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| Celiac Disease, Sensitive, Intolerant or Allergic – What’s What? |
Greetings friends,
Sensitive, Allergic or Intolerant: No I am not referring to an annoying friend or relative.
These terms refer to three of the four terms to describe our bodies’ adverse response to
gluten, with celiac disease being the fourth common term. In the previous article/section, we
talked about the “mixed bag” of peoples’ responses or thoughts regarding a gluten-free
lifestyle. To clarify and remove some of the “mix,” let us now look at terms that describe the
body’s potential responses to food (or drugs for that matter). These points of clarification
are by no means “in-depth” definitions of medical terms. Further, no medical conclusions
regarding your well-being should be based solely on these definitions presented here. Only
a licensed doctor/gastroenterologist can provide you with a thorough medical explanation of
these terms as they may relate to you.
Celiac Disease: Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune response in the small intestine
affecting people of all ages. It is the body’s reaction to a gluten protein (gliadin) found in
wheat, barley and rye (and potentially contaminated oats). The immune system reacts to
the gluten and tissue within the small-bowel. This autoimmune response causes an
inflammatory reaction leading to the destruction of the villi lining the small intestine.
Malabsorption of nutrients results when the villi are damage or destroyed in its advanced
stages.
Symptoms include, but are not limited to diarrhea, abdominal bloating, fatigue, Crohn's
disease,
iron-deficiency anemia, weight loss, autism(?), anemia, skin problems (such as Dermatitis
Herpetiformis), Keratosis pilaris, attention / behavioral problems (in children and adults),
chronic fatigue syndrome – CFS, constipation, depression, diverticulitis, irritability, mouth
ulcers and more.
To date, the only known treatment of celiac disease is a gluten-free diet.
Allergy: An allergy is an immune system response. Allergic responses occur when the body
mistakes an ingredient in food, typically a protein, as detrimental to the body and creates a
defense system (antibodies) to battle it. The symptoms develop when antibodies are
battling the "invading" food. The most common food allergies (mentioning only a few) are
peanuts, tree nuts (such as walnuts, pecans and almonds), milk, fish, and shellfish, soy
products, eggs and of course, wheat, in our discussion.
When eating a food containing the “evil” protein, your immune system responds by creating
specific disease-fighting antibodies (called immunoglobulin E or IgE). It triggers the release
of IgE antibodies and other chemicals, including histamine in an effort to expel the protein
"invader" from your body. Histamines are powerful chemicals that may affect the respiratory
system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, or cardiovascular system.
Allergic responses can include hives, itching of mouth, lips, tongue, throat, eyes, skin, or
else areas swelling (angioedema) of lips, tongue, eyelids, or the whole face, difficulty
swallowing, runny or congested nose, hoarse voice, wheezing and/or shortness of breath,
nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and/or stomach cramps, lightheadedness to fainting, and
sometimes death (such as an anaphylactic reaction).
Sensitive and Intolerance: The terms “sensitivity” and “intolerance” are essentially the same
thing. While many of the symptoms of gluten sensitivity/intolerance are often the same as
celiac disease, it is not an autoimmune condition and permanent damage to the small
intestine should not be assumed. According to Dr. Alessio Fasano professor of pediatrics,
medicine and physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of the
Center for Celiac Research, Gluten Sensitivity affects six to seven times more people than
celiac disease.
According to Dr. Fasano, the growth in gluten-free related health issues is due to two
primary factors: 1) wheat has been engineered to increase yield and produce characteristics
like elasticity that we enjoy and 2) we are altering our environment faster than our bodies
can adapt, resulting in an increase in all autoimmune diseases.
So why are we examining terms and definitions? Developing some level of understanding
of these terms BEFORE you go to the doctor helps both parties in conversation. I had one
doctor, fresh out of school, repeatedly attempt to converse with me in medical terms I did not
understand. One day I told him, “I am impressed with your medical knowledge. Now, would
you please use layman’s terms that the rest of the world will understand?” It is critical to
your health that you and your doctor share the same paradigm regarding your health,
diagnosis and treatment. While I was not familiar with all the physiological and anatomical
terms he used, I did possess a vocabulary allowing me to understanding fundamental and
critical terms regarding his diagnosis.
Secondly, understanding the difference between autoimmune conditions versus intolerance
is understanding the critical difference between permanent damage to the body versus
temporary discomfort.
Lastly, remember, no one knows your body better than you do. While you may not be
conversant in medical-ease, make your doctor listen. If he or she will not, find another
doctor. Debbie, my wife, went through several doctors before she found one that not only
would listen to her but also made it a priority to diagnose her correctly and verify his
diagnosis. Be persistent. Get a second or third opinion if necessary.
Listen to your body; it won’t lie to you.
I hope you had a wonderful Independence Day celebration with your family and friends.
Until next time, be well, be positive and make every day a celebration.
Blessings,
Chef David Hall, CGC
Thyme for a Chef, LLC
www.thyemforachef.com
Sensitive, Allergic or Intolerant: No I am not referring to an annoying friend or relative.
These terms refer to three of the four terms to describe our bodies’ adverse response to
gluten, with celiac disease being the fourth common term. In the previous article/section, we
talked about the “mixed bag” of peoples’ responses or thoughts regarding a gluten-free
lifestyle. To clarify and remove some of the “mix,” let us now look at terms that describe the
body’s potential responses to food (or drugs for that matter). These points of clarification
are by no means “in-depth” definitions of medical terms. Further, no medical conclusions
regarding your well-being should be based solely on these definitions presented here. Only
a licensed doctor/gastroenterologist can provide you with a thorough medical explanation of
these terms as they may relate to you.
Celiac Disease: Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune response in the small intestine
affecting people of all ages. It is the body’s reaction to a gluten protein (gliadin) found in
wheat, barley and rye (and potentially contaminated oats). The immune system reacts to
the gluten and tissue within the small-bowel. This autoimmune response causes an
inflammatory reaction leading to the destruction of the villi lining the small intestine.
Malabsorption of nutrients results when the villi are damage or destroyed in its advanced
stages.
Symptoms include, but are not limited to diarrhea, abdominal bloating, fatigue, Crohn's
disease,
iron-deficiency anemia, weight loss, autism(?), anemia, skin problems (such as Dermatitis
Herpetiformis), Keratosis pilaris, attention / behavioral problems (in children and adults),
chronic fatigue syndrome – CFS, constipation, depression, diverticulitis, irritability, mouth
ulcers and more.
To date, the only known treatment of celiac disease is a gluten-free diet.
Allergy: An allergy is an immune system response. Allergic responses occur when the body
mistakes an ingredient in food, typically a protein, as detrimental to the body and creates a
defense system (antibodies) to battle it. The symptoms develop when antibodies are
battling the "invading" food. The most common food allergies (mentioning only a few) are
peanuts, tree nuts (such as walnuts, pecans and almonds), milk, fish, and shellfish, soy
products, eggs and of course, wheat, in our discussion.
When eating a food containing the “evil” protein, your immune system responds by creating
specific disease-fighting antibodies (called immunoglobulin E or IgE). It triggers the release
of IgE antibodies and other chemicals, including histamine in an effort to expel the protein
"invader" from your body. Histamines are powerful chemicals that may affect the respiratory
system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, or cardiovascular system.
Allergic responses can include hives, itching of mouth, lips, tongue, throat, eyes, skin, or
else areas swelling (angioedema) of lips, tongue, eyelids, or the whole face, difficulty
swallowing, runny or congested nose, hoarse voice, wheezing and/or shortness of breath,
nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and/or stomach cramps, lightheadedness to fainting, and
sometimes death (such as an anaphylactic reaction).
Sensitive and Intolerance: The terms “sensitivity” and “intolerance” are essentially the same
thing. While many of the symptoms of gluten sensitivity/intolerance are often the same as
celiac disease, it is not an autoimmune condition and permanent damage to the small
intestine should not be assumed. According to Dr. Alessio Fasano professor of pediatrics,
medicine and physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of the
Center for Celiac Research, Gluten Sensitivity affects six to seven times more people than
celiac disease.
According to Dr. Fasano, the growth in gluten-free related health issues is due to two
primary factors: 1) wheat has been engineered to increase yield and produce characteristics
like elasticity that we enjoy and 2) we are altering our environment faster than our bodies
can adapt, resulting in an increase in all autoimmune diseases.
So why are we examining terms and definitions? Developing some level of understanding
of these terms BEFORE you go to the doctor helps both parties in conversation. I had one
doctor, fresh out of school, repeatedly attempt to converse with me in medical terms I did not
understand. One day I told him, “I am impressed with your medical knowledge. Now, would
you please use layman’s terms that the rest of the world will understand?” It is critical to
your health that you and your doctor share the same paradigm regarding your health,
diagnosis and treatment. While I was not familiar with all the physiological and anatomical
terms he used, I did possess a vocabulary allowing me to understanding fundamental and
critical terms regarding his diagnosis.
Secondly, understanding the difference between autoimmune conditions versus intolerance
is understanding the critical difference between permanent damage to the body versus
temporary discomfort.
Lastly, remember, no one knows your body better than you do. While you may not be
conversant in medical-ease, make your doctor listen. If he or she will not, find another
doctor. Debbie, my wife, went through several doctors before she found one that not only
would listen to her but also made it a priority to diagnose her correctly and verify his
diagnosis. Be persistent. Get a second or third opinion if necessary.
Listen to your body; it won’t lie to you.
I hope you had a wonderful Independence Day celebration with your family and friends.
Until next time, be well, be positive and make every day a celebration.
Blessings,
Chef David Hall, CGC
Thyme for a Chef, LLC
www.thyemforachef.com
Copyright 2011, Thyme for a Chef, LLC. All rights reserved.
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