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you really need a gluten free diet? It is thought that as many as 1 in
100 people may have coeliac disease yet four out
of five people don't know they have it.
As a result, coeliac
disease can be confused with the symptoms of
other disorders such as irritable bowel
syndrome and chronic fatigue
syndrome (M.E.).
Although a gluten free
diet can help relieve the symptoms of coeliac
disease, a strict gluten free diet is not easy to
follow and can be expensive - it is therefore
very important that you know that you have an
accurate diagnosis before you contemplate going
gluten free.
What Causes
Coeliac Disease?
Coeliac disease is caused
by gluten - a protein not only found in wheat but
also in rye and barley as well. In some people
the gluten proteins damage the surface of the
intestine. Coeliac disease can range in severity
from severe symptoms where the sufferer becomes
acutely ill with;
- weight loss
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
to relatively trivial
symptoms such as;
- tiredness
- lethargy
- breathlessness
-but usually typical
symptoms are between these two extremes.
What Can You Do?
Step 1.
Find out if you are sensitive to gluten.
IMPORTANT: If
you get a positive result with the Biocard
Celiac Test it is essential that you continue
with a normal diet until you
have the diagnosis confirmed by an intestinal
biopsy
Step 2.
If you are, then you will need to discus this
with your doctor or dietician who will help
you with a gluten free diet.
Once you know that
coeliac disease is contributing to your wheat
intolerance symptoms then the disease can be
controlled with a gluten free diet. (To read
an unbiased article published by the Institute of
Biomedical Science click
here)
Coeliac disease is
traditionally diagnosed by an intestinal biopsy
by a gastroenterologist, usually under mild
sedation in an outpatients department of a
hospital.
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| Magnified section
through normal intestine showing
elongated villi with normal nutrient
absorption |
Magnified section
through intestine from patient with
coeliac disease showing flattened villi
with poor nutrient absorption |
Home
Tests
Accurate and clinically
proven home tests are now available from
pharmacies, supermarkets and online such as
fertility, cholesterol and allergy to name just a
few.
The Biocard
Celiac Test featured here uses the same
technology as the hospital laboratory test and
detects specific IgA antibodies that react with
tissue transglutaminase – a well known
marker for coeliac disease. All that is required
is a small pin-prick of blood from your finger
tip which is obtained hygienically with the small
sterile finger pricker within the test kit. You
get your results in less than 10 minutes with a
clear yes or no.
This simple test is CE
marked according to the IVD directive 98/79EC
demonstrating that it meets the stringent
European medical device requirements for a home
test for coeliac disease.
Laboratory Tests
- £££
Many private laboratories
offer blood tests for the detection of tissue
transglutaminase IgA antibodies but calculate
their charges to cover the overheads of the
laboratory and biomedical staff as well as the
cost of the test. By providing you directly with
a simple test strip type test, you can safely and
simply obtain a result in the comfort and
convenience of your own home at a far lower cost
and within minutes rather than waiting days or
weeks for your results to arrive in the post.
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