Raw food and oral allergy syndrome

[Tenet Nosce]

That is a disease. Not an allergy, as the fad is.

Yes, there certainly is a fad built around it, just like anything else. But the disease component is, in fact, an allergic-type reaction to gluten.

What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is a disease of the small intestine. The small intestine is a 22 foot long tube that begins at the stomach and ends at the large intestine (colon). The first 10 inches (25cm) of the small intestine (the part that is attached to the stomach) is called the duodenum, the middle part is called the jejunum, and the last part (the part that is attached to the colon) is called the ileum. Food empties from the stomach into the small intestine where it is digested and absorbed into the body. While food is being digested and absorbed, it is transported by the small intestine to the colon. What enters the colon is primarily undigested food. In celiac disease, there is an immunological (allergic) reaction within the inner lining of the small intestine to proteins (gluten) that are present in wheat, rye, barley and, to a lesser extent, in oats. The immunological reaction causes inflammation that destroys the lining of the small intestine. This reduces the absorption of the dietary nutrients and can lead to symptoms and signs of nutritional, vitamin, and mineral deficiencies.