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What Is Celiac Disease?

You may have heard of celiac disease, but what exactly is it? Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder that damages the small intestine. While there is no known cause, celiac disease triggers a negative reaction in the immune and digestive systems when gluten is ingested. Since the disease is chronic, there is no cure; you can’t just “grow out of it.”

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barely, rye, and other grains, as well as products like vitamins, supplements, and skin and hair products, among others. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, 1 in 100 people worldwide have celiac disease, and approximately 60-70% of Americans are undiagnosed and suffering.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

There’s a wide variety of symptoms for celiac disease. Some people may have multiple symptoms, and others may have none but still suffer from intestinal damage. Some symptoms affect the digestive system, and others affect other parts of the body. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, some of the most common symptoms of celiac disease are:

• Constant diarrhea or constipation
• Weight loss
• Gas
• Pale, bad-smelling stool
• Anemia (feeling tired)
• Skin rashes

There are two ways to diagnose celiac disease. The first method is through an antibody test, where a healthcare professional will take a blood sample and send it off to a lab. Doctors can identify the presence of celiac disease based on the levels of specific antibodies. Someone suffering from the disease will have antibody levels read higher than average. The second way to test for celiac disease is through a medical procedure called an endoscopy. During an endoscopy, the doctor takes a sample of the small intestine, and the tissue is examined for celiac disease.

Causes

While there is no known cause for celiac disease, doctors do know that the disease almost always occurs in people with one of two gene variants — DQ2 AND DQ8. Not all people with DQ2 and DQ8 genes develop celiac disease after ingesting gluten, though. Celiac can develop at any age after gluten is introduced to the body through foods or medications.

Treatment

The only way to safely manage the symptoms and prevent damage to the small intestine and every other organ in your body is by removing all gluten from your diet. Not only is gluten in foods, but it’s also in other common products like toothpaste and mouthwash, communion wafers, cosmetics, Play-Doh, preservatives, modified food starch, and malt flavoring.

It’s important to read food and product labels to ensure you are not consuming anything with gluten. Even the smallest amounts can trigger a reaction; however, cutting out gluten entirely doesn’t always fix the problem. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, 50% of diagnosed patients still suffer from symptoms even on a completely gluten-free diet.

If celiac disease goes untreated, it can lead to severe health conditions like type 1 diabetes, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, multiple sclerosis, anemia, infertility, and miscarriage, among others.

The Future of Celiac

As far as the future goes, those suffering from celiac disease are hoping for a medical miracle. Gluten is everywhere, and avoiding it is nearly impossible — especially due to cross-contamination.

In the past decade, the mere talk of a healing medication for celiac patients has turned into more than a dozen research trials involving tests for new medications on patients. If scientists, doctors, and other medical engineers could create medicine to combat the symptoms of celiac disease and further protect the health of the small intestines, millions of individuals would be able to experience a new quality of life.

Most people know that being in the sun without the proper protection can be harmful to the body’s biggest organ, the skin.

Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause sunburn, premature aging, and increased risk of developing skin cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, there were an estimated 100,640 new cases of skin melanomas and 8,290 related deaths in 2024.

SPF 101: Sunscreen Basics

Sunburn happens when the sun’s invisible UV rays damage the skin. Using sunscreen with the right amount of SPF (Sun Protection Factor) can help protect you from the sun. Everyone, regardless of age, should use SPF 30 or higher; however, the ingredients in the sunscreen are just as important in determining its effectiveness. According to Northwestern Medicine, SPF 30 blocks 97% of sun rays while SPF 50 blocks 98%; meaning, the higher the SPF, the smaller the difference.

When choosing between a broad-spectrum sunscreen as opposed to regular SPF sunscreen, it is recommended to choose broad-spectrum products. Northwestern Medicine said that broad-spectrum sunscreens protect the skin from both UVB (burning rays) and UVA (aging rays), while SPF sunscreen only protects against UVB. Consumers are also encouraged to stay away from sunscreen products that contain oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate, as these ingredients can be harmful to hormone health and increase chances of developing skin cancer.

Safe Practices to Avoid Skin Damage

There are several things you can do to ensure you are keeping your skin protected from the sun. Whether it’s your wardrobe or knowing when to stay inside, here are some tips to stay safe.

• Wear long-sleeved, lightweight pants and shirts, wide brimmed hats, and sunglasses.
• Apply sunscreen 15 minutes before sun exposure.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours, especially when swimming or sweating.
• Check expiration dates on sunscreen bottles; most expire after three years.
• Avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Seek shade whenever possible.

According to CaroMont Health, even on gloomy days and during the winter, 80% of the sun’s UV rays can get through the clouds and penetrate the skin. Don’t be fooled by the weather — the sun is a powerful force of Mother Nature any time of year.

Sun Poisoning: Severe Sunburns

Sun poisoning is a term used to describe a severe sunburn. Symptoms of sun poisoning are the same as a typical sunburn, but they’re much more serious. According to the National Cancer Institute, over 33,000 sunburns are reported that require emergency room visits annually.

Symptoms of Sun Poisoning:

• Dehydration
• Skin Infection
• Headache, nausea, vomiting
• Fever or chills

If you are experiencing symptoms of sun poisoning:

• Get out of the sun to prevent further sun exposure.
• Take a cool shower and apply cool compresses to the affected areas to cool down the body.
• Stay hydrated by drinking water and electrolyte drinks. Avoid alcohol and caffeine as they dehydrate the body.
• Apply aloe vera or soothing lotions to help calm and hydrate the skin.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers to help with pain and inflammation.
• Protect blisters with a clean, loose bandage, and do not pop them.
• Seek medical attention if you develop a high fever, severe pain, confusion, or show signs of dehydration.

Be Sun Smart!

Adopting sun-safe habits to protect your skin can help you stay healthy during the heat of the summer and the cold of winter. The hottest months of the year pose the biggest threat to our skin, and it’s important to know how to combat the sun’s powerful rays to avoid damage.

Many people have a family member, relative, or friend who is a veteran.

Some people don’t know a veteran at all. Regardless of whether you know one or not, have you ever stopped to consider how crucial it is to support the health of those who have fought for our country?

The impact military service has on mental and physical health is significant. The unique risks, stressors, and environments veterans experience while on duty put them at a higher risk of suffering from physical and mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain, and substance abuse.

Physical Health

Chronic pain — a common health issue experienced by veterans — is pain that lasts longer than 3 months and is usually due to an injury, disease, or infection but sometimes has no known cause. A 2018 report released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that 50 million U.S. adults suffer from chronic pain.

More commonly found in veterans than in the general population, chronic pain causes decreased work productivity, disability, and higher healthcare costs. Chronic pain can contribute to mental health struggles like depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder, among others. According to the National Library of Medicine, an estimated 50% of U.S. veterans experience chronic pain, making it one of the most common health complaints among this population.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a treatment called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP) to help veterans with chronic pain. The National Library of Medicine explains that CBT-CP is about changing one’s response to and relationship with pain so it has a less harmful impact on functioning and quality of life. Click here to learn more about CBT-CP and to hear from a veteran who used CBT-CP to combat chronic pain.

Mental Health

Experiencing stress after a traumatic event is human nature, but PTSD is much more severe than stress. People who suffer from PTSD relive traumatic events in their minds in the form of flashbacks and nightmares. PTSD also brings along relationship issues, emotional numbness, sleep problems, anger, substance abuse, and reckless behavior.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), about 8 of every 100 women and 4 of every 100 men will have PTSD at some point in their life. Women have a higher chance of developing PTSD because they are more likely to experience traumatic events — like sexual assault — than men.

VA offers three forms of trauma-based therapy that are used to treat PTSD: Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). According to the National Center for PTSD, 53 of 100 patients who receive one of these treatments will no longer have PTSD.

Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988 and Press 1

Available 24/7, 365, the Veterans Crisis Line assists veterans in crisis — feeling hopeless, suffering from anxiety, depression, participating in risky behavior, etc. — and helps connect them to medical services or other resources they need.

According to VA News, as of July 2024, more than 8 million calls, 975,000 chats, and 399,000 texts have been received through the Veterans Crisis line since its launch in 2007. Simply dial 988 and press 1 to be connected to a trained responder during a crisis. Call the number, save a life. Learn more about the Veterans Crisis Line at veteranscrisisline.net.

Protecting Those Who Protected Us

Serving in the military is a selfless, heroic, and brave act, but when soldiers return from service, many suffer from some intense mental and physical conditions. According to the National Library of Medicine, a survey conducted in 2016 on 9,000 newly separated veterans found that 53% reported chronic physical conditions and 33% reported chronic mental health conditions.

It is important to be educated on what veterans experience after service to be able to help them the best we can. Informing others about common conditions and spreading the word about useful resources can better a veteran’s quality of life.