I get this question a lot. When I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2014, after months of debilitating symptoms and a string of misdiagnoses, one of the first things I wanted to understand was why now. I’d eaten gluten my whole life. Italian Sunday dinners were my love language. Then, after my third baby, everything fell apart. A small-intestine biopsy finally gave me the answer, but the bigger question lingered: what flipped the switch? Years later, my daughter Kolbie was diagnosed with celiac, too, right after her Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis. That double blow sent me back to the research, and I haven’t stopped digging since. Here’s what I’ve learned about the environmental triggers that may nudge celiac disease from a genetic possibility into an active reality.

It starts with the genes, but genes aren’t destiny

Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition. The immune system mistakes gluten for a threat and attacks the lining of the small intestine. We know the genetic piece extremely well: essentially everyone with celiac carries one of two HLA gene variants, DQ2 or DQ8. But roughly 30 to 40 percent of the general population carries those same genes, and only about 1 percent of people ever develop celiac. Having the genes is like having the blueprint; something else has to start construction. That something else appears to be a mix of environmental factors that push the immune system into overdrive.

Viral infections may prime the immune system

Some of the most compelling research points to common viruses. A 2017 study published in Science found that a reovirus strain, harmless in most people, could trigger an inflammatory response to gluten in mice engineered to have the celiac genes. In humans, kids with celiac show higher antibody levels to that same virus. Other viruses under investigation include rotavirus, adenovirus, and enterovirus. The theory: when the gut’s immune system fights off a virus, it can mistakenly start reacting to dietary gluten as well, especially if the timing coincides with gluten introduction. I can’t help but think about the endless parade of childhood stomach bugs that swept through our house when my kids were little. One infection at just the wrong moment might have been enough.

The gut microbiome sets the stage

The trillions of bacteria living in our digestive tract play a huge role in training the immune system. In early life, the microbiome is shaped by delivery method, feeding type, antibiotic use, and environment. Babies born via C-section, or those given antibiotics in infancy, show slightly higher rates of celiac later on, though the increase is modest. The likely mechanism is microbial: a less diverse gut ecosystem may allow an inappropriate immune response to gluten to take hold. I breastfed all my kids, but they all had ear infections and rounds of antibiotics as toddlers. I’ll never know if that played a role, but the connection is strong enough that researchers are exploring probiotics as a potential intervention. That research is still young. No one can say exactly which bacterial strains matter yet.

Timing and amount of gluten introduction

For years, we thought introducing gluten at exactly 4 to 6 months, while breastfeeding, would be protective. Two large randomized trials in 2014 and 2016 smashed that hope: timing didn’t change celiac risk. However, the quantity might matter. One observational study found that kids who consumed more than 5 grams of gluten per day in the first few years of life were more likely to develop celiac than those who ate less. And others note that a rapid escalation in gluten intake, like going from tiny tastes to full servings of pasta and bread quickly, might stress the system. I remember with my oldest, following the pediatrician’s advice to start single-grain cereals early. With Kolbie, she was eating crackers by the fistful as a toddler. I’m not saying either of those things caused celiac, but the pattern lines up with what the data suggest.

Antibiotics and medications

Antibiotics don’t just kill the bad bacteria; they wipe out beneficial ones too. Several large population studies report a link between antibiotic use in infancy and later celiac diagnosis. One Swedish registry study found the risk increased with multiple courses. Proton pump inhibitors, the heavy-duty acid blockers, have also been tied to celiac in adults. The thinking is that reduced stomach acid alters the microbiome and may let gluten proteins pass through the gut barrier less digested, increasing the odds of an immune reaction. I’ve taken my share of antibiotics over the years for sinus infections. It’s hard not to wonder about the cumulative effect.

Stress and major life events

Autoimmune diseases often appear after periods of intense physical or emotional stress. Childbirth, surgery, severe illness, even psychological trauma can dysregulate the immune system. For me, the timing is clear: Weslie was born, my health crashed, and I never bounced back until I removed gluten. The postpartum period is a hormonal earthquake. It wouldn’t surprise me if that’s what pushed my body over the line. For Kolbie, the trigger was likely the Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis itself: one autoimmune storm can open the door to another. Many moms I talk to in this community have similar stories: a car accident, a divorce, a particularly brutal flu season, and suddenly gluten is the enemy.

Environmental toxins and the hygiene hypothesis

Some researchers point to the modern environment broadly: we’re exposed to fewer microbes than our ancestors, thanks to sanitation, chlorinated water, and processed food. That “hygiene hypothesis” suggests our under-challenged immune systems go looking for a fight and pick the wrong target. Persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, and certain pesticides have also been studied for a potential link to autoimmunity. The evidence is weaker here than for viruses or antibiotics, but it’s an active area of inquiry. On our farm-to-table journey with Clean Monday Meals, I’ve become more aware of how and where our food is grown, and I’ve tried to reduce our family’s exposure to unnecessary chemicals. Not out of fear, but out of a desire to give our bodies fewer things to react to.

What about gluten itself?

You might wonder if eating gluten simply “wears out” the gut over time. This seems unlikely for most people. But some grain proteins can be inherently inflammatory for those with the right genetic background. One theory holds that modern wheat, bred for higher gluten content and different protein structures, is harder to digest and more immunogenic than ancient grains. Still, celiac disease existed long before modern agriculture; it just wasn’t identified. The bigger picture is that gluten is the necessary trigger, but alone it isn’t sufficient. Something has to break tolerance.

What this means for our family (and yours)

I can’t undo the triggers that surfaced in our home. I can’t rewind time and prevent Kolbie from getting that stomach virus at three or from eating an entire box of crackers at one. And to be honest, I’ve stopped trying to pinpoint the exact cause because there’s rarely just one. It’s usually a perfect storm. What I can do is control what comes next. That’s why we built Clean Monday Meals: to make it easy to eat well, without gluten, dairy, or soy, and without a bunch of junk. Every product in our kitchen, from our ramen made with organic brown rice noodles to our clean spice blends, was born from the need to feed our family safely and joyfully. We’re not just the founders; we’re the customer too.

If you’re reading this because you or your child just got diagnosed, I want you to know I see you. The learning curve is steep, but you don’t have to go it alone. I’ve put hundreds of gluten-free, dairy-free recipes into our free Recipe App, with meal plans, auto-generated shopping lists, and a community forum where you can ask questions. Grab it at cleanmondaymeals.com/app. And if you’re still in the research phase before an official diagnosis, talk to your doctor. These insights are meant to inform, not diagnose. Every body is different.

Let’s make eating well feel doable and delicious, no matter what triggered your start.