Gluten Free UAE
Hoping to be of help to all those living gluten free in the United Arab Emirates – نأمل أن نكون عوناً لكل من يعيش حياته خالية من الجلوتين في دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة
What is Celiac Disease?
This must be one of the questions I get the most. And the answer is SO long, and not always easy to understand. Celiac Disease is a complex auto immune disease that can show in so many different ways in different people. But just incase you (like I often do) need the short version, here you go (once you are done reading it, hit the F or T at the bottom and share it on Facebook and twitter, more awareness = a better life for Celiacs 🙂
Celiac (Coeliac) disease is an autoimmune disease. When someone with Celiac disease eats gluten, the immune system triggers a reaction and releases antibodies, the antibodies cause damage to the villi in the small intestine. The villi in the small intestine is responsible for soaking up all the nutrients in our food, so once it is damaged a whole range of issues can follow.
Symptoms of celiac disease vary from person to person, some researchers say there are around 200 symptoms associated, others go as far as saying over 300 symptoms! Some people may have only 1-2 symptoms, others will have 10, or many many more.
The more common symptoms are:
Bloating / Cramping
Abdominal discomfort / pain
Diarrhea or constipation (or both)
Fatigue
Energy loss
Anemia
Joint Pain
Muscle wasting
Weight Loss (or sometimes weight gain)
Infertility
Depression
Migraines
Skin Rash
Mouth Sores
Failiure to thrive (in children)
Dental and bone disorders (such as osteoporosis)
There is currently no cure or medical treatment for Celiac (Coeliac) disease. The only treatment is to go on a life long gluten free diet. Once on a gluten free diet, symptoms will clear up and the villi will heal. It is important to watch out for small amounts of hidden gluten in foods, as even minute amounts are enough to cause a reaction, and if the exposure is frequent there will (again) be damage to the villi.
-Linda
3 comments on “What is Celiac Disease?”
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Gluten Free UAE 
It is great to know that such a website is existing, it helps to spread awareness and educate people about a common disease that can be easily missed by both patients and doctors, leaving the affectd patients suffering in silence…
For sure doctors need to have a low threshold for screening ,even with the slightest suspicion of the disease.
Most the patients we see have had a chronic iron deficiency anaemia, bloating or any GI complaints , have autoimmune diseases ( thyroid gland problems , diabetes) , or who have a family history of this disease .
I will definetely refer my patients to your website , and would like to thank you for your great effort..
Dr Huda Kattaa
Consultant Gastroenterologist
American European Medical Center
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Thank you for your kind words 🙂
How is the Celiac Disease diagnosed? What tests are required to be under gone?