DiseaseIllness

Diane Jakubowski was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in spring of 2003
and her somewhat confused physician sent Jakubowski to the nearest health food market for answers. Celiac Disease
also known as Celiac Sprue
is a genetically-linked autoimmune disease in which the absorbing surface of the small intestine is damaged by gluten
the protein found in wheat
barley
rye
and sometimes even oats. But as recently as two years ago
this illness was considered very rare in this country
leaving many Celiacs misdiagnosed
under diagnosed
or simply overlooked altogether.

Approximately 1 in 4700 people in the USA are diagnosed Celiacs. But recent medical research indicates that this figure is extraordinarily inaccurate. Suddenly
the long-accepted thinking that Celiac Disease was rare has literally exploded off of the medical horizon. It is now known that 1 in 133 folks in this country (or more) are probably Celiacs...again going undiagnosed...and suffering needlessly for many years.

In Celiac Disease
nutrients pass through the damaged small intestine
unabsorbed
often creating a host of sometimes devastating health problems. Medical conditions and diseases that have been associated with Celiac Disease are: iron deficiency anemia
osteoporosis
gum problems
skin problems
Multiple Sclerosis
chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia
peripheral neuropathy
and infertility.

Celiac Disease is frequently misdiagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
(Crohn's disease
ulcerative colitis
proctitis) pancreatitis
and even gall bladder disease
to name but a few. There are literally millions of Celiac’s running around in this country….who don’t even know they are Celiacs. And the really significant additional concern is that all these folks are simultaneously running the risk of developing secondary autoimmune disease. This
due to the fact that many Celiacs go undiagnosed an average of eleven years…or even longer. In the author’s case
it was 52 years.

Jakubowski's desire is that people will be able to gain answers through information that has been made available on her website. Her wish is that sharing this information may possibly provide a service for those who suffer from digestive disease for decades due to the direct or indirect impact of this insidious disease.

Diane Jakubowski
http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org