Celiac Disease Case Study

When the gluten reaches the small intestine, it activates the immune system to attack the intestine lining. Destroying the finger like projections called Villi which are involved in the absorption of the nutrients.

The term gluten refers to the proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley. The most common sources of gluten include breads, pastries, pasta, and cereals, yet everything from mouthwash and toothpaste to lipstick and supplements can contain gluten. It can also be hidden under certain names such as emulsifier, . I have had celiac disease for about five years, and throughout this period I have mastered the art of detecting and avoiding gluten. In fact, I believe that the key strategies to adapt to this lifestyle are : to always be cautious and alert, to do your research, and to collect up to date and credible information. I remember when I was first diagnosed, my doctor gave me a short list of foods that I must eliminate. However, within one week, I kept on adding to that list until I turned it into a ten pages catalogue that I used as a guideline to facilitate my transition. I had a major clear out

The small intestine is responsible for absorbing food and nutrients. Thus, damage to the lining of

The esophagus receives food from the mouth after swallowing and then delivers it to the stomach. The stomach holds food which it is being mixed with enzymes which continue the process of breaking down the food into a useable form. When the contents of the stomach are processed they are released into the small intestine. In the small intestine food is broken down by enzymes released from the pancreas and bile from the liver, the food is moved through and mixed with digestive secretions. The small intestine is made up of three segments the duodenum, jejunum and the ileum, the jejunum and the ileum are mainly responsible from the absorption of nutrients in to the bloodstream. These contents start out semi-solid and end in a liquid form after passing through the organ. Water, bile, enzymes and mucous change its consistency, one the nutrients have been absorbed it then moves onto the large intestine. The large intestine connects to the rectum and is specialised in processing water so that emptying the bowels is easy.

One health condition that affects people is Coeliac Disease; this is intolerance to the protein ‘gluten’ which is found in wheat, barley and rye. When coming into contact with gluten the body produces antibodies which then attack the lining of the bowel. This then affects the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food and can even lead to

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. People with celiac disease cannot eat foods with the gluten protein, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. If they eat foods with gluten, their

Celiac disease seems to be on an up rise today. You now walk into grocery stores and restaurants and see gluten-free food everywhere. Thankfully, for the celiac disease community, life has become a little easier with these accommodations. When most people hear celiac disease many just think gluten-free diets, but they do not realize that celiac disease can affect all parts of the body and mind, or that the disease has a higher prevalence in women. It is a new lifestyle that many have to take on. In the next few pages, I will discuss the affects that this disease has on the body systems, the lifestyle changes many make when diagnosed with celiac disease, and the importance of educating those who are dealing with the disease on a day to day basis. I also will discuss information from two articles which focus in on the direct affects that the disease takes on women living with it, and the lifestyle changes that are necessary to manage the symptoms.

The small intestine is where the completion of the digestion and absorption of nutrients happens. The small intestine is highly adapted for the absorption; villi and microvilli. The small intestine is the main site for lipid digestion. The pancreas secretes lipases which are special enzymes that digest fats after they have been mixed with bile.

What are the three sections of the large intestine and what roles does each play in digestion or absorption?

To help understand Celiac Disease it helps to know a little of its history. Celiac once named as koiliakos; recognized by a Greek Physician, Aretaeus of Cappadocia (3). The word "koiliakos" in simpler terms meant abdomen. Aretaeus describes the disease as an irritation of the stomach and whether or not a person actually digests their food. Celiac was not exactly officially recognized as a disease until the 19th century. Dr. Mathew Bailie described Celiac as chronic diarrhea and how a continuation of chronic diarrhea eventually leads to malnutrition (4). The severity of this disease was huge and the cause of which unknown. This greatly impacted the health and diet of all victims who did not know the cause of their pain and ultimately their path towards a malnourished life.

Meanwhile, the salivary glands in your mouth are producing saliva, lubricating the food so it can make it’s way down your esophagus and into your stomach. Saliva contains enzymes, substances that make chemical reactions faster and that breaks down large starch molecules into smaller molecules of sugar. The first step of digestion is complete. Once your food gets to your stomach, the stomach starts to furtherly digest your food. Food in the stomach is digested chemically, with chief and parietal cells. Chief cells produce pepsin, which breaks down protein. Parietal cells produce hydrochloric acid (HCI). These cells and their products help to chemically break down food in the stomach. Once food has been mechanically and chemically digested, the food goes into the small intestine duodenum, which  is the upper section of the small intestine. Attached to the duodenum is the pancreas and gallbladder. The pancreas is an organ that produces a variety of digestive enzymes, and the gallbladder is a storage sac that holds the bile produced in the liver. Bile is a chemical that breaks down fat droplets. The duodenum is also the organ that allows nutrients and water to pass through its walls. After completing its rounds in the duodenum, your digested food makes its way down into the small intestine, and then the large intestine. Villi in the small intestines absorbs nutrients into the bloodstream. The large intestine

Celiac disease is a disease that is characterized by an autoimmune reaction to gluten. Because of the way that the body reacts to gluten, the mucosa in the small intestine becomes damaged (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2013). The mucosa is able to heal itself in the absence of gluten, so many utilize strict diets excluding gluten as a method of therapy for the disease. Celiac disease has inspired many different scientists and researchers to look into the cause of the disease and how to better cure it (Green, P. H., & Cellier, C., 2007).

The amount of small intestine damaged due to a loss of villi determines the severity of symptoms due to the diseases. Severe signs and symptoms of malabsorption are evident in people whose small intestine is affected by a loss of villi (Marks). Therefore this explains the various problems a person with celiac disease encounters.

The primary function of the digestive system is to transfer nutrients, water, and electrolytes from the food consume into the body’s internal environment. The ingested food is essential as an energy source, or fuel, from which the cells can generate ATP to carry out their particular energy-dependent activities such as contraction, transport, synthesis, secretion and even renewal of body tissues. Three primary categories of food ingested by humans which are carbohydrates, proteins and fats emerge as large molecules. These large molecules cannot cross plasma membranes intact to be absorbed from the lumen of the digestive tract into the blood or lymph; hence, it must undergo degradation in size (Sherwood, 2013). This

Celiac disease is the most common genetic autoimmune disease on the planet. This means you cannot grow out of this disease. Celiac disease is projected to affect at least 1% of the population in the world. Celiac Disease is a reaction to eating gluten; gluten is a protein found in various foods including: wheat, rye, and barley and is also found in foods such as bread, pasta, cookies, and cakes. Many products like, lip balms and lipsticks, hair and skin products, toothpastes, vitamin and nutrient medicines, have gluten in them. Over a period of time, the immune reaction to eating gluten creates inflammation that damages the lining of the small intestine. Villi absorb vitamins, sugars, and other nutrients as food comes through the small intestine. When a person with celiac disease eats gluten, the villi become flat and the lining in the small intestine becomes damaged. This can cause the body to not absorb some nutrients.