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A frequent Nourish customer called to ask this question today: "I've been off gluten for awhile now and am feeling better but my GI doc wants me to do the Celiac test.  What do you think? Does it matter?"

I have a strong opinion about this one. Doctors love their tests, results, and diagnosis. It makes sense for them. It's what they do. However, I see no reason to put yourself through an invasive test (biopsy) to come up with an "official diagnosis" with a test which can produce false negatives for various reasons.

Here are some other reasons:

• False negatives
• You must eat gluten for 14-30 days prior to the test, which is counter productive to your health
• The most conclusive test is an Invasive procedure
• If you already know gluten causes you problems then it doesn't matter what the diagnosis is, you shouldn't be eating it.
• Unnecessary cost for the test and some insurance companies will not cover costs
• Adding an official diagnosis to your medical history doesn't seem like a good idea with the instability of healthcare coverage

Here's a link to a simple online checklist produced by the National Association of Celiac Awareness that list symptoms and other ailments associated with Celiacs - or at the very least, gluten sensitivity. 

Overall, if you already know your life is better without gluten in it, does it really matter if you are officially diagnosed "gluten intolerant" or Celiac's?  It's easier than ever to live a gluten-free life.   So continue avoiding it and move forward - with or without a diagnosis.