What is Coeliac

There is a common misconception that Coeliac (or Celiac in the US) is a food allergy when in fact it is an Autoimmune disease, coeliac affects 1 in 100 people in the UK alone. It is a lifelong disease that can be diagnosed at any age.

The cause of coeliac is a reaction of the immune system to gluten, gluten is a protein found in such foods as:

Wheat
Barley
Rye
(Coeliac sufferers may also have a sensitivity to some oats.)

Gluten consumption in coeliac's damages the lining of the gut (known as villi) this prevents the absorption of essential nutrients in food and also damages the immune system, which can lead to other symptoms/complications throughout any part of the body.

Once you are diagnosed you will be asked by your G.P or Consultant to follow a strict gluten free diet. Once gluten is fully eliminated from your diet you should start to progress to feeling much better, however the length of time this takes varies from patient to patient.

You should be referred to a Dietician once a diagnosis is made to help you adapt to a gluten free diet. They will advise you on foods you can still consume outlined in our adapting to change post.

* The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on recognising and assessing coeliac disease (published in 2009) outlines the symptoms and associated linked conditions linked with this disease, it clearly states that a specific blood test and diagnosis process should be followed to identify people at risk from coeliac disease. (Outlined further in coeliac symptoms).