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.

What is 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.

What’s the Difference Between Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease

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 Treatment for Celiac Disease

Current holistic treatment for celiac disease involves patients strictly adhering to a gluten-free diet. Because individuals must undergo radical dietary transformations to eliminate gluten, ANMC Holistic Health typically recommends holistic life coaching accompanying celiac disease holistic treatment.

Holistic treatment for celiac disease isn’t easy. Patients must learn to read food labels to look for specific foot emulsifiers and stabilizers that could contain gluten. Some individuals may resist dramatic dietary transformations, particularly those with mild symptoms who may not feel the sacrifice is worth it.

Professionals like ANMC Holistic Health strive to educate patients, encouraging them to maintain strict dietary restrictions to preserve their nutrient absorption while mitigating vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies. Strict dietary restrictions allow patients to avoid increased risks that could lead to associated autoimmune disorders like type 1 diabetes.

Treating Celiac Disease with a Holistic Health Approach

ANMC Holistic Health is an ANMA board-certified provider practicing out of Little Falls, Minnesota. We strive to provide patients with research, education, and qualified specialists while focusing on treating patients as whole individuals, as opposed to simply addressing their symptoms.

ANMC relies on nutritional and lifestyle adaptations, holistic health coaching, holistic treatment for celiac disease, stress management, and skill training to help us understand the body’s reasoning behind various conditions like gluten intolerance and celiac disease.