Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic
by Peter H.R. Green, Rory Jones
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Book Reviews of Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic
Book Review: Accessible Science - Every Celiac Should Have This Book
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a very worthwhile addition to a person with celiac disease's library. Rather than another "do's and don'ts" book, it's focus is on the physiology and pathology of celiac disease. But let not your heart be troubled (or your brain twisted) by medicalese -- it is written very clearly and in layman's terms. It starts with an overview of the "normal" digestive tract and the immune system. Then it explains what celiac disease is and what goes wrong. There are chapters on how to diagnose celiac disease and differentiate it from other conditions, as well as discussions on alternative approaches to testing for celiac disease including fecal, breath, and saliva testing and the blood dot test. Dr. Green discusses laboratory differences and false negatives and false positives. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the future of testing.
The next parts of the book are devoted to related conditions and complications with chapters on neurological manifestations like peripheral neuropathy, ataxia, migraines, and epilepsy, malignancy, osteoporosis, depression, DH, diabetes, infertility, and other related autoimmune conditions like Sjogren's Syndrome, thyroid disease, fibromyalgia, Addison's Disease etc. and discussions of the medical management of celiac disease.
The gluten free diet (the only treatment for celiac disease) is covered in some detail, covering topics such as how much gluten is too much, grain science, cross-contamination, and basic rules for avoiding cross contamination. There are chapters on the new labelling and testing of gluten free products, a short chapter on cooking without gluten (this is not a cookbook), eating in the "real world", dealing with family occasions, the medicine cabinet and cosmetics and "eating naked".
The last part of the book has chapters on dealing with children and young adults who have celiac disease, including the impact of parental attitudes, how adults cope with the changes celiac disease and the gluten free diet bring to their lifestyles and then chapters on research and myths and unexplored areas.
I would say that at least two thirds of the book deals with the medical and scientific issues surrounding celiac disease. The last third of the book deals with lifestyle change and gluten-free diet issues. I was glad that there weren't really any specific products mentioned in the book, so we don't have to worry about whether or not a product really is "still" gluten free or not because we saw it in this book.
All in all, I certainly think that this book is an excellent reference for every celiac to have, and a very important contribution to the celiac community.
Book Review: Lifesaving Book
Summary: 5 Stars
I stumbled upon this book when it was first released and it changed my world. I had many of the symptoms relating to Celiac Disease and no doctor had ever suggested testing for the disease.
I was relieved to find the reason for my Alopecia Aerata. My dermatologist never said anything about a possible link to Celiac Disease.
I never saw one reference to Celiac Disease in all the literature I got from the Alopecia Foundation. How could that be?
I am angry at how pregnant women with anemia are handled. The medical world assumes that a young woman presenting with anemia is anemic due to heavy menstrual flows. That is a bad assumption. It turns out my anemic condition was due to an intolerance to gluten. So despite how much iron I ingested, I was still anemic. I gave birth to a healthy baby girl who had language delays and was later diagnosed with Autism. She had "pica" (kids who want to eat paper, ice, chalk etc.) Pica is a sign of iron-deficiency anemia. She also had many other symptoms relating to Celiac Disease but the medical community did not connect the dots because she was thriving. How many children with autism or ADHD have mothers with symptoms of Celiac Disease? Pregnant women are tested for so many things. I believe Celiac Disease should also be on the list.
This is an outstanding book that every person in the medical field should be required to read. Patients should insist their medical providers receive better training. The pharmaceutical companies pay for our doctors to be trained on the latest and greatest drug. They don't have an interest in this area because they can't make any money from telling patients to go gluten-free. Our local Gastroenterology Group receives money from a pharmaceutical company for testing a drug to treat irritable bowel syndrome. Those gastroenterologists are not looking for Celiac Disease in their patients with Irritable Bowel.
I have been trying to create more awareness in my little world. I have bought many of these books to pass on to all of my friends and family.
Book Review: An excellent overview of celiac disease
Summary: 5 Stars
When my 16 year old daughter was diagnosed with the vague condition "gluten sensitivity" in January of 2004, I began an odyssey of personal research which ultimately led to seeing a second and third gastroenterologist before finally getting a positive diagnosis of celiac disease. To say that there is little known about celiac disease in the medical community is like stating that Michaelangelo was a house painter.
Dr. Green manages to cover virtually every aspect of celiac disease, from symptoms and testing to diagnosis and disease management. His book is extremely thorough, and there are sections that are technically very detailed. For those (like myself) who want to delve deep, that is a big plus. Dr. Green does not claim to have all the answers or know all the implications of celiac disease and readily admits there is much to be learned through ongoing research. Co-author Rory Jones, who has celiac disease, lends an important credibility to the book.
I have been literally obsessed with educating myself and my daughter about celiac disease, spending countless hours on the internet pouring over various studies and articles. One must always be aware of how crucial it is for the author to have good credentials and that the information be up to date. I understand Dr. Green is the "guru" of celiac disease research and information in the United States. For my money, the buck stops here.
If you have heard of celiac disease (most people have not), you are probably at Amazon researching this book because you are being tested for it, have been told you have it, or perhaps you have a relative or friend who has been diagnosed with it. I highly recommend this comprehensive guide.
Book Review: Northborough Dan
Summary: 3 Stars
For people who are already dealing with celiac, I am sure this is very useful. For those of us more or less on the periphery (my 63 year old brother was just diagnosed) the book can sometimes be a bit annoying.
We can start with the book title and dust cover. The use of the word EPIDEMIC is really unfortunate.....celiac is NOT an epidemic as most of us use the work. And the person who wrote the dust cover simply should be boiled in cheap beer and then shot... What is said on the dust cover has nothing to do with the book.
Given the author's expertise, there should be a bit more definitive information for people like me...for example, should I insist on having a blood panel done, given my brother's condition? (I am going to, BTW.)
Also, they do a good job of dropping the entire medical community in the grease, but they aren't particularly helpful in providing specific guidance on what a PCP actually should be doing differently on a day to day basis. If you believe the "1% of the population is undiagnosed" statistic, your average PCP is probably seeing a several patients with undiagnosed celiac every month. What should be done differently?
They, also, poke at the "Man was not meant to eat gluten" concept a bit, since wheat was not available to our hunting gathering ancestors. Give me a break. If you really want to start reading about all the crap that charades as food that we shouldn't eat, read IN DEFENSE OF FOOD, by Michael Pollan. I, personally, am not quite ready to forage in the back yard just yet.
A good book that could be better. I can recommend it to others, with some reservations.
Book Review: An extraordinary book on celiac disease
Summary: 5 Stars
The hallmark of a really great book is that you are fully engaged from the first page to the last. You might not expect this in a book about a disease, even if you happen to be a person with that disease. Peter Green, M.D., Director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia and Rory Jones, a medical writer diagnosed with celiac disease, have intertwined their expertise, resulting in an extraordinary book that is scientific and yet wonderfully readable.
"Celiac Disease, A Hidden Epidemic," is not only a comprehensive source of information and support for persons diagnosed with celiac disease, but may provide a step toward diagnosis for the more than one million undiagnosed who are suffering with symptoms unexplained or misdiagnosed. In this age of seeking information via the internet, we are faced with jumping from site to site and discriminating between fact and mere comment. Dr. Green and Ms. Jones have gifted us with a book that includes accurate and complete explanation of the diagnosis of celiac disease, the disease process, its varied complications and its treatment. The book also beautifully addresses living well with celiac disease, including sections on the gluten-free diet, eating out, coping with change, and parenting children with celiac disease. There are insightful quotes from patients and parents throughout the book, which personalizes the disease and lends support.
This book is a valuable asset for those diagnosed or seeking a diagnosis - and it might also be a great idea to buy one for your physician.
Sue Goldstein, Founder
Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group