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Swedish Celiac Youth Society - for you suffering from gluten and lactose intolerance
What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease means that one cannot tolerate the protein in the grains wheat, rye and barley.
When a person with celiac disease eats gluten, the immune system reacts by forming antibodies,
an autoimmune reaction occurs.
This reaction leads to the small intestine's mucous membrane gets inflamed.
On the mucous membrane there are villi that extracts nutrition from the food we eat.
When the small intestine gets inflames these villi are harmed and the nutrient uptake is impaired.
This is why malnutrition is common among newly diagnosed.
How is celiac disease diagnosed?
The symptoms of celiac disease vary between different age groups,
but also from person to person.
Children can grow poorly and adults can suffer from symptoms such as osteoporosis and fatigue.
Celiac disease can develop at any time in life.
The diagnosis is made by a physician after investigation.
Blood samples are taken to, among other things, see if there are antibodies to gluten in the blood.
Eventually, samples from the small intestine are taken to see if it is damaged.
It is important to remember not to go over to a gluten-free diet by yourself or before the investigation is completed,
since this can prolong the process of getting the right diagnosis.
To think about regarding diet
The treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet, without any wheat, rye and barley.
Also spelt and dinkel contain gluten since these grains are related to wheat.
There are many naturally gluten-free products such as potatoes, rice, buckwheat and quinoa.
There are also specific foods that are suitable for coeliacs.
These have a gluten-free symbol, the crossed over ear (part of the grain).
The symbol guarantees that the product is safe for coeliacs,
and as of today these products can contain a maximum of 20 ppm gluten to be called gluten-free
or a maximum of 100 ppm gluten, and are then marked with "very low gluten content".
ppm stands for parts per million.
To live with celiac disease
To learn more about the gluten-free diet, it is important to meet with a dietitian.
The dietician can also provide advice on how to do when visiting restaurants,
when one is traveling or simply cooking at home.
Research has also shown that it is good to meet others with celiac disease and share experiences.
Celiac disease - Questions and answers
Can gluten intolerance be outgrown?
No,the intolerance to gluten is life long.
Although, something that often grows away is wheat allergy, which can occur in young children.
Does soy sauce contain gluten?
No, it does not, soy sauce is gluten-free!
In the Swedish NFA's recent analysis of soy sauces, gluten could not be found.
Can I eat oat if I am gluten intolerant?
Yes, you can.
This is because the protein in the oat is different from that in wheat, rye and barley and is gluten-free.
Analysis has shown that plain oats often contain excessive levels of other grains and therefore gluten.
Because of this it is recommended to choose pure oat that have been specially processed.
Products containing pure oat may be marked with the gluten-free symbol.
If you suspect that you suffer from celiac disease, you should see a physician . It is always the physician that diagnoses you.
If you have questions and want advice about just your gluten-free diet you should turn to a dietician.
Are you in need of advice regarding your situation as gluten intolerant, and perhaps want to get in contact with others sharing your experiences?
If so, you are always welcome to contact us at SCUF!
Send an email to: info@scuf.se