[Rutabega]

When I lived in Sweden, this was so common an ailment that many of the local pizza places offered “gluten free” pizza crusts. One of my best friends had it, and we ate that pizza together frequently. You can imagine her figure, as she was, essentially allergic to carbs.

[decimon]

You can imagine her figure...

I will indeed ponder the matter.

[muawiyah]

Some researchers "trace" the genetic structure that gives rise to Celiac and wheat gluten intolerance to the Sa'ami. However, one of the oldest medical diagnoses of the condition (with the discovery of its cure) comes from Ancient Rome. The diagnosis in this unexpected area has been supported with the discovery of the skeleton of a First Century young lady in Rome who shows signs of the disease.

So, is it a problem inherent in Europe, or was the lady imported from the far North? The Greco-Roman mining interests who went to Scandinavia for Amber came into contact with the Sa'ami. Greek historians accurately reported on the Sa'ami use of skis and snowshoes (among other things).

By the 900s the Sa'ami were in full contact with the invading Indo-Europeans to their South ~ and, as is usually the case, "contact" means all sorts of things so the genes spread.

There's a similar disease called Tropical Sprue. You get over that one by moving to an areas without whatever it is triggers the problem. Otherwise it does the same thing as Celiac.

Both diseases can kill you!

[tbw2]

Would being unable to eat carbs increase or decrease life expectancy?

[MetaThought]

Smokin ?