Coeliac Awareness Week is almost here – 13-20 March.

Men, as well as women, need to understand that coeliac disease is a very serious condition. Untreated, it can lead to other health conditions such as liver disease and cancer that can, in some cases, prove fatal.

Coeliac disease affects at least one in 100 people, or nearly a quarter of a million of the population.  Diagnosis rates overall were poor, with four out of five coeliacs not aware that they had the disease.

These are alarming statistics by anyone’s standards, but even more frightening is the fact that men are noticeably lagging behind women in the testing stakes.

Coeliac disease causes inflammation of the bowel which in turn makes it hard for people to absorb nutrients from the food they eat.  As a result, one of the first signs can be unexplained tiredness and a general lack of energy or get-up-and-go.

Many men put it down to the fact that they’re leading a busy lifestyle or just getting older.

This type of tiredness is not normal.

Any man who falls asleep in the chair after dinner, who does not have the energy to play with his kids, who can’t be bothered to play sport any more or who finds it hard to concentrate at work, should seek information about coeliac disease.

This is why the Coeliac Society is aiming to educate men about the more common symptoms of coeliac disease.

Connie Manglaviti from gluten free Naturally Good Products (www.naturallygoodproducts.com.au)  knows only too well about the needs of coeliacs & has developed some delicious dessert recipes that will tempt the tastebuds of anyone who’s gluten intolerant and introduces many new meal ideas to visitors at annual Gluten Free shows.

Share