Understanding Celiac Disease: Symptoms, Complications, and Prevention Tips

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — You may feel annoyed because of your inability to eat all the foods you desire, right? This is what really happens with people with gluten sensitivity, or as it is known as Celiac.

And the Saudi Ministry of Health stated, in a tweet via its official account on the “Twitter” platform, that celiac is an immune disease that affects the small intestine in the digestive system, and requires not eating gluten, which is a protein found in wheat and barley.

Normally, the immune system fights all harmful substances in the body, as the Saudi Ministry of Health indicated, on its official website, that it fights some substances as if they are harmful in the case of allergies, by producing anti-substances, such as: histamine.

Histamine causes allergy symptoms, and the person is usually allergic to more than one substance.

The cause of the disease remains unknown until now.

The problems associated with Celiac are often related to growth and malnutrition, due to damage to the intestines.

complications

Celiac complications only affect people who continue to eat gluten products. These complications include:

• Osteoporosis
• Malnutrition
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Deficiency of vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin D
• Lactose intolerance (lactose intolerance)
• Low birth weight when pregnant
• Some types of cancer, such as: small intestine cancer in rare cases

protection

And the Saudi Ministry of Health stated, on its official website, that there is no way to prevent your allergy. But she recommends following these guidelines to prevent any complications:

• Follow a diet, and see a gastroenterologist regularly
• Visit a dietitian, to help follow a proper diet
• It may be difficult at first to choose your food, but it will become easier with time
• Read the ingredients of foods before eating or giving them to the child, making sure that they do not contain gluten
• When dining out, tell the waiter that you have celiac disease
• The doctor or dietician may advise taking nutritional supplements as needed, including: calcium, folic acid, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin K, and zinc.