Celiac Disease

May is celiac awareness month, which is the perfect time to recognize and understand this often-misunderstood disease. Gluten-free diets are all the rage these days, and we at Bel Marra feel like our readers should be aware of what eliminating this protein from the diet can mean for you. Digestive health does not stop there, ...click here to read more

Gluten-free diets have become all the rage these days, but what most people don’t realize is that there are people who have to avoid even the smallest amount of gluten or risk triggering a damaging autoimmune response in the intestines. According to a recent study, researchers may have found the culprit behind the disorder, which ...click here to read more

A review of some recent health fads has been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that identifies some of the cons associated with juicing, coconut oil, and gluten-free diets. Dr. Andrew Freeman, co-chair of the American College of Cardiology’s Lifestyle and Nutrition Work Group, explained the need for this review: “There ...click here to read more

A new study has found that the risk of celiac disease may be determined by one’s birth date and region. Celiac disease is a condition characterized by hypersensitivity to gluten, meaning, the affected individuals cannot digest it. Gluten intolerance is manifested through gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea. The study looked at ...click here to read more

Research suggests that people with celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease are more likely to suffer from migraine headaches. A migraine is a severe headache that can start with sensory warning signs like flashing lights, blind spots, tingling in the arms and legs, as well as sensitivity to sound and light. These headaches come with ...click here to read more

Celiac disease patients show immune response to oats due to a protein that is similar to gluten. Melbourne researchers have identified the key components in oats that may trigger an immune response in celiac patients, potentially leading to testing for oats toxicity in the future. Oats contain proteins known as avenins, which are similar to ...click here to read more

A new study has found that people can be sensitive to gluten even without having celiac disease. Gluten induces certain changes in their bodies different from the ones characteristic of celiac disease, although there may be some symptom overlap. Senior researcher Armin Alaedini said, “We don’t know what is triggering this response, but this study ...click here to read more

Including quinoa in the gluten-free diet does not exacerbate celiac disease. Quinoa has been generally recommended as a healthy grain for celiac patients because it does not contain gluten, but in-vitro data has shown that quinoa storage proteins may stimulate innate and adaptive immune responses in celiac patients. Is quinoa gluten-free? Quinoa is technically a ...click here to read more

Celiac disease has been found to be associated with coexisting liver disease. Previous studies have shown that celiac patients often have elevated levels of liver enzymes, which typically get back to normal once a gluten-free regimen is implemented. In the new study, the researchers set out to explore the cause and prevalence of altered liver ...click here to read more

Celiac disease may increase the risk of asthma by 60 percent, according to research. For every 100,000 people with celiac disease, 147 will develop asthma, which would not have occurred if it weren’t for the digestive disorder. The study found that asthmatics were also more likely to develop celiac disease. The researchers compared over 28,000 ...click here to read more

Celiac disease is not a risk factor for colon cancer or melanoma (skin cancer). Although celiac disease won’t increase the risk for colon cancer or melanoma, it is associated with a higher risk for three other types of cancer, including enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and adenocarcinoma of the small intestine. Although celiac disease ...click here to read more

Celiac disease can lead to earlier menopause and pregnancy complications if left untreated. Menopause typically occurs at the end of a woman’s reproductive period, which is roughly at the age of 50. It is defined as going without a menstrual cycle for one full year. So if at the age of 50 you notice you ...click here to read more

This week’s health news roundup presents recent stories about gluten-free diets, celiac disease, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and shingles. We discussed the benefits of a gluten-free diet in celiac disease, metabolic syndrome in psoriasis patients, higher risk of multiple sclerosis in children of mothers deficient in vitamin D during pregnancy, the increased risk of pregnancy complications and infertility ...click here to read more

Celiac disease increases the risk of thyroid disease in type 1 diabetics. The findings come from a population-based cohort study analyzing data from Swedish National Patient Register between 1964 and 2009. Researchers identified patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes prior to the age of 31 and checked them for celiac disease with small intestine biopsy. ...click here to read more