celiac disease

In Some Countries you need a formal diagnosis of Celiac Disease for health insurance, tax deductions on gluten-free food and for employment reasons. Knowing which condition you have is the key to how strict you will be lifelong with gluten avoidance. With a gluten intolerance (sensitivity) you don’t have to be as strict with avoiding gluten as a Celiac, because there is no autoimmune reaction taking place. With Celiac Disease, you have to avoid gluten 100% because it is an autoimmune reaction every time you consume it, which, over time will damage your gut lining. This can be the make or break for many as to how seriously they take it. Celiac disease can cause nutritional deficiencies which can cause long term damage. If you don’t know if you have Celiac disease or not and you consume gluten sometimes, you could be causing your body harm without knowing. It can also be good to know if you have Celiac disease and you have children, you can get them genetically tested for the Celiac markers. If they test positive, you can then keep an eye on any symptoms that may develop in the future. It is good to get the Celiac blood test for your child from the age of 4 as it is more accurate after this age. Get them retested every two years, especially during the growing years, for girls around 8-13 years and for boys between 10-15 years. In conclusion knowing the difference matters. Gluten intolerance is a digestive issue that is not autoimmune related and therefore on it’s own won’t cause intestinal permeability. Celiac Disease is genetic and is an autoimmune condition so you have to be 100% strict lifelong. Doing so unnecessarily is a burden both emotionally, financially and socially. You may be required to prove diagnosis for various reasons depending on where you live. It can give you peace of mind and closure. It can be beneficial if you are a parent or considering starting a family as it is genetic.   Interested in genetic testing for the celiac markers? Contact me, I can assist with your genetic test. Take my masterclass to learn more on the genetic markers for Celiac Disease

How does Celiac Disease effect men? Learn about the most common symptoms.

    Disclaimer: This is an educational and informative post, nothing in it is meant to take the place of medical treatment, neither does it claim to treat, cure or diagnose any condition.     If a baby is born with the genetic markers for Celiac, they have a higher risk of developing Celiac disease, however, It does not mean they will. About 30% of the population are born with the genetics but only about 3% develop the disease. It can be triggered at any age. Celiac Disease can develop in babies from about 6 months and up, normally when wheat or other gluten containing foods are introduced. A baby might start to show symptoms, some of which could be: swollen tummy inability to be soothed failure to thrive (weight gain and growing/missing milestones) constipation. This could indicate the genes have been activated and it’s imperative a pediatrician is seen right away who will advise further. Blood tests can be tricky under the age of 4 because the child’s immune system is not fully developed. Therefore Genetic testing can help in this instance.   Note for Parents who have a diagnosed child: ALL your children should be monitored and tested every two years. Genetic testing is the best place to start to see if you need to do so. Celiac risk is higher in immediate family members. If your child has Celiac, they got the genes from either one or both of their parents. You carry the genetics to have passed it on to your child. But yours may not be triggered. Monitor and test yourselves too. Current guidelines state that there should be progressive introduction to solid foods, including all common allergenic solids( including wheat/gluten) during the first year of life, according to the infant’s ability to chew, keep their head still and sit propped up, and familial or cultural habits, beginning at around six months but not before four months of age, possibly without discontinuing breastfeeding. [source: mdpi.com/1648-9144/55/7/323]     Did you know there are possible risk factors that contribute besides having the genetics for Celiac?   A mother’s own gut health plays a crucial part. Her gut health determines to a large degree her baby’s gut health. A baby inherits it’s first microbiota from it’s mother at birth.[source: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/11/3427] What a mother eats or doesn’t eat also plays a role [source: Live science] The way the baby is born also determines the amount and type of bacteria it inherits. Babies born via vaginal birth have been shown to have a more diverse microbiota than babies born via Caesarian section.[ source:PMCID: PMC4566439] [source; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20133091/ Another fact is that the gut microbiome is influenced by many external factors such as environment, genetics, type of food, medication, whether the baby is breastfed or bottle fed and many other factors. By the time a child is 3, they have developed their gut microbiome which is an ever changing environment as we grow. A woman looking at becoming a mother can do much to protect her future child or unborn child from triggering this genetic condition by starting with her own health. Getting a DNA test will be a good starting point. Once your child is born you can also get their genetic test to see if they carry the Celiac genes. Celiac Disease needs to be triggered and can only do so when gluten is introduced. That is why a baby is not born with Celiac (only the predisposed risk if they carry the genetics) and can only develop Celiac once solid food with gluten is introduced. It is also not to say they will develop,   as only a small fraction of those who carry the genetics go on to develop the disease.      

Disclaimer: This is an educational and informative post, nothing in it is meant to take the place of medical treatment, neither does it claim to treat, cure or diagnose any condition. 1.Celiac Disease is Genetic. That means it’s hereditary and is passed on from parent to child. Immediate family members are at a higher risk of also developing it should they also carry the genetics. It is stronger in the female line.   2. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune condition. However it can be controlled by a strict lifelong avoidance of gluten. Unfortunately, due to cross contamination this is not always possible and most will experience being glutened from time to time.   3. Symptoms for Celiac Disease vary from person to person. These symptoms can be gastrointestinal such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating and gas. They can also be neurological such as brain fog, poor memory, confusion, poor concentration. Neuropathy such as tingling in the hands and feet. Not everyone develops all theses symptoms and some are also asymptomatic.   4. Celiac Disease can cause long term damage in some people, other than damage to the gut lining. Some examples are hormone imbalance, thyroid problems (leading to Hashimoto Thyrdoiditis)dental damage, alopecia, social anxiety and eating disorders due to fear of food and you are at a greater risk to develop other autoimmune conditions.It is important you seek the correct medical and mental care.   5. Celiacs often have the same problems in their biological pathways As a genetic practitioner, I have noticed that many with Celiac Disease have similar problems in biological pathways such as inflammation, detoxification, oxidative stress, and poor vitamin metabolism. Taking a genetic test can help you to see how you can improve your health overall.