Gluten Free RN

What did we know about celiac disease in 1953?

The truth is, we knew quite a bit about sensitivity to gluten 65 years ago when Matilda Babbitz's son Bobby was diagnosed with celiac disease. A nurse by profession, Matilda carefully observed her baby and kept detailed records of his reactions to foods, working with doctors to determine an appropriate diet for Bobby.

'Know your own truth and let that guide you.'

How do you cut through the noise and misinformation around gluten sensitivity and celiac disease in order to make the best choices for your health and happiness? By tapping into your intuition and asking WHY when the answers don't feel right—and reaching out to the right people for support when you need it.

Today, the Gluten Free RN is sharing her Top 10 Musings and Truths for health and wellbeing, empowering you to be self-protective and surround yourself with the people who genuinely care enough to speak up for—and with you. She shares the value in setting goals for your physical and mental health and taking your power back from the people who may have victimized you in the past.

Nadine also encourages you to get educated and engage in critical thinking, questioning the information you are given and saying 'no' to anyone who suggests you eat gluten—even if they happen to be a doctor. Listen in to understand the idea that 'you are your own experiment' and learn to be the healthiest YOU you can be by committing to a 100% gluten-free diet!

1. Commit to being 100% gluten-free, dairy-free and ideally Paleo

• Focus on diet change for first year so intestines can heal

2. Be self-protective

• Lose people who aren't supportive

3. Find your tribe

• People who speak up for/with you, willing to change diet

4. Set goals for what you want your life to look like

• Write down objectives to make real, move in that direction

5. Be powerful (even if you don't feel it)

• Speak up and take power back, don't be victim

6. Get educated and educate others

• Go to conferences, read and do research

7. Don't believe everything you hear, read or say

• Get answers to questions, then question the answers (ask WHY)

8. Don't eat gluten for anyone

• Not for friends/family, doctors or research study

9. Be the healthiest YOU, you can be

• Strive for MORE health, fun, good food and information

10. You are your own experiment

• Reassess and apply new information as needs change, work with team

Much existing propaganda claims that African Americans do not suffer from celiac disease. Even the Gluten Free RN was surprised to find out that her adopted daughter had a genetic predisposition to the disease back in 2006, as research available at the time regarded the HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 genes to be primarily Caucasian traits. And until we take steps to conduct a mass screening, we simply don't know how common celiac disease is among people of African descent.

Today, the Gluten Free RN is exploring celiac disease in the African American population. She covers a 2006 study out of Columbia University that assessed African American celiac patients, discussing the variety of ways the subjects presented with celiac disease and the potential reasons for their poor compliance with the prescribed gluten-free diet.

Nadine also considers the prevalence of celiac disease on the continent of Africa, explaining why she believes the number of celiac patients will explode with the population's growing exposure to wheat. Listen in for the Gluten Free RN's insight on other health issues that may point to undiagnosed celiac disease and learn how we can prevent celiac disease among the African American population with access to testing, social support and gluten-free food!

Approximately 50% of ER visits are associated with abdominal pain, and the vast majority of those patients are given a diagnosis of 'abdominal pain of an unknown origin' and directed to come back if the condition gets worse. This is little comfort to people suffering from severe discomfort who need answers around the cause of their belly pain, not just medication to mask it temporarily. Could undiagnosed celiac disease be the source of their suffering?

Today, the Gluten Free RN is diving into the issue of belly pain and undiagnosed celiac disease, discussing the expensive testing often conducted to determine the cause of abdominal discomfort—testing that rarely includes a celiac panel. She covers several of the common misdiagnoses of celiac patients as well as the incredibly high prevalence of abdominal pain in children.

Nadine shares the case study of a child-patient who was misdiagnosed with appendicitis and the research published in Digestive and Liver Disease outlining the unnecessary surgical interventions endured by undiagnosed celiac patients. Listen in for the Gluten Free RN's advice to patients with idiopathic abdominal discomfort and learn why no one should suffer from belly pain!

The statistics around ER visits and abdominal pain

• 50% of visits associated with belly pain

The most common abdominal pain diagnoses

• Abdominal pain of unknown ideology, idiopathic abdominal pain

How patients are treated for idiopathic abdominal pain

• Medication, directive to return if condition gets worse

The testing to find the cause of chronic abdominal pain

• Expensive blood workups, rarely include celiac panel

How many children suffer from belly pain

• 30% report abdominal discomfort

Nadine's patient who received a misdiagnosis of appendicitis

• Mother of child-patient sought second opinion prior to surgery
• Child didn't have appendicitis, cause of pain still unknown

If you are being treated for a blood disorder, it is time to look deeper and explore the underlying cause. Rather than simply addressing iron- or B12-deficiency anemia in isolation, ask WHY you have a deficiency in the first place. It is possible that damage to your intestines caused by gluten is preventing your body from absorbing the nutrients necessary to grow your red blood cells and keep your immune system healthy. And anemia is not the only blood disorder associated with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity!

The Gluten Free RN is taking a closer look at the hematologic manifestations of celiac disease from anemia to hyposplenism. She explains the connection between disorders of the blood and bones, offering insight around why men with both anemia and osteoporosis are also likely to have celiac disease.

Nadine discusses the danger in taking H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors for GERD long-term, describing how those medications decrease the gastric acid necessary for breaking down food. She also addresses what you can do to identify any nutritional deficiencies in your blood and reminds us why celiac patients have difficulty absorbing the nutrients necessary to form red blood cells. Listen in to understand how the skin reflects what's happening internally and learn how to prevent a number of blood disorders with a gluten-free diet!

The hematologic manifestations of celiac disease

• Anemia secondary to malabsorption of iron, folate and vitamin B12
• Thrombocytosis, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, venous thromboembolism
• Hyposplenism, IgA deficiency and increased risk of lymphoma

Why iron supplements didn't solve Nadine's anemia

• Couldn't absorb supplements due to undiagnosed celiac disease

The connection between anemia, osteoporosis and celiac disease

• B12 forms red blood cells made in long bones

The danger of taking H2 blockers and PPIs long-term

• Decreases levels of gastric acid necessary to liquify food
• Leads to bacterial overgrowth, gastritis

How to uncover potential nutrient deficiencies in your blood

• CBC with differential (breakdown of red blood cells)