Can Food Rob You Of Your Health?
by Lisa Lundy - for Western NY Health
Most of us take food for granted. We have enough food. We have the foods that we choose to eat. Foodis not a topic that many people spend a lot of time thinking about unless you have an insufficientamount of food or food allergies or Celiac Disease. Then you spend a much higher proportion of yourtime thinking about food. Food is the staff of life. Without it we cannot survive. And yet, for the over 3million undiagnosed Celiacs in the U.S., food is literally killing them and they don’t even know it currently.Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that involves food, specifically foods containing gluten.Gluten is found in grains like wheat, barley, rye, kamut and spelt which are then used to make breads, crackers, most baked goods, beer, gravy and sauces, and a host of other food products. When people with Celiac Disease eat foods containing gluten the villi in their small intestines become damaged. Over time, the impact of damaged villi is that a person can no longer absorb vitamins and vital nutrients because the villi are critical for this process. What this means is that people with undiagnosed Celiac Disease are then at risk for cancer and other serious illnesses. The tragic part about the nearly 3 million people with undiagnosed Celiac disease who are at risk for cancer and ultimately death, is that they could be tested and get diagnosed. The good news about Celiac Disease is that if you are fortunate and get an early diagnosis, your villi grow back and you have the opportunity for good health so long as you avoid foods containing gluten. And the really great news about Celiac Disease is that awareness of it is growing at record levels and with the growth and awareness have come an increased number and variety of gluten-free food.
Buffalo is privileged to have an outstanding celiac support group in the area. For more information, visit
Not everyone who is bothered by foods containing gluten has Celiac Disease. Some people are simply gluten intolerant. When people are allergic or intolerant to a food it can cause a wide array of sometimes disabling symptoms. Severe food allergies, which are typically called IgE food allergies, can cause anaphylaxis or death and should not be taken lightly. The largest volume of food allergies is in the area of non-IgE allergies. While not immediately life threatening, these food issues can seriously impact an individual’s quality of life. Symptoms of food allergies or sensitivities can include: vomiting, diarrhea, runny nose, watery eyes, headache, hives, rashes on the face and body, stuffy nose, repeating ear infections, constipation, emotional problems, inattention, hyperactivity, aggression, depression, food cravings, fatigue and stomach aches.
For more information on the impact of food allergies and behavior one long-standing and worthwhile
organization is the Feingold Association of the U.S. You can visit their website for more information
at: www.feingold.org.
Could food be causing your health issues? If you believe a respectedphysician by the name of Hippocrates, it certainly could. Hippocrates, the Greek physician accredited with being the Father of Medicine, studied the effects that food had on health over 2,000 years ago. There is a world of information available it you open yourself up to consider the possibilities.
Lisa A. Lundy is a public speaker and author of The Super Allergy Girl™ - Allergy & Celiac Cookbook
www.thesuperallergycookbook.com
