Going Gluten Free?: The Critical Test Everyone Needs To Have BEFORE They Try The Latest Celebrity Endorsed Diet

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Article Date: 18 May 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Celebrity Elisabeth Hasselbeck is generating a lot of buzz about Gluten-Free living, but International Celiac Expert Shelley Case, RD warns consumers why going gluten-free before being screened for celiac disease can be hazardous to your health!

Going gluten-free is being hailed as the solution to everything from autism and ADHD to obesity, but removing the gluten from your diet may prevent your physician from being able to accurately diagnose Celiac Disease - a serious illness that affects an estimated 1 in 100 Americans.

Celiac disease - the reason Hasselbeck became interested in gluten-free - is already one of the most mis- and under-diagnosed medical conditions in North America. It is estimated that only 3% are diagnosed. Left untreated, it can lead to severe damage of the GI tract, nutritional deficiencies, osteoporosis and even cancer.

The celiac community is excited that Hasselbeck is raising awareness about celiac disease, but there is great concern that people will be tempted to self-diagnose simply by trying the diet- a situation that could have very serious long term consequences. "Some call celiac disease the mockingbird syndrome because it mimics the symptoms of other health conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome or stress," says Case. "The only way to diagnose celiac disease is with a blood test and small intestinal biopsy and gluten must be present in the diet in order for these tests to be accurate," emphasizes Case. Starting the diet before the test could easily result in more people being mis-diagnosed. There is also concern that without professional guidance those with celiac may find it difficult to remain 100% gluten-free. "Unlike weight loss or fad diets, for people with celiac disease, following a gluten-free diet for life is a critical medical intervention. In fact it's the ONLY treatment available and as such must be followed very carefully.

Shelley Case RD, a trusted health professional is ready to help your viewers separate the facts from the fiction about a gluten free diet and make an informed decision about whether - and when - going gluten free is right for them.

Everyone seems to be an expert about the gluten-free diet these days! Many have little or no credentials and often provide misinformation about the diet. In my presentation at the National Institutes of Health conference on celiac disease, Case emphasized the importance of accurate, evidence-based information for those with celiac disease, health professionals, chefs and the media. It is essential to see a registered dietitian with expertise in celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. The dietitian will do a thorough nutritional assessment, provide detailed and practical information about the diet using credible resources and monitor your progress.

Case has been researching which products are gluten-free for 25 years. The latest edition of her book Gluten-Free Diet describes more than 3100 gluten-free products from more than 270 companies in the US, Canada and around the world. The book is viewed as the definitive gluten-free guide, and numerous Celiac health experts like Dr. Michelle Pietzak, MD and Dr. Peter Green, MD advise their patients to use this book to help in their healthy, gluten-free journey.

About Shelley Case

Shelley Case is a registered dietitian and a member of the Medical Advisory Boards of the Celiac Disease Foundation and Gluten Intolerance Group in the US and Professional Advisory Board of the Canadian Celiac Association. As a leading international nutrition expert on celiac disease and author of the revised and updated national best seller "Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide", Case is a frequent guest speaker at conferences and in the media including the NBC Today Show and CBC Newsworld. Shelley's website is http://www.glutenfreediet.ca She can also be found at http://www.befreeforme.com with her regular Q&A column, at http://www.glutenfreeda.com in the "Good For You column" and at http://www.allergicliving.com "Ask the Celiac Expert".

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Shelley Case

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