I’m just a gal with a typewriter and a lot of ideas regarding celiac disease. I am always looking for new science surrounding celiac. Today, I found an article from Dr. Forbes from Australia.
This is a pre-proof of an article calling for “support of both a tighter GF food Standard, and enhanced transparency of food test result reporting.” It is easy to read, so I’m not going to parse it much for you.
The bottom line is that doctors are starting to realize that a gluten free diet is aspirational rather than achievable. Here is a link to a study talking about how one cannot maintain a gluten free diet. Doctor’s are starting to realize we need help.
Maybe with all of the science coming out doctors will start to realize even with our best efforts, a gluten free diet is virtually impossible. Maybe when the celiac blood panels come back elevated, even over an extended period of time, we will stop getting the side eye. Maybe they will work with us and start to experiment with off label drugs in an attempt to feel better. Maybe, just maybe we might have a fighting chance.
Right now, I sort of feel like we are on the leading edge of a celiac revolution. Celiac disease has come into the common vernacular and everyone knows it exists. They may not know what celiac means, but they have heard the word. Rather than those diagnosed before the 2000’s when nobody knew what celiac was or had ever heard the word gluten. They were on the bleeding edge.
There are several drugs in clinical trials. Labelling laws, though not perfect, are better. Congress has a bill regarding gluten in medication. Restaurants, before the COVID, at least knew what gluten was. We understand the autoimmune cascade and what it means. We have celiac specific blood tests to help screen for disease.
There is progress being made. It isn’t perfect and will never be. But sometimes we have to think about how far we’ve come in a relatively short amount of time.
So, thank you Dr. Ford for starting the conversation.