What if foods you love and eat every day were depriving your body of vital nutrients? What if you get to know that you could no longer eat pizza or drink beer on a night out? This is the reality of any person suffering from coeliac disease.
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder and not an allergy or intolerance disorder, as believed by many. This occurs in people that ingest foods that contain gluten such as barley, rye and wheat amongst others.
When someone is a coeliac, the presence of gluten in their body will generate an immune response that damages the inside of the small intestine. The main role of the small intestine is to absorb the nutrients from food, but since in this case the small intestine is damaged, a person becomes malnourished regardless the quantity of food eaten.
The symptoms of coeliac disease include weight loss, bloating, changes in bowel movements, weakness and fatigue. Moreover, several complications may arise such as anaemia, osteoporosis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and an increased risk of lymphoma if this condition is left untreated. To date, the only treatment available is a strict gluten-free diet.
In order to raise more awareness regarding this condition, The Third Eye has met up with Martha Carabott, student, coeliac and an active member of various coeliac organisations.
Having been diagnosed with coeliac disease fifteen years ago she learned she would need to make radical changes to her diet. She would have to eat a gluten-free diet and that would mean a lot of new sacrifices.
“The most difficult part of being ceoliac is when I get hungry and I’m at work, abroad or out and I realize that you can’t eat anything. For this reason I always prepare my meals beforehand or plan where I am going to go eat out”. She recalls that this experience was the toughest when she was still a child as she was still getting accustomed to living on a gluten- free diet.
However, she insisted that for her living as a coeliac is no longer a challenge but part of her lifestyle. One should not think of this condition as being a limitation but more of a way of living.
Martha Carabott also explained that the general public is becoming increasingly more aware of this condition. “Many people know that coeliacs cannot eat bread and pasta amongst others, however only a handful know that even contamination of food containing gluten may trigger the autoimmune disorder in coeliacs”. In fact, a person who requires a gluten-free diet will become an excellent gluten detective, scrutinising every label and questioning every person who prepares their meals.
Martha is also an active member of three major organisations that address the needs and expectations of people that suffer from this condition.
“I am a member of the committee of Coeliac Association Malta, a Maltese delegate in Coeliac youths of Europe and also a member of the youth group of the European Patient’s Forum. The aim of the Coeliac Association Malta is to offer help and support for all the Maltese celiacs whilst providing them with gluten-free recipes as well as organising social events for Maltese coeliacs to meet up”.
The other two European based groups offer similar support but are more focused on youngsters. A summer camp is organised every year by the Coeliac Youths of Europe, with the upcoming one to be based in Malta in 2015. The project of this year is a gluten-free cookbook with every European country preparing a set menu with foods related to their native country. Eventually, this cookbook will be uploaded online for the general public to view.
On the other hand, members of the European Patient’s Forum meet twice a year to discuss upcoming projects. This forum however is not solely based on coeliac disease but focuses on a wide array of conditions that affect youngsters with the main aim being to improve their quality of life.
Her advice to others who have recently been diagnosed with coeliac disease was simple.
“Don’t let it define your life. Instead incorporate it”, she said with a smile on her face.
The twenty year old also insisted that it is of prime importance to get tested immediately if the symptoms of coeliac disease arise. This condition should not take over your whole life but it is imperative to keep it in perspective. Indeed coeliac disease is a steep, overwhelming learning curve that is manageable once you learn all you need to know about it.
For more information visit:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CeliacYouthOfEurope/?fref=ts
http://www.cyeweb.eu/
