What is Celiac Disease? Glad you asked! Read the following boxes to find out.
Celiac Disease
Simply put, Celiac is an gastrointestinal disease that produces an immune response whenever you ingest gluten.
Very Common
1 in 100 people have Celiac disease -- that's approximately 3 million people in the US who are all in the same boat! [1]
Misdiagnosis
Unfortunately, Celiac is one of the most mis/under-diagnosed diseases, as 60-70% of Americans with Celiac live undiagnosed. [2]
Treatment
Lifelong adherence to the gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease. [3]
Symptoms
There are more than 200 symptoms associated with celiac disease, which makes it exceedingly difficult to diagnose. [4]
Onset & Risk
Celiac disease can develop at any age and is hereditary. Without a timely diagnosis, it can lead to cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, MS, anemia, etc.
Sources
[1] Mayo Clinic, 2023. “Celiac Disease: Symptoms & Causes.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/celiac-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20352220.
[2] Celiac Disease Foundation. August 19, 2016. “20 Things You Might Not Know About Celiac Disease,” https://celiac.org/about-the-foundation/featured-news/2016/08/20-things-you-might-not-know-about-celiac-disease.
[3] Celiac Disease Foundation, 2023. “Treatment & Follow-Up,” https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/treatment-and-follow-up.
[4] Celiac Disease Foundation, 2023. “Symptoms of Celiac Disease,” https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/symptoms-of-celiac-disease.