Bloating, belly cramps, fatigue, diarrhea, or constipation — these are all symptoms of celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that can cause serious damage to your small intestine.
Celiac disease affects about 1% of Americans, or roughly 3 million people, many of whom have not yet been diagnosed. This disease affects people who are sensitive to gluten, a component of wheat, barley, and rye. People of all ages, from kids to seniors, can develop celiac disease.
There’s no cure for celiac disease, but there are safe, effective ways to treat it so you can relieve your symptoms and prevent more serious problems from developing.
At Digestive Disease Consultants of Orange County, we have a team of gastroenterologists who help our Southern California patients learn how to manage celiac disease so they can lead more comfortable, healthier lives.
The importance of staying gluten-free
Since gluten is the trigger for celiac disease and its symptoms, you need to adhere to a diet free of gluten if you have the disease. It sounds pretty simple — just cut out breads, pastas, and other foods and products that have wheat or gluten as an ingredient.
Unfortunately, following a gluten-free diet is a lot more complicated. That’s because gluten is an extremely common ingredient, popping up in a lot of foods you’d never guess contained any type of grain-related substance. Some of these foods include:
- Soy sauce
- Hot dogs
- Deli meats
- Pickles
- Bouillon cubes
- Canned soups
- Candy
- Chips
- Beer
Even some vitamins and supplements contain gluten. Even more confusing, just because a product is labeled wheat-free doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t contain gluten from other grains, like barley or rye.
So although you may think that maintaining a gluten-free diet seems like an easy task, it’s actually quite complicated, and for many people, it can make it a real challenge to stay healthy.
The dietitian difference
Even if you’re used to eating a healthy diet, switching to a gluten-free diet can be difficult, especially when you’re already stressed from managing your disease and your symptoms.
Label-reading isn’t always straightforward. Even though you might think a product doesn’t contain gluten (or wheat, barley, or rye), it could still be hiding under a complicated name.
At Digestive Disease Consultants of Orange County, we have the ideal solution: Our staff dietitian helps our patients with celiac disease develop a diet they can live with — and enjoy.
Registered dietitian Tatiana Keay works with patients on an individual basis to discuss not only the food items that are safe to buy and consume, but also lifestyle factors and health issues, like vitamin needs and preparation methods, to ensure your celiac diet works for your life, your schedule, and your health.
With a dietitian in your corner, conquering your symptoms and preventing celiac-related complications is much easier, so you can enjoy a healthier future and greater peace of mind.
Managing celiac disease: We can help
Digestive Disease Consultants of Orange County is the only gastroenterology practice in the region with a dedicated registered dietitian on staff. If you’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease — or if you have symptoms of the disease, but you haven’t been diagnosed — our team can help.
To learn more about our celiac treatment plan or to find out if you might have celiac disease, call us or use our online tool to schedule a consultation today. We have offices in Irvine, Huntington Beach, Tustin, and Foothill Ranch, California.
