People with celiac disease do not know much about it, so that until now the ailment remains unknown to the majority of people. What is only certain is that the malady is set off by foods with the protein called gluten. No treatment for the problem exists, except that a change in the diet could help remove the ailment's symptoms. The disease is also known in the medical field as celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in the digestive system triggered by eating foods that are rich with gluten like wheat barley grains, bread, pasta, pizza crust, and even cookies. Any food that is made from wheat barley or rye most likely contains a good amount of gluten that soon leads to the occurrence of a reaction in the small intestine causing damage to its inner lining.
The damaged small intestine becomes incapable of absorbing nutrients in the food necessary for the sustenance of the body. This leads to malnutrition and exposure to other diseases. There are some who believe that celiac disease is inherited, but since the ailment comes up because of the gluten in food, it would appear hereditary if the family continues eating the same type of food from generation to generation.
Why the lining in the small intestine is being damaged if one has the disease is still unknown. Previously, it was thought that the disease only affects Europeans and other people fond of wheat barley in their diet, but as the years passed, other ethnic groups were discovered to be also susceptible to the disease. With the findings on the gluten as the cause of the small intestines' adverse reaction, maybe there are also other foods worldwide which have this type of protein as content.
The disease can be mistakenly diagnosed because the signs and symptoms are mixed. People with the disease experience intermittent diarrhea, bloating, gastric ulcers, mouth sores, skin rash, anemia, upset stomach, joint pain and some abdominal pain - symptoms which are too varied, making it difficult to really tell if the ailment of one is celiac disease or not. Generally people with this affliction suffer weight loss, diarrhea, stomach pains, foul smelling stools, and osteoporosis. Sometimes, trauma, an infection, a physical injury, or the stress from pregnancy can cause the onset of the disease, or even just the stress from surgery.
Since there is no medicine yet for celiac disease, the best way to combat its effects is to shift to a gluten free diet. There are also grains that are free from gluten that can be substituted for the carbohydrate sources that bring about the disease.
A gluten free diet of course should include the right amounts of fresh meat, fish and poultry, dairy products, fruits and vegetables.