14 | Greenstone health august 2017 What is Celiac disease?
14 | Greenstone health august 2017 What is Celiac disease?
TCeliac disease is a serious genetic autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It affects 1 in 100 people. Are you one of them?
he inspiration for this article was a quote I read some time ago by E. A. Bucchianeri:“ Food is not simply organic fuel to keep body and soul together, it is a perishable art that must be savoured at the peak of perfection.” It seems to me that food plays an integral role when it
comes to optimal health. We all should consider gluten-free …
Celiac disease( Nontropical sprue, Celiac sprue, Glutensensitive enteropathy) is characterised by diarrhoea and an abnormal small intestine structure caused by the immune system’ s response to a protein known as gluten. Gluten( its smaller derivative, alpha-gliadin) is found in barley, wheat, oats and rye grains.
Only the gliadin portion has been demonstrated to activate celiac disease and corn and rice do not appear to activate celiac disease and are farther removed from wheat.
Symptoms appear during the first three years of life, after cereals are introduced into the diet. The infant may have a poor appetite( weight loss), offensive smelling bowel movement( large pale or light yellow stool that floats), anaemia, irritability, nausea, abdominal swelling and gas. A child is likely to have an anaemic, undernourished appearance. They may exhibit dermatitis herpetiformis, and even stunted growth. Ulcers in the mouth may develop. The early introduction of cow’ s milk is also believed to be a major causative factor. Celiac disease often leads to a lactose deficiency, causing lactose intolerance, and the increased intestinal permeability usually results in multiple food allergies. Breast-feeding and delayed administration of cow’ s milk and cereal grains are the primary preventive measures.
A second peak occurs during the third decade of life. Autoimmune disorders that can be associated with Celiac Disease may include Sarcoidosis, Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Thyroid disease, SLE and RA to name but a few. Celiac disease is often misdiagnosed as Spastic Colon or IBS. Factors that may trigger the onset are emotional stress, viral infections, surgery, pregnancy and physical trauma.
It is interesting to note that gluten is a pathogenic factor in the development of schizophrenia. It is substantiated by clinical, epidemiological and experimental studies.
There is an increased frequency of celiac disease in people with some specific genetic markers known as HLA-B8 and DRw3 that appear on the surface of cells
similar to the genetic markers of blood type. An abnormality in the immune response rather than some‘ toxic’ property of gliadin causes the damage to the intestinal tract in celiac disease: The damage is the result of the immune system trying to neutralize gliadin and in the process, destroying surrounding intestinal tissue.
The treatment of celiac disease is clear:
• Eliminate all sources of gliadin;
• Eliminate dairy products initially;
• Identify and eliminate all food allergens( celiac disease impairs digestion);
• Maintenance of a strict gluten-free diet is difficult: read labels carefully in order to avoid hidden sources of gliadin( soy sauce, modified food starch, ice cream, soup, beer, wine, vodka, whisky, malt and other foods);
• Celiac disease will often not clear up if there is an underlying nutrient( e. g. zinc) deficiency;
• Correct underlying nutritional deficiencies by taking a high-potency multiple-vitamin and mineral formula;
• Pancreatic enzymes such as 5,000 IU of lipase, 2,900 IU of amylase and 330 IU of protease can be beneficial in the treatment of celiac disease. In the first two months after diagnosis, pancreatic enzymes at dosages described, should be used to speed up the healing process. If you do not
respond within two months, consult with your doctor again to reconsider the diagnosis.
• Alfalfa supplies Vit K, which is often deficient in celiac disease. Do not take large doses of synthetic Vit K( toxic in the newborn and causes sweating and flushing);
• Consume foods such as leafy greens, tomatoes, strawberries, whole grains, yoghurt, raisins, figs, nuts, legumes, sunflower seeds and blackstrap molasses;
• Malabsorption of Vit B12 results from celiac disease. Supplement as directed on label;
• N-acetylglucosamine forms the basis of complex molecular structures of the mucous membranes of the intestinal lining. Supplement as directed on label.
• A good probiotic goes a long way. Acidophilus can help to restore the intestinal flora;
• Gluten free products are available at good health shops.
• Consult resources and information on gluten-free recipes.
Spring is in the air – some 30 days awaiting us. Here is one of my favourite smoothies: Gluten-free, dairy-free and oh, so yummy!
Ingredients: 1 fresh banana, ½ cup blueberries, ¼ cup walnuts or 2 tablespoons of protein powder( hemp or rice). Add pineapple juice, orange juice and some coconut milk( or coconut water). Blend and voilà … jam-packed bullet in a glass. Avocado can be added for a creamy texture and remember: ice transforms a smoothie into soft-serve-style frozen dessert that can be enjoyed with a spoon.
Let’ s look after our bodies and one day our bodies will look after us. Some food for thought …
Dr. Pierce van Tonder( D. Herb)( SA) is a Board Certified Medical Herbalist( AHG: USA) and Phytotherapist. He is in private practice with a special interest in Chronic disease and General-Well Being of Society. He is a qualified Iridologist, Nutritionist, La Stone Masseur, Reiki Master & Dance Movement Therapist. Visit us at Life Roseacres Hospital, Cnr Castor Rd & St. Josephs St, Symhurst, Primrose. Call 011-842-7651 for appointments or 079-346-0001. Email: drvantonder @ gmail. com or read the blog: http:// drvantonder. wordpress. com
Beer battered fish and onion rings
Our resident‘ foodie’, Anél Potgieter, explains how to make good old-fashioned fried fish.
here is little in our culinary world that comes close to a‘ just out of the pan’ fried fish. I recently made my own beer-battered version; it is a simple recipe. Take one cup of self-raising flour, 1 cup of beer and a large pinch of salt and voilà! There you have it.
Just so you know, I did not place the onion rings in ice before tossing them in the batter – as the batter tends not to stick properly … the trick with the batter is to ensure that all your ingredients are dry before dipping it in the batter.
Fish and onion rings in beer batter( Serves 4)
• 250ml self-raising flour
• 250ml beer
• 2,5ml salt
• 4 hake pieces, patted dry with a paper towel
• 2 big onions, peeled and sliced into rings( not washed nor placed in ice)
• Oil for deep-frying
• Maldon salt
• 1 lemon
• 4 bread rolls
Mix the flour, beer and salt. Dip both the fish and the onion rings in the beer batter to ensure they are well coated in batter, fry until brown and crisp. Sprinkle with Maldon salt and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve on a freshly baked bread roll with an ice-cold beer. Enjoy! about Anél
Food writer Anél Potgieter’ s blog was announced the winner of the 2014 and 2013 Eat Out Food Blog of the Year Award – the first time that someone has won twice in a row. She won SABC2’ s first season of Dinner Divas in January 2013. She also writes a weekly food column for Rapport and is a regular face on SABC3’ s breakfast show, Expresso. For recipes, visit www. lifeisazoobiscuit. com