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Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a genetically mediated auto-immune disorder characterized by an intolerance for specific protein peptides found in certain widely used grains. When a person with celiac disease ingests any of these grains, even in very small amounts, their immune system reacts to these protein fragments as though they were an invading organism, and attacks the villi lining the small intestine in a misguided defense strategy.
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Living with Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a genetic disorder. If a first order relative of yours (parent, child, sibling) has celiac disease, then you have a 20% chance of having it yourself. Steve has it. So does his his daughter. You can't catch celiac disease from anyone else.
Once you know that you have celiac disease there is one course of action open to you, it is the only way to manage this disorder.
In order to prevent triggering the self destructive immune response, persons with celiac disease must avoid certain grains for the rest of their lives. The offending grains are wheat,
rye, and
barley.
For a typical celiac, making a mistake and accidentally eating food that contains "gluten" usually results in intestinal distress, sometimes depression, often diarrhea, and over the long term it causes damage to the villi that line the small intestine. Left undetected, numerous nutritional deficiencies will begin to appear. Osteoporosis is another common result of celiac disease. Stomach cancer becomes more likely.
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Steve's Photos by Stephen A Rider is licensed under a 