Continually doing research on my son’s sensitivities to Gluten, Dairy, Eggs and Nuts and doing my best to find Allergy Friendly or Allergy Free Foods. I’ve come across Celiac Disease. It’s something I did not know exist until now, and 1 out of 133 have this condition.
Those with Celiac Disease must adhere to a life long diet modification without gluten. Gluten can be found in many wheat related food products such as breads, pancakes, cookies, brownies, pastas and waffles. Some foods you would not think have gluten would be soups and gravies that might use flour to thicken them up or some times you might dredge your favorite chicken, fish and french fries with flour to crisp them up, and meatloaf includes breadcrumbs. Other grains that contain gluten are barley and rye.
Even ingesting a small minute amount of gluten causes immunological toxic reaction that damages the villi in the small intestines, and therefore the food is unable to be properly absorbed. So all the nutrients that you might have gotten are passed through to the toilet.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no common thread that triggers the disease, so stress, viral infection, pregnancy, or surgery could be culprits. The symptoms are extremely wide ranging and not always a gastrointestinal disorder. While it is strange to associate the following with Celiac Disease, once diagnosed and treated the following seem to have been know to disappear; joint pain, anemia, depression, irritability, fatigue, weakness, unusual menstrual cycles, infertility, canker sores, loss of enamel, diarrhea, constipation, unusual weight gain or loss, vitamin deficiencies, flatulence, osteoporosis, pale looking, easy bruising, and nausea.
If you suspect or concerned about this disease, please contact your healthcare/medical professional team to determine the correct tests to check for this malady. They will probably test your blood for your Total Serum (IgA), Endomysial Antibody (EMA-IgA), Anti-gliadin Antibody (AGA-IgG, AGA-IgA), and Tissue Transglutaminase Antibody (tTG – IgA/IgG). After these blood tests, a biopsy maybe needed to confirm the damage of the diagnosis.
Here is a list of ingredients that do not contain gluten; meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, and rice. If your want some flour, 
try some flours made from rice, corn, potato, soy, and almond. If you’re tired of white rice, try quinoa, buckwheat or lentils. If your recipe requires some the glueyness that gluten provides, then add some xanthum gum or guar gum. Instead of wheat flour to thicken up some sauces, try starches made from corn, tapioca or potato. Remember to follow your recipes for the appropriate portions.
A final note, always read the ingredients on the back of the box. If you’re out at a restaurant, many now have a gluten free menu. Celiac Disease is a serious condition that people can live with, when proper precautions are taken.
P.S. My Gluten Free Pizza keeps getting better!
