Celiac Disease

Celiac Disease Named in Top 5 Food Allergies, Sensitivities, and Intolerances

Kyle Eslick — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:15:26 +0000

According to a recent published report on Health News, it looks like the wheat allergy/gluten intolerance / Celiac Disease were named 4th on a list of the top 5 food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances. The article examines all types of food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances, then ranks them according to how common they are.

For your reference, here is the top 5 in order: 1) Peanuts, 2) Dairy/Beef/Lactose, 3) Shellfish, 4) Wheat Allergy/Gluten Intolerance (Celiac Disease), 5) Eggs. Here is an excerpt from their post regarding Celiac Disease:

An increasing number of Americans are being diagnosed with wheat and gluten intolerance, due to increased awareness programs surrounding Celiac disease. A wheat allergy deals specifically with the wheat grain, while Celiac disease is brought about by an autoimmune disorder which affects the body’s ability to process gluten proteins within grain (wheat as well as others).

Those diagnosed with wheat allergies have about a 20 percent chance of being allergic to other grains. With Celiac disease, you must also avoid barley, rye and oats. There is the possibility of outgrowing a wheat allergy, however those suffering from Celiac disease will have a lifelong issue with gluten and wheat products. Celiac disease can lead to severe malnutrition if not properly diagnosed and because it will require a lifestyle change, make sure that you seek out a proper diagnosis from trained medical personnel, such as an allergist, rheumatologist, or gastroenterologist.

As with other common allergens, the government has mandated packaged food be properly labeled as containing wheat (although not gluten). Be particularly careful about baked goods, bread crumbs, cereals, and grains like semolina, couscous, and farina. You may also find wheat, in various incarnations, in beer, breaded food, sausage, sauces, and even ice cream, salad dressings and soups. General food guidelines for wheat allergy can be found here at the Lucille Packard Stanford Children’s Hospital website.

I suppose this should help raise awareness for Celiac Disease and I wouldn’t be surprised as Celiac diagnosis continue to go up if Celiac Disease moves up the list.

Citizen’s Bank Park to Host Celiac Awareness Night

Kyle Eslick — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:01:14 +0000

If you live in the Philadelphia area, or are a baseball fan and would like to see a Philadelphia Phillies game in person, we have just received word that Citizen’s Bank Park will be hosting an upcoming Celiac Awareness Night on July 20, 2009.

Citizen’s Bank Park was already very Celiac-friendly with their gluten free hot dogs and hot dog buns (located at the South Philly Market behind section 128) as well as other concessions (which can be viewed here). Now it looks like they are working with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) to increase Celiac awareness in their area and endear themselves to the Celiac community.

If you’d like to learn more about Celiac Awareness Night, you can find it here.

Kix Cereal to be Gluten Free Soon?

Kyle Eslick — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:39:49 +0000

I’ve noticed a few published reports around the internet which seem to state that Kix cereal is now completely gluten free; however, my research shows that this is not completely true, or at least that General Mills won’t label their Kix cereal as gluten free yet, so I wanted to draft a quick post to clarify.

According to Triumph Dining, Kix cereal still has a significant risk for cross-contamination (though it sounds like they will be looking into fixing this at some point in the near future):

Kix has been reformulated so that it no longer contains oats. However, the company has decided not to specifically label Kix as gluten-free nor claim it to be so, as cross-contamination is still a possibility. I’ve contacted a media representative for more information, particularly about whether production lines are washed between runs of gluten-containing and gluten-free products. This type of practice is pretty standard with a large company like General Mills, and it would most likely allow many on a gluten-free diet to add Kix to their breakfast cereal options. Expect more updates in the next few days.

The idea of Kix being gluten free is very exciting for myself and I’m sure it is for many others. Once I am able to confirm Kix is officially gluten free I will publish an updated post!

Celiac Diagnosis 4 Times More Common Than 50 Years Ago

Kyle Eslick — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:56:31 +0000

Over the past few days I’ve watched as a large number of people have thoroughly discussed the recent report from the Mayo Clinic that Celiac Disease is diagnosed in the United States 4 times more often than it was 50 years ago. At first I had a lot of trouble figuring out why this was even a story. In the past 10 years alone their has been a surge in Celiac diagnosis, which one would think that this could be credited to doctors better understanding the disease and how to correctly diagnose it, right? According to the study, however, something else has made the celiac-antibody 4 times more common than it was 50 years ago.

Recently I spent some time reading about this story on WebMD and here is what I learned:

In the Mayo Clinic study, stored blood samples collected from healthy male army recruits between 1948 and 1954 were tested for the presence of a celiac-specific antibody.

The Mayo researchers also tested blood samples collected just a few years ago from men whose ages were either similar to the recruits at the time the samples were taken or at the time of the study.

They found that:

The samples from the contemporary group of young people were 4.5 times more likely to have the celiac antibody than the samples drawn in the 1950s.

The contemporary samples taken from older men whose ages matched the current ages of the recruits were four times as likely to have the antibody.

During 45 years of follow-up, undiagnosed celiac disease was associated with a fourfold increased risk of death.

In a 2003 study, Murray and colleagues found that celiac disease was being diagnosed at a rate that was nine times higher than just a decade before.

One aim of the new study was to find out if this represented a real increase in incidence or simply better awareness of the disease and better ways of diagnosing it.

“Celiac disease is unusual, but it’s no longer rare,” Murray says. “Something has changed in our environment to make it much more common.”

The article goes on to explain Hygiene Hypothesis, which is basically the theory that Celiac diagnosis is on the rise due to the fewer number of germs we are exposed to on a daily basis.

Celiac Disease Treatment Videos from the Mayo Clinic

Kyle Eslick — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:31:08 +0000

True to our word, we are continuing to search the web for Celiac Disease videos to share with our readers. Here are a few videos we ran across and decide our readers might find some value in.

The first two videos feature Joseph Murray, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and specialist in Celiac Disease. The third video is sort of a beginner video for shopping for gluten free items in grocery stores.

Celiac Disease Background and Treatment - Mayo Clinic

Celiac Disease Study Findings - Mayo Clinic

Healthy Food Choices for Celiac Disease

If there is a YouTube video you’d like to see featured here, please let us know!

Recurrent Mouth Ulcers Could Suggest Celiac Disease

Kyle Eslick — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:02:13 +0000

Here is an interesting press release we received regarding recurring mouth ulcers and how they could suggest Celiac Disease as the source:

A minority of patients with recurrent mouth sores (aphthous stomatitis) have gluten-sensitive enteropathy, making evaluation for celiac disease appropriate in this population, according to a new study in BMC Gastroenterology.

Gluten-sensitive enteropathy, or celiac disease, is an inherited, autoimmune disorder in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats.

“It has been reported that in 5 percent of celiac disease patients, aphthous stomatitis may be the sole manifestation of the disease,” write Dr. Farhad Shahram, of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, and colleagues.

Aphthous stomatitis is a painful open ulcer, such as a canker sore, in the mouth that is white or yellow and surrounded by a bright red area. They tend to reappear in times of stress and are associated with viral infections, food allergies and other conditions.

The researchers studied 247 aphthous stomatitis patients (average age 33 years) who had at least three aphthous attacks during the year. The team measured antibodies and other immune factors associated with celiac disease, and patients with negative results were excluded.

Those with positive results underwent biopsies of the lining of the small intestine. Gluten-sensitive enteropathy was defined as a positive blood test for immune factors and abnormal biopsy results. A gluten-free diet was recommended for patients with gluten-sensitive enteropathy.

Of the 247 patients, seven patients with positive blood tests underwent upper GI endoscopy and duodenal biopsies. Endoscopic findings were compatible with gluten-sensitive enteropathy in two patients and were normal in five patients. However, biopsy findings were compatible with gluten-sensitive enteropathy in all seven patients.

The patients with gluten-sensitive enteropathy were an average of 27 years old and the average duration of the disease was 4.5 years. The seven celiac disease patients had not responded to conventional mouth ulcer medications, including topical corticosteroids, tetracycline, and colchicine.

Of the seven celiac disease patients, four started a strict gluten-free diet. All showed a significant improvement within 2 to 6 months.

“Gluten-sensitive enteropathy should be considered in aphthous stomatitis patients,” the authors conclude. A lack of response to conventional treatment for could be another indicator of celiac disease risk.

Prometheus Releases MyCeliacID, a Saliva-based Celiac Disease Genetic Test

Kyle Eslick — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:33:42 +0000

Here is an interesting press release was received and got permission to pass along to our readers regarding a new test which uses your saliva to test for the Celiac gene.

Prometheus Laboratories Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical and diagnostic company, yesterday announced the launch of MyCeliacID, the first do it yourself, saliva-based genetic test dedicated to celiac disease. MyCeliacID identifies distinct genetic sequences associated with celiac disease, a largely undiagnosed genetic disorder that affects approximately 3 million people in the United States. MyCeliacID is the saliva-based version of a blood test used by doctors. The test can be ordered online at MyCeliacID.

“Prometheus is a leader in celiac genetic testing, performing more than 80,000 blood-based genetic tests for celiac disease to date,” said Ron Rocca, Prometheus’ General Manager, Gastrointestinal Products. “An estimated 1% of people in the United States live with celiac disease however many remain undiagnosed. We have decided to make MyCeliacID, a highly-reliable, non-invasive, DNA-based test for celiac disease, available directly to the public so that people who are searching for answers can have better information about their condition.”

Celiac Disease appears in individuals genetically predisposed to the disease and who consume gluten, a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. MyCeliacID is the only test that provides individuals with their risk of developing the disease relative to the general population. In addition, MyCeliacID can virtually rule out celiac disease in a person’s lifetime. A negative test result indicates that the individual does not have the genes associated with celiac disease and is highly unlikely to develop the disease. A positive result indicates that the individual has one or more genes that predispose to celiac disease, however it is not an indication of the disease itself. Individuals with a positive test result should see a physician, who may elect to perform other testing. Only a doctor can diagnose celiac disease.

“When my son Tyler was diagnosed in 1991, genetic testing for celiac disease wasn’t available,” said Danna Korn, founder of Raising Our Celiac Kids (ROCK) and author of four best-selling books, including Living Gluten-Free for Dummies. “It took two frustrating years of searching for answers and for the cause of my son’s symptoms. Today, with MyCeliacID, you can quickly find out if you or a loved one has the genes for celiac disease.”

MyCeliacID is available online. A licensed physician will review and place the order in accordance with state and federal law after a test request is made online. In addition, after the testing is performed, the physician will review and release the result. Test results can be accessed online via a secure link, usually within 7 days from receipt of the saliva sample.

About Prometheus

Prometheus Laboratories Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical and diagnostic company committed to developing and commercializing novel pharmaceutical and diagnostic products to help physicians individualize patient care. Prometheus is a leader in applying the principles of personalized medicine to the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and intends to apply these principles to oncology. Its strategy includes the marketing and delivery of pharmaceutical products complemented by proprietary, high-value diagnostic testing services. By integrating pharmaceutical products and diagnostic testing services, Prometheus believes it can address the full continuum of care, thereby providing physicians with a comprehensive solution to treat chronic diseases. Prometheus’ corporate offices are located in San Diego.

Enjoy Life Releases Gluten Free Granola

Kyle Eslick — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:01:25 +0000

One of the advantages of running a website like this is the relationships you get to forge with the Celiac community, as well as the many businesses we’ve had the pleasure of working with. With these relationships sometimes comes various perks, including trying new gluten free foods prior to their release, or shortly after they start showing up on our grocery shelves.

Enjoy Life Foods has a number of high quality gluten free products, so they have always been one of my favorite companies to work with. Recently I received 3 packages of Enjoy Life Foods new granola flavors to try: Cinnamon Crunch, Cranapple Crunch and Very Berry Crunch.

My first impression is that this is a great product and has several potential uses. Obviously it makes for a great snack that can be taken with you “on the go”, but it also could be mixed with milk or cereal, etc.

Being the good son that I am, I decided to share with my mother who has Celiac Disease. She went straight for the cinnamon and really seemed to enjoy herself, so she now has that entire bag.

Upon review of the ingredients, we determined that this granola does not contain any nuts or oatmeal, but it has great plenty of crunch! They are also fairly low in calories with no saturated or trans fats. This was expected, as it seems to be true with most (if not all) Enjoy Life Foods products. Their products are generally made with high quality, “good for you” ingredients such as: rice bran, freeze dried fruit, honey, juice concentrates and ground flax seed. Unfortunately, so many gluten free products focus on taste, and as a result, are full of starch. This might give them a nice texture, but those are empty calories. Enjoy Life never seems to use any of the top eight most common allergens.

I haven’t yet seen these granola products in my local grocery stores, but I did find them online at a pretty good price (buying 6 bags at a time). You can see what I mean here.

Anyone else had a chance to try these yet?

Celiac Disease Videos by Dr. Vikki Petersen

Kyle Eslick — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:26:27 +0000

Some of our readers have expressed a desire to see more videos featured here at Celiac Disease. As always, we try to accommodate the readers whenever possible, so here are a few videos we found via YouTube by Dr. Vikki Petersen discusses the gluten free diet (the first two videos) and vitamin D.

Feel free to enjoy some/all of them and share your comments below!

Gluten Free Diet (Part 1)

Gluten Free Diet (Part 2)

Celiac Disease and Vitamin D

Gluten Free Faces: Gluten Free Social Network

Kyle Eslick — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:24:53 +0000

Although it has been almost a full month since Gluten Free Faces launched, today I realized we haven’t mentioned this new website/service here. This post is an attempt to make up for this!

Gluten Free Faces is the creation of our friend Chad Hines, a blogger who decided to create an online, gluten free community where individuals could come together and provide support, information and guidance to one another. The result is a gluten free social network of sorts, which hopes to bring the Celiac community together online.

Once you’ve signed up for your free account, you’ll have the ability to create your own avatar and interact with other members of the Gluten Free Faces community via chat or by joining individual groups. You can also share your favorite gluten free recipes, search gluten free blogs, and of course discussing news. In other words, it is similar to a Celiac forum, but with a more private feel to it.

If you’d like to check out, you can click here to visit Gluten Free Faces!