Celiac Disease … Stay away from Gluten

 Celiac disease is a common autoimmune  disorder that is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. It is a condition in which the absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged by a substance called gluten. Gluten is a group of proteins present in wheat, rye and barley .The damage to the intestine can lead to a variety of symptoms and result in an inability of the body to absorb nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, which are necessary for good health.

To know more about Celiac disease, the Syria times e-newspaper met pediatrician, Dr. Rania Shakair who said: “Celiac is a disease that seriously affects  the small intestine as a result of the immune system’s sensitivity to gluten in the food , so the body overacts to the protein and damages their villi, which are very small finger-like projections found along the wall of the small intestine, when these cilia and absorption bristles are damaged , the small intestine cannot properly absorb nutrients from food. Celiac can cause a range of symptoms including frequent abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation,  indigestion and malabsorption of vitamins.  Eventually this can lead to malnourishment, anemia, osteoporosis and infertility. It can even cause a number of neurological disorders or  certain cancers”.

What causes coeliac disease?

Dr. Shakair  clarified: “In addition to genetics and the environment, there are a number of other health conditions can increase the risk of developing celiac disease, including: type 1 diabetes, thyroid conditions, ulcerative colitis, neurological disorders and Down’s syndrome and Turner syndrome.”

How can celiac disease be diagnosed?

 “In the suspected cases of celiac disease, blood tests for the anti-TTG can help doctors diagnose the disease.. This test is highly accurate in diagnosing the disease. Doctor may also need to examine a small piece of tissue from the small intestine where the full disappearance of the absorption bristles confirms the diagnosis of the condition”.

Treating celiac disease

“Currently, the only treatment for celiac disease is a lifelong strict gluten-free diet. People living gluten-free must avoid foods with wheat, rye and barley. So gluten-free diet should help control symptoms and prevent the long-term consequences of the condition. A few weeks later , one should start to feel better, as his small intestine begins to heal”, Dr. Shakair concluded.

Educational and supportive sites for patients

“With the aim of educating people, increasing  their awareness of this serious disease and help patients overcome all the difficulties they face with the disease ,Syrian voluntary groups have been established under the supervision of specialists , such as Gluten Free – Syria and The Syrian Group of Wheat Allergy Patients . These groups provide patients with information about this disease and allow them to communicate with specialists to answer their health concerns as the groups include doctors, nutritionists and pharmacists, a large number of them are patients with Celiac. Educational and practical sessions for patients helping them to make their own food have also been held. Recently we have organized an entertainment activity for a group of sick children with both diabetes and celiac disease,  appropriate meals were served for the participating children at the end of the event.” This was said by Mr. Abo Shafik who is an activist and group supervisor in these groups.

Mrs. Wafa’ Mraish , a group supervisor, said: “After my long suffering with celiac disease I decided that my mission from now on, is to  spread awareness about this “cursed” silent disease. I always try to alert everyone to their health and not to ignore the symptoms of their bodies. Therefore, my task is clear, namely to highlight the true meaning of celiac disease and its effects on our bodies. I started my journey looking for information about celiac disease and what kind of flour shall I use instead of wheat flour. Thanks God, I found that there are a lot of websites that explain the symptoms of this disease, how to live with it and how to prepare appropriate food. But my main problem was that I did not know where and how to get the right flour . I met a number of patients and decided to set up a group to share information and recipes so that we can benefit from each other’s experiences and benefit the others.

A short time later, we heard about a Syrian group called, Ohod.  We joined it. The group’s supervisor produces corn flour . It consisted of a doctor and a few members, but thanks to our continuous hard work we have been able to attract a large number of interested  specialists and patients , we are now three groups.

The team of these three groups work around the clock for the benefit of the patients and providing them with all the required information, including medical consultation, nutrition information and food recipes.” Mrs. Mraish concluded.

Are gluten-free foods available?

The Syrian market currently has a number of products that are described as gluten-free, including the products of Ohod company which produces, with the knowledge and approval of the Ministry of Health, all kinds of bread, pastries and sweets and distribute them to all Syrian governorates , the executive director of the company  Samer Ghandour stressed  to the Syria times e- newspaper.

Talking about the other activities of the company, Mr. Ghandour said: “During the last year we have established groups on social media to educate patients and raise their awareness. A number of  volunteers ladies work with us as supervisors to teach patients how to prepare recipes for gluten-free sweets, bread and pastries.

We seek the approval of the Ministry of Social Affairs to establish a society concerned with patients and we have scored significant progress in this area. We are currently working to host the society founding members, mostly patients, a group of doctors and nutritionists”.

It worth mentioning that Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start eating foods or medicines that contain gluten. Left untreated, celiac disease, can lead to additional serious health problems.

 Interviewed by Amal Farhat