Celiac Disease - Can ANMC Help?
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that impacts approximately three million people in the United States. The precise cause of celiac disease remains unknown, but it is believed to stem from a combination of genetic and environmental influences.
Individuals who have celiac disease commonly show specific genetic markers for the disorder. Family members with these genetic markers may also have celiac disease. However, not everyone with the gene will develop celiac disease.
Celiac disease describes an autoimmune disorder in which food containing the protein gluten triggers the white blood cells to attack the small intestine lining. When someone with celiac disease consumes gluten, their body overreacts to the protein and damages their villi, small projections found along the walls of the small intestine.
Damage to the villi prevents the small intestine from properly absorbing nutrients, potentially resulting in malnourishment, bone density loss, cancer, and neurological disease. Unfortunately, many patients with celiac disease may never know they have it. The damage to the intestine is a slow process, producing varied symptoms that can take years for a proper diagnosis.
Gluten intolerance, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), produces similar symptoms to celiac disease. However, when comparing gluten intolerance vs. celiac disease, NCGS doesn’t produce the full negative impact on a patient’s overall health in the same way celiac disease can.
NCGS is a sensitivity to gluten, whereas celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder. Individuals with NCGS often experience symptom relief when they remove gluten from their diet. Unlike celiac disease, NCGS doesn’t cause damage to the small intestine or increase the risks for other health issues.
Holistic Support for Symptoms of Celiac Disease
Professionals like the educators at ANMC Holistic Health strive to educate patients on diet and lifestyle changes, supportive therapeutic nutrition, and align the functional systems for optimal function.
Supporting You In a Holistic Manner
ANMC Holistic Health is an ANMA board-certified practitioner practicing out of Little Falls, Minnesota. We strive to provide our clients with research, education, and support while focusing on helping each person as whole individuals, as opposed to simply helping to mitigate their symptoms.
ANMC relies on nutritional and lifestyle adaptations, holistic health coaching, stress resilience, and skill training to help us understand the body’s reasoning behind various conditions like gluten intolerance and celiac disease.