What is coeliac disease?
This video rings true for so many coeliac sufferers.
No one wants to be labelled the awkward, picky one. Trying to convince everyone that you aren’t just being difficult. It’s never nice feeling like you have to justify your condition.
Being on the receiving end of many an eye roll can sometimes make you feel like you’re overplaying your condition. When you’re most definitely not. Perhaps the ‘gluten free’ craze is partially to blame for that.
I’d encourage you all to watch and share the video to help people understand the difference between non-celiac sensitivity and celiac disease.
What is coeliac disease?
Celiac Disease is a relatively common autoimmune disorder affecting roughly 1% of the population. People with Celiac Disease are unable to tolerate certain proteins present in various grains, such as Gliadin found in Wheat; Hordein found in Barley & Secalin found in Rye.
Oats are also a hot topic among the Celiac community, not necessarily because they contain any harmful proteins, but because of cross-contamination issues.
These proteins, which we will call Gluten – this term is widely accepted, although not technically correct – begin to attack the digestive system. More specifically the small intestine. The small intestine is made up of billions of hairlike protrusions called Villi. Over time, the Villi of people with Celiac Disease become blunted which leads to malnutrition.
Villi are there to act as a nutrient absorbing device.
However, when anyone (with or without celiac disease) allows gluten into their body, a protein called Zonulinis is produced, with somewhat catastrophic effects.
Basically, Zonulin allows the junctions between the cells in the small intestine to open too much. Allowing various toxins and gluten fragments enter the bloodstream.
And this is where the real trouble begins for celiac’s.
The gluten fragments that have now entered into the blood stream are there without invitation. In other words, they have invaded your body and your body must defend itself by attacking these toxins. In turn, attacking your body.
Hence the name “autoimmune disorder”.
