Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, October 21, 2015 | Ferndale Record
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Research a passion don realized how many people who had the disease must not have known about it. After thinking about the disease for years, Gordon decided to write a book about it. “We live it every day, like so many other people,” he said. He figured other people were curious about it like he was. His book, “Celiac Disease & Gluten Sensitivity: A Troubled Past But a Promising Future,” was published as an e-book in 2011. It is available at Amazon.com. An estimated 5-10 percent of those with celiac disease are diagnosed, Gordon says in his book. Diagnosis is not necessary for treatment, he said, but he recommends taking simple steps for anyone with symptoms and a family history of the disease. Heinrichs’ new passion is increasing health literacy. A 2004 study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that 90 million American adults have difficulty understanding health information, which includes instructions from doctors and prescription directions. Part of the problem is that people who are health illiterate often don’t know it, and therefore can’t fix the issue, Gordon said. The easiest thing people can do is ask questions of their doctors, but they are often embarrassed to admit they don’t understand. Gordon spoke with members of the Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement on Oct. 14 to see what can be done in this area. One solution is making medical documents readable at a middle school level, he said. Whether it is gluten sensitivity or another health issue, these are important matters to understand, Gordon believes. People can be better educated on their health, and he is up for the job. See column by Gordon Heinrichs on page C8.
During the harsh winter of 1944-45 in the Netherlands, city dwellers went on hunger expeditions into the countryside. They traded their valuables with farmers for food. More than 20,000 people died of starvation. But a shortage of bread also led to discovery of the origins of celiac disease. (Courtesy photo)
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