Gluten Free RN
What did we know about celiac disease in 1953? The truth is, we knew quite a bit about sensitivity to gluten 65 years ago when Matilda Babbitz’s son Bobby was diagnosed with celiac disease. A nurse by profession, Matilda carefully observed her baby and kept detailed records of his reactions to foods, working with doctors to determine an appropriate diet for Bobby. Today, the Gluten Free RN is sharing an written by Matilda herself. She covers how Bobby presented with celiac disease at six months of age and the dramatic change in his health and behavior after a diet change. Nadine discusses...
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‘Know your own truth and let that guide you.’ How do you cut through the noise and misinformation around gluten sensitivity and celiac disease in order to make the best choices for your health and happiness? By tapping into your intuition and asking WHY when the answers don’t feel right—and reaching out to the right people for support when you need it. Today, the Gluten Free RN is sharing her Top 10 Musings and Truths for health and wellbeing, empowering you to be self-protective and surround yourself with the people who genuinely care enough to speak up for—and with you. She shares...
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Much existing propaganda claims that African Americans do not suffer from celiac disease. Even the Gluten Free RN was surprised to find out that her adopted daughter had a genetic predisposition to the disease back in 2006, as research available at the time regarded the HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 genes to be primarily Caucasian traits. And until we take steps to conduct a mass screening, we simply don’t know how common celiac disease is among people of African descent. Today, the Gluten Free RN is exploring celiac disease in the African American population. She covers a 2006 study out of Columbia...
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Approximately 50% of ER visits are associated with abdominal pain, and the vast majority of those patients are given a diagnosis of ‘abdominal pain of an unknown origin’ and directed to come back if the condition gets worse. This is little comfort to people suffering from severe discomfort who need answers around the cause of their belly pain, not just medication to mask it temporarily. Could undiagnosed celiac disease be the source of their suffering? Today, the Gluten Free RN is diving into the issue of belly pain and undiagnosed celiac disease, discussing the expensive testing often...
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If you are being treated for a blood disorder, it is time to look deeper and explore the underlying cause. Rather than simply addressing iron- or B12-deficiency anemia in isolation, ask WHY you have a deficiency in the first place. It is possible that damage to your intestines caused by gluten is preventing your body from absorbing the nutrients necessary to grow your red blood cells and keep your immune system healthy. And anemia is not the only blood disorder associated with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity! The Gluten Free RN is taking a closer look at the hematologic...
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Your gastrointestinal tract is approximately 30 feet long, and it runs from your mouth all the way to the anus! We know that celiac disease can impact any part of the digestive tract. But there is another disease that wreaks havoc on the GI tract as well, a condition called eosinophilic esophagitis or EoE. The Gluten Free RN is explaining the fundamentals of eosinophilic esophagitis, from its characteristic inflammation of the esophagus and elevated eosinophils in the blood to the common symptoms of vomiting and upper abdominal pain. She walks us through the treatment for EoE, an elimination...
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If you’re just getting used to eliminating gluten from your diet, it may feel like a burden to remove dairy as well—especially if you’re a fan of comfort foods like cheese and ice cream. Why exactly do many practitioners recommend a gluten- AND dairy-free diet to patients diagnosed with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity? The Gluten Free RN is walking us through the similarities between gliadin and casein, explaining how the proteins found in gluten, milk and cheese impact our brains. She discusses how Marsh 1 damage from celiac disease leads to an inability to break down...
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‘Globally, indigenous peoples suffer from poorer health, are more likely to experience disability and reduced quality of life, and ultimately die younger than their non-indigenous counterparts.’ A on the health of indigenous peoples points to a significant problem, but the question is WHY? Why are native populations more prone to autoimmune disorders and type 1 diabetes? Why do they have a higher incidence of alcoholism and drug addiction? And why the lower life expectancy? The Gluten Free RN is exploring the role of food in health outcomes for indigenous populations around the world. She...
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‘It’s too hard.’ ‘It’s too expensive.’ ‘It’s time-consuming.’ ‘My family won’t support me.’ There are lots of excuses why you can’t go gluten-free or Paleo, but the Gluten Free RN argues that if it’s hard, you’re doing it wrong. And today, she’s prepared to explain how to easily go gluten-free or Paleo and either maintain or regain your health. Nadine begins with a discussion of the connection between food and pain or discomfort. She explains how the processed, non-food that most people consume causes damage that prevents us from absorbing the nutrients our...
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As stories about Russia continue to dominate the news cycle, you are probably familiar with the recent sanctions against the country, Vladimir Putin’s reelection, and even the expulsion of Russian diplomats from the EU and US. But what do you know about celiac disease in Russia? The Gluten Free RN is taking a closer look at the limited information about celiac disease in Russia, giving us an overview of the country’s size and population and the likely number of celiac cases based on the global tendency. She discusses the thriving wheat production industry in Russia as well as the...
info_outlineApproximately 50% of ER visits are associated with abdominal pain, and the vast majority of those patients are given a diagnosis of ‘abdominal pain of an unknown origin’ and directed to come back if the condition gets worse. This is little comfort to people suffering from severe discomfort who need answers around the cause of their belly pain, not just medication to mask it temporarily. Could undiagnosed celiac disease be the source of their suffering?
Today, the Gluten Free RN is diving into the issue of belly pain and undiagnosed celiac disease, discussing the expensive testing often conducted to determine the cause of abdominal discomfort—testing that rarely includes a celiac panel. She covers several of the common misdiagnoses of celiac patients as well as the incredibly high prevalence of abdominal pain in children.
Nadine shares the case study of a child-patient who was misdiagnosed with appendicitis and the research published in Digestive and Liver Disease outlining the unnecessary surgical interventions endured by undiagnosed celiac patients. Listen in for the Gluten Free RN’s advice to patients with idiopathic abdominal discomfort and learn why no one should suffer from belly pain!
What’s Discussed:
The statistics around ER visits and abdominal pain
- 50% of visits associated with belly pain
The most common abdominal pain diagnoses
- Abdominal pain of unknown ideology, idiopathic abdominal pain
How patients are treated for idiopathic abdominal pain
- Medication, directive to return if condition gets worse
The testing to find the cause of chronic abdominal pain
- Expensive blood workups, rarely include celiac panel
How many children suffer from belly pain
- 30% report abdominal discomfort
Nadine’s patient who received a misdiagnosis of appendicitis
- Mother of child-patient sought second opinion prior to surgery
- Child didn’t have appendicitis, cause of pain still unknown
A research study around abdominal surgery and celiac disease
- Patients with celiac disease at increased risk of abdominal surgery
- Misdiagnosis leads to inappropriate interventions (i.e.: appendectomy)
Nadine’s advice for patients diagnosed with idiopathic abdominal pain
- Initiate clinical trail of gluten-free or Paleo diet
Resources:
‘Increased Rate of Abdominal Surgery Both Before and After Diagnosis of Celiac Disease’ in Digestive and Liver Disease
‘Screening for Celiac Disease in Children with Recurrent Abdominal Pain’ in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
‘Effect of a Gluten-Free Diet on Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Celiac Disease’ in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
‘Clinical Features and Symptom Recovery on a Gluten-Free Diet in Canadian Adults with Celiac Disease’ in the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology
‘Association of Adult Celiac Disease with Surgical Abdominal Pain’ in Annals of Surgery
‘A New Insight into Non-Specific Abdominal Pain’ in The Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England
Connect with Nadine:
‘Your Skin on Gluten’ on YouTube
Melodies of the Danube Gluten-Free Cruise with Nadine
Books by Nadine:
Dough Nation: A Nurse's Memoir of Celiac Disease from Missed Diagnosis to Food and Heal