If you’ve been diagnosed with coeliac disease you’re not alone. The prevalence of the disease is 0-1% in the international population, and it is one of the most common chronic autoimmune disorders.

Initially the diagnosis may seem a little daunting however, with the correct treatment, your condition can be managed very successfully.

What is coeliac disease?

It is an inflammatory condition of the small intestine that improves when gluten is removed from the diet.

It is actually an auto-immune disease, meaning that the body produces antibodies that attack its own tissues. This attack is triggered by gluten, causing inflammation to develop in the lining of the gut, and preventing the absorption of nutrients.

What are the symptoms of coeliac disease?

Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and may include:

• Anaemia
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Depression
• Diarrhoea
• Hair loss
• Headaches
• Infertility, recurrent miscarriages
• Joint/bone pain
• Mouth ulcers
• Nausea
• Skin problems
• Tiredness
• Vitamin deficiency – iron/folate/vitamin K/vitamin D
• Weight loss
• Wind

However, these symptoms are either reversible or avoidable by complying with a gluten free diet.

If you think you may have coeliac disease, please discuss this with your doctor, and do not exclude gluten from your diet prior to getting tested, as this can effect the test results.

Dietary treatment

The treatment for coeliac disease is a gluten free diet. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, and therefore excluding these products reverses the disease symptoms.

Oats are often excluded as well, however this is not because oats contain gluten, but because they are often contaminated with gluten during the storage, processing or manufacturing process.

What can you do if you’ve been diagnosed with coeliac disease?

• Eat a balanced, healthy diet.
• Exclude all dietary sources of gluten.
• Get to know the foods and ingredients that are naturally gluten free.
• Substitute gluten containing foods and ingredients with gluten free alternatives.
• Attend regular clinics with your GP and dietitian.
• Have regular tests to check for deficiencies, for example iron, folate, vitamin B12, and also osteoporosis.

What foods should you avoid?

• Bread
• Biscuits
• Cakes
• Pastries
• Breakfast cereals
• Pasta
• Beer
• Convenience foods, such as soups, sauces, sausages, pies, and puddings

Cereals that are naturally gluten free include:

• Rice flour
• Tapioca flour
• Potato flour
• Cornflour
• Cornmeal
• Soya flour
• Gram flour
• Teff flour
• Buckwheat flour

When you are shopping for food check the ingredients list, and also the allergy advice box to find out the contents. Also, be aware that food manufacturers do change their ingredients from time to time, so keep an eye out for new ingredients in your favourite foods.

For a list of possible gluten containing ingredients check out Food Allergy Gourmet.

Gluten free products

There is now a wide variety of commercially produced gluten free foods available on prescription from your GP, including:

• Flour mixes
• Bread
• Biscuits
• Pasta
• Pizza bases
• Crackers

You can also purchase additional gluten free items from your local supermarket, pharmacy, health food store, or via mail order.

Check out these sites for more tips on gluten free cooking:

• Gluten Freeda
• Karina’a Kitchen
• BBC Gluten Free

For more information on coeliac disease check out:

• Coeliac UK – by joining the Coeliac UK you will receive their Food and Drink Directory, an invaluable guide to gluten free products.
• Coeliac Society of Australia
• American Celiac Disease Alliance