In the M. Night Shyamalan thriller, The Happening, a worldwide plague strikes humanity that causes anyone affected to kill themselves. The trigger turns out to be a substance released by plants into the air that affects the minds of humans. According to the movie, plants developed the toxin to save themselves from humans.
As we discover more about gluten, lectins and now a new protein called ATI, it seems Shyamalan’s film may have been closer to the truth than anyone could have thought. Plants may be fighting back against their predators, including us.
The management of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity is a gluten-free diet for life1 that meets the nutritional needs of the individual.This diet is highly effective for regaining health because it eliminates the cause of health problems originated by contact with gluten.
Treatment for celiac disease should begin only after a complete diagnostic evaluation including serology (blood test to detect antibodies) and biopsy of small intestine tissue. The institution of a gluten-free diet should result in prompt and often dramatic improvement.
Individual symptoms frequently require more than the gluten-free diet in order to resolve. The Health Guide lays out a 6 Step Plan for each symptom listed on the website that is individualized to that symptom or condition.
Complete healing of the intestines may take up to 5 years or even longer in some individuals, especially in the elderly. Recovery is more rapid and complete in children than in adults.2
There is no cure for celiac disease. Since research is ongoing and much is yet unknown, it is prudent to treat any gluten sensitivity reaction as if it was celiac disease.
The following are six key elements in the management of individuals affected by celiac disease as advanced by the National Institutes of Health:
Sources:
National Institutes of Health, “National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference Statement, Celiac Disease,” August 9, 2004;1-14. [↩]
Murray, J., “The widening spectrum of celiac disease.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Mar 1999;69(3):354-365. [↩]
This photo taken during laparoscopy shows the gall bladder (small white organ in middle) surrounded by yellow fat. Liver (dark red organ) is overlying.
What Is Impaired Gall Bladder Motility?
I mpaired gall bladder motility means the gall bladder is slow to empty or is dysfunctional.
The functional disorder of the gallbladder is caused initially either by metabolic abnormalities or by an alteration in its muscular ability to contract (motility dysfunction).
The diagnostic criteria based on symptoms of motility dysfunction of the gallbladder are episodes of moderate to severe steady pain located in the epigastrium and right upper abdominal quadrant that last at least 30 minutes.
Gallbladder motility disorder is suspected after gallstones and other structural abnormalities have been excluded.1
Q: What does the gallbladder do?
A: The gallbladder is a small pouch-like organ about the size of a pear that receives bile produced by the liver and stores it until needed during digestion. It lies just under the liver.
Bile is a complex fluid containing water, electrolytes and many organic molecules including bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids and bilirubin. Bile acids are critical for digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the small intestine. Many waste products, including bilirubin, are eliminated from the body by secretion into bile and elimination in feces.2
Before a meal, the gallbladder is usually full of bile. In response to fat in the diet, the gallbladder squeezes stored bile into the small intestine through a series of ducts. When emptied after meals, the gallbladder is flat.
What Is Impaired Gall Bladder Motility In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
Sources:
Behar J, Corazziari E, Guelrud M, Hogan W, Sherman S, Toouli J. Functional gallbladder and sphincter of oddi disorders. Gastroenterology. 2006 Apr;130(5):1498-509. [↩]
