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can celiac disease shorten my lifespan

AFelix

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AFelix Newbie
AFelix
Posted

I am a 14 year old boy that suffers from level 9 celiac disease. I just want to know if a serious case like mine can shorten my lifespan.

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cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted
46 minutes ago, AFelix said:

I am a 14 year old boy that suffers from level 9 celiac disease. I just want to know if a serious case like mine can shorten my lifespan.

Welcome!  I am not sure what a level 9 is as I have never heard that in reference to intestinal damage.  Perhaps that number is your iron stores or hemoglobin?  

In any case, you can heal from celiac disease, if you stick to a gluten free diet.    You should live as long as anyone else.  

I hope this helps!  

 

 

Jmg Mentor
Jmg
Posted

Welcome! 

Like CyclingLady I've never heard of level nine in terms of celiac. I do know that the outcomes for celiacs that follow the gluten free diet are typically excellent, with numbers relating to risks quickly moving towards the average.

So there shouldn't be any reason why celiac would reduce your lifespan, indeed, if you make good choices around your diet and lifestyle, there's no reason why you can't look to extend it.

In addition to staying gluten free this could mean regular exercise, or making sure that you don't go crazy on gluten free processed foods (which can be high in sugar etc). Later on in life it means avoiding smoking, not drinking too much etc. The work you put in now to staying on the diet could help you when it gets time to make those choices. Just don't forget to have the occasional treat, if you stick to the diet you deserve it ;) 

One thing which won't help you is worrying about it! So, although it's a tough break at 14, try to look positively. You found out in good time to make good choices and avoid some of the downsides. 

Best of luck!

Ennis-TX Grand Master
Ennis-TX
Posted

Again, like the others say, gluten free diet, not cheating, healthy exercise, not smoking, and watching your drinking  will make your life a long and fulfilled one. Avoid the processed gluten free foods, try to stick to whole foods. I myself and working on body building with this disease. I did not know until my 20s about it and have severe damage to the point of running a bucket list thinking I was going to die. I am not much better, and like I said actually body building. I took the disease as a road map, I was a good cook, and I cooked alot before hand. Now I focus on cooking gluten free, being a gluten free chef. and even started a gluten free bakery. IT showed me what to do with my life.

You might actually live longer then most others, you will not be eating teh "crap" and junk foods others eat that shorten their lives. SO look at as a medical excuse to eat healthier and prolong your life. And your lucky you caught it early, if you keep eating gluten with this disease the damage leads to other auto immune disease and complications,

Awol cast iron stomach Experienced
Awol cast iron stomach
Posted

Overwhelming isn't it?

As the above posters say there are benefits to knowing earlier rather than later. Knowing earlier can be tough but I am glad my son found out earlier in life than I did. I know he is better off for it. 

As all the movies and books portray youth should be invincible this can initially rock your world and provoke deep thoughts at an age your peers don't ponder such things. Heck some of the symptoms can make us feel darn right at deaths door or decades older than we are . I hope you heal quickly and are comfortable. You need time to take it all in, learn the lifestyle, and you'll be on your way. This being a speed bump at 14 in your life. 

You hopefully have supportive parents who will assist you on this journey. As always you have us here too as support.

There will be challenges to embracing and executing this lifestyle change and sometimes the social adjustments are more than one anticipates. You will gain strength of character, confidence, and wisdom beyond your years. Also true empathy for others , not just modeling it.

I can tell you my children are a bit younger than you, my son has this , and my daughter has adjusted to the diet as well. We went entirely gluten-free free household.

 My daughter made her brothers gluten-free pancakes from scratch  yesterday. she eats them too. He mainly eats them , but has no interest in making them. ? Her way of silently showing her love and acceptance for her brother is touching for me to see. 

She can eat anyway she wishes when not at home, but is finding she no longer craves processed foods, and is much more critical of it. She is not judgemental of her peers by any means, but she sees what SAD ( standard American diet) can do to someone's body with celiac.

i wish you luck on your journey. As the above posters said you will perhaps avoid many of the othe health issues/concerns other people get since you began focusing on your health at 14.

good luck

 

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