Coeliac Disease

Shift_Coeliac Disease

Coeliac disease affects at least 1 in 100 people, with an estimated 75% of sufferers going undiagnosed.

For coeliac sufferers ingestion of gluten causes an autoimmune inflammatory reaction in the gut, leading to digestive problems, which can leave the patient with nutrient deficiencies and other symptoms. Unexplained or extreme fatigue, bloating, indigestion or other gut symptoms, weight loss, headaches and a general lack of energy are common symptoms of coeliac disease. Like other auto-immune conditions coeliac disease is becoming more common. There is a genetic link, with your chances of being diagnosed increasing to 1 in 10 if you have a direct relative with the condition.

Although the exact cause is unknown, it is thought that our lifestyle is a major contributor due to the high intake of refined wheat products as coeliac disease is more prevalent in developed countries with a western style diet. The main problem that people face once diagnosed is the major dietary changes that need to take place in order to recover.

‘Gluten is found in wheat products such as bread, pasta, biscuits and cakes but also in rye, spelt, kamut, oat and barley grains’ says Brisbane Natural Health naturopath Katherine Maslen, who sees patients with coeliac disease regularly. ‘Often by the time the diagnosis is made there is significant damage to the intestines and patients are quite low in nutrients due to malabsorption’.

Avoiding gluten completely is the treatment, however nutritional supplementation can help patients to bounce back quicker, improving their digestion and helping symptoms to resolve more quickly. ‘People are often confused about what to eat and the gluten free options are not necessarily the healthiest. A large part of the treatment of coeliac disease involves helping the patient to modify their diet, teaching them about gluten free alternatives and giving them suggestions to make sure they are still getting good nutrition’. Patients are sometimes at a loss with what to eat and they need to learn about the alternatives to maintain a healthy and tasty diet without gluten’ says Ms Maslen.

Herbal medicines can also be beneficial to help repair the digestive system, reducing inflammation and helping to alleviate symptoms like bloating, wind and bowel issues. ‘For people with coeliac disease, if you modify their diet and help the gut to heal recovery is normally quite fast’.

A person with coeliac disease needs to avoid all products that contain gluten. Make sure you read the labels and beware of eating out as some staff may not have the clearest idea of what contains gluten.

Gluten is found in:

  • Anything containing wheat including bread, pasta, biscuits, pastry, cakes, some noodles
  • Oats and most commercial cereals
  • Products containing rye, barley or kamut flours
  • Soy sauce and many other sauces and marinades
  • Many packaged products – gravy, spice mixes, rubs, frozen meals, milk drink powders, many lollies and sweets
  • Beer, stout and ales that contains barley, rye or wheat (most beers)
  • Sausages, processed meats and meat sold in marinades or sauces

Book Your Massage Appointment Online

Book Your Human Design Appointment Online

For more information on our human design sessions, contact our Brisbane clinic today on 07 3367 0337.

Book Your Nutrition Appointment Online

The current wait time for an appointment with our nutritionist is approximately 3-4 weeks – be sure to check the next few weeks for availability in your search results. 

If you have an urgent concern that cannot wait, please call us on 07 3367 0337 and we will do our best to fit you in earlier.

Please note you will need to ‘make a profile’ to book an appointment – this will then send us your personal details and create a client file for you. If you’d prefer to call then go through this process then please do!

Download our cycle tracking guide!
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Mind Shift Img2

Book Your Massage Appointment Online

Book Your Osteopathy Appointment Online

Book Your Holographic Kinetics Appointment Online

Book Your Kinesiology Appointment Online

Book Your Hypnotherapy Appointment Online

For more information on our hypnotherapy treatments for smoking, anxiety, or depression, contact our Brisbane clinic today on 07 3367 0337.

Book Your Naturopathy Appointment Online

You can book your own appointment using our easy online appointment scheduler 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you have an urgent concern that cannot wait, please call us on 07 3367 0337 and we will do our best to fit you in earlier.

Please note you will need to ‘make a profile’ to book an appointment – this will then send us your personal details and create a client file for you. If you’d prefer to call then go through this process then please do!

Book Your IVF Acupuncture Appointment Online

Book Your Acupuncture Appointment Online

Download our cycle tracking guide!
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Mind Shift Img2
Your gut is the centre of everything!

Your ability to digest food and absorb nutrients determines your health, and your microbiome (the bacteria that live inside you) are so important for preventing disease.

Take the quiz now to discover...
  1. How well you are digesting food.
  2. If you’re eating the right things for a healthy gut.
  3. The state of your microbiome.
  4. Your overall gut health score.
Fai Content Img F 2@2x

Share This

Select your desired option below to share a direct link to this page. Your friends or family will thank you later.