It Takes Guts to Protect Your Digestive System
Gut health. Not exactly a sexy conversation starter, but definitely a conversation necessary to have. As 2022 continues with the objective to Take Control of Your Health®, don’t forget to include the not-so-flattering parts of our bodies. Initiate the conversation and start chatting about your digestive health.
Did you know? More than 700,000 Americans are living with Crohn’s disease, 3 million Americans suffer from celiac disease, and 25 to 45 million Americans live with IBS. Many people living with symptoms are unaware of their current status causing a painful, lonely journey of figuring out which foods to avoid while suffering from debilitating symptoms.
Proper Testing is Crucial
Crohn’s disease is a severe, chronic inflammatory bowel disease. It causes inflammation, ulcers, and bleeding to the digestive tract. There is no known cause, but research suggests that it may be genetic.
Common symptoms include:
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain and cramps
- Anemia and rectal bleeding
- Weight Loss
- Fatigue
- Nausea
If diagnosed with this condition, your doctor may advise you to avoid foods like dairy, highly seasoned foods, or high-fiber foods.
IBS is a disorder that leads to abdominal pain and bowel changes. It is the most common intestinal problem that causes patients to be referred to a gastroenterologist. Typically, IBS can occur after an infection of the intestines, but another trigger may be stress.
Common symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain
- Gas
- Bloating
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. Those suffering from this disease cannot tolerate gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and some oats. People with celiac disease deal with their immune system attacking their small intestine when they eat gluten. This damages the inner lining, which is used to absorb nutrients from food.
Common symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Fatigue
If you’re suffering from any of these symptoms, living with them can be a hassle, but it can also result in a problem getting much worse.
An Ounce of Prevention is a Worth a Pound of Cure
One simple lab test can have you could be on the road to recovery with proper treatment from your doctor after a diagnosis. At Any Lab Test Now®, we offer the Celiac, IBS, and Crohn’s Array Test, or CICA. CICA measures your gut health on the genetic, antibody, and cellular levels. It’s a convenient test designed to give you answers whether your symptoms range from abdominal discomfort to severe pain. We provide the doctor’s order, and your results will be ready in just a few days. Once received, discuss your results with your primary care physician for s personalized treatment plan.
If you ever felt “off” after eating a meal or immediately experienced an upset stomach, acid reflux, heartburn stop wondering. It’s time to figure out what’s going on with your body. Many Americans are currently living with these life-damaging symptoms every day without even knowing they have these ailments. Don’t be one of them. During each month of 2022, Any Lab Test Now® is committed to highlighting and bringing awareness to important health screenings so you can take care of yourself from the inside out. These tests are extensive, and often inexpensive, providing a convenient, clean space that caters to everyone. From the stay-at-home mom to the on-the-go businessperson and the in-between, each person serves a vital role in our community and their health matters.
Get answers for your gut health today at any of the 200 Any Lab Test Now® locations.
Diet Check – The Key Protein that Could be Making You Sick
Gluten-free has been a buzzword for several years. From bread to pasta to desserts, a gluten-free lifestyle is one of the most popular diet trends in the United States. One in five people claim that they reduce or eliminate gluten in their diet.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, or rye. While some remove gluten from their diet as part of a growing trend, there are a whole group of people who depend on this eating regime as a form of treatment for a chronic autoimmune disease called celiac disease.
Celiac disease is a disorder in which eating gluten triggers an immune response in the body and creates inflammation and damage to the small intestine — blocking the absorption of essential nutrients. It is also not to be confused with an allergy or an intolerance. It is much more serious and is similar to other autoimmune conditions such as diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.
One in 100 people worldwide have celiac disease. Eighty percent of Americans suffer from it and don’t even know it. Symptoms of celiac disease can build over time. The disease can present itself at any age, from infancy to even well into your senior years.
Symptoms of Celiac Disease
It can be hard to separate the symptoms of celiac disease from common tummy troubles. Not to mention that there are some 200 symptoms that can be associated with the disease — making diagnosis tricky.
In young children, some of the first signs of celiac disease can include slow growth, weight loss, diarrhea, constipation, and possibly a bloated looking belly.
In adults, the most common symptoms include weight loss, chronic diarrhea, abdominal cramping, bloating, gas, weakness, and fatigue.
Some of the less common but more significant symptoms can include leg numbness, muscle cramps, anemia, joint pain, ulcers in the mouth, and seizures. Celiac disease can also cause a skin disorder called dermatitis herpetiformis, which appears as small blisters on the elbows, knees, and feet.
Making this disease even more complicated is the fact that a significant portion of people will have few or no symptoms of the disease that is silently ravaging the body.
Time to Get Tested
If you suspect you have celiac disease or you’ve been dealing with health issues that don’t seem to be improving, you should get tested. Preliminary testing for celiac disease requires a simple blood test — like the one offered at Any Lab Test Now®. The Celiac Disease Panel is accurate, affordable, and available without a doctor’s prescription. You don’t even need an appointment at Any Lab Test Now in order to get tested. Once you get your results, you can share with your doctor.
Treatment for Celiac Disease
The only treatment for celiac disease involves adherence to a gluten-free diet. Thanks to the trendiness of this eating style, there are a wide variety of foods available in grocery stores. Even restaurants cater to gluten-free lifestyles.
Gluten-free means no wheat, rye or barley, or any foods made from these grains, such as most pasta, cereal, and many processed foods. People with celiac disease can use potato, rice, soy, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, or bean flour instead of wheat flour.
Once gluten is removed from the diet, people report feeling better within a matter of days. The small intestine begins to repair the existing damage, and the diet will protect it from further harm.
Be at Ease
Any Lab Test Now wants you to be at ease when it comes to seeking out any type of lab work, including getting tested for celiac disease.
We provide you a safe and clean alternative location for lab work. Each of our 190+ stores is sanitized several times a day, in accordance with the CDC’s protocols. Any Lab Test Now is a committed partner in helping you manage your family’s healthcare so you can make educated decisions that will directly affect your quality of life. We want to put you at ease during the coronavirus pandemic. We are here to help.
Find your closest Any Lab Test Now store at www.anylabtestnow.com.
Tackling Autoimmune Disease by Cutting Out Gluten
Going gluten-free is all the rage among people trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle, and restaurants and grocery stores are jumping on the bandwagon by offering a slew of gluten-free choices. But avoiding gluten is not optional for patients suffering from celiac disease.
Celiac disease is a genetic, autoimmune disease that damages the lining of the small intestine. The disease is triggered when people eat gluten, a protein found naturally in wheat, barley and rye. The disease damages the small intestine’s villi, which absorb nutrients. Approximately one out of 100 people worldwide are affected by celiac disease, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating diagnosis, treatments, and a cure for celiac disease through research, education and advocacy. Three million Americans suffer from celiac disease. It is more common among Caucasian females, as well as people with Down syndrome, Turner syndrome and type 1 diabetes.
Symptoms of Celiac Disease
Celiac disease has a host of symptoms that vary among patients. The average length of time it takes for a person in the United States with symptoms to be diagnosed with celiac disease is four years. Going without treatment increases the risk of developing complications, including autoimmune disorders, neurological problems, osteoporosis and cancer, the University of Chicago Medicine reports. Some of the common symptoms in adults are stomach problems, like gas or diarrhea, according to WebMD, but other symptoms include:
- Iron deficiency
- Bone or joint pain
- Arthritis
- Depression or anxiety
- Tingling numbness in hands and feet
- Seizures
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Itchy skin
- Mouth sores
Children suffering from celiac disease may exhibit signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as irritability and behavioral issues, according to the CDF.
Get Tested at Any Lab Test Now
Despite the popularity of the gluten-free diet, nearly 2.5 million Americans with celiac disease remain undiagnosed, the CDF reports. You can access the Celiac Disease Panel at Any Lab Test Now. You do not have to fast before taking the test and you will have results to show your doctor in less than a week.
Treating Celiac Disease
Unfortunately, if you learn you have celiac disease, the only treatment is to adopt a gluten-free diet, according to Mayo Clinic. Eliminating breads and processed foods containing gluten is key to preserving the health of the small intestine. Removing gluten from the diet reduces inflammation in the small intestine within months for children and slightly longer for adults. While the intestine heals, doctors may prescribe steroids to combat inflammation.
In addition to the obvious sources of gluten, it hides in many everyday products, and even trace amounts can trigger an attack, Mayo Clinic reports. Here’s a list of uncommon products that need to be monitored for gluten.
- Modified food starch, preservatives and food stabilizers
- Prescription and over-the-counter medications
- Vitamin and mineral supplements
- Herbal and nutritional supplements
- Lipstick products
- Toothpaste and mouthwash
- Communion wafers
- Envelope and stamp glue
- Play-Doh and similar flour-based modeling compounds
Gluten-free diets do not require avoiding all grains. People with celiac disease can enjoy a number of grains and starches, including cornmeal, buckwheat, corn tortillas, quinoa, rice, tapioca and wild rice. Many people with celiac disease find following an anti-inflammatory diet, in addition to cutting out gluten, helps reduce symptoms. The diet includes fatty fish, vegetables, whole grains and beans.
Psychological Impacts of Celiac Disease
Receiving chronic health news often causes stress, anxiety and depression. The side effects of celiac disease can cause fatigue and depression owing to malnutrition and lack of vitamin absorption. People with celiac disease report brain fog, memory lapse and headaches, as well as avoidance of social situations, according to Beyond Celiac, a patient advocacy nonprofit. Doctors recommend maintaining a regular exercise routine and receiving psychological support to prevent depression.
If you have a family history of celiac disease or are experiencing any uncomfortable symptoms, visit your local Any Lab Test Now location to get tested today.
Celiac Disease: Do You Know the Facts?
What is Celiac Disease?
Estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide, celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system directs antibodies to attack the body against gluten, a protein found in grains. When a person with celiac disease eats a food containing gluten, their body mounts an immune response to damage the small intestines causing improper absorption of the gluten nutrient.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of celiac disease include, but are not limited to:
- Digestive problems (diarrhea, gas pain, abdominal bloating)
- Dermatitis herpetiformis, a severe skin rash
- Muscle cramps
- Joint and bone pain
- Mouth sores or ulcers
- Fatigue
- Weight Loss
- Missed menstrual periods
What are the long-term health effects?
If left untreated, celiac disease can lead to serious long-term health problems including anemia, osteoporosis, infertility, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, neurological conditions and intestinal cancers.
What are the treatments?
At this time, the only treatment for those living with celiac disease is a lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. This means avoiding any foods containing wheat, rye and barley; all of which contain the protein, gluten.
Do I have celiac disease?
The only way for a person to truly know if they have celiac disease is to get tested. The test will detect if antibodies (triggered by the presence of gluten) are present in the body. If so, that person is said to have tested positive for celiac disease. Because of this detection process, in order to receive proper testing, a person needs to have been ingesting gluten products for several weeks prior to the test.
If you think you may have celiac disease, contact your local Any Lab Test Now® today and schedule a Celiac Disease Panel. Our quality testing services and trained staff will help you begin to Take Control of Your Health® and equip you to live a healthy, gluten-free lifestyle if needed.
