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You must follow a life-long gluten-free diet. This allows the intestinal villi to heal. Foods, beverages, and medications that contain wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats should be eliminated completely. You must read food and medication labels carefully to look for hidden sources of these grains and their derivatives. Since wheat and barley grains are found abundantly in the American diet, keeping to this diet is challenging. With education and planning, you will achieve the goal of healing.
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You should NOT begin the gluten-free diet before a diagnosis is made. Doing so will alter future testing for the disease.
Vitamin and mineral supplements may be prescribed to correct nutritional deficiencies. Occasionally, corticosteroids (such as prednisone) may also be prescribed for short-term use or if you have refractory sprue. Following a well-balanced, gluten-free diet is generally the only treatment required for staying well.
Upon diagnosis, seek consultation from a registered dietitian with a specialty in celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. A support group may also help you cope with the disease and diet.
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