Non Responsive Celiac Disease

I am looking forward to this week. Daniel and I will be attending the Raleigh Celiac Society meeting on Thursday where there will be a nutritionist and a pharmacist talking with us regarding celiac disease.

While I was chatting with a client about this meeting, she mentioned that she is still having some gastronomical symptoms even while she is on her gluten free diet. I have heard this, over and over, from many of my clients both in my cooking class and when they are ordering their cakes. Many are wondering if they have something other than gluten intolerance or celiac disease.

I decided to research the phenomenon and got some very interesting information. While there are a couple of conditions that can cause the continuation of symptoms such as colitis, bacterial overgrowth and in very rare cases, cancer, the overwhelming cause of non-responsive celiac disease is ingestion of gluten.

In a study of 112 people, 12 people did not have celiac disease. 10 had irritable bowel disease, others had colitis, medication induced diarrhea, lactose intolerance and bacterial overgrowth but the largest number of 45 turned out to be ingesting gluten either inadvertently or through carelessness. (The World Journal of Gastroenterology)

The study showed that breakfast cereals, beer, cooking sauces and processed foods are the main source of accidental gluten ingestion. Misunderstanding labels or contamination in the factory is commonplace and if your gluten free diet contains a large amount of processed or factory made foods, the likelihood is that you may be ingesting gluten.

For this reason I am convinced that it is vital to continue to educate yourself about gluten free ingredients, about the best dedicated gluten free products.

If you are experiencing symptoms while you feel you are gluten free a visit to a knowledgeable dietitian to check what you are eating might be a good idea and finally cooking at home in a clean, gluten free kitchen where you can check all the ingredients that you use is a great way to maintain and improve your health.

Below is a quick recipe for you to have something nice with your cup of coffee so you are not tempted by glutenous treats. This cake lasts for 4-5 days in a plastic container or for 4-6 weeks in the freezer.