[Sca-cooks] Celiac Description-was rant

[yaini0625 at yahoo.com]

Nice description!
Let me add one more anecdotal description.
In my Celiac Support group I met a Lady who had not exhibit any of the "normal" signs of Celiac Spru disease. She hadn't had the battery acid upset stomach, the races to the bathroom, migraines et al. She didn't know she had Celiac Spru disease until she shattered her femur in such a way that it caused her doctor to be really alarmed. He sent her to have a bone density test. What alarmed the doctor and alerted him that something else was going on was the density result. She had the bone density of an 80 year old with ostioprosis (sp). At the time she was only 45 years old with a very active lifestyle. In women early ostioprosis is common in undiagnosed Celiac spru.
People who have to follow specialized diets for Celiac Disease, American Heart/Stroke Assoc, Diabetes, Nut/shellfish/anaphalatic  level allergies are not purposely picky. We become picky because we are fearful of getting sick. A trip to the hospital after a delightful and fun day at a Queen's Tournament is not highly recommended way to end the day.
This kind of health concern is far different then not liking a flavor or food.  It is difficult to live with this kind of restriction let alone having to bring up my two children (ages 4 and 6) on the same diet. I have grown accustomed to the diet but if I had a magic wand to make the change for my children I would leap at the chance. 
I really really do appreciate it when a SCA chef prepares a meal my family can eat at. But, I have grown accustomed to bringing our own food or being responsible for our own advocacy. Part of that advocacy is also not getting mad at the chefs for not having something to eat if I have arrived late.
In my research I did find that celiac spru and diabetes were known as far back as the Greek physicians. I will have to get back to you on the name of the physician and dates. Europe has known about Celiac Spru for some time. The US has been a bit slow.
Thank you for letting me stand on this soap box. Time to get off it and stand on another. Super Teacher away....
Aelina

 <Snip>The celiac process that does permanent damage does it in microscopic 
increments. Each flare the patient has does progresesivly more and more 
damage until the intestinal lining is so damaged it mo longer works to 
absorb nutrients. This is why each little flare caused by contact with 
gluten is seriously bad.

Think of it as how a rechargable battery dies - each time it is cycled, 
it becomes less and less able to hold a charge. After x number of 
cycles, it is finally dead and there is nothing you can do to reuse it a 
next time.

So yes, celiac people don't just *need* to avoid, gluten, it is a dire 
necessity that they avoid even a smidgeon of gluten.<Snip>
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