Gluten free foods
Coeliac disease (pronounced see-liac and spelled celiac in other countries) is a serious illness where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues when you eat gluten.
It’s estimated that 1 in 100 people are affected by coeliac disease, but – sadly – it’s also estimated that only 30% of people who have the condition have actually been diagnosed.
That means that there may be many more people, who don’t actually know that they have it and are struggling with unexplained and uncomfortable symptoms.
Symptoms of coeliac disease
Coeliac disease has a wide range of symptoms:
- Bloating
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Wind
- Constipation
- Tiredness
- Mouth ulcers
- Sudden or unexpected weight loss
- Anaemia
Symptoms can range from mild to severe and can affect people differently.
Unfortunately, if coeliac disease is left untreated, it can cause damage to the lining of your gut and that means that your body can’t properly absorb nutrients from food.
At the moment, however, the only treatment for coeliac disease is a gluten-free diet.
Gluten is found in wheat, barley and rye and patients tend to find that, once gluten is removed from their diet, they start to feel much better.
Coeliac patients are able to obtain gluten-free foods such as bread, pasta, crackers, oats and flour on prescription and Toome Pharmacy can provide you with a great range of gluten-free options on request.
If you have any queries about coeliac disease in general, or would like to know more about the gluten-free foods that we can offer, ask any of our pharmacy team for more information.
