Written By Guest Writer Edibles / Food Events / Health Apr 30, 2013 Celiac Awareness Month SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter PinterestMay is Celiac Awareness Month, so let’s drink a toast (with gluten-free beer, of course), to those who cope with this challenging disease. (Note: This is an updated version of this article which first ran in the May/June issue. Sorghum was incorrectly included among the foods that celiacs should avoid. For more information go to phys.org Celiac disease, an inherited autoimmune disease, is a serious condition affecting thousands of Canadians. It’s triggered by eating foods that contain gluten, a protein composite found in many grains such as wheat, durum wheat, spelt, kamut, barley, rye and triticale. When people with this genetic disorder ingest gluten, it inflames and damages the lining of the small intestine and causes reduced absorption of iron, calcium, vitamins A, D, E, K and folic acid. People with celiac disease must completely and permanently avoid gluten-containing grains and prepared foods, even in trace amounts. A gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease. More than 330,000 Canadians are believed to be affected by the disease, according to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation, and only about 110,000 of those cases are diagnosed. Rates of celiac disease have almost doubled in the past 25 years in western countries. A celiac’s immune system can react adversely with a multitude of severe symptoms. Some celiacs have iron-deficiency anemia without any digestive disruptions, and some are asymptomatic. However, many celiacs can experience gas, nausea, abdominal pain, distension and constipation. They often develop anemia and malnutrition because they have difficulty absorbing nutrients. Mouth ulcers, tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, extreme fatigue, weak muscles, joint pain and menstrual irregularities are other common symptoms. Eliminating gluten allows intestinal inflammation to heal and controls most symptoms of the disease. The first step in diagnosing the disease is a series of blood tests that measures the patient’s response to gluten. For blood tests to be accurate, the patient must have been eating a normal diet containing gluten prior to testing. An initial biopsy of the small intestine lining and a follow-up biopsy, performed after the patient has strictly adhered to a gluten-free diet for a year or more, are used to confirm the diagnosis. Celiacs should eat high-protein, high-fibre diets, with a variety of chicken, fish, seafood, meat, eggs, fruits and vegetables. They can eat millet (cereals and flour), brown rice (farina, flour and pasta), corn (grits, flour, cornmeal and cornstarch), buckwheat (groats [kasha], soba noodles, cereals and flour), amaranth (seeds, cereals and flour), quinoa (flour and pasta), teff (grain and flour), soy (tofu, beans and flour) and arrowroot powder. Other suitable types of flour include potato, urad dahl, almond, sorghum and tapioca flour. Oats uncontaminated by gluten are safe for some celiacs. Nuts, or any other foods that haven’t been contaminated during processing by gluten-containing foods, are permitted. Not all celiacs can tolerate all of the grains considered suitable for celiacs without symptoms. Gluten-free products are more widely available and more accurately labelled than ever before. By learning as much as possible about the disease and adhering to a diet that includes a wide variety of safe foods, celiacs can maintain good health and enjoy eating good food.—By Sylvia Weinstock Resources VictoriaCeliac.org Celiac.ca HealthCanada.gc.ca/celiac CeliacCentral.org BreakingTheViciousCycle.info Origin BakeryThe Noodle BoxRockets FoodsPanne Rizo Bakery celiacgluten-free SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Written By: Guest Writer We get many people writing guest articles for us, as well as past contributors. This is the Guest ... Read More You may also like Recipes July 3, 2023 May|June Cover Recipe : Polenta Cake with Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote and Lemon Mascarpone Cream A creative take on traditional strawberry ... Read More Recipes March 6, 2023 March April Cover Recipe : Lemony Leek Cod Cakes The unpretentious and delicious fish cake gets an upgrade with chunks of fresh cod, tangy lemon zest, and creamy, sautéed ... Read More Main course / Recipes / Salad November 1, 2022 Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Steak Salad All the flavours of southeast Asia are contained in this colourful, crunchy, and protein-rich ... Read More Breads/Pastries / Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Sweet Endings — A Memory of Lemon Pudding Sweet Endings September ... Read More Breads/Pastries / Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Sweet Endings — Chocolate Custard Cake Sweet Endings September ... Read More Dessert / Recipes November 1, 2022 Masterclass — Candied Citrus Masterclass Candied Citrus Holiday ... Read More Comments are closed.
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