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How Soon Can Celiac Disease Be Diagnosed?

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Celiac Disease, by definition, is a digestive condition triggered by the consumption of the protein gluten, which is found in bread, pasta, cookies, pizza crust, and many other foods containing wheat, barley, or rye. Once a person with celiac disease eats foods containing gluten, an immune reaction occurs in the small intestine, resulting in damage to the surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients from food. Therefore, a person must be exposed to gluten before they can ever develop Celiac Disease.

Celiac Disease is often inherited; If someone in your immediate family has it, chances are 5 percent to 15 percent that you may as well. It can occur at any age, although problems don’t appear until gluten is introduced into the diet.  However, exposure to gluten may not trigger Celiac Disease. Often for unknown reasons, the disease emerges after some form of trauma: an infection, a physical injury, the stress of pregnancy, severe stress, or surgery.

Many people who experience some, all, or non of the symptoms of Celiac Disease do not necessarily have the disease, but rather are suffering from gluten intolerance. The key factor in having a diagnosis of Celiac Disease is specific damage to the small intestine.

Celiac Disease occurs when there is damage to the villi located in your small intestine.  Villi are tiny, hair-like projections resembling the deep pile of a plush carpet on a microscopic scale. Villi work to absorb vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from the food you eat. In a person with Celiac Disease, gluten attack and destroy the villi.  Without villi, the inner surface of the small intestine becomes less like a plush carpet and more like a tile floor, and your body is unable to absorb the nutrients necessary for health and growth. Instead, nutrients such as fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals are eliminated from your stool. Eventually, decreased absorption of nutrients (malabsorption) can cause vitamin deficiencies that deprive your brain, peripheral nervous system, bones, liver, and other organs of vital nourishment, which can lead to other illnesses. The decreased nutrient absorption that occurs in celiac disease is especially serious in children, who need proper nutrition to develop and grow.

People with celiac disease carry higher than normal levels of certain antibodies (anti-gliadin, anti-endomysium, and anti-tissue transglutaminase).  In people with celiac disease, their immune systems may be recognizing gluten as a foreign substance and produce elevated levels of antibodies to get rid of it. A blood test can detect high levels of these antibodies and is used to initially detect people who are most likely to have the disease and who may need further testing. To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may need to do an endoscopy to examine a small portion of intestinal tissue to check for damage to the villi.

The key to a diagnosis of Celiac Disease is exposure to gluten and damage to the small intestine.  Having a family member with the disease increases the risk of having the disease.  If you are concerned you may be at risk for the disease, even if you are not currently exhibiting symptoms you can ask your doctor for a blood test to determine if your anti-gliadin, anti-endomysium, and anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies are elevated.

For more information on Celiac Disease, visit MayoClinic.com.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Mini Donuts And Glaze

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Homemade gluten-free donuts are always fun to make because they can sit out for a few days and still be good (it seems like all gluten-free products need to refrigerate!). Here is a recipe for both gluten-free donuts and a gluten-free glaze to go on top.   Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Donuts & Glaze Recipe

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 cup gluten-free Pantry Muffin Mix (or any gluten-free flour mix)
  • 1/3 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  • Dash of Salt

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup Rice Milk
  • 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
  • 4 tbsp Oil

Glaze Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tbs Rice Milk
  • 1/4 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Donut Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
  3. In a separate bowl, blend the wet ingredients together.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until just combined. It should form a very soft, moist dough.
  5. To have smooth donuts, use a pastry bag or a ziplock bag with the end snipped off to squeeze the dough into an ungreased mini-donut pan. Fill the sections until just below the edge of the pan. Smooth the filled sections with a knife or spatula.
  6. Bake for approximately 10-11 minutes. The bottom (visible part) will not be brown, but you will see brown edges around the top.
  7. Remove from oven and let the pan cool for 5 minutes on a baking rack before attempting to remove the donuts. If the donuts do not flip out of the pan, gently loosen the edges with a butter knife.

If you’d like to check out other recipe ideas, check out our gluten-free recipes page!

Facts & Statistics About Celiac Disease

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

Thanks to a heads-up from Zach of Gluten-Free Raleigh (via our contact form), it looks like he has taken the time to put together and post a great collection of Celiac statistics and/or facts about Celiac Disease.

As Zach mentions in his post, you can use this information to continue to promote Celiac awareness in your local area.

Celiac Disease Facts & Statistics

  • 1 out of every 133 Americans (about 3 million people) has Celiac Disease.
  • 97% of Americans estimated to have CD are not diagnosed.
  • CD has over 300 known symptoms although some people experience none.
  • Age of diagnosis is key: If you are diagnosed between ages 2-4, your chance of getting an additional autoimmune disorder is 10.5%. Over the age of 20, that rockets up to 34%.
  • 30% of the US population is estimated to have the genes necessary for CD.
  • 2.5 babies are born every minute in the USA with the genetic makeup to have CD.
  • There are 15 states in the US with populations less than the total number of Celiacs in the US.
  • CD affects more people in the US than Crohn’s Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease combined.
  • People with CD dine out 80% less than they used to before diagnosis and believe less than 10% of eating establishments have a ‘very good’ or ‘good’ understanding of GF diets.
  • It takes an average of 11 years for patients to be properly diagnosed with CD even though a simple blood test exists.
  • The US Department of Agriculture projects that the GF industries revenues will reach $1.7 Billion by 2010.
  • GF foods are, on average, 242% more expensive than their non-GF counterparts.
  • The Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act became law in 2006 allowing for easier reading of food labels for those with CD. What took so long?
  • 12% of people in the US who have Down Syndrome also have CD.
  • 6% of people in the US who have Type 1 Diabetes also have CD.
  • Among people who have a first-degree relative diagnosed with Celiac, as many as 1 in 22 people may have the disease.
  • There are currently 0 drugs available to treat CD.

What is Dermatitis Herpetiformis?

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Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH), also commonly referred to as Celiac Skin, is a rare skin disease that is commonly found in people with Celiac Disease. Some quick research on the subject unveiled a few interesting things.

Here is what I’ve learned so far about DH:

What are the Causes of Dermatitis Herpetiformis?

The rash is caused when gluten in the diet combines with IgA, and together they enter the bloodstream and circulate. They eventually clog up the small blood vessels in the skin, which attracts white blood cells (neutrophils), and releases powerful chemicals called complements. This is how the rash is created. Iodine is required for the reaction, so people with DH should avoid using Iodized salt if possible.

What are the Symptoms of Dermatitis Herpetiformis?
The symptoms of Dermatitis Herpetiformis are intense burning, stinging, and itching around the elbows, knees, scalp, buttocks, and back. More locations can also be affected and the severity can vary depending on the person.

What Does Dermatitis Herpetiformis Look Like?
DH looks like small clusters of red, itchy bumps. There are tiny water blisters, but these are quickly scratched off. Before they form, the area usually has a burning feeling. They scab and heal over within 1-2 weeks, but new spots continue to appear.  DH is a lifelong condition, but remission may occur in 10 to 20 percent of patients.

What are the Tests for Dermatitis Herpetiformis?
Diagnosis of DH usually requires at least one skin biopsy, and sometimes a blood test (looking for anti-gliadin, anti-reticulin, and anti-endomysial antibodies).

How Do You Treat Dermatitis Herpetiformis?
Complete elimination of gluten will often cure DH, but improvement often takes months.  This means sufferers must follow a strict gluten-free diet.  Cutting down on wheat and gluten may reduce the amount of medication needed, but will not be curative.

In the meantime, there is a very effective treatment available to sufferers of DH.  Dapsone is a drug that will improve DH in only a few days. Because there can be side effects, the dose of Dapsone is usually started at a small amount, and then raised up over a few weeks until all symptoms are suppressed. Dapsone may have adverse effects, so weekly or bi-weekly blood tests will be needed for the first three months. There are a few alternative treatments if Dapsone cannot be used (sulfapyridine, tetracycline), however, these do not work as well.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Christmas Cake

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Can you believe we are almost halfway through October already? Christmas will be here before we know it! I’ve always found that cookies seem to be the most popular choice of dessert for Christmas time, but some people prefer a good Christmas cake. If you are looking for a recipe for a Christmas cake, you’ve come to the right place.

Gluten-Free Christmas Cake Recipe

Cake Ingredients:

  • 850g dried mixed fruit
  • 1 cup brandy
  • 150g butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup gluten-free flour
  • 1/4 cup gluten-free self-raising flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 cup blanched almonds
  • 1/4 cup apricot jam

Cake Directions:

  1. Place dried fruit and 2/3 cup brandy in a large airtight container. Mix well. Cover and stand overnight or preferably for 1 week, stirring occasionally.
  2. Preheat oven to 150°C. Lightly grease a 7cm deep, 20cm (base) round cake pan. Line the base and side with double layers of brown paper and baking paper (see note). Using electric beaters, cream butter, and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. Sift flour and spices over the butter mixture. Add fruit mixture and stir until well combined. Press mixture into pan. Smooth surface. Decorate the top with almonds.
  4. Bake the cake for 2 to 2 1/4 hours or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Pour the remaining 1/3 cup of brandy over the hot cake. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
  5. Place jam in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 30 seconds or until warm. Remove the cake from the pan and brush the top with warm jam. Allow setting. Serve.

Additional Tips:

  1. You will need to start this cake at least 1 day ahead.
  2. Tip: To test if eggs are fresh before using, place eggs in a bowl and cover them with cold water. Fresh eggs remain on the base of the bowl, stale eggs will float.
  3. Baking tips: Lightly grease the cake pan. Line base and sides with double-layer brown paper, then double-layer baking paper, allowing a 6cm overhang at all sides. Position the oven racks just below the center so the cake sits in the center of the oven.