A new treatment for celiac:

Celiac disease is an immune disease in which people can't eat gluten because it will damage their small intestine. About 1 in 100 people suffer from Celiac disease (1% of the world). The only way to avoid inflammation is to be on a strict gluten-free diet. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Therefore, people who suffer from Celiac can’t eat foods such as bread, pasta, cookies, or any food that contains gluten.

In Israel, there are laws regarding labeling food for gluten. There are sections in supermarkets that are gluten free and many health foods stores that provide gluten-free options. However, there isn’t a big variety when it comes to the types of food that you can get, and many of the products aren’t labeled. The gluten-free products are often more expensive than regular food. Therefore, when someone in Israel has Celiac, they are very limited with what they can eat.

But there is hope at the end of the tunnel! A new treatment is being developed that will allow people who suffer from celiac to eat gluten without causing them intestinal inflammation. This treatment is in the early stages of development. It is currently being clinically tested.

The new treatment involves biodegradable nanoparticles that "teach" the immune system to tolerate gluten. A study that was done showed that patients who took the nanoparticles had an immune response that was 90% lower than patients who did not take the nanoparticles. According to the research, the treatment for celiac should be ready by 2021!

Gap year students who come to Israel with Celiac are usually offered gluten-free food options. However, some of the food isn’t always 100% gluten free. Therefore, we recommend that students coming for the year should do research about the programs they are going to. Ask the right questions to see if they can provide safe food. In addition, gap year students can feel safe using projects that have these symbols.

EMA Care’s sister company is Food Allergy Concierge. FAC provides services to keep you allergy safe. This includes gluten-free management. https://www.foodallergyconcierge.com/

EMA Care wishes you a pleasant weekend!