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by Heather D’Eliso Gordon, CSSD Question: A teammate of mine was recently diagnosed with celiac disease. She has been eating a gluten-free diet for about a month and is riding much stronger during her training rides and races. Would you recommend I try eating a gluten-free diet because I occasionally get gastro-intestinal symptoms like stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhea? I’ve been hearing so much about eating a gluten-free or wheat-free diet, is it necessary? Answer: This is a great question and one that comes up often. Let me briefly explain what celiac disease is. It is an autoimmune disease (like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes) where the body identifies gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley and rye) as an invader. When a person with celiac disease eats food that contains gluten, over time (days, months, years) the small intestine’s cells become damaged and lose the ability to absorb nutrients effectively. Symptoms may not even be gastro-intestinal; rather, it maybe exhibited by fatigue, unexplained weight loss or gain and bone/joint pain, among others. Approximately, one in 120 people are diagnosed with celiac disease in the United States, and many people go undiagnosed for years. Diagnosis involves blood tests and a biopsy of the small intestine. The only way to reduce symptoms, heal the intestines and prevent long-term complications of celiac disease is by life-long adherence to a gluten-free diet.  Going on a gluten-free diet involves a complete lifestyle and diet adjustment, therefore before trying to eat a gluten-free diet I would begin by keeping a detailed food and symptom journal. This will help you identify if the cramping, bloating and diarrhea are related to other common reasons: lactose intolerance, eating fatty foods, eating highly processed foods, excess caffeine, stress, etc. As an athlete, food and nutrition can sometimes be put on the back burner, and stress levels can be high due to managing a hectic lifestyle. Due to a busyschedule, athletes often eat convenience foods and fast food, not to mention bars, gels and sports drinks. Even for someone without a gastrointestinal disease, these foods can promote gas, bloating and irregular bowel habits. What can be helpful at this stage is to bring your food and symptom journal to a registered dietitian for a thorough review and dietary recommendations. Oftentimes, irritable bowl syndrome is the culprit and can be remedied by making changes to the diet. BUT, I would also review this website  to review other symptoms and learn more about celiac disease to make an informed decision. Back to the diet itself: is it wheat-free or gluten-free? If you are diagnosed with celiac disease then your diet will be gluten-free and thus wheat-free. Gluten is the common name for the proteins in specific grains that are harmful to persons with celiac disease. These proteins are found in all forms of wheat (including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn and farro) and related