Gluten-free and easy

GLUTEN is a complex form of protein found in just a handful of grains — wheat, oats, barley and rye — as well as some of their historical antecedents like triticale and spelt.

While most humans are able to digest gluten and extract its nutritional benefits, there are some for whom it presents severe side effects.

That syndrome is called coeliac disease, with symptoms including irritable bowel, psoriasis, autoimmune hepatitis, nutritional malabsorption, fatigue and osteoporosis. It really is an awful condition that can even reduce life expectancy.

Additionally, there is also a large number of people with some degree of gluten sensitivity or even an allergy.

The great majority of coeliac sufferers have a non-classical form, in which not all the traditional elements are there. This makes the riddle a little more complicated but solving that problem requires the same process of identification and dietary change to resolve.

Thankfully, it is relatively simple to diagnose and even easier to treat.

It is estimated that about 80 per cent of potential coeliac patients remain undiagnosed, attributing their condition to a range of factors like stress or poor diet. Yet seeing a doctor and undertaking a basic blood test could be the start of feeling significantly better.

In the event that the tests show positive gluten antibodies, simply adopting a gluten-free diet will fix those health concerns in almost all cases.

And these days, there is no shortage of delicious options available in both sweet and savoury dishes.

So if you suspect that your tiredness or general feeling of unwellness could be linked to what you eat, don’t self-diagnose and live in the dark.

Take the time to chat to your doctor. It’s a 15-minute appointment that could radically improve your life.

THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF DELICIOUS (GLUTEN-FREE) OPTIONS AVAILABLE IN BOTH SWEET AND SAVOURY DISHES.