THE FRUM CELIAC

Excerpt from about.com

Interestingly, people with IBS are four-times more likely to be diagnosed with Celiac disease than people without IBS. It isn’t clear if this is because the two diseases share similar symptoms, and one is misdiagnosed for the other, or if people with IBS are truly at risk for developing Celiac disease. Time will tell, but it seems quite possible that many of us who blame their chronic abdominal symptoms on IBS could truly be suffering from Celiac disease. If you are suffering from IBS, but think your symptoms could represent Celiac disease, see your doctor. A simple blood test is quite accurate for the diagnosis of Celiac disease. And, while following a gluten-free diet isn’t easy, it could virtually eliminate many of those “IBS symptoms” that you just thought you were going to have to live with, if in fact you’ve actually got Celiac disease.

Excerpt from marketwatch.com

Osteoporosis and its milder form, Osteopenia, affect tens of millions of men and women in America. The frail, porous and brittle bones caused by Osteoporosis often result in debilitating bone fractures from which some people never fully recover. In fact, it is predicted that 50% of women and 12% of men will have an Osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Many experts believe that the key to preventing Osteoporosis, and its successful treatment, lies in locating and treating the root cause of the condition which, for some, could be gluten intolerance, an umbrella term that includes gluten sensitivity and celiac disease.

Osteoporosis and Osteopenia are generally diagnosed with a bone mineral density (BMD) test. However, this testing does not find the cause of the problem: it merely confirms that it is present.

Traditional medical treatment recommendations for Osteoporosis and Osteopenia consist largely of a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, exercise, a healthy lifestyle and, sometimes, medications. But, as with other illnesses, if the root cause of the condition is not found, the bones will continue to get worse.

With early diagnosis of Osteopenia – the milder form of Osteoporosis – along with a full evaluation for gluten intolerance and other possible causes of the condition, the deterioration can be stopped to prevent further damage and, in some cases, bone density can be partially restored.

Although most medical doctors do not check for gluten intolerance in patients with Osteoporosis and Osteopenia, the idea is not new.

“According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine,” said Dr. Vikki Petersen, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, author of the groundbreaking book “The Gluten Effect” and co-founder of HealthNOW Medical Center, “what triggers the shift from healthy bone to Osteoporosis is internal inflammation. Gluten intolerance inflames the gut which then leads to a body-wide inflammation and, consequently, bone loss.”

If someone is gluten intolerant, restoring good health could not only prevent Osteoporosis, it may even open the door to reversing the condition.