This year Coeliac Awareness Week runs from the 15th to the 21st May.
What is Coeliac Disease?
Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.
In the UK it's estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.
Coeliac Awareness Week 2023
Coeliac UK's mission for Coeliac Awareness Week 2023 is to highlight that coeliac disease looks different for everyone, and there are a number of symptoms to look out for, beyond the common ‘gut related issues’.
Visit the Coeliac UK website for more information.
Living a gluten free life
Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.
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| My life as a Coeliac in LEGO form |
You can read more about my gluten free journey in this case study on the This Is MedTech website - "When eating gluten-free isn’t a choice".
My Coeliacversary
This year marks my 15th year as a Coeliac! Time flies eh.
I haven't quite worked out how I'll celebrate my Coeliacversary this time around...
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