One out of every 133 Americans has Celiac disease and almost 95% of them go undiagnosed or mistreated. Having Celiac disease is more than just being prone to diarrhea and not being able to eat almost everything (re: food that contains gluten).
Celiac is an autoimmune disorder –the body attacks itself when gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, is ingested. Say goodbye to your favorite carbs; gluten is found in pasta, bread, and beer. It’s also found in pizza, cookies, cake, and french fries. Let that sink in.
In people with Celica, gluten damages the small intestine’s villi, tasked with absorbing nutrients into the bloodstream. This means that all the nutrients and vitamins are passed out with the person’s stool, leaving them at risk for conditions such as depression, anemia, and osteoporosis.
In addition to having to watch their diets, people with Celiac are often sneered at or poked fun of by the general public and the media.
Ms. Raslevich, a mom of two kids with Celiac, created a petition on Change.org to stop Disney from airing an episode of “Jesse”, in which a child was teased and bullied by other kids for his disorder. Just a few days after creating her petition, she had over 2,139 signatures.
She wrote in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “For my kids, this is real. They have had friends make fun of their food, been disinvited to parties because of their diet. They have been made to sit alone, have had waitstaff roll their eyes and snidely comment about their requests to make their food safe for them to eat.”
Even celebrities, like Jennifer Esposito from Blue Bloods, has argued her professional career has been affected by it, thus her explaining her departure from the show. She plans to create her own, revealing the realities of living with the disease, which will be aired on E! network.
Esposito’s work is part of a tiny movement with a grand mission: raising awareness. May is Celiac Awareness Month and we’re doing our part to spread the word. And so should you. Get informed, spread the word, and intervene whenever possible. And feel free and safe knowing the Maxim Hygiene organic and natural cotton chlorine free products are gluten free!
For information on how to be as healthy as possible, while living with Celiac Disease, visit the Celiac Disease Foundation, which has everything, including summer camp suggestions.