tricky condition. Not only is it often misdiagnosed, it is also associated with a myriad of other conditions, including:

thyroid disease,
type 1 diabetes,
lactose intolerance,
arthritis,
bowel and stomach cancer,
eczema, and
allergies.

Though no two people seem to have the exact same symptom profile, you can expect to see one or more of the more common symptoms:

abdominal pain,
diarrhea symptoms,
no appetite,
skin rashes (often itchy and blistery),
anemia, and/or
stunted growth.

If the condition isn’t addressed, eventually the classic signs of malnutrition will appear, including the large tummy, thin thigh muscles, and flat buttocks.

There are a couple of reasons the symptoms and other diseases caused by celiac disease are so varied; one is the body’s severe allergic reaction to the glutens. Second, the damage to the small intestine impedes the absorption of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients:

Deficiencies in the B vitamins can lead to depression, mental problems, and the expression of neurological diseases, such as the Alzheimer’s.
Deficiencies of essential fatty acids lead to skin disorders, cancer, etc.
Inadequate calcium absorption results in osteoporosis, joint deterioration, muscle weakness and wasting, heart disease, etc.

The list related to various deficiencies goes on and on. In addition to deficiency problems, the damaged intestinal wall allows undigested proteins to enter the bloodstream, triggering additional allergic reactions throughout the body.

Based on the variety of related, complex symptoms, it’s easy to see why the diagnosis of celiac disease and gluten intolerance is often overlooked. That’s why a family health tree can be of such great help. Once it is determined that celiac disease could be a factor, there are very specific antibody blood tests your doctor can order. The presence of certain antibodies provides a definitive diagnosis, and the antibodies will rapidly decline once the problem is treated.

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