Managing Celiac Disease

These suggestions are not intended to replace appropriate professional advice. Please check labels and consult your pharmacist if you take prescription medication.

Fortunately today there are a wide variety of delicious gluten free foods available. The following are suggestions for a nourishing diet that will benefit those with celiac disease.

• Drink 7-10 glasses of room temperature filtered or spring water.
  
  
• Consume a diet that is 75-80% alkaline.  An acidic system is prone to inflammation.
  
  
• Switch up to organic food.  There are indications that pesticides, genetically modified organisms, and artificial hormones are linked to the development of celiac disease. 
  
  
• Fresh vegetables, colourful fruits, beans, seeds, and nuts are great mainstays for healthy living. Nutritious gluten free wholegrains are quinoa, millet, teff, and pure oats.

• Combine foods for optimum digestion: fruit on an empty stomach 30 minutes before others foods. Starches and animal products need very different digestive secretions and should not be eaten at the same meal.

• 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar and honey (opt) in water with meals improves digestion, corrects pH, balances blood sugar, and reduces fat storage.

• Fermented foods improve digestion and help maintain a healthy pH.

• 1-3 tbsp of ground flax, hemp, or chia seeds provide fiber, nutrients, and fatty acids.   

While the single most important factor in managing celiac disease is the absolute avoidance of gluten, the disease itself can cause malabsorption issues that interfere with your body’s ability to digest nutrients and put them to use.  Most people have excellent results taking the following supplements regularly.

• Bio-Strath tablets or tincture – This fermented wholefood tonic is extremely easy to digest and provides a multitude of essential nutrients while improving your absorption of nutrients from food.  Do not use the elixir which contains barley malt.
  
  
• B12 Sublingual (taken under the tongue) 1,000-5,000 micrograms daily.
  
  
• Vitamin D 8,000 IU for one month then reduce to the upper limit of 4,000 IU – this is one of the most common deficiencies in Canada.
  
  
• Magnesium is necessary to activate vitamin D and for absorption of other nutrients.

• Essential Fatty Acids – important for intestinal health.
  
  
• Probiotics – intermittent use to balance gut flora and improve digestion. 

Bio-Strath is an excellent source of B complex vitamins, and it can gradually strengthen your body’s ability to absorb and utilize vitamins and minerals. 

The most abundant amino acid used in the digestive system is glutamine.  If you are newly diagnosed or in acute discomfort, a 2-3 month course of glutamine can help speed healing.

Additional Tips

• Keep all pathways of elimination open. As your diet improves and your body gets stronger it  will purge any accumulated waste in your system. Dry body brush to keep skin pores clear and the lymphatic system flowing. Take sufficient magnesium to keep bowels moving easily.

• A gluten free diet may seem daunting at first, but it is a great opportunity to explore new natural food alternatives. There are many more foods that you can eat than you can’t 😊

• Gluten is difficult for everyone to digest, and more people are choosing a gluten free diet simply in the interest of better nutrition. Some of our healthiest clients are those who were diagnosed early with celiac and by necessity made life enhancing choices they now appreciate.

• Enjoy quality time outdoors. Exercise and fresh air are so beneficial for healthy digestion. 

Keep a journal and track your progress. Many people find that by eliminating gluten, following the dietary and supplement suggestions, their overall health improves in multiple ways. We hope you have that same positive experience.

*Revised September 2024