Nutrition

Coeliac disease   This hereditary life-long condition stops food being absorbed properly, so requires a special diet to prevent malnutrition. In this article Who’s affected? What are the symptoms? What’s the recommended diet for CD? Are there any health complications with CD? Coeliac disease (CD) is a sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye (some people also react to gluten in oats). In people with CD, gluten triggers an autoimmune response that leads to inflammation of the small intestine. Eventually the inflammation damages the lining of the intestine, making it less able to absorb nutrients It was previously thought that one in 1,000 people had CD, but this may now be as high as one in 100. The risk of developing CD increases if there’s a family history of the disease. Upset stomach, with pale and very bad smelling stools Feeling lethargic and miserable Failure to grow Older children with CD may show poor growth or sometimes weight loss. They may also exhibit signs of poor absorption such as anaemia or other vitamin deficiencies. In adults the symptoms can be less striking, which is why it’s often not recognised as CD. These symptoms can include: Tiredness Irritability Depression Anaemia Stomach upsets and pain Weight loss Mouth ulcers Bone or joint disorders CD is usually diagnosed initially by a blood test followed by a biopsy of the small intestine. A small tube is passed down into the digestive system and a tiny bit of the lining is cut out and examined under a microscope. The treatment of CD involves the removal of all dietary sources of gluten from the diet. Once this happens symptoms can improve very quickly, and most people feel much better in just a few weeks. But it can take the gut wall up to a year to fully recover, and maintaining a gluten-free diet is important to aid this recovery.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/nutrition/dietary_coeliac1.shtml