Coeliac disease | Healthy Eating Advisory Service (2024)

FAQs

Coeliac disease | Healthy Eating Advisory Service? ›

People with Coeliac disease develop an immune reaction to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats) which results in inflammation and damage to the small intestine. When the small intestine is damaged, nutrients from our food are not absorbed into the body properly.

Avoid all products with barley, rye, triticale (a cross between wheat and rye), farina, graham flour, semolina, and any other kind of flour, including self-rising and durum, not labeled gluten-free. Be careful of corn and rice products.

The damage is due to a reaction from eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye as well as foods made from these grains. Consuming even the smallest amounts of gluten can damage the intestines of someone with celiac disease.

While celiac disease isn't a listed impairment on its own, you may still be able to qualify for benefits if your symptoms are severe enough to meet or equal a related digestive system listing. Examples of related disorders include gastrointestinal hemorrhaging, inflammatory bowel disease, and severe weight loss.

Cross Contamination from Kissing

If you kiss someone that has recently eaten or drank something containing gluten, there is a risk of cross contamination and being glutened because of the particles in their mouth. As we all know, a crumb contains enough traces of gluten to cause a reaction in some coeliacs.

People with celiac disease may experience weight gain after starting a gluten-free diet; this initial weight gain indicates that their intestinal health is improving and they are more effectively absorbing nutrients. However, gaining too much weight can lead to multiple health problems.

If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response to the gluten protein in your small intestine. Over time, this reaction damages your small intestine's lining and prevents it from absorbing nutrients, a condition called malabsorption.

Receiving Disability Benefits for Celiac Disease

In cases where it takes years to be diagnosed with celiac disease, an applicant may request benefits for the time that he was unable to work because of the disability.

If you or one of your dependents has celiac disease and you itemize your deductions, the extra costs due to gluten-free dietary restrictions may be taken as a medical expense.

Celiac disease is clinically defined as classic, non-classic, subclinical, potential, and refractory.

Which nutritional recommendation usually accompanies a diagnosis of celiac disease? ›

The condition is lifelong and lacks a cure; the only treatment is lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD).

Gluten-free foods

Many foods, such as meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, rice, and potatoes, without additives or some seasonings, are naturally gluten-free. Flour made from gluten-free foods, such as potatoes, rice, corn, soy, nuts, cassava, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, or beans are safe to eat.

Malabsorption (where your body does not fully absorb nutrients) can lead to a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. This can cause conditions such as: iron deficiency anaemia. vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia.

The only available treatment for CeD is strict adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) [9], which is also recommended for patients with NCGWS [3].