Beginning roughly two months ago, my brother started to double over in pain after nearly every meal. Whether it was lunch at school, dinner at a restaurant with friends, or even a healthy, home cooked meal; the stomachaches were constant. It reached the point where the pain became unbearable, and no one knew the cause. My parents quickly became worried and took him to the doctor. After multiple blood-drawings and tests, the results came back: Celiac.

According to the definition stated at celiac.org, celiac disease is "an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications."

After this discovery, my family began to do a lot of research on gluten, and I decided to become involved. I have always taken interest in nutrition and improving my lifestyle, and I wanted to help make the gluten-free transition for my brother as painless as possible. When you tell a fourteen-year -old boy that he can no longer have pizza with his friends or eat that slice of birthday cake as he has been doing his whole life, it can be tough. Yes, there are substitutes, but no, they are not always readily available. These are just a few of the things I have learned about gluten so far:

• Gluten-free essentially means avoiding all wheat, rye, and barley. These ingredients are found in almost all breads, pastas, grains, and beers.
• If someone in your direct family has celiac disease, you have a 1 in 10 chance of developing it during your lifetime.
• Untreated celiac can lead to numerous health conditions: diabetes, infertility, anemia, and different intestinal cancers being among the many. Get Tested! All you need is a simple blood test that can be performed by your family doctor.
• Although celiac only affects 1 out of 100 people, gluten sensitivity affects a much higher percentage: nearly 30-40 percent of Americans. Those with gluten sensitivity can experience a variety of symptoms such as depression, ADHD-like behavior, bone or joint pain, headaches, varying degrees of acne, and other symptoms that a gluten-free diet may help diminish.

Although I do not have Celiac, (yes, I was recently tested and the results came back negative) I decided to try a gluten-free diet. Luckily, I do not have to be perfect in avoiding gluten like my brother does, but after my research, I believe the benefits of reducing gluten from my diet will be very beneficial long-term. Obviously this is not and cannot be for everyone, but if you suffer from any of the symptoms mentioned above, you may consider joining me in a gluten-free lifestyle! If you have any questions about this disease or you decide to join team gluten-free, visit http://celiac.org for more helpful tips & information.

Also, feel free to visit this site for some delicious, gluten-free recipes! http://allrecipes.com/recipes/everyday-cooking/spe...