celiac disease

In recent years, the gluten-free (GF) diet – which began as the only effective treatment for celiac disease – has gained mainstream popularity.

Over the last few years, my family’s pantry has transformed from looking like the cereal and dinner-in-a-box aisle to looking more like the lentils, grains and nuts in-a-bin aisle. While we have scraped the high-fructose syrup residue from our tongue and weaned ourselves from most highly processed foods, we admit to an occasional craving for comfort foods from our past. Pizza is on the top of the, “I know I really shouldn’t have it, but I really want it!” cravings list.
 

Stuffing. Gravy. Pie. For those with celiac disease, the holiday feasts this time of year represent special dietary challenges. Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting approximately 1 out of every 133 Americans, is characterized by the body’s inability to digest gluten. Gluten is a protein found in grains including wheat, barley and rye. Unfortunately, health problems associated with gluten cannot be treated with a prescription. The only solution is a lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet.

For a fortunate few, eating gluten-free is simply a choice. For others it's a difficult lifestyle change once they've been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance, which can ranging from a mild sensitivity to full-blown celiac disease.