Q:

A bunch of my friends have celiac. Why does it seem like more people are getting it lately, and should I get tested?

Edit Question Flag as Scandalous Question
Anonymous asked this
A:

Answers (3)

EXPERT
Peggy Korody, RD, CLT (Registered Dietitian) answered (8/20/2012)
Have your friends been tested for celiac or are they self diagnosing? The GF diet is still somewhat of a fad diet, and read below - only 1% of the world-wide population has Celiac.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food.  It can be difficult to detect, for example some of the symptoms can include: bloating/gas, diarrhea and/or constipation, fatigue/lethargy, joint pain, and headaches, all of which are common symptoms for many of us!  But if you have one or more of these symptoms this does not mean you have a sensitivity to gluten or celiac disease.  If you suspect that you have Celiac disease, you may want to get tested. It is important to note that one needs to be consuming gluten for accurate results.  The first step would be to have a blood test to test for certain autoantibodies, which is a protein.  If you test positive, an intestinal biopsy would need to be performed to confirm the diagnosis. Celiac disease is hereditary, so if a family member has been diagnosed, you may want to get tested too. Internationally, one-percent of the worldwide population has celiac.  On the west coast of Ireland and Sub Sahara (Ethiopia) the statistics are slightly higher with 1 in 65 being diagnosed, and Northern China and India have a higher rate than the rest of Asia.

If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease or are sensitive to gluten I would suggest using a “food as medicine” approach to your diet.  You should focus on WHOLE foods versus highly processed GF-free packaged foods, use nutrition-dense alternative ingredients, and learn some culinary skills for cooking with GF-free foods.  Here are a few grains you may want to add to your GF diet.  Buckwheat, a great source of protein, is high in fiber and a good source of B vitamins.  Use it in soups, hot cereal, and pasta dishes (it has a nutty taste).  Millet, which is one of the oldest grains, is high in magnesium, vitamin A, B-complex, and fiber (good as a side dish).  If you can find millet flakes, you can eat them as a cereal or use for baking.  Another great grain is quinoa, which is high in protein. In fact, it is very similar to the protein you get from milk.  Also, quinoa is a good source of fiber, B-complex, and iron.  Quinoa can be used as a side dish, in salads, for baking, and with pasta. 
More On ChickRx:
EXPERT
Pamela Warren, MS, CHN (Certified Holistic & Clinical Nutritionist) answered (10/19/2012)
Whether you have Celiac disease or not excessive ingestion of wheat and other gluten containing products will eventually create intestinal problems for you. Regarding wheat: all industrially grown wheat in the USA is genetically modified. It's been this way for many decades and way before the traditional GMO type foods came on the scene, like corn and soy.  Wheat used to be a tall growing plant. It has been genetically modified into a shorter growing plant so that farm equipment can plow and harvest it.

Cut down on wheat products and make sure you're buying organic. 
More On ChickRx:
EXPERT
Marissa Vicario, CHHC, AADP (Holistic Health Coach) answered (8/23/2012)
Most processed foods these days contain wheat and wheat gluten in their ingredients. As a result, more people are developing sensitivities to gluten. This does not necessarily mean that they have celiac disease (which is serious and needs to be diagnosed by an expert by administering a special test). It's important to read food labels and ingredients and eat a diet as close to nature as possible. 
More On ChickRx: