Celiac Disease & Gluten Sensitivity: A Functional Nutrition Approach

Does your mouth water too when you think of bread, cereals, processed food, and more but you can hear your stomach grumbling? Do you think you have gluten sensitivity? Could it be something else too? Celiac disease is very similar to gluten sensitivity as in this disease the small intestine is attacked by gluten. Celiac Disease affects 0.7% of the world’s population.  About one-third of Indians are genetically predisposed to celiac disease. It is indeed a global disease, which is known to be a hereditary illness. This disease has become a cycle now and you can be the first one to break this cycle. It can end with you using functional nutrition and Ithrive. This blog sheds light on what it is and how you can get through this not as a survivor but as a winner. Let’s get into it.

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is a persistent autoimmune disorder in which the small intestine is hypersensitive to gluten (a protein found in barley, rye, and wheat), which leads to indigestion. In this disease, gluten triggers an immune response that damages the intestine. Due to these attacks, Villi (small finger-like projections that lie in the small intestine) get damaged. When it gets damaged the body is not able to soak in the nutrients properly. That usually leads to malnourishment and weakened bones miscarriage and hormonal imbalance.

This disease usually runs in the family; it also means that a person’s chance of getting this disease is one in ten if they have parents, siblings, or other first-degree relatives who have this condition. other than that some of the causes for it are immune system dysregulation, environmental toxins and pollutants, gut microbiota imbalance, and moreIt can turn into a big health concern if not treated on time and anyone can inculcate it at any age.

What is the Difference Between Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease?

Gluten intolerance (Non-Celiac gluten sensitivity) and Celiac disease are both responses to gluten, although they both differ in their seriousness and basic cause. In this disease, the body is attacked by gluten which leads to damage of the small intestine and it also leads to the body not being able to absorb nutrients whereas in gluten sensitivity, the body is unable to digest gluten but it doesn’t lead to any damage.

What are the Symptoms of Celiac Disease?

The symptoms of this disease are over two hundred but it depends from person to person. People at times do not even notice the symptoms until their intestine is damaged or their bones start to weaken. You might notice digestive symptoms right after eating or drinking something that has gluten, it is your wake-up call. If you do have these symptoms that means that it is time for you to get your root cause analysis done today. Here are some of the symptoms:

1. Digestive health symptoms:

• Constipation
• Heartburn
• Nauseous
• Gas
• Constipation
• Bloating
• Abdominal Pain
• Diarrhea
• Foul-smelling/ Floating stool

2. Symptoms of Malnutrition:

• Unintended Weight loss
• Low muscle tone or muscle wasting
• Mood changes
• Abnormal periods
• Denta enamel defects
• Delayed growth

3. Celiac disease symptoms in women:

• Early menopause
• Infertility
• Miscarriage
• Irregular periods

4. Celiac disease symptoms in children:

• Constipation
• Weight loss
• Anemia
• Diarrhea
• Bloating
• Upset stomach
• Pale, foul-smelling stools
• Damaged tooth enamel
• Delayed puberty
• Neurological problems
• Crankiness
• Slow growth

What Happens When Celiac Disease is Undiagnosed or Untreated?

When Celiac disease goes unnoticed and untreated it can lead to long-term health conditions like:

• Heart disease
• Liver failure
• Malnutrition
• Pancreatic insufficiency
• Lactose intolerance
• Gall bladder malfunction
• Mineral deficiencies
• Small intestine cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Neurological symptoms- ADHD, seizures. Ataxia. Dementia
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Infertility and miscarriage
• Gall bladder malfunction

To Know More: https://www.ithrivein.com/blog/celiac-disease-functional-nutrition-gluten-sensitivity