Weight gain is always seen as a result of poor diet and poor lifestyle. But what if you eat healthily, do exercise and everything to stay fit, still you gain weight. Silent celiac disease is the culprit behind this unwanted change and Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu is one of its victims.
Usually, weight loss is one of the common symptoms of celiac disease thus it’s often ignored in obese patients. It got highlighted when Sandhu was trolled for her body changes. During an interview, she said,” Nobody knows about my celiac disease. That I cannot eat wheat flour and many other things.“
Eating gluten-rich food can damage her intestine and even cause something fatal like cancer. It’s worse in pregnant women as celiac sprue can also cause miscarriage. And chances are more that many patients will develop complications as around 20% of them never get diagnosed or understand its symptoms.
So, how to know if you have this disease, and does it affects only adults. Get all the answers here.
What is Celiac Disease and its Symptom?
via:news18
It is a disease that damages the lining of the intestine making it incapable of absorbing nutrients properly. Gluten is the main cause of it as foods like wheat and barley trigger this response in people with celiac disease. However, it is different from gluten intolerance which may or may damage their intestine.
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Symptoms of Celiac Disease
If something is wrong with your digestion, then take it as a sign but symptoms are not only always related to the digestive system. Here are a few ways you can identify the first signs of celiac disease in you or your children.
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain
- Headaches
- Poor bone density
- Anemia
- Gas and bloating
- Low weight
- Fatigue
- Itching and rashes on buttocks, scalp, elbows, back, and knees
- Mouth ulcers
- Diarrhea
- Pain in joints
- The foul smell of poop
- Damaging tooth enamel
Some neurological symptoms are also seen in children with celiac disease. For example, they have poor concentration skills, learning difficulties, and poor muscle coordination. So, if anyone has disliking to wheat and gluten products, they will experience these symptoms upon eating gluten.
However, people with a wheat allergy may not have complete symptoms and usually don’t have celiac disease. Thus, diagnosis of celiac disease is important to reduce the risk and complications.
Also Read:Sorghum: A Gluten-Free Grain To Take Your Meals To The Next Level
Risks Involved
One should not take these signs lightly as the disease can be fatal if you have another disease like diabetes, down syndrome, or IBS. These can make things complicated leading to cancer, malnutrition, and nervous system problems. The risk can be mitigated by proper diagnosis and treatment. Let’s learn about these two below
Diagnosis and Treatment
The blood test is the common procedure to diagnose the disease but doctors can perform the following tests as well.
- C-reactive protein tests
- Serology tests
- Imaging tests
- Iron tests
- Genetic tests
7 Must-Know Tips for People With Celiac Disease
via:theplant-poweredietitian
Celiac disease has no cure, one can only manage it by bringing a change in their health via proper diet and lifestyle. For this, one has to be careful when choosing their meal. Here are a few tips for that
- Check the label of processed foods for gluten and avoid them
- Do not include wheat, barley, semolina, rye, and other gluten food in the diet
- Stay away from pancakes, noodles, cereals, beer, crackers
- Make sure your salad dressings, candy bars, french fries, granola bars don’t have gluten
- Eat only fruits, vegetables, dairy, and animal products
- Beans and nuts are also healthy for you
- You can also eat rice, chia seeds, flax, amaranth, quinoa, tapioca, and millet
Lastly, check your toothpaste and medications are also free from gluten. These are the only ways to avoid symptoms of celiac disease and keep yourself healthy.