Dorothy Andersen studied cystic fibrosis in the United States during the early 1900s. In 1935, Andersen discovered lesions in the pancreas of an infant during an autopsy, which led her to classify a condition she named cystic fibrosis of the pancreas. In 1938, Andersen became the first to thoroughly describe symptoms of the medical condition cystic fibrosis. Commonly mistaken for celiac disease prior to the 1900s, Andersen defined cystic fibrosis as the build-up of pancreatic fluid in the body caused by the blockage of pancreatic ducts, and she determined that the two conditions were symptomatically different. Andersen developed an early method for
diagnosing cystic fibrosis. By conceptualizing cystic fibrosis and
defining its symptoms, Andersen laid the foundation for treatments that
enabled infants diagnosed with the disease to survive into adulthood.

Affecting nearly 1% of the world’s population, Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes damage to the small intestine through the ingestion of gluten. Over time, the villi of the small intestine are destroyed which prevents nutrients from being absorbed properly leading to impaired health and growth of an individual. Currently, there is no cure for celiac disease. Those that are diagnosed with Celiac disease usually adhere to a gluten-free diet. By doing so, most manage their symptoms and minimize the damage to their small intestine. However, this diet is only effective if one is able to strictly adhere to the diet. If gluten is consumed, even on accident which is rather easy, the villi of the small intestine are damaged and individuals are at risk for a number of symptoms including chronic diarrhea, constipation, and even cognitive impairment. A cure for Celiac disease that extends beyond lifestyle changes would better help those affected and ensure their small intestine functions properly and growth of an individual is not impaired. One potential solution is medication that prevents inflammation from T cells through the blockage of cytokine signaling of interleukin-6. This thesis proposes a research project to identify a phase 3, double blind, placebo controlled trial that would test the efficacy of the potential drugs.

Ciao is a product and digital application that allows people with celiac disease to gain control over their health as well as lead a more freeing life. The product is a compact cooking set that keeps utensils safe from the common cross-contamination that can be life-threatening to a person with celiac disease. The application allows people to find new restaurants that will be safe for them to eat at, scan the barcode of common food products for 8 of the most common allergens, and provide the most up to date research about celiac disease. Within the app, they can also find a sense of community by connecting with other members.

Those that must follow a Celiac diet should know that there are challenges that come with it. Wheat contains a ton of essential vitamins and minerals such as folate, magnesium, thiamin and niacin among many others. By cutting these out, it is possible to become deficient in these essential nutrients that play roles all throughout the body. One of our goals in making this cookbook was to include recipes that would be packed with these dietary components. We wanted to not only make this cookbook tangible for newly-diagnosed Celiac people, but also ensure that they have the balanced diet they need to avoid deficiencies. While admittedly not every meal is going to be loaded with those good vitamins and minerals, we believe the phrase “everything in moderation” is a good way to approach this new diet.

The Gluten-Free Diet (GFD) is increasing in prevalence due to increased diagnoses of Celiac Disease, however deficiencies have been found to persist in individuals with Celiac Disease who have been on the diet for a prolonged period of time. These deficiencies are not the result of continued GI inability to absorb the nutrients (as evidenced by biopsy) and, therefore, are inherent to the diet itself. Comparing these deficiencies to nutrient-dense gluten-free grains reveals those that specifically meet the deficiencies evident in the GFD. These include low-fat soy flour, buckwheat, and sorghum as the most nutritionally adequate for the gluten-free individual.

The purpose of this thesis is to create an informational book on gluten-free living. It is our hope that by the end of the book readers will have a better understanding that living with a gluten intolerance or auto-immune disorder does not control one's life. Someone just needs to put in a bit more planning and time in order to travel or eat out. The book goes into detail on every condition on the gluten-sensitivity spectrum. It also goes in-depth on medicines, recipes, and travel.