Posted on July - 08 - 2011
How Does Celiac Disease Effect Men’s Health?
Men’s health is unknowingly plagued by celiac disease — a conditional illness mostly caused by certain food consumption.
Men consume a large amount of food. Many foods we eat contain nutrients necessary for proper health. However, some foods do not process the same way in every man. A problematic issue among mens health is gluten, a protein which is found in — but not limited to — products that contain barley, rye and wheat. This protein has been found in different medicines and vitamins, as well — even lip treatments and balms. The health effects from gluten vary by individual. Some individuals have a particular condition, called celiac disease, in which its effects are significantly increased by gluten consumption.
What Is Celiac Disease and Its Symptoms?
Celiac disease is a genetic condition which damages the lining of the small intestine. The small intestine, then, is not able to absorb and process specific nutrients required for adequate health. In a The New York Times article from December 2009, entitled, “Hope for Patients With Celiac Disease,” the National Institutes of Health organization states that celiac disease is underdiagnosed, and 1 in every 133 people have this condition.
Celiac diseases symptoms are not commonly noticed — and vary per individual. They can vary for a number of reasons, ranging from the number of years a person was breastfeed to the amount of gluten-enriched foods a person consumes. Men can experience symptoms such as:
Often, the symptoms are misdiagnosed as other conditions — even not diagnosed at all. Some men have the condition for decades before they become properly aware. The longer the condition is untreated or heightened via constant gluten consumption, the more serious and long-term the complications can be.
Can I Reverse Celiac Disease and Its Effects?
Celiac disease is a condition; thus, it has a conditional presence — as in, its presence and effects only exist under certain conditions. The American Heritage College Dictionary defines the word “conditional” as, “imposing, depending on or containing a condition.” If gluten (the conditional trigger) is no longer consumed, celiac disease (the conditional effect) does not continue in its negative progression. Men diagnosed with this condition should consider a gluten-free diet. However, the diseases damage and symptoms — depending on the time the person has been ill — may take a while to properly heal or dissipate, respectively.
This diet consists of fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, beans, corn, wild rice, nuts, no breads. Also, no cereals that include wheat, oats or barley malt should be eaten. Most people are oblivious of celiac disease and its food triggers. Both, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, have their definitions and stipulations of the term “gluten-free.”
For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has grouped certain “prohibited grains” which are not gluten-free. Oats are excluded from this group. Yet, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency does define oats as grain that is not gluten-free. Personally, I have to agree with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on this issue.
I disliked the idea of no longer tasting oatmeal and frosted-covered corn flakes. However, for my own health, it was a choice made — and a wise one. All men should, likewise, analyze their consumed foods. There are possibly certain indulgences which should be eliminated. They may be difficult choices to make. Yet, I believe a mans health should be more important than the satisfaction of his taste buds.
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