Gluten Free
The gluten free department offers a large selection of products that do not contain wheat. Many people follow the celiac diet because of allergies to wheat products. The following is a description of what the celiac disease is and how to follow the celiac diet.
What is the celiac disease?The celiac disease is a genetic disease that affects the small intestine of the body. When a person with the celiac disease absorbs gluten products, the body reacts by killing villi in the small intestine. Villi transfer the nutrients from food being absorbed through the walls of the small intestine to the blood stream. When a person with celiac disease eats gluten, villi are destroyed and the person has trouble absorbing nutrients into the body. A common result is malnutrition.
Where is gluten found?Gluten is found in wheat, barley and rye. Gluten may also be found in products including lip balm, lipstick, medication, and different vitamins. Someone with this disease must also be careful of hidden sources of gluten. These may be found in some preservatives and modified food starches. It is also important to read into where products are manufactured. If they come from factories that are also working with wheat products, cross contamination can be an issue.
What are the symptoms of the celiac disease?The celiac disease has a wide variety of symptoms and negative effects. The disease is at times hard to identify because of the wide variety of symptoms that vary depending on the person. These symptoms include the following:
- Abdominal pain
- Anemia (iron deficiency)
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Constipation
- Joint pain or numb/tingly sensation in hands and feet
- Vomiting (common in youth)
- Chronic diarrhea
- Abdominal bloating
- Fatigue
- Foul smelling or pale stool
- Anxiety
- Dermatitis herpetiformis (reoccurring or constant itchy rashes)
- Oral canker soars
- Weight loss
- Intestinal cancer
- Irritability
- Depression
- Irregular or missed menstrual periods
- Infertility or miscarriages
- Seizures
- Growth and development issues in youth
- Dental and tooth enamel defects
- Liver disease
The celiac diet is a diet for people suffering from the celiac disease. This diet consists of food that does not have wheat, rye, or barley. These three products can have many negative effects on a person that is suffering from this disease and may have long term effects if a person does not change their diet. Even the tiniest amount of gluten can have a major negative effect on the body. If a person suffering from this disease stops eating gluten altogether, there is a good chance that further damage will not occur, and the small intestine, and body, will heal itself. At Edge of the Woods Market we cater to this diet in our gluten free section. This section is located in the grocery department, but more products can be found throughout the store. If we do not carry a product we can usually order it. If you would like to order an entire case of a product, you will receive a ten percent discount.