Celiac sprue is a disease that can have detrimental effects on the health and quality of life of sufferers, but it can be completely reversed if they follow a strict gluten-free diet. A gluten-free diet entails eliminating wheat, barley and rye as well as all foods made with the by-products of these grains.
What Is Celiac Sprue?
Celiac sprue, also known as celiac disease or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is an autoimmune disease triggered by the ingestion of gluten. In celiac sprue, the body mistakenly makes antibodies that attack the tissues of the small intestine, causing damage to the surface of the cells responsible for absorbing nutrients from food. This can lead to diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and weight loss. If left untreated, celiac sprue can cause complicatons such as stunted growth, anemia or osteoporosis.
Treatment
As of 2010, the only known treatment for celiac sprue is elimination of gluten from the diet. This allows the cells of the small intestine to heal, and sufferers will usually feel relief within weeks or even days. The gluten-free diet must be continued for life, or relapse will occur.
Foods to Avoid
Gluten is a kind of protein found in many grains, but the particular grains that are harmful to people with celiac sprue are wheat, barley, and rye. Breads, pastas, cookies, cakes, pies, pizza and cereals made of these grains contain gluten. Gluten is also found in less obvious items such as beer, soy sauce, soups, sauces and lunch meats, as well as in non-food items such vitamin and mineral supplements or cosmetics. People with the disease must read the nutrition label on processed foods and look for key words that mean the food contains gluten. These include brown rice syrup, barley, barley malt, bran, bulgur, couscous, durum, einkorn, emmer, farina, faro, graham flour, kamut, matzo, orzo, panko, rye, seitan, semolina, spelt, triticale, udon, wheat, wheat germ, or wheat starch. Oats contain a much lower level of gluten and should be avoided at the initiation of a gluten-free diet; they may be added back in later after symptoms have subsided, with careful monitoring for relapse.
Foods to Eat
Grains and starches that are gluten free include rice, corn, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, potato, soy, tapioca, sorghum, amaranth, arrowroot, flax and flours made from nuts, seeds and beans. Gluten-free breads, crackers, cereals, pizzas, and desserts can be found in many grocery stores and specialty stores and are becoming more widely available. Meats, eggs, nuts, beans, dairy products, fruits and vegetables are also gluten free in their natural state but may contain gluten if starches or sauces are added during processing. When eating out, cross-contamination can be a concern. If the same cooking utensils, counter space or frying oil is used for gluten-free and gluten-containing foods it may cause a reaction in a person with celiac sprue. Thorough research on menu items and preparation methods, as well as an explanation to the service staff, can make a restaurant visit enjoyable instead of hazardous. Some restaurants have gluten-free selections or are entirely gluten free.
Sample Menus
One example of a gluten-free menu is breakfast--puffed rice cereal with sliced banana and skim milk; lunch--chicken salad on mixed greens; snack--apple with peanut butter; dinner--Mexican pizzas made with corn tortillas; dessert: gluten-free cookie (packaged or homemade). Another example is breakfast--omelet with fried potatoes and sliced cantaloupe; lunch--chili and cheese-topped baked potato with steamed broccoli; snack--popcorn; dinner--grilled salmon and vegetables with brown rice; dessert--ice cream topped with chopped nuts or fruit.
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