Summary: Could a virus trigger the onset of celiac disease? Who should follow a gluten-free diet? Have you tried cauliflower pizza crust? These are the three things I’m talking about this week.
I sometimes have a “little” something to say about diabetes (or this week…celiac disease and gluten)…
What Triggers Celiac Disease?
I’ve heard theories and seen research about the possible triggers of type 1 diabetes. Some suspect that a virus might trigger it. Here is research about a possible trigger of celiac disease. Stupid immune system!
“It’s all about the timing,” Dermody says. The idea is that when the virus and gluten are introduced at the same time, the immune system mistakes the gluten-containing food as dangerous.
Read “When Gluten Is The Villain, Could A Common Virus Be The Trigger?” on NPR.
Who Really Needs to Be Gluten-Free?
Image from Paul Rogers via The New York Times
While the health consequences of celiac disease have been well documented, other reasons a person’s health might be improved by avoiding gluten include a sensitivity to gluten or something else in wheat (the major source of gluten in Western diets) and the placebo effect — a genuine benefit inspired by the belief that a chosen remedy actually works.
Until evidence is developed that could justify screening the entire population for celiac, Dr. Murray advocates screening “everyone in the at-risk group,” which would include family members of celiac patients and everyone with Type 1 diabetes, premature osteoporosis and anemia, which may be signs of celiac disease. He also advised that people with chronic bloating, mouth ulcers, chronic headaches or fatigue should be tested.
This is an interesting article about why people are or are not routinely screened for celiac disease. Since Q has type 1 diabetes, she has been screened through blood testing several times. Having some minor health issues, I have also been screened. Both of us were negative.
It also discusses the risk of going gluten-free without a celiac diagnosis because you have to be eating gluten and symptomatic for particular tests to come back positive.
Read “Who Really Needs to Be Gluten-Free?” on the New York Times site.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Image via Trader Joe’s
I know several people who swear by pizzas made with a cauliflower pizza crust because they are lower in carbs and because they can be made gluten-free. Trader Joe’s now has a frozen cauliflower pizza crust. Have you tried cauliflower crust yet? I haven’t.
Read “Trader Joe’s has a new cauliflower pizza crust and we’re obsessed” on Today’s website.
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