Are you new to the world of Celiac Disease?

Welcome to a CD life style.  We will try to help you with your new adventure. Those of you who were recently told you have Celiac Disease (CD) and you were given instructions about your future diet plan, you will discover nutrition plays a key roll in your daily schedule. Your life style will now start changing far greater than just the diet. Following the diet plan, reading labels, and staying informed are some of the most important things to remember. You will also find you are more prone to complications like fractures, anemia, change in eye sight, weakness and fatigue because even though we maintain a adequate diet we can become malnourished. There can be a loss of nutrients, like calcium, because your body can not absorb the nutrients through the small bowl and this leads to other serious problems.    (see DNA & Mayo Clinic articles below) The Daily News & Analysis (DNA) references the fracture issue in an articles on 2/6/2011. (as follows) Celiac disease patients prone to fractures: Published: Sunday, Feb 6, 2011, 1:16 IST By Menaka Rao | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

While playing, 14-year old Sunil struck his hand on a stick and suffered a fracture on his upper arm bone. During a regular check up at the endocrinology department at BYL Nair Hospital, his parents were told that he has celiac disease, which had in turn caused the fracture. Celiac disease is an auto-immune disorder that damages that small intestine and interferes with the intestinal absorption of nutrients. Patients show zero tolerance for gluten which is contained in wheat, rye (millet), oats and barley. Though the prevalence of celiac disease is just 0.5% to 1% in the general population, in type 1 diabetics, the prevalence is 10 to15%. Now, in research conducted by the endocrinology department of BYL Nair Hospital, people with both celiac disease and type 1 diabetes have been found to have poor bone mineral density, making them susceptible to fractures. “For the purpose of research, we tested 80 type 1 diabetics, of which 11 patients had celiac disease. The control group had 22 patients who suffered from type 1 diabetes without celiac disease. The patients’ ages varied from 12 years to 40 years,” said Ameya Joshi, who conducted this research under the supervision of the head of department, Premlata Varthakavi. “While many suffer from typical symptoms such as gastrointestinal problems, others suffer from fractures from unrecognised trauma,” said Dr Joshi, adding, “Simple dietary measures can reverse these symptoms and improve bone density.” The research paper won second prize in the Annual Conference of the Endocrine Society of India (ESICON) 2010at Vellore last month. While similar research has been done in the West, this is the first time a research paper in India has shown a direct co-relation between celiac disease and low bone mineral density in type 1 diabetics. _______________________________________________________ Complications By Mayo Clinic staff Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to several complications: Malnutrition. Untreated celiac disease can lead to malabsorption, which in turn can lead to malnutrition. This occurs in spite of what appears to be an adequate diet. Because vital nutrients are lost in the stool rather than absorbed in the bloodstream, malabsorption can cause a deficiency in vitamins and minerals, vitamin D, folate and iron, resulting in anemia and weight loss. Malnutrition can cause stunted growth and delayed development in children. Loss of calcium and bone density. With continued loss of fat in the stool, calcium and vitamin D may be lost in excessive amounts. This may result in osteomalacia, a softening of the bone that in children is also known as rickets, and loss of bone density (osteoporosis), a condition that leaves your bones fragile and prone to fracture. Lactose intolerance. Because of damage to your small intestine from gluten, foods that don't contain gluten also may cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. Some people with celiac disease aren't able to tolerate milk sugar (lactose) found in dairy products, a condition called lactose intolerance. If this is the case, you need to limit food and beverages containing lactose as well as those containing gluten. Once your intestine has healed, you may be able to tolerate dairy products again. However, some people may continue to experience lactose intolerance despite successful management of celiac disease. Cancer. People with celiac disease who don't maintain a gluten-free diet also have a greater chance of getting one of several forms of cancer, including intestinal lymphoma and bowel cancer. Neurological complications. Celiac disease has also been associated with disorders of the nervous system, including seizures and nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy).

Sponcer of::

Another great find from Celiac.com --YUM!

Blackened Cajun Catfish (Gluten-Free)

• By Jefferson Adams
 
• Published Today
 
• Gluten-Free American, British/UK Recipes
• Unrated

JEFFERSON ADAMS

Jefferson Adams is a freelance writer living in San Francisco. His poems, essays and photographs have appeared in Antioch Review, Blue Mesa Review, CALIBAN, Hayden's Ferry Review, Huffington Post, the Mississippi Review, and Slate among others.

View all articles by Jefferson Adams

The finished blackened cajun catfish. Photo: CC-The DLCBlackening is a really fun way to cook fish. Nothing seems to beat the bold flavor that comes from a perfectly seared crust. Blackening fish on a cast-iron skillet creates intense heat and smoke so always work in a well-ventilated kitchen.

The rub in this recipe is one of many variations on a classic Cajun rub and is also perfect for chicken, beef steaks, or even vegetables. You can mix it up by serving different fish; snapper and swordfish would also hold up really well. Serving fish with lemon not only cuts the intense flavor of the spices, but also gives the fish a refreshing bite.

Ingredients:
4 firm catfish fillets, 6-8 ounces each
½ cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 large lemon, cut into 4 wedges
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground red pepper
2 teaspoons cracked peppercorns
1 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions:
Combine all spices to create a rub and spread in a shallow pan. Set aside.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet until very hot, about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse and pat dry fish. Generously coat both sides of each steak with oil and lay in the spice mixture. Turn to thoroughly cover both sides.

Place two steaks in the heated skillet over medium-high and drizzle lightly with oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes and turn. Drizzle with a little more oil and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, depending on thickness of fish. Remove cooked fish.

Add additional oil if necessary and repeat with remaining steaks.

Serve with fresh lemon juice, one wedge per steak.

http://www.celiac.com/articles/22421/1/Blackened-Cajun-Catfish-Gluten-Free/Page1.html

Following our genetic trail -- what may they find??

Private MD News

Home | News | Autoimmune Diseases

Researchers find common genetic risk factors for Crohn's and celiac disease

Updated: 2011-01-31 12:46:48 CST Category: Autoimmune Diseases

Individuals who have received a positive celiac disease test are significantly more likely to also develop Crohn's disease at some point in their lifetime. A new study has shown that this may be due to the fact that the two diseases share some of the same genetic causes. The information could lead to improved treatments for both conditions.

Researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands said that genetic alterations in two areas of DNA appear to increase the risk of developing one or both of the diseases.

The fact that celiac and Crohn's disease share some of the same risk factors make sense, the researchers said. They are both inflammatory bowel diseases caused by irregular immune system reactions in the digestive tract. In this regard, they can be very similar.

However, where celiac disease is sparked by a reaction to wheat, barley and rye products, Croh's disease is thought to be caused by a reaction to certain bacteria in the gut.

The researchers said that understanding these genetic factors that play into the development of the conditions could help them design improved treatments for one or both of the conditions.

http://www.privatemdlabs.com/blood-testing-news/Autoimmune_Diseases/Researchers-find-common-genetic-risk-factors-for-Crohns-and-celiac-disease--$800375842.php