Celiac disease is classified as an autoimmune disease. A person who has this can experience a range of reactions from ingesting or even simply coming in contact with gluten. If a person with this disease comes in contact with gluten, their body will mount an autoimmune response that damages the small intestine. This can lead to the individual having difficultly absorbing nutrients. This makes it important to see a doctor if you suspect you or your child might have this disease. Celiac disease tends to cluster in families so if your close relative (parent, child, or sibling) has the disease, you have a 1 to 10 risk of developing this disease. However, celiac can develop at any age despite family history if the person starts eating foods or medications that contain gluten. Untreated, this disease can lead to other autoimmune diseases and even cancer.

If you believe that you might be at risk or suffering from celiac please contact your doctor.

People with celiac disease are not the only ones that should be cautious of gluten. Gluten is one of the top 9 allergens along with tree nuts, shellfish, milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, fish, and sesame. A gluten allergy is NOT celiac disease.

A gluten allergy must be treated as any other allergy. Reactions can range from a skin rash to full blown anaphylaxis.

It is actually possible to outgrow a gluten allergy. One study found that two-thirds of children with a wheat allergy outgrow it by age 12. 

Gluten is one of those ingredients that pops up everywhere even in places you don't suspect. Besides gluten typical culprits like bread, cereal, and pasta, gluten can hide in products ranging from soy sauce to shampoo. Whether you have celiac disease or an allergy it is important to check your products for gluten. Gluten can be labeled as Triticum vulgare (wheat), Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye), Hordeum vulgare (barley), Secale cereale (rye), Triticum spelta (spelt, a form of wheat).

 Visit Dr. Kara Fitzgerald article on items that may contain gluten.

People adopt a gluten-free lifestyle for many reasons. The obvious candidates are celiac disease and an allergy to gluten. However, adopting a gluten-free diet can be beneficial in battling diabetes, IBS, high cholesterol, and weight gain. It has also been used to prevent heart disease and certain cancers.

Please speak to your doctor before changing your diet.

The rise in celiac disease and gluten allergy diagnoses could be blamed on the over abundance of gluten being used in everything from cereal to shampoo. This excessive exposure to gluten can lead people who normally wouldn't be effected to develop an allergy or celiac. But don't be mistaken. Celiac disease and gluten allergies are nothing new. Scientific advancements in early detection and public awareness has brought this issue to the forefront in recent years.