The Celiac Disease Foundation estimates that one out of 133 people in the United States have celiac disease. Celiac disease runs in families.

There is no medication to treat celiac disease and the cause is unknown. The best treatment for celiac disease is a diet that strictly excludes products containing gluten. If you have celiac disease, you can never eat gluten, even if you have been symptom free for a long time. Just the smallest amount of gluten can cause symptoms to reoccur.

Gluten is a sticky protein that is usually combined with starch and found in:

?Wheat

?Rye

?Barley

?Oats

If you have celiac disease you must abide by a gluten-free diet. This is not an easy task to accomplish. Gluten is found in most processed foods. The importance of knowing what is in something before you eat it makes reading food labels an absolute must and if you cannot be sure of the ingredients, don't risk eating it.

Use safe ingredients which include:

?Plain rice (all types including wild rice)

?Potatoes

?Corn

?Legumes

?Millet

?Peas

?Corn, peanut, olive, canola and sunflower oil

Foods you should avoid include:

?Breads

?Pasta

?Whole wheat

?Bran

?Pizza

?Oatmeal

?Spaghetti

?Croutons

?Crackers

?Pastries

?Bagel

?Beer

Your symptoms should start to subside in about two weeks. You can then begin to add more processed or prepared foods. Be sure to always read the food labels carefully to be certain you are not getting any gluten. Even food prepared near or in the same pans as food with gluten can cause you problems if you have sensitivity to gluten. There is a variety of cookbooks that can help make your gluten-free cooking easier.

Eating out is often difficult for people with celiac disease. Review the following tips for eating out:

?Focus on fruits and cheese and undressed salads

?At dinner parties, ask the hostess if you can bring a dish and make the dish something you can eat

?Eat before you go out to eat so you are not tempted to eat something that might be harmful to you

?Call ahead to restaurants to explain your special needs and see if they can accommodate you before you go

?Avoid chain restaurants where the food is more likely to be made somewhere else and frozen. Try to find restaurants where food is made to order

?Try to get a simple piece of grilled or broiled meat or fish, flavored with oil and lemon

Packaging descriptions where gluten might be hidden include:

?Unidentified food starch

?Caramel coloring

?Modified food starch

?Hydrolyzed plant or vegetable protein

?Natural flavorings

?Flavor or spice extracts

?Licorice

?Vegetable gum

?MSG

Gluten can also be found in the following:

?Cosmetics like lipstick and chap stick

?Stamps and envelopes

?Prescription and over-the-counter medications

Source: The Arthritis Foundation

Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem and especially before beginning any kind of an exercise routine.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box. Article written 5-2007.