How A Celiac Disease Diagnosis Lead to Whoa Dough
Last month was Celiac Awareness Month, a month that is meant to serve and educate the public about Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder affecting about 1 in 100 people worldwide, whereby the ingestion of gluten triggers an immune response that attacks and damages the small intestine (Celiac Disease Foundation). This affects nutrient absorption, and can cause a whole slew of long-term health effects ranging from a greater risk of developing Heart Disease and bowel cancers, to the development of other autoimmune disorders like Type 1 Diabetes and Multiple Sclerosis. Not to mention the short term ramifications, which typically causes a person to experience symptoms like an upset stomach, bloating, nausea, and many other uncomfortable symptoms. Raising awareness about this disease is particularly important to us here at Whoa Dough, as this autoimmune disease was actually the inspiration behind the foundation of Whoa Dough.
Todd Goldstein, the founder of Whoa Dough, and his three young boys all suffer from Celiac Disease. When Todd was younger, he never understood what caused him to feel so awful all of the time. From constant intestinal discomfort to daily fatigue, Todd always felt like there was something wrong. Unfortunately, doctors never seemed to be able to determine the root of Todd’s discomfort due to a lack of physician familiarity with the disease. Celiac Disease is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed and untreated diseases due to its varying symptomatic nature and difficult diagnostic measures. In order to ensure a patient has Celiac, the patient must get a blood test or biopsy of their small intestine with gluten still in their system (NIDDK). Even with the growing awareness, Celiac is misdiagnosed in about 97% of all cases (WSTM).
Flash forward to 2011 when Todd was finally diagnosed with a gluten intolerance and his whole world changed. Not only did he no longer have to deal with constant pain and discomfort, but he was able to start enjoying foods more freely again. Knowing what ingredients to avoid allowed him to start exploring alternatives of his favorite foods that made him feel good. One thing he could not seem to find a decent replacement for though was cookie dough—and that was a problem for an avid cookie dough lover like Todd! When he became a father and realized his children would also not be able to experience the magical joy of cookie dough, Todd decided to take things into his own hands. It took many months and a countless number of recipe iterations, but finally in 2020 he was able to launch Whoa Dough cookie dough bars to market.
While we can’t be the ones to give you a proper diagnosis, if you are experiencing digestive symptoms such as bloating, chronic diarrhea, constipation, gas, nausea, vomiting, or pain in the abdomen—and haven’t been tested for Celiac Disease—we recommend talking to your physician about getting tested. Although this disease is gaining awareness within the medical community, it is still often overlooked, which is why it is so important that we continue to share stories such as Todd’s to the public. Because who knows, it just might help someone suffering and change their lives for the better!