A hormone in the pancreas that helps the body know when to make the hormones insulin, glucagon, gastrin, secretin, and renin.

A condition of unknown cause producing abnormalities in the lining of the small intestine that prevent the body from absorbing food normally

What Is Epilepsy?

[dropcap]E pilepsy is a dysfunctional disorder of the brain characterized by recurring seizures also called convulsions.

Q: What happens in a seizure?

A: During a seizure  abnormal electrical discharges occur within the brain. Not all seizures have the same intensity or involvement.

Seizures can be generalized, partial  or unclassified.

• Generalized siezures affect both sides of the brain and the individual usually loses consciousness.
• Partial affect one part of the brain and the individual usually is awake.

What Is Epilepsy In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

What Is Bronchiectasis?

[dropcap]B ronchiectasis is a pulmonary disorder characterized by chronic dilation of bronchi (main airways) and bronchioles (small airways) with chronic inflammation and swelling, increasing the risk of infection.

In bronchiectasis, mucus produced to trap foreign substances, such as dust and bacteria, builds-up because the ability of airways to move it out is impaired. Normally, hair-like cilia that line airways beat mucus out of the lungs. Loss of this action increases mucus in the airways which increases risk of pneumonia.

The anatomy of airways is likened to a branching tree. The trachea, or windpipe, like the trunk of a tree, branches into two primary bronchi that connect it to the lungs. One bronchus connects to the left lung and the other to the right lung. Each bronchus further divides into smaller bronchi that connect to the lobes. Lobes are large subdivisions of lung tissue: two of the left lung and three of the right lung.

Lobe bronchi divide into smaller bronchial tubes ending in small bronchioles. The ends of bronchioles are surrounded with and attached to tiny alveoli which are air sacs that look like clusters of grapes.

Q: What effect does inflammation have on the lungs?

A: Alveoli are only one cell thick, where oxygen is obtained by the bloodsteam from air breathed into them and carbon dioxide is released from the bloodstream to air that is breathed out of air sacs through the pulmonary tree. Two things happen:

1. Inflammation  impairs exchange of gases in alveoli, resulting in lack of sufficient oxygen (O2) for body cell functions, called hypoxia, and build-up of carbon dioxide (CO2) in blood, called CO2 retention.
2. Inflammation narrows passageways, which reduces the movement of air to and from the alveoli, and this puts stress on the right side of the heart.

Bronchiectasis can affect one or both lungs or one segment or multiple segments of a lung. Treatment is with antibiotics, chest physiotherapy and good nutrition.

What Is Bronchiectasis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

What Is Ocular Myopathy?

[dropcap]O cular myopathy is an impairment of musculature of the eyeball that is characterized by abnormalities of eye movement that make initiating and maintaining eye movement and eye contact difficult.

What Is Ocular Myopathy In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

What Are Kidney Stones?

[dropcap]K idney stones, also called renal calculi, are abnormal hard formations in the kidneys that are composed mainly of calcium oxalate, also uric acid, and cystine.

Q: How big are kidney stones?

A: Stones can vary in size from microscopic crystals to several centimeters in diameter.

Some stones that are able to enter a ureter can cause excruciating pain while small stones can pass out with urine unnoticeed. A ureter is a tube that connects a kidney to the bladder for the purpose of removing urine. There are two ureters, one for each kidney.

What Are Kidney Stones In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

What Is Miscarriage?

[dropcap]M iscarriage, or spontaneous abortion, is a reproductive failure characterized by loss of an unborn baby before the 20th week of pregnancy.

What Is Miscarriage In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

What Is Developmental Delay?

[dropcap]D evelopmental delay is failure in infants and young children to meet expected milestones, such as smiling for the first time or taking the first steps, due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas.

These conditions begin during the developmental period, may impact day-to-day functioning, and usually last throughout a person’s lifetime.¹

What Is Developmental Delay In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

1. Developmental Disabilities: Delivery of Medical Care for Children and Adults. I. Leslie Rubin and Allen C. Crocker. Philadelphia, Pa, Lea & Febiger, 1989. [↩]

The tube that carries bile from the liver to the small intestine.

The muscle wall between the chest and the abdomen. It is the major muscle used for breathing.