Coeliac disease

Coeliac disease is a lifelong condition, where the immune system damages the lining of the small bowel (small intestine). When a person with Coeliac’s consumes the protein Gluten, the immune system treats it as threat to the body and attacks it.

This video outlines what a diagnosis of Coeliac’s Disease means:

Whilst it is not clear what causes Coeliac disease, genetic and environmental factors are considered to play a part in its development.

Symptoms vary from person to person, and there can sometimes symptoms can be similar to those of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Seeking professional medical advice can help determine the cause of your symptoms.

The image below by Beyond Celiac highlightes how Coeliac’s disease can impact the emotional and social aspects of your life.

Beyond Celiac’s website also has an informative page outlining the impact the disease can have on your mental health which can be accessed here.

Coeliac disease is treated by removing gluten from your diet. This might mean you have to make some changes to how you organise your daily life, including meal planning, grocery shopping and eating out.  This also comes with the added concern that food might be more expensive. Consequently, there are a variety of bloggers and recipe websites that focus on affordable gluten-free recipes.