It’s Coeliac Awareness Week, but coeliac disease is still an incredibly misunderstood condition.
So many people don’t realise that coeliac disease is not a food allergy or an intolerance – it’s an autoimmune disease caused by a reaction to gluten.
When someone with coeliac disease eats gluten, the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues. This causes damage to the lining of the gut and means that the body can’t absorb nutrients properly.
So what can you eat if you have coeliac disease? Well, first of all it’s really important to confirm that you do actually have coeliac disease, and not some other condition or intolerance. Only a test from your doctor can confirm this for sure.
How do you know if you have coeliac disease?
Coeliac disease affects 1 in 100 people in the UK but only 30% have been diagnosed, which means there are nearly half a million people who have the condition but don’t know it.
If you are experiencing symptoms, including diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and stomach cramps, see your GP for a blood test, which will check for the antibodies produced in undiagnosed coeliac disease.
The test will only work if you have gluten in your diet, so it is essential not to start a gluten-free diet until you have completed the testing for coeliac disease, otherwise you may get an incorrect result.
If the initial blood test for coeliac disease is positive, your GP will refer you to a gastroenterologist for further testing to confirm the diagnosis.
Symptoms of coeliac disease
Undiagnosed coeliac disease causes a wide range of symptoms and it affects people in different ways.
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stomach cramps
- Fatigue
- Anaemia
- Weight loss/gain
- Regular mouth ulcers
- Skin rash
Coeliac UK
What can you eat if you have coeliac disease?
When you have a coeliac disease diagnosis, it’s really important to take action and alter your diet immediately to improve your health and reduce the risk of long-term complications.
On the gluten-free diet you can eat any naturally gluten-free foods, such as meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, rice, potatoes and lentils.
You can also eat processed foods which don’t contain gluten, like ready meals and soups.
Some ingredients are confusing as they can be made from wheat but the final ingredient is gluten-free, for example glucose syrup.
The good news is that there are now loads gluten-free substitute foods available, such as specially made gluten-free bread, flour, pasta, crackers and biscuits. These are available in the free from section of the supermarket and health food stores.
Gluten-free bread and flour mixes are also available on prescription.
There are plenty of both alcoholic and soft drinks which don’t contain gluten, including fruit juice, flavoured water, fizzy drinks, cider, wine (thank god) and spirits.
But there are some alcoholic drinks that do contain gluten and need to be avoided; barley squashes, beer, lager, stout and ales.
Will changing your diet improve coeliac symptoms?
Getting to grips with your coeliac symptoms after diagnosis is a journey – and it is different for everyone.
Some people feel loads better after just a few days of cutting out gluten, but some people may see more of a gradual improvement in their symptoms or one symptom might improve before another.
It can take between six months and up to five years (in some cases longer) for the gut damage caused by eating gluten to fully heal.
But if you’re not seeing any improvement, or your symptoms are getting worse, then you should talk to your GP.
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