Celiac
Disease Wheat allergies are becoming more and more common in children
but can go away at age three. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that the
bodies own immune system attacks the small intestine after the ingestion of gluten
(wheat, oats, barley, rye) and can last a life time.
The
symptoms can be mild to advanced such as stomach bloating, foul smelling stools,
watery diarrhea, and feeling ill after ingesting foods containing gluten. If Gluten
is consumed on a regular basis the immune system damages the small intestine causing
malabsorbtion, malnutrition, and illness.
The
best remedy is to eat a diet avoiding all foods containing gluten Read all the
food labels, gluten can be listed as modified food starch.
There are many gluten free cookbooks
and Information about this disease available: The best defense is reading all labels
carefully. Most all cereals have barley malt which contains gluten.
Oats, barley and all forms of wheat even spelt all contain gluten. Many health
food stores: Wild Oats, Mother Markets and other carry corn/rice pastas, gluten
free cake and brownie mixes, and flours to bake your own breads.
Even products
that are wheat free are not always gluten free. If you call Kraft (# on any Kraft
product) they will send you a list of all the products they have that are gluten
free. Other companies also will. Mc Donalds has an ingredient list as well as
many other fast food chains available by request.
For
further info, write: Celiac-Sprue Association P.O. Box 31700 Omaha, NE 68131-0700
call 402-558-0600.
