by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert and Author, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

Yesterday, when I went to my doctor's office for the pre-appointment for a routine (baseline) colonoscopy, we talked about my sensitivity to gluten that I discovered while in school at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

To be sure that I do not have celiac disease, I decided to get tested for this auto-immune disease. It's a simple blood test, but I must eat gluten foods about twice a day for a month. This is a big change from my 97% gluten-free diet over the last 5 years. I'm starting today with wheat berries (cooking in my rice cooker right now).

Celiac disease is a lifelong digestive disorder that affects one out of 100 people, and has increased an estimated 4 times over the last 50 years. Some say this increase may be due to the increasingly high levels of gluten and wheat in our diet.

When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten (a natural protein), it creates a toxic reaction from the immune system that causes damage to the small intestine, particularly loss of tiny protrusions (villi) in the small intestine, and does not allow nutrients from food to be absorbed properly.

Symptoms: Celiac disease can be hard to diagnose (and is often not diagnosed) since those with it may have no symptoms or a wide variety of symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal bloating and pain, weight loss, anemia, failure to grow (in children), fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, bone pain, and depression.

Action:  Go completely gluten-free is a must for those with celiac disease. Even small amounts of gluten can affect people with celiac disease.