Living with gluten intolerance (also called celiac disease) can quickly become a food headache. Between announcing the diagnosis and setting up her diet, Marie V., mother of four, 41, gives us the testimony of her intolerance to gluten.
It is estimated that one in 100 people can develop gluten intolerance in Europe, writes the French Association of Gluten Intolerants (Afdiag) (Source 1). Celiac disease affects both children and adults. “In France, only 10 to 20% percent of cases would be diagnosed today, because 80% percent of subjects have minor symptoms such as simple iron deficiency or asymptomatic forms”, notes the latter.
Gluten intolerance, what is it exactly?
Celiac disease or gluten intolerance is a chronic and autoimmune intestinal disease linked to the ingestion of gluten, a viscoelastic substance that remains after the elimination of starch from cereal flour. Gluten is formed from gliadin, a vegetable protein contained in certain cereal grains (rice and wheat), which causes digestive symptoms. A gluten-free diet eliminates symptoms.
First step: the diagnosis, as Marie V. tells us in her testimony. “I discovered my celiac disease ten years ago. At the time, I was a nurse anesthetist in the hospital. I was often very tired, both physically and psychologically. Then came significant anemia as well as immune health issues. I saw several doctors who claimed that my symptoms were due to stress. And finally, one day, I was given the correct diagnosis.”
“I have probably suffered from this disease since my childhood. When I re-read my health book and saw the inscription ‘diarrhea on introduction of cereals’, everything became clear.
How do you know if you are allergic to gluten?
Often, gluten intolerance remains asymptomatic or is only responsible for minor disorders. But overall, the most common symptoms are digestive disturbances: chronic diarrhea, constipation, sometimes abdominal pain, bloating associated with intestinal gas… This digestive discomfort can be associated with fatigue, deficiency (iron, folic acid, calcium… .), weight loss, mood disorders, joint pain… These symptoms are very variable, easily identifiable in some and little or not at all in others.
