Question About Definition Of Celiac

[BeFree]

I am reading a book about gluten-free diets that says:

"From the standpoint of celiac, the term gluten is used to describe proteins found in wheat, barley, and rye that must be avoided on a gluten-free diet. Strictly speaking, however, gluten is a protein found only in wheat."

Does this mean that if you react only to wheat, you are gluten intolerant, but if you react to wheat, barley and rye you are probably celiac?

[AMom2010]

I think that if you react to wheat only, it is likely a wheat allergy.

Gluten intolerance and celiac disease are very similar, in that the treatment is the same - avoidance of gluten from wheat, barley and rye. From what I understand a person is considered gluten intolerant if they have celiac disease symptoms, improve on a gluten free diet, but do not test positive for celiac disease. I am pretty sure gluten intolerance is an autoimmune disease just like celiac. I have heard several people state that they believe gluten intolerance may be early celiac disease. Think of it as a spectrum disorder...

[BeFree]

Hmmmm. Thanks for the info. It's really interesting learning how different foods affect people in different ways. The book that I'm reading talks about the history of celiac and how scientists went about discovering that gluten was the source of the problem. It's interesting.