Living With Coeliac Disease
Coeliac disease can be difficult to detect, and has often been misdiagnosed as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn's disease, and intestinal infections.
This is complicated further due to the varying nature of symptoms displayed from one person to the next.
The most common signs are intestinal pains, flatulence, and a feeling of fatigue or lethargy.
However, patients can also display mouth ulcers or an itchy rash developing on the skin.
The latter are less common in Coeliac patients, and can de diagnosed as a form of eczema or other condition such as nodular prurigo.
Another circumstance may be that the patient is asymptomatic, in which case it becomes a highly concerning matter as the person will still experience the effects of the illness, including malnutrition.
Of course, the longer a person goes undiagnosed and untreated, the greater the chance of the development of malnutrition, anaemia, and delayed growth.
These effects are a very high risk for children, as they require sufficient levels of nutrients in order to develop properly.
Although the only treatment is the strict adherence to a gluten free diet, there is a wide range of products readily available for those with Coeliac Disease.
Over the past few years gluten free products have become a common sight in all the major supermarkets, and of course there are gluten free alternatives to staple food items such as bread, flour and pasta.
The basic gluten free diet comprises of meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, rice, potatoes, and lentils.
In addition to these, there are now gluten free ready-made meals and soups available to gluten intolerant individuals.
It is not even necessary to give up biscuits and sweets on this diet, as appropriate alternatives can be found easily.
Although there are a list of do's and don't's when it comes to maintaining a diet without gluten, there are a number of foodstuffs which occupy a grey area, and can have different results in different people.
Oats, for instance, form the basis of an ongoing debate as to their suitability for a Coeliac disease patient.
Whilst there is the possibility of cross-contamination due to the fact that some oat products are produced in close proximity to wheat, rye, and barley, uncontaminated oats will be labelled as such, and are safe for the vast majority of people with Coeliac disease.
Pure, uncontaminated oats can provide an extra bit of variety to a gluten free diet, perhaps in the form of oat biscuits or oat muesli.
They are also a good source of soluble fibre which promotes a healthy gut.
If you are concerned about consuming oats it is perhaps sensible to forego the pleasure for the first 6 months after diagnosis to allow your gut to recover, and then to introduce them under surveillance conditions.
This is complicated further due to the varying nature of symptoms displayed from one person to the next.
The most common signs are intestinal pains, flatulence, and a feeling of fatigue or lethargy.
However, patients can also display mouth ulcers or an itchy rash developing on the skin.
The latter are less common in Coeliac patients, and can de diagnosed as a form of eczema or other condition such as nodular prurigo.
Another circumstance may be that the patient is asymptomatic, in which case it becomes a highly concerning matter as the person will still experience the effects of the illness, including malnutrition.
Of course, the longer a person goes undiagnosed and untreated, the greater the chance of the development of malnutrition, anaemia, and delayed growth.
These effects are a very high risk for children, as they require sufficient levels of nutrients in order to develop properly.
Although the only treatment is the strict adherence to a gluten free diet, there is a wide range of products readily available for those with Coeliac Disease.
Over the past few years gluten free products have become a common sight in all the major supermarkets, and of course there are gluten free alternatives to staple food items such as bread, flour and pasta.
The basic gluten free diet comprises of meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, rice, potatoes, and lentils.
In addition to these, there are now gluten free ready-made meals and soups available to gluten intolerant individuals.
It is not even necessary to give up biscuits and sweets on this diet, as appropriate alternatives can be found easily.
Although there are a list of do's and don't's when it comes to maintaining a diet without gluten, there are a number of foodstuffs which occupy a grey area, and can have different results in different people.
Oats, for instance, form the basis of an ongoing debate as to their suitability for a Coeliac disease patient.
Whilst there is the possibility of cross-contamination due to the fact that some oat products are produced in close proximity to wheat, rye, and barley, uncontaminated oats will be labelled as such, and are safe for the vast majority of people with Coeliac disease.
Pure, uncontaminated oats can provide an extra bit of variety to a gluten free diet, perhaps in the form of oat biscuits or oat muesli.
They are also a good source of soluble fibre which promotes a healthy gut.
If you are concerned about consuming oats it is perhaps sensible to forego the pleasure for the first 6 months after diagnosis to allow your gut to recover, and then to introduce them under surveillance conditions.
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