by Barbara Lee Norris

Created on: March 15, 2007   Last Updated: May 27, 2010

Celiac Disease: Is kissing hazardous to your health?

"Kissing is a sensual meditation,'" says Joy Davidson, PHD, psychologist and clinical sexologist. "It stops the buzz in your mind, it quells anxiety, and it heightens the experience of being present in the moment." I agree. I can't think of anything better than smooching and cuddling with the man I love. It's the thought of kissing that sometimes creates anxiety. I have Celiac disease (CD). If I'm not careful, kissing can make me sick.

CD is an inherited autoimmune disorder that affects 1 out of 133 Americans. This disease mostly affects people of European (especially Northern European) descent, but recent studies show that it affects Hispanic, African- American, and Asian populations, as well (celiac.com). People with CD are unable to digest the gluten-storage-protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Exposure to even tiny amounts of gluten-containing substances causes an inflammatory reaction that damages villi (microscopic finger-like pieces of tissue that line the small intestine), whose function is the absorption of life-sustaining nutrients from food. Healthy villi can be compared to a shag carpet; they stand tall and are greedy for nutrients. Damaged villi become flat, like a linoleum floor, and are unable to function efficiently, if at all.

A wide range of symptoms, including leg and foot pain, digestive disturbances, weight loss, chest pain, headaches, jaw pain, malnutrition, fuzzy thinking, and depression can occur as a result of damaged villi. If left untreated, this damage increases the chances of gastrointestinal cancer by factors of 40 to 100 times that of the normal population. Gastrointestinal carcinoma or lymphoma develops in up to fifteen percent of patients with untreated or refractory CD(celiac.com). Strict adherence to a gluten-free diet is the only known defense against this illness.

Adhering to a gluten-free diet is more complicated than it sounds. It rules out breads, pastas, and many convenience foods made from wheat, barley, rye, and oats. Gluten is "hidden" in many unsuspecting foods, such as licorice, soy sauce, malt vinegar, some flavorings, most processed foods, self-basting turkeys, some cold cuts, and many prepared stocks and soups. Vinegars and alcohol may also contain gluten (glutenfree.com). Non-food items, like cosmetics, toiletries, and household cleansers may also contain gluten (Celiac Sprue Association USA, Inc). Damage occurs when gluten from food or from gluten-containing

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