When we think about wilderness medicine, we often think about traumatic injuries, altitude illness, hypothermia, and dehydration. But what happens when the medical challenge comes from something we eat?
For people with celiac disease, gluten exposure can trigger an immune response that affects the small intestine and can have consequences well beyond the digestive system. And celiac disease is only part of a larger picture involving food sensitivities, autoimmune conditions, and other associated illnesses.
These conditions can become particularly challenging in the wilderness, where food choices are limited, medical resources are distant, and even a small dietary mistake can have significant consequences.
Today, Dr. Kathy Vidlock joins us to explore celiac disease and its associated conditions, what wilderness travelers need to understand, and how people with these diagnoses can safely enjoy the outdoors.
Because in wilderness medicine, what you eat can be just as important as where you go.