| Even if you've never been diagnosed with celiac | | | | mistaken for epilepsy. Often these patients showed |
| disease, you might still have it. Experts in the field | | | | the classic symptoms of epilepsy, but did not |
| estimate that three million Americans live with celiac | | | | respond to normal treatment. If their celiac disease |
| disease. Very few of them know about their | | | | was diagnosed and treated soon enough after the |
| condition. | | | | diagnosis of epilepsy, the epileptic symptoms were |
| In fact, while 1 in 133 people have this disease only 1 | | | | eliminated. |
| in every 4700 sufferers ever finds out about their | | | | Celiac disease can create many different neurological |
| condition. | | | | complications, usually by damaging nerves. It can |
| This is not good. | | | | damage the optic nerve, it can damage the casing of |
| Celiac disease can devastate your health in many | | | | the spinal cord, it can cause weakness and numbness |
| ways. It interferes with your body's ability to extract | | | | in the extremities and it can cause dementia. |
| basic nutrition from food. This can lead to a number | | | | In fact, researchers have found that more than half |
| of issues from chronic fatigue to vitamin deficiencies | | | | of people with undetermined neurological conditions |
| to neurological disorders. Many doctors don't even | | | | have celiac disease. |
| consider this disease as a potential cause behind | | | | What You Can Do to Renew Your Health |
| many of the vague conditions they see patients | | | | If you or a loved one has a condition that causes |
| struggling with. That's why this article is very | | | | you to feel tired or confused or if you are diagnosed |
| important. | | | | with a neurological condition, it is of the highest |
| If you or someone you love is living with chronic | | | | importance that you be tested for celiac disease. |
| stomach discomfort, ongoing fatigue, weakness, | | | | Talk with your doctor and insist on an antigliadin |
| forgetfulness, or other conditions that your doctor | | | | antibody (AGA) test. This is the first step. If it |
| just can't seem to properly diagnose, it's time to | | | | comes back positive, your doctor will most likely |
| consider it as a possibility. | | | | want to do an intestinal biopsy to determine how |
| Let's take a closer look at how this disease affects | | | | much damage is there. |
| the body. | | | | The next step is to cut gluten out of your diet |
| There's a War in Your Stomach | | | | completely. Even a small amount can cause a bad |
| It is the result of gluten intolerance. Gluten is a | | | | reaction in your body. Gluten is present in wheat, rye |
| protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. For many | | | | and barley. Derivatives of these foods sneak into |
| people, gluten is toxic. If you are gluten intolerant, | | | | your diet in all sorts of ways, so it is a good idea to |
| then gluten destroys the villi cells in your intestines. | | | | work with a dietician or nutritionist to make sure your |
| These cells are imperative for good digestion. When | | | | diet is truly free of gluten. |
| they are damaged, many people will experience | | | | The good news is that by taking these steps, you |
| chronic stomach upset and discomfort. Some people | | | | will often experience a full recovery. Conditions that |
| will experience what is known as silent celiac disease. | | | | doctors think of as incurable-like multiple sclerosis and |
| They do not present obvious symptoms, but often | | | | dementia-are often mimicked by celiac disease. If |
| develop nutrient deficiencies and other complications. | | | | that is the case, the condition can usually be |
| Some of those complications are very serious. | | | | completely reversed with a gluten-free diet... if you |
| Neurological Disorders from the Foods You Eat | | | | catch it soon enough. |
| There is growing evidence that celiac disease affects | | | | I highly recommend that anyone with a neurological |
| more than your digestive system. Through nutritional | | | | condition take an AGA test just to be certain you |
| deficiencies it can impact your entire body. Even | | | | know exactly what you are dealing with. It can make |
| more serious, though, is the toxic effect that gluten | | | | a world of difference in your outcome and long-term |
| can have on your brain. | | | | quality of life. |
| In one study, researchers found that many epileptic | | | | 1 Alessio Fasano, MD, et. al., Arch Intern Med. |
| patients had strange calcifications in the brain. Upon | | | | 2003;163:286-292. |
| further investigation, the researchers found that it | | | | 2 Adams, Scott. "Celiac Disease and Epilepsy," |
| was present in many of these strange cases. They | | | | 3 Tietge, et al, American Journal of Gastroenterology, |
| also found that sometimes this disease was actually | | | | 92:40, 1997. |