A disease most often found in small children, where the small intestine is unable to digest and absorb food as a result of sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and other grains. Symptoms include diarrhea, failure to gain weight, bloated stomach, and fatigue. In adults it can bring symptoms of depression, mood swings, fatigue, infertility, constipation, and skin eruptions.

Prevention.

Some believe that coeliac disease may be related to early weaning of infants to cereals. They recommend breast feeding at least to the age of four months and then limiting cereal intake to baby rice and millet. Avoid wheat products for at least the first year. Allergy to milk and other foods may also be related to this disorder.

Treatment.

Avoid all foods containing gluten. This means you should exclude all grains except brown rice, millet and corn. Use corn tortillas for sandwiches and rice cakes for crackers. Most commerically prepared foods contain gluten, so avoid prepared foods. Eat plenty of rice, low fat meats, fish, dairy products, vegetables, fruit and corn. Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement daily.

Herbal

The protein-digesting enzyme from papaya, called papain, has been shown to digest wheat gluten and make it harmless to coeliac patients. Taking papain supplements may help. In some, coelic disease brings an inflamed and irritable intestine. Slippery elm can help soothe the mucous membranes of the stomach: take 1/4 teaspoon of the ground powder in warm water 4 times daily.

Professional Help

Applied kinesiology is a method of muscle testing which may be used to identify if gluten is causing the problem.

Orthodox

To ensure that gluten is the culprit, a sample of the cells of the small intestine is removed and examined microscopically. A lifelong gluten-free diet is the recommended treatment.