Gluten Intolerance/Celiac Disease in Assisted Living! See the Signs!

Gluten Intolerance/Sensitivity has become a very common problem! Gluten is a protein that naturally occurs in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and some oats. It’s also an additive used in commercial bread and other packaged foods. Some people have a reaction to gluten in their diet which can be due to Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that damages the small intestine. The disease is triggered by eating foods containing gluten. Gluten is a protein found naturally in wheat, barley, and rye, and is common in foods such as bread, pasta, cookies, and cakes. Many pre-packaged foods, lip balms and lipsticks, hair and skin products, toothpastes, vitamin and nutrient supplements, and, rarely, medicines, contain gluten.

Celiac disease is different from gluten sensitivity or wheat intolerance. If you have gluten sensitivity, you may have symptoms similar to those of Celiac disease, such as abdominal pain and tiredness. Unlike Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity does not damage the small intestine.

Symptoms

Abdominal Pain
Bloating Canker sores inside the mouthDermatitis herpetiformis (itchy skin rash)
Diarrhea, Constipation and Smelly Feces Fatigue or Anxiety·
Headaches
Peripheral neuropathy (tingling, numbness or pain in the hands and feet)
Unexplained iron-deficiency anemia Unexplained Weight Loss or weight gain Are your Residents having these Symptoms? Ask your primary doctor or mobile doctor for testing! AZ at Home is a mobile doctor who can come to you for testing 480-275-2022. Or order to test at home Enterolab or ImAware

What Foods Contain Gluten?

Wheat Products (Triticum), Including:
Breads
Pastas
Cereals
Sauces
Candy Bar
Flour Soups
Bakery Items
All species of wheat contain gluten, including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn, faro and triticale. (Triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye.) Barley Products (Hordeum vulgare), Including: Soups Beer Malt Brewer’s Yeas Cereals
Rye Products (Secale), Including:
Certain Breads
Cereals
Beer
Rye Flour
Rye Milk
Any products containing triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye.

The Good News!

Many stores across Arizona now have gluten free products; Gluten Free Creations (Bakery), Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Sprouts, Safeway, Albertsons, Fry’s, Bashas or Walmart.

References

https://celiac.org , https://www.niddk.nih.gov , https://www.beyondceliac.org

This information is provided as a resource from INtouch Senior Services for Assisted Living Homes and Centers in Arizona.

Ligia Ilea, Aging Specialist | INtouch Senior Services | http://www.intouchseniorservices.com