Natural Treatments for Celiac Sprue

Celiac sprue is a health condition where the lower intestine is damaged by the proteins found in wheat and wheat gluten. Symptoms include bloating, muscle cramps, diarrhea, fatigue, hair loss and gas. But what’s even worse about celiac sprue is that it can cause other diseases because it damages the villi in the lower intestine. Villi play the vital role of absorbing nutrients so that the body retains sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals to maintain healthy functions. Dysfunctional villi result in deficiencies, which will consequently result in more serious health conditions.

Celiac sprue used to be diagnosed almost exclusively in those who have Caucasian or European ancestry, but was later found in individuals with different ethnic backgrounds. It was then observed that celiac sprue had a direct link to a person’s diet. Although the disease cannot be transmitted and is a genetic condition, it was found that individuals with no Caucasian or European ancestry had developed the disease from the introduction of modern foods such as breads, crackers, and fast food—all of which contain wheat.

Health conditions linked with celiac sprue include lactose intolerance, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, anemia, type I diabetes, neurological conditions, Down syndrome, dermatitis herpetiformis, infertility, intestinal cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. Your first action should be to get proper diagnosis.

Individuals with celiac sprue often have deficiencies of iron, calcium, essential fatty acids, vitamins D and K, folic acid and zinc. A healthcare professional can perform tests that will inform you of what nutritional deficiencies you have. These tests are important in such a way that they provide you with an idea on what nutritional supplements you should be taking.

Your healthcare specialist may recommend you certain types of supplements to aid your body in the absorption of important vitamins and minerals. Oftentimes you will be recommended a supplementation of high potency multivitamin-mineral or intravenous nutritional supplements. You may need higher amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, depending on where you are in your recovery from celiac sprue.

Of course, supplements alone will not do anything to keep irritating symptoms and health risks of celiac sprue away. The only way to maintain a healthy and good-quality lifestyle is to take supplements that can replace lost or mal-absorbed vitamins and minerals and to have a gluten-free diet. Many foods are naturally packed with much-needed vitamins and minerals, but if they contain wheat gluten, you may be defeating the purpose of treating celiac sprue. So, it is always a good idea to read the back labels of food products to make sure that they are gluten-free. There are now many companies that specifically produce gluten-free food.

Celiac sprue is a debilitating disease that can cause not only other diseases but also a generally low quality of life. Individuals who suffer from celiac disease find that they are unable to do activities like sports and social interaction because they are depressed or physically drained. The good news is that you can treat celiac sprue with natural remedies such as nutritional supplements and gluten-free products.

You may want to check out Alorex - Comprehensive Formula for Celiac Disease Support which addresses nutritional and immunilogical needs of people who are gluten intolerant

Click here to check out the Gluten-Free Guide to Eating. 25 Places to Get Amazing Gluten-Free Food Online and 25 Gluten-Free Recipes.