A YouTube patient-testimonial video from Total Nutrition and Therapeutics in which Tony Oteri recounts his experience with celiac disease — symptoms (cramping, inability to digest/hold food), delayed diagnosis after multiple visits and imaging, diagnosis by gastroenterologist, and strict lifelong gluten avoidance. The video also provides concise educational facts: celiac disease affects about 1 in 100 people worldwide, roughly 2.5 million Americans are undiagnosed, and first-degree relatives have a 1-in-10 risk. Viewers are directed to TNT's website for more information.
Questions this video answers
One in 100 people worldwide.
Two and a half million Americans are undiagnosed.
A 1 in 10 risk of developing celiac disease.
1 in 100 people worldwide.
Two and a half million Americans.
Digestive diseases are among the leading causes of doctor's visits, hospitalizations and disabilities in the United States each year. One potentially deadly disease is celiac sprue. 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 one in 100 people worldwide. Two and a half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long term health complications. Tony Oteri explains how the specialist at Total Nutrition and Therapeutics helped him learn the truth about the disease and ways to manage it. What brought me to TNT is my weight at the time was getting out of control. I've tried to lose weight and just nothing would come off. And I, you know, I'd go through my old diet habits and just nothing would happen. And I just didn't understand why. And I thought maybe, just maybe there's more to it than what I thought. I had been diagnosed with celiac disease, so I knew that I had an intolerance to gluten. I had a month long episode of cramping, stomach cramping and, and not holding anything down, not being able to digest food, knowing there was something wrong. And I just went back and forth to my primary care physician, oh, at least three times going back, nothing's happened. I've had all kinds of CT scans and X rays. He did not know what it was until he finally referred me to a gastroenterologist who, who said, I know, I think I know what you have. Let me take a blood test and find out. And that's what it was. She's the one that said absolutely, positively, beyond a reasonable doubt, do not, you cannot, should not ever have any gluten the rest of your life. Period. End of story. I'm thrilled that I finally, as I said, found a place that is genuinely concerned for your well being. I look at food now with gluten and I think that's poison to me. And if it's poison, I can't even have a little of it. TNT has a special place in my heart because I do get that feeling that they really care about you and they want you to be better, all of them. The specialists at TNT also note that celiac disease is hereditary, meaning that it runs in families. People with a first degree relative with celiac disease, a parent, child or sibling, have a 1 in 10 risk of developing celiac disease. For more information on celiac disease and contact information for total nutrition and therapeutics please click on the Celiac Disease storylink icon on our homepage. Yourhometownhealth.com.
