Musing By Moonlight

James Braly, M.D. and Ron Hoggan, M.A. have written a book that may very well save your life.  This is not an exaggeration. The book is Dangerous Grains. Wheat and gluten* sensitivities and full-blown allergies (called sprue or Celiac Disease) are pervasive and generally go unrecognized or misdiagnosed. It is estimated that one out of every 133 people has Celiac Disease.  Generally, people have a genetic inclination for this condition, which is an inability to digest food that results in damage to the intestine and malabsorption of nutrients.  

The percentages are small, but significant numbers of people with conditions such as lupus, cancer, autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, attention deficit, autism. . . and the list goes on and on . . . actually have Celiac Disease as the primary condition from which the other results. Some of these conditions, such as cancer, are potentially life threatening.

In my case, hypersensitivity pneumonitis was exacerbated by Celiac Disease and, when I went on a wheat-and-gluten-free diet, my condition improved enough that I was pulled off the lung transplant list.   Although that may yet be something I will have to deal with, I have bought myself time, comfort, and a better quality of life.  I and my family are impressed enough that I am on a mission to do my bit to help spread the word. In the almost two-years now since I discovered my allergy, thanks to the efforts of many dedicated people including these two authors, I have seen Celiac awareness grow and the numbers of wheat-and-gluten free products that are easily available has increased substantially.

In Dangerous Grains, Dr. Braly and Mr. Hoggan explain the symptoms, the diagnostic tools, the risk factors, and the treatment, which is a life-style change. You may not eat any of the verboten foods which include: wheat, barley, rye, or oats, unless the oats are certified to be gluten free.  This means no breads, breakfast cereals, or pastas made with dangerous grains. If you are a beer drinker, you must make sure the beer is gluten free.  You must check ingredient lists to make sure there is no hidden wheat or gluten. There is a major ancillary benefit to this diet.  You can no longer rely on prefabricated foods with all their chemical additives. As a result, you end up eating more fresh produce, because such foods are naturally gluten free.

One of the ways to diagnose Celiac is a simple blood test. I believe we would make real progress if this was automatically performed whenever anyone is diagnosed with one of the more than two-hundred catastrophic  diseases that can result from Celiac, even if only to rule it out.  I don’t know why this isn’t done, but that doesn’t preclude requesting the test for yourself and your children.  Insurance generally will pay.  If it doesn’t, the test is not that expensive.  Disease is. Something of note that was covered in the book:  In Italy, with parent’s permission, children are automatically tested at age six before they start first grade. That makes good sense to me considering the possible connection to attention deficit.  Other recommended resources include:

Living Without Magazine

http://www.livingwithout.com/

and

Living Gluten-Free for Dummies by Donna Korn

http://www.dummies.com/store/product/Living-Gluten-Free-For-Dummies.productCd-0471773832.html

  Both these resources are particularly helpful if you are raising children who have food allergies. Links are to your right in the sidebar under Celiac Disease. Whole Foods is one of your best bets for wheat-and-gluten-free products. This national grocery chain has a commitment to serving people with special diets. Click on the link in the sidebar to find a Whole Foods grocer near you. If you live near a Draeger’s, you will find a nice selection of gluten-free products there. On-line shops are a source of supply, and I’ve included links to Bob’s Red Mill and Celiac.com in the sidebar. Restaurant eating is a challenge, but not an insurmountable one. It just takes some thought, planning, and assertiveness to make eating out work. Chinese and other Asian restaurants use soy sauce that is wheat based; so, if you find you have Celiac Disease, you must cross them off your list.  You can prepare Chinese food at home using wheat free tamari.   If you or anyone in your family is dealing with a chronic illness or condition or even a catastrophic one, I encourage you to look into Celiac Disease.  It is well worth the time, even if all you are doing is ruling it out.

* Gluten: A pair of proteins that trigger a toxic reaction by the autoimmune system in people who have Celiac Disease or wheat and gluten sensitivity.

Dangerous Grains by James Braly, M.D. and Ron Hogan, M.A.

http://members.shaw.ca/ron_hoggan/