What is Celiac Sprue and is there a cure?  

Celiac Sprue is often inherited, but it can also occur in individuals who have been pregnant, had severe stress, physical trauma, and/or
a viral infection in susceptible individuals for reasons that aren't well understood. Celiac Sprue occurs when a protein called gluten, which
is found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats, generates an immune reaction in the small intestine causing the body to attack itself. When a Celiac ingests gluten it triggers a reaction in the immune system that causes the lining of the small intestine to become swollen and inflamed.
As a result, tiny hair-like projection in the small intestine called the villi shrink and often flatten after continuous exposure to gluten. When the villi shrinks or flattens, it causes the individual to lose the ability to digest and absorb nutrients from the food consumed. This malabsorption can deprive the brain, nervous system, bones, liver and other organs of nourishment and cause vitamin deficiencies that can lead to other
illnesses such as lupus and/or intestinal cancer. Individual's reactions to gluten vary from mild to severe symptoms that can even lead to
death if not treated.

Symptoms may appear at any age.

Infants, toddlers, and children:

• projectile vomiting
• bloated abdomen, often referred to as a pot belly
• failure to grow, due to malabsorption of nutrients
• behavioral problems
• fatigue
• anemia
• chronic diarrhea, and stomach aches
• chronic constipation and stomach aches

  Adults and older children:

• abdominal cramps, intestinal gas, distention, bloating
• chronic diarrhea or constipation, often with pale bulky stools
• Steatorrhea: foul, frothy, sometimes floating stools
• anemia
• fatigue, weakness, and lack of energy
• excessive weight loss
• excessive weight gain
• depression and/or irritability
• memory loss
• joint pain
• mouth ulcers

There is no cure for Celiac Sprue, except to live a strict gluten-free lifestyle, which is sometimes difficult to do with the current labeling
 laws. Gluten is found in many commercial products ranging from ice cream to soy sauce under name like modifiedfood starch,
spices, natural flavoring, and/or malt that make it difficult to determine what is actually in a particular product.

If you buy a product and you are unsure of the ingredients, call the manufacturer and explain your condition and concerns. Most
manufacturers are willing to give out this information and some even have gluten free product lists they mail out. In the past couple
of years, a large number of gluten free manufacturers have emerged with products ranging from cookies to pasta. For information
on gluten free manufacturers and the products they offer click on G.F. Links from the drop down box above and then choose
G.F. Manufacturers. The list is growing therefore making our lives much easier.

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