Celiac disease affects at least 3 million Americans.
If left untreated or ignored, it can lead to a number of serious health conditions and extremely uncomfortable side effects like boating, IBS, diarrhea, indigestion and constipation.
If you are experiencing these symptoms every day and they are disrupting your life, you should seek a specialist -- a gastroenterologist -- and find out if you have celiac disease or some kind of gluten sensitivity.
Currently, a strict gluten-free diet is the only way to treat celiac disease.
Until recently, a considerable amount of the baked and packaged gluten-free foods added way more sugar and fat to keep the products bound together. Thankfully, the latest research and information on labeling laws pertaining to gluten in foods will assure people with celiac disease that foods labeled "gluten-free" meet an FDA-approved standard.
Kimberly A. Tessmer, RDN, LD, is a published author and consulting dietitian. In this segment, she explains the latest information on gluten-free foods and a food guide for people living with celiac disease.