Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Addison's: Addison's and Celiac

Remember, I’m not a doctor. All I’m trying to do here is provide minimal interpretation and lots of information so you can make the best decisions for you with the help of your doctor.

Many of these articles require a FREE and very worth while subscription to Medscape.

After you read this and think you might have celiac, I highly recommend that you avoid gluten (with the support of your physician) and see if the symptoms abate. At the end of this post, I will post some food items that you can purchase from your local grocery store so that you’re well stocked and not hungry when you try a gluten free diet.
Here is an excellent description of Celiac Sprue, also called Celiac disease, from emedicine.com (can be accessed with the same FREE subscription of www.medscape.com ). If you feel that you have any or many of the symptoms mentioned in the article, you may want to print it out, highlight the symptoms you have and take it to your doctor. Be proactive and educate your physician. Chances are, your physician does not know the symptom sof celiac disease (see below articles)
These symptoms are copied directly from emedicine.com:
  • Chronic diarrhea
  • Steatorrhea
  • Abdominal bloating or cramps
  • Flatulence
  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Anemia
  • Bleeding diathesis
  • Osteopenia
  • Seizure disorders
  • Stunted growth
PRINT THIS OUT TOO: More symptoms are listed in this PDF Brochure from the Celiac Disease Foundation

Discussion of the lack of detection of Celiac Disease and testing can be found here: Detection of Celiac Disease in Primary Care: A Multicenter Case-Finding Study in North America This article concludes: “In conclusion, our study demonstrates that an active case-finding strategy in the primary care setting is an effective means to improve the diagnostic rate of CD [Celiac Disease] in North America. The most common reasons for positive screening tests included gastrointestinal symptoms, thyroid disease, family history of CD, and iron deficiency. It is strongly recommended that all individuals be screened for the large variety of clinical manifestations and conditions associated with CD by their primary care physicians. Those with one or more of these features should have serological testing for CD and, if positive, should be referred for definitive diagnosis by means of an intestinal biopsy. A larger application of this protocol could raise the awareness and increase detection of this common disorder among primary care physicians and in the general population in North America.”

Another excellent article: Advances in Celiac Disease

There is a very important and often overlooked link between Addison’s Disease (and other autoimmune diseases) and Celiac Disease.

Treatment for Celiac Disease is easy.
Avoid gluten in your diet. These two organizations (among many) have great websites with FAQ sections, recipes, and support.
Items to buy from the grocery store.
If you are fortunate enough to live near a Trader Joe’s, it’s got many, many excellent gluten free choices. I can find every one of these items in my local (very rural) grocery store. You will probably be able to find these items or similar where you live.
  • Pasta
  • Crackers-rice crackers that are gluten free , many choices
  • Cookies
  • Flours (if you want to make your own gluten free stuff)
  • Gluten free mixes cookies, cakes, pancakes, brownies, biscuits and breads
  • Cereal
  • Polenta
  • Gluten free bread – many choices in your frozen foods health food section
  • Corn Starch as a thickener
Ideas for going out to eat:
· Salad and chicken
· Salad and seafood
· Steak and potato
· Mexican food with a corn tortilla
· Broiled chicken without the bun
· Eggs, potato and bacon
I welcome your comments, suggestions and ideas! Please use the comments link below!
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 14, 2008 at 3:33 PM

    It is a complete lifestyle change. Eating out can be disasterous. You dont know what the kitchen staff are doing. They dont understand cross contamination. Here are a couple of examples. Some restraunts have designated areas, pans and utensils in their kitchen to prepare and cook food that has no gluten contaminents. You cannot expect a request for no croutons means you have no gluten contaminents. YOu have to ask for the preparer to change their cloves and mix the salad in a clean bowl that has not been mixed with other salads that utilize croutons. Steaks can come with a "grill base" and you have to make sure the cook uses no grill base (which most likely contains wheat flour) and cook in a separate pan. NOt the grill. They cannot clean the grill (it is impossible)for the one out of hundreds of steaks that they do prepare with grill base. Think french fries are safe? Have to know what flavorings are on the fries and if the fryer is a dedicated to only gluten free fries and not battered mushrooms, pies or onion rings. Even splattering. No one can do this alone. There are many support groups and support books for the celiac community.

    I was utilizing a gluten free bakery until I found out they still were baking regular bake goods. As most have experienced, flour disperses everywhere and is on everything. I bake most of our stuff and bring my own gf bread to restaraunts I am famliar with for catering to gluten free customers.

    kate

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  2. UnknownJanuary 14, 2008 at 5:10 PM

    Excellent points Kate! Thanks for your input. You know so much good stuff!

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