Celiac Disease:  What is it?

Celiac disease is a lifelong autoimmune intestinal disorder that affects genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy on.  Celiac disease is triggered by the ingestion of gluten.  Gluten is a protein that can be found in all forms of wheat, including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn and faro.  Gluten can also be found in rye, barley and triticale.  Persons with Celiac disease must eliminate all gluten from their diet.

Symptoms of Celiac Disease

Celiac Disease is very serious and should be tested for and treated if it is suspected.  Symptoms in children can include growth failure, vomiting, bloated abdomen, and behavioral changes.  In adults symptoms can include one or more of the following:  recurring bloating or gas, chronic diarrhea or constipation, unexplained weight loss or gain, vitamin k deficiency, fatigue, missed menstrual periods, canker sores in the mouth, and tooth discoloration or loss of enamel.

Complications of Celiac Disease

If you have undiagnosed Celiac disease and you continue to ingest gluten, several long-term conditions can occur; as well as some other associated auto-immune disorders, such as Insulin-Dependent Type I Diabetes, liver disease, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Thyroid disease, and Dermatitis Herpetiformis.

If someone in your family has been diagnosed with Celiac disease or one of the previous mentioned auto-immune disorders, you should take a Celiac Disease DNA test as soon as possible.

Celiac Disease Testing

A Celiac Disease DNA test from HealthCheck USA includes an easy and reliable genetic test; detailed reports with genetic interpretation, recommendations and education; and free genetic counseling for physicians, patients, and families through our partner company Kimball Genetics.

If your test results are positive, the only real treatment for Celiac disease is to completely abstain from ingesting any gluten.  Your physician may suggest other lab tests to check your current health status; and if so, one of our healthcare representatives can assist you with scheduling these.

Nutrition is the Foundation of Good Health

Nutrition has many more important factors to your health than just your weight. Although maintaining a healthy weight or losing those extra pounds are also important for good health; proper nutrition leads to less illness, stronger immune systems and overall better health. Nutrition is very important as a foundation to health; and, in many cases, medical conditions can be treated simply by eating better.

Total Nutrition Panel

HealthCheckUSA has a nutrition panel that will allow you to work with your doctor to build a nutrition and diet plan that is just right for you. The nutritional panel consists of three different parts: CHEM-26, Vitamin B12 with Folic Acid, and TIBC.

Nutrition Panel: CHEM-26

CHEM-26 is the part of the Nutrition panel known as the “Super Chemistry” test. This lab test will check your kidney, heart, and liver functions. CHEM-26 checks your cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as your glucose, calcium, uric acid, electrolyte and iron levels. Cholesterol and triglyceride levels may indicate a need for dietary changes and possibly medications. High glucose levels could indicate diabetes, and high levels of iron could indicate a serious genetic disorder.

Nutrition Panel: Vitamin B12 with Folic Acid

The Vitamin B12 with Folic Acid gives you a thorough analysis of your body’s metabolic functions. B12 levels can help physicians determine if your body is generating enough energy to power all the organs. Low levels of B12 can be an indication of a high-risk of organ damage. This part of the nutritional panel also determines how much folic acid your body is getting. A lack of folic acid can impair protein synthesis and cell division.

Nutrition Panel: TIBC

Finally, the last lab test in the nutritional panel is the TIBC or the total iron binding capacity. Elevated levels of TIBC can indicate that you have an iron deficiency, which means that you need to incorporate more green vegetables and possibly red meat in your diet. TIBC measures how efficiently your blood transports iron through the rest of your body.

Make sure that you are eating properly and getting the right nutrition, call and order a nutrition panel test today.

Disease prevention Baselines

Disease prevention is more than getting a shot here and there and practicing good hygiene.  It is about screening your health and establishing baselines.  It’s about discussing results of your health screens and health risk assessments with your physician and establishing a wellness plan in order to maintain health and to keep disease away.

First Step to Disease Prevention

One of the first steps of disease prevention is making sure that you are currently disease free and to set up a baseline of your current health.  These checks can be done through various lab tests that check your cardiovascular health, the health of your liver, your sexual health, your thyroid, as well as your risks of acquiring cancer and diabetes.

Disease Prevention Assessment

One way to get a complete picture on what you need to do to prevent diseases is through a health risk assessment.  A health-risk assessment is a complete work-up involving a series of lab tests and health history questions in order to determine your predisposition to disease, as well as your overall general health.

You can then take the health risk assessment to your physician for review.  Your physician will then have all the necessary information to get you on track to better health.

Physicians and Disease Prevention

If you would prefer to have a better understanding of the results of your lab tests and health screens before you go to see your physician, or if you don’t currently have a physician, HealthCheckUSA offers a physician interpretation service.   A board-certified physician, who is affiliated with HealthCheck, can interpret your results for you.  Their interpretation will be provided with 72 hours of the test completion and will be confidential.

You must choose the physician interpretation option before completing your online order.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our friendly customer service representatives.