It’s Coeliac Awareness Week - an annual campaign that raises awareness about coeliac disease. Did you know that 1 in 70 Australians have coeliac disease, yet 4 out of 5 people remain undiagnosed? When I was about 16 I first realised gluten bothered me. We have a family history of coeliac disease; however I’ve never done the "gold standard" biopsy test (where you eat gluten for a month or more to test your reaction) as I get too sick. I know I have the coeliac genes (it’s a blood test) and I know gluten makes me feel yuck, so I avoid it. I see with many clients when they do the Microbiome Stool (poo) test how gluten impacts them – namely zonulin. For some clients it’s clear that gluten is impacting them – it’s not always coeliac disease, many people are gluten intolerant. They take the gluten out of their diet, and often within a month they start feeling better. It’s like magic! A gluten free lifestyle doesn’t have to be boring. Yes, it’s most certainly an adjustment, but it’s definitely easier to manage today in comparison to 20 years ago.
Vanessa Vanderhoek is a functional medicine nutritionist specializing in the gut microbiome, biochemistry and nutrigenomics. She helps people to regain their health by taking a “food as medicine” approach that's unique to their body.
Whilst based in Canberra (Australia), Vanessa sees clients around the world in her virtual clinic. To get started book an initial consultation by clicking here.