Hi friends! Let’s take a walk together into one of the most misunderstood conditions I see in my clinic: celiac disease. Is it an autoimmune disorder? Is it a gut issue? Is it genetic?
The answer is: yes, yes, and yes.
But those labels only scratch the surface. If you or someone you love is dealing with celiac, I want to pull back the curtain and help you understand what’s really going on inside the body, and what we can do to support healing from the inside out.
Why the Label Matters
You might be wondering why it is important to define celiac disease as an autoimmune condition. Isn’t it just a gluten problem?
Well, not quite.
Labeling celiac properly matters because it shapes how we treat it. If we think of it as just a food intolerance, we will stop at avoiding gluten. But if we recognize that it is a full-body inflammatory response involving your immune system, digestive tract, and even your hormones, then we realize we need a more comprehensive plan to help the body truly recover.
What Happens in the Body When You Have Celiac Disease
Let’s break it down.
When someone with celiac disease eats gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye), their gut doesn’t handle it well. The digestive system fails to break the gluten down completely, and the body sees it as a foreign invader.
This kicks off a full-blown immune response. Inflammation sets in, and over time, this inflammation damages the villi, the tiny hair-like structures in your small intestine that are in charge of absorbing nutrients.
Without healthy villi, you can’t absorb the vitamins and minerals you need. That means your immune system, your energy levels, your skin, your brain, and your hormones all start to feel the impact.
The Autoimmune Mechanism Behind Celiac Disease
Here is where it really becomes autoimmune in nature: as the gut gets inflamed and damaged, the immune system starts producing antibodies not just against gluten, but against parts of your own body.
It is like your immune system is on high alert, seeing threats where there are none. It starts targeting anything that resembles gluten, including your intestinal tissue and even your thyroid. This is classic autoimmunity.
It’s not just a gut reaction. It is a case of mistaken identity, where your body ends up attacking itself.
Leaky Gut: The Real Culprit Beneath the Surface of Celiac Disease
Now, I want to introduce something that’s central to how I view and treat celiac disease: leaky gut, or what we call intestinal hyperpermeability.
When the gut becomes inflamed over and over, the tight junctions in the intestinal lining loosen. This allows undigested food particles and toxins to escape into the bloodstream, triggering even more inflammation and immune chaos.
In celiac patients, this leakiness is often at the center of the storm. And until we address it, simply avoiding gluten won’t be enough.
The Vicious Cycle of Gluten Sensitivity
Celiac is a bit like a loop that keeps repeating:
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Gluten is introduced
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The gut can’t digest it
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Inflammation begins
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The gut lining stretches and leaks
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The immune system reacts
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The body becomes increasingly sensitive
It is a cycle that gets worse with time, especially if the gut isn’t supported. And over time, the immune system starts to generalize its attacks.
This is why many people with celiac develop other autoimmune conditions, or start reacting to foods they used to tolerate just fine. The system is overwhelmed.
The Naturopathic Approach: Healing, Not Just Managing
If you’ve been told that going gluten-free is your only option, I have some good news: there is more you can do.
Naturopathic medicine doesn’t stop at symptom avoidance. We go after the root issue. With celiac, that means calming the immune response, restoring the gut lining, rebuilding digestion, and helping your body eliminate waste.
It is not about treating symptoms; it is about restoring balance.
How I Support the Gut Through Repair and Recovery
Here’s what I typically recommend for patients dealing with celiac:
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High-potency digestive enzymes like Super Digest or Nuzum’s Digest to help break down every bite of food, reducing the load on your gut
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Anti-inflammatory support with formulas like Inflamagone and Super Curcuminoids to calm the storm inside your gut lining
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Deep detox tools like Digestive Detox and Black Brew to flush out biofilm and buildup that can aggravate the gut
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Targeted gut repair supplements like Gut Health and Ful-Biotic to reseed the microbiome and rebuild the intestinal wall
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Gentle elimination support to encourage smooth, daily bowel movements without irritating the system
This is not a one-week cleanse. It is a step-by-step cultivation of health. Think of your gut like a garden, it needs time, care, and the right tools.
Why Some Patients Still Struggle After Going Gluten-Free
If you have already removed gluten and you’re still feeling sick, don’t be discouraged. You are not alone.
In my experience, the gut doesn’t just snap back to normal once gluten is gone. The damage lingers. The immune system stays on edge. The inflammation doesn’t vanish overnight.
That is why we go beyond diet alone. We treat the terrain, bringing peace back to a system that has been fighting for too long.
Celiac, Genetics, and Family History: What You Need to Know
Many patients tell me they’ve got a family history of celiac or other autoimmune conditions. That’s important to know, but it is not a guarantee you’ll develop the same issues. I actually wrote a whole article answering the question Is celiac an autoimmune disease?
I like to explain it this way: genetics point to where the fire might start, but lifestyle, diet, and environment are what light the match.
If you have relatives with digestive trouble, gluten sensitivity, or celiac disease, it’s wise to be proactive. That means taking care of your gut even before symptoms show up, using enzymes, eating diverse foods, and reducing inflammatory triggers early.
Can the Gut Regain Tolerance? A Hopeful Perspective
Here is a question I love answering: Can you ever eat gluten again?
In many cases, yes.
After 18 to 24 months of focused, consistent gut support, I have seen many patients regain the ability to handle gluten occasionally. Not everyone, but more than you would think. Once the gut lining is healed, inflammation is calmed, and the immune system resets, the body often becomes more resilient.
That is real progress. Not just managing disease, but restoring health.
Your Body Was Built to Heal
If you are dealing with celiac or gluten sensitivity, I want you to hear this: there is hope. You are not broken. Your body isn’t the enemy. It is doing its best to protect you, it just needs a little help.
With the right tools and a whole-body approach, you can feel better. You can absorb nutrients again. You can enjoy food and life again.
I believe in your body’s ability to heal. I have seen it happen hundreds of times. I would be honored to help you on your journey. If you need some extra help, feel free to reach out to me through my private practice, Spirit Way Medicine.