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Thinking about a better term, I went seeking what the ignorant masses would
discover if you described your condition in any of the ways we've
discussed. If they looked it up in common dictionaries, American or
British, they would find the following.

Definition [1] is from The American Heritage Dictionary, c 1982, 1985. [2]
is from Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary, ca. mid-70s. (A British
dictionary). I am leaving out definitions that do not apply (e.g. dis-ease
as uneasiness, etc).

[1] celiac also coeliac adj. Of or relating to the abdomen. -n. One who has
celiac disease. [Lat. coeliacus < Gk. koiliakos < koilia, abdomen < koilos,
hollow.]

[2] coeliac, celiac, adj. relating to the belly.

[1] celiac disease n. A chronic nutritional disturbance of infants and
young children, caused by improper absorption of fats and resulting in
malnutrition, distended abdomen, and diarrhea.

[1] disease n. An abnormal condition of an organism or part, esp. as a
consequence of infection, inherent weakness, or environmental stress, that
impairs normal physiological functioning.

[2] disease, n. a disorder or want of health in mind or body: ailment:
cause of pain.

[2] enter(o), in composition*, intestine.

 * = used as a prefix.

[1] enteropathy n. A disease of the intestinal tract.

[1] gluten n. A mixture of plant proteins occurring in cereal grains,
chiefly corn and wheat, and used as an adhesive and as a flour substitute.

[2] gluten, n. the nitrogenous part of the flour of wheat and other grains,
insoluble in water. An important amino-acid, HOOC-CH2-CH2-CH(NH2)-COOH.

[1] sprue n. A chronic, chiefly tropical disease characterized by diarrhea,
emaciation, and anemia.

[2] sprue n. infantile thrush (obs.): a tropical disease affecting mouth,
throat, and digestion.

[2] sprue n. (London) an inferior asparagus.

Ooops! How did that asparagus slip in there?

Linda Blanchard
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Midland, TX