Celiac Disease is complex and serious!

An estimated 1 in 133 Americans, or about 1% of the population, has celiac disease. It’s estimated that up to 83% of Americans who have celiac disease are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions. Typically, the average time a person waits to be correctly diagnosed is 6 to 10 years old. However, adults can be diagnosed with celiac disease as well, and the reason for its late appearance is unknown.

What is Celiac Disease?

It can be difficult to diagnose celiac disease. Celiac disease is a serious genetic autoimmune disease that damages the villi of the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. It’s an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.

Symptoms

There’s a wide range of gastrointestinal symptoms associated with celiac disease such as diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating and gas, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and even constipation. Other symptoms arise with celiac disease that are unrelated to the digestive system such as anemia, usually from iron deficiency, loss of bone density (osteoporosis) or softening of bone (osteomalacia), itchy blistery skin rash (dermatitis herpetiformis), mouth ulcers, headaches and fatigue, nervous system injury, including numbness and tingling in the feet and hands, possible problems with balance, and cognitive impairment, joint pain, and reduced functioning of the spleen (hyposplenism).

What does Gluten Free Mean?

Being gluten free is about cutting out all gluten from your diet. Though it may seem difficult and restricting, a gluten free diet is the only way to properly manage celiacs disease. It’s a life changing decision but well worth it. Even eating the smallest amount of gluten can send the body into a painful immune response and damage the small intestine. Fortunately there are many healthy foods that are naturally gluten free such as fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, fish and seafood, dairy, as well as beans, legumes, and nuts.

The Only Treatment and Connection

Sadly, there are no pharmaceutical treatments or cures for celiac disease. The only existing treatment for celiac disease involves maintaining a 100% gluten free diet. In the future, there may be a more simple way to manage celiac disease. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, there are currently 22 potential therapies to help control celiac disease.

GARLÍC Restaurant & Bar is located in the heart of downtown Stroudsburg in the Poconos, PA. The owner of GARLÍC is extremely passionate about helping those manage celiac disease by offering gluten free options on the menu. GARLÍC serves the highest quality of food and with an ambience that can’t be beat. Call to hear about the daily specials being offered and to make reservations send a text to 570-350-6868.