Tag Archives: celiac

A Pill for Celiac Disease?

It appears that some researchers are working on a pill for celiac disease. The idea is that, someday, this medication would help adults and children who have celiac disease to tolerate foods that contain gluten. Could this really work, or is it “too good to be true”? Before you get too excited, please realize that this amazing sounding pill is not yet on the market. It is currently being worked on by two different groups of researchers. You cannot, at the time I am writing this blog, go to your child’s doctor and request the pill for celiac disease. One … Continue reading →

Wheat Allergy vs. Gluten Allergy

I sometimes use the two terms interchangeably when explaining it: “My roommate has a gluten allergy — he’s allergic to wheat.” But the two really aren’t the same thing. If you have a gluten allergy (also known as celiac disease), the cause of the problem is a mixture of protein fragments in wheat and other common cereal grains like rye, oats, and barley. Different kinds of wheat, like semolina and spelt, are all unsafe. If gluten is your problem, you’ll have to eat other grains, like corn, rice, millet, sorghum, and quinoa. If you have a wheat allergy, the cause … Continue reading →

What Is Celiac Disease?

A relatively recent acquaintance of mine took me out to lunch, and was very excited to see that we were near a P.F. Chang’s restaurant — because they offer a gluten free menu. My friend has celiac disease, also known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy, celiac sprue, or simply wheat allergy. The real culprit isn’t wheat but the gluten — proteins found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Celiac disease is actually an immune system disorder; when a person with celiac eats foods with glutens, the glutens cause damage to the lining of the small intestines. This damage makes it hard … Continue reading →