There are currently as many as 3,000,000 Americans living with celiac disease, and as many as 83% of them go undiagnosed. Many people live with the symptoms of celiac disease for months, or years, unaware of the true underlying cause of their health problems. Contrary to popular belief, the main symptoms of celiac disease are not all digestive – there are a number of serious mental and physical symptoms as well. Unfortunately, the symptoms of many autoimmune diseases tend to overlap which makes it difficult to obtain an accurate diagnosis without going through extensive testing. Many people do not have a complete understanding of what celiac disease is – this is true even for some of the people who have the disease! The purpose of this book is to provide a comprehensive education about celiac disease including its causes, risk factors, symptoms, and treatment options. You’ll also learn about the difference between celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity or intolerance. To give you a more detailed idea of what you’ll receive in this book, here is a list of subjects that will be covered: 1. A brief introduction to celiac disease and relevant statistics 2. An overview of autoimmune disease and how celiac fits into the spectrum 3. A detailed description of the mechanism behind the autoimmune celiac response 4. A list of risk factors associated with celiac disease 5. An overview of common signs and symptoms of celiac disease 6. A definition of gluten intolerance and gluten sensitivity 7. An explanation of the difference between gluten intolerance/sensitivity and celiac disease 8. An overview of diagnostic tests and criteria for celiac disease 9. An explanation of treatment options for celiac disease, including the gluten-free diet 10. A list of potential complications related to celiac disease 11. An overview of related conditions for celiac disease and gluten intolerance/sensitivity 12. An introduction to the gluten-free diet and its requirements 13. A detailed list of foods to eat and avoid for celiac disease 14. A brief review of the content covered in this book at the conclusion Now that you know what you have to look forward to in reading this book, all that is left is to get started! So, don’t delay any longer – turn the page and keep reading!