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Friday, 18 May 2012
Thursday, 17 May 2012
Everything you need to know about coeliac disease (and whether you really have it)
By Jason Tye-Din, Postdoctoral Scientist at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. Originally published on 'The Conversation' blog on 7th May 2012.
Disclosure Statement
Jason Tye-Din is affiliated with The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and The Royal Melbourne Hospital. He receives funding from the NHMRC. He consults for ImmusanT Inc. and is co-inventor of patents related to the use of gluten peptides in diagnostics and therapies for coeliac disease.
The Conversation provides independent analysis and commentary from academics and researchers.
Founding and Strategic Partners are CSIRO, Melbourne, Monash, RMIT, UTS and UWA. Members are Deakin, Flinders, Murdoch, QUT, Swinburne, UniSA, UTAS, and VU.
Disclosure Statement
Jason Tye-Din is affiliated with The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and The Royal Melbourne Hospital. He receives funding from the NHMRC. He consults for ImmusanT Inc. and is co-inventor of patents related to the use of gluten peptides in diagnostics and therapies for coeliac disease.
The Conversation provides independent analysis and commentary from academics and researchers.
Founding and Strategic Partners are CSIRO, Melbourne, Monash, RMIT, UTS and UWA. Members are Deakin, Flinders, Murdoch, QUT, Swinburne, UniSA, UTAS, and VU.
Thinking of jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon? Better think again.
The Neolithic Revolution introduced a whole range of new foods and proteins into the human digestive tract. But this phenomenal change created the perfect conditions for the rise of coeliac disease.
While most proteins were readily consumed, some people’s immune systems struggled to tolerate others. Wheat was the first cereal to be widely domesticated, and in the case of the gluten protein from wheat, the result of this struggle was coeliac disease.
When people with coeliac disease consume gluten, an abnormal immune reaction occurs causing inflammation and damage to the small bowel lining. This impairs absorption of nutrients and can lead to a wide range of symptoms and medical complications.
Ancient condition, 20th century treatment
The second century Greek physician Arateus is credited with coining the term coeliac disease, or “koiliakos”, after the Greek word koelia (abdomen), to describe patients suffering typical symptoms of diarrhoea, weight loss and anaemia.
Wheat was finally identified as the culprit of the reoccurring health problems. Joana Hard
Reports from the 19th and 20th century reveal considerable suffering and mortality associated with coeliac disease, particularly in infants. An effective treatment didn’t arise until the middle of the 20th century, when gluten was identified as the culprit.
The discovery was fortuitous – a wartime bread shortage led Dutch paediatrician Willem Dicke to observe improved health in children with coeliac disease, and note their relapse shortly after food drops of bread returned wheat back into their diet.
The work of Australian physician Charlotte Anderson established it was the gluten component of wheat (and also rye, barley and oats) that caused coeliac disease. It was the 1950s and the age of treatment with a gluten-free diet had begun.
Prevalence and the reasons why
Far from being a medical rarity, coeliac disease is very common today, affecting more than one in 100 Australians. And in the last half century, it has become approximately twice as common every two decades, similar to the rise in other immune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes.
The increased prevalence of the disease may be due to hyper-conscious hygiene practices.
Why the prevalence is increasing remains unknown, but a variety of environmental factors and the “hygiene hypothesis” have been proposed.
Today, people are typically diagnosed in adulthood and are mostly female. Alarmingly, 80% of Australians with coeliac disease remain undiagnosed. This is because symptoms are wide-ranging and largely non-specific. And coeliac disease still remains “off the radar” for many doctors.
Many symptoms but simple diagnosis
In people with coeliac disease, gluten causes widespread inflammation not limited to the bowel. Patients are commonly troubled by gut upset (such as bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and/or constipation), lethargy, anaemia, and nutrient deficiencies, such as low iron. They can also suffer loss of fertility, migraine headaches, abnormal liver function, arthritis and autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disease.
Bones are more likely to be thinned out (osteoporosis) and patients can develop certain cancers, such as lymphoma. The good news is that early diagnosis and treatment can greatly reduce the chances of these complications.
A blood test is a simple way to indicate whether you may have coeliac disease.
A simple blood test is used to screen for coeliac disease, although making a definite diagnosis requires demonstrating the characteristic small bowel changes of flattened and inflamed lining (“villous atrophy”) under the microscope. Small bowel samples are readily obtained by gastroscopy, a ten-minute procedure performed under sedation that introduces a flexible instrument via the mouth into the small bowel to allow samples to be taken.
It’s vital that a gluten-free diet isn’t started before testing for coeliac disease, as this can cause false negative results.
Genes and the environment
Coeliac disease shares certain predisposing genes with autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes (which explains why these conditions often occur together). These genes control how the immune system “recognises” and responds to foreign proteins and are fundamental for disease to develop.
But genes alone are not enough to cause coeliac disease and environmental factors are thought to play an important role in “triggering” disease in those with genetic susceptibility. Some factors appear to increase coeliac disease risk (such as rotavirus infection in infancy) while some may reduce the risk. Breastfeeding at the time gluten is introduced to an infant, for instance, may protect against developing disease.
The challenge of gluten-free diets
Excluding all dietary sources of gluten from wheat, rye, barley and oats allows the small bowel damage to heal and symptoms to resolve – but it’s far from easy. Wheat flour, the most common and significant source of gluten, is found in many foods, such as bread, breakfast cereals, cakes, biscuits, pasta, pastries and pizzas.
People with coeliac disease have to learn how to pass up the pastries.
There are also “hidden” sources of gluten found in sauces and processed foods and less obvious items, such as malted foods and beer. While gluten-free alternatives are increasingly available, they’re much more expensive and generally much less palatable – anyone who has ever tried gluten free bread will know how dense and crumbly it is!
Compounding its complexity, cost and poor palatability, the gluten-free diet needs to be very strict to work – even small amounts of gluten (about 50 milligrams – less than 1/100th of a slice of bread) can cause bowel damage.
That’s why patients need to be obsessive about excluding gluten – for people with coeliac disease the gluten free diet is not a fad but a serious medical treatment.
Is gluten free for everyone?
It’s hard to miss the ever-expanding sections of supermarkets dedicated to selling gluten-free food and many restaurant menus list gluten-free options. The gluten-free food industry is booming, with a global market projected to well exceed US$4 billion over the next three years.
Interestingly, a recent market survey commissioned by Coeliac Australia indicates that approximately 10% of Australians are currently following a strict or significantly reduced gluten diet. This is ten times greater than the total number of Australians thought to have coeliac disease.
A gluten-free diet isn't all that tasty, and not necessarily the healthiest option.
It’s likely that alternative health practitioners, disease advocacy groups, proliferating internet blogs and forums, and the gluten-free food industry are directly or indirectly fuelling the mounting public perception that a gluten-free diet is intrinsically “healthy” or suitable to treat a variety of symptoms and illnesses.
But medical evidence to support undertaking a strict gluten-free diet outside of coeliac disease is minimal. If people do choose to follow a gluten free diet, it’s medically important that coeliac disease is excluded first so that testing isn’t compromised – a missed diagnosis of coeliac disease can be disastrous for long-term health.
While many people feel their symptoms might improve on a gluten-free diet, this doesn’t necessarily mean they have coeliac disease. Nor does it mean a gluten-free diet is the most appropriate treatment for them.
Many cases of perceived wheat or gluten intolerance reported by patients is not due to gluten itself but intolerance to the wheat’s carbohydrate component (fructans). For some, a diet reducing fructans and other fermentable carbohydrates, a low FODMAP (fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols) diet can be a more effective and appropriate treatment than going gluten free.
Awareness, diagnosis and management
Inadequate and delayed diagnosis of coeliac disease remains a major problem in our community so improving awareness and testing is a major goal to reduce the burden of this disease.
Excitingly, there’s been significant progress in understanding the genetic and immunological basis for why gluten is toxic in people with coeliac disease. Immune cells called T cells are the key mediators of damage in coeliac disease. These T cells are stimulated to cause damage by specific gluten fragments, which have now been identified.
Such insights are allowing a variety of potential treatments for coeliac disease to be explored, some of which will supplement and some of which could one day replace the gluten-free diet altogether.
This article was originally published at The Conversation.
Read the original article.
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Happy & Healthy Families Expo Fremantle 2012 Cancelled
Unfortunately,
due to circumstances beyond our control, the Happy & Healthy Families Expo Fremantle 2012 has been cancelled.
Please contact Additive Free Kids if you have purchased tickets and
require a refund.
Thursday, 3 May 2012
Healthy Shelf Monthly Giveaway - May 2012
What is your favourite product on Healthy Shelf?
Simply leave your answer in a comment below and you will go into the running to win a free Onya Bag Black/Pink - Retro Onya worth $11.95!
Simply leave your answer in a comment below and you will go into the running to win a free Onya Bag Black/Pink - Retro Onya worth $11.95!
Please include your first name, surname initial and postcode in your comment to be eligible for the giveaway.
Now you can proudly have a stunning, long lasting bag that has its origins in a single use plastic drink bottle.
Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (rPET) is what you get if you recycle old plastic bottles (from soft drinks and bottled water) into fibre. So here we are not only creating a reusable bag, but we are also making it out of recycled materials.
Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (rPET) is what you get if you recycle old plastic bottles (from soft drinks and bottled water) into fibre. So here we are not only creating a reusable bag, but we are also making it out of recycled materials.
Made from attractive, strong rPET material and easily stuffs into it's own key-ring sized pouch.
This Original Onya Bag is made from 51% recycled plastic water bottles. Brilliant!!
Here's a thought; because someone thought to recycle 2 drinking bottles we were able to make you this great bag!
* Convenient caribiner clip means it is literally always 'Onya'
* Built-in shoulder strap makes this a very versatile bag
* Built-in shopping caddy loops for easy packing
*Just 50g total weight
* Generous gusset to allows for 14.7 litre capacity
* Useful front pocket
* Holds several kilos (infact, more than most of us can carry)
Find more great products from Onya Innovations in the Bags & Accessories, Drink Bottles & Cups and Value Deals sections of your Healthy Shelf.
Please include your first name, surname initial and postcode in your comment to be eligible for the giveaway.
This competition closes midnight (WST) Thursday May 31st 2012 and is open to residents of Australia. The winner is drawn at random and will be posted here on our Healthy Shelf Blog and on the Healthy Shelf Facebook page within 48 hours of the close of the competiton.
Congratulations to our April 2012 Monthly Giveaway Winner!
Caroline Kelly, you are the winner of our April 2012 Monthly Giveaway, CONGRATULATIONS!
Please contact us via mail@healthyshelf.com.au with your postal address and we will send your 2 pack of Waggy Dog Bakehouse Large Hearts to you shortly.
Thank you to everyone who entered our Monthly Giveaway. For your chance to win stay tuned to the Healthy Shelf Blog for our May 2012 Monthly Giveaway starting soon!
Please contact us via mail@healthyshelf.com.au with your postal address and we will send your 2 pack of Waggy Dog Bakehouse Large Hearts to you shortly.
Thank you to everyone who entered our Monthly Giveaway. For your chance to win stay tuned to the Healthy Shelf Blog for our May 2012 Monthly Giveaway starting soon!
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Popcorn giveaway from Healthy Shelf
Join us at the Happy & Healthy Families Expo in Fremantle on the 6th of June 2012 and take advantage of our Expo specials like this one! To find more information and other deals on offer at this Expo click here.
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Monday, 23 April 2012
50th Anniversary of Silent Spring: Synthetic chemicals cause the decline of bees
by Carlos Duarte, The Conversation blog, 22 April 2012, 6.35pm AEST
This Sunday we are celebrating Earth’s day, and Earth corresponded to our recognition by slowly spinning once again around its own axis, thereby allowing us to enjoy yet one more beautiful sunrise and, later on, a beautiful sunset.
As our planet completes one more spin, my thoughts on the 2012 Earth Day are with Rachel Carson and her landmark book “Silent Spring” published in September 1962, 50 years ago.
Silent Spring alerted society, with very compelling, scientifically-sound arguments and beautiful prose, of the risks of the massive use of synthetic pesticides, in particular DDT. Over a decade before this publication, Paul Müller received the Noble Award in Physiology for the demonstration of the efficiency of DDT to control insect populations.
Whereas massive application of DDT proved to be effective in reducing the prevalence of malaria, arguably saving many human lives; it came at a huge cost to all life, as DDT was not only effective in controlling mosquitoes carrying human pathogens, but all insects alike. DDT accumulated in living tissues and increasing in concentration upward in the food web. Decades after the ban on the use of DDT, all of us can still detect significant, but decreasing, concentrations of DDT in our own blood. Hence, massive application of DDT affected insects, both beneficial and noxious, wildlife and humans alike.
Rachel Carson’s work reacted to emerging evidence at the high environmental impacts of DDT, but was met with vigorous opposition from industry, which tried to prevent the publication of her book and made every possible attempt at discrediting her.
Much too often we have seen this same pattern: with the role of CFCs in destroying the ozone layer; the dirty campaign of industry to suppress the evidence for the health impacts of smoking; and the concerted campaign of some industrial sectors to discredit climate science and scientists.
Rachel Carson was, however, a brave woman, if with fragile health, and held her ground against these pressures, driving President J.F. Kennedy to consider seriously the risks of synthetic pesticides. Almost a decade later, following Rachel’s death from cancer, her efforts came to fruition in the form of US legislation regulating the application of synthetic pesticides.
Whereas Rachel Carson’s fight was hugely successful, it is not yet over. Our biosphere continues to receive emissions of synthetic chemicals, many of which have important negative consequences on biota, humans and the Earth System (e.g. acting as powerful greenhouses, impacting upon the ozone layer or interfering with the immune and reproductive systems of organisms, including our own).
The inventory of synthetic chemicals ever synthesized by humans is in the order or a million compounds, of which tens of thousands have been produced industrially and thus released in the environment. Many of these chemicals are biologically active, persistent in the environment and enter global transport. The resulting “anthropogenic chemosphere” (Dachs and 2010) is an important, if not sufficiently acknowledged, vector of global change.
Indeed, Rachel Carson’s fight is not yet over, and we need to continue to be alert at the pervasive effects of synthetic chemicals. A recent paper in Science (Whitehorn et al. 2012) provided compelling experimental evidence, linking the widespread and hereto mysterious decline of bumble bees with Neonicotinoid insecticides. Bees, tiny as they are, play a fundamental role in maintaining biodiversity, and even the production of fruits for human consumption, through their role as pollinators. The widespread decline of bees can have, thus, major impacts on biodiversity and food webs.
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, effective from May 2004, aims at eliminating or restricting the production and use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The original list of twelve compounds was expanded to add ten more compounds in 2010, and an additional 3 have been proposed for regulation. Yet, the rate of adding synthetic compounds to the Stockholm Convention is far slower than the rate of release of new POPs.
One of the POPs included in 2010 is PolyBrominated Diphenyl Ethers or PBDEs. PBDEs are used as flame retardants in a diversity of materials, including building materials, electronics, furnishings, vehicles, airplanes, plastics, polyurethane foams and textiles. They have been shown to reduce human fertility at levels found in households; and we can be certain that these households include our own.
A mature industry should produce sufficient robust scientific evidence for the absence of significant impacts of new synthetic chemicals in the environment, assess their likely persistent and transport pathways in the environment, and provide the scientific community and governmental labs with analytical techniques to resolve the ambient levels of these chemicals. A mature society should demand that industry does just that.
This is, however, not the case, and much too often we discover dangerous impacts of synthetic chemicals long after they were introduced in markets and, therefore, in the environment.
As the Earth Day comes to a quiet end, I see the reflections of the purple tones of the clouds in the quiet waters of the Mediterranean, and remember that Rachel Carson should also be celebrated for other contributions, including her beautiful books about the marine environment. Try, for one, Rachel Carson’s “The Sea Around Us”.
References
Dachs, J., and L. Méjanelle. 2010. Organic Pollutants in Coastal Waters, Sediments, and Biota: A Relevant Driver for Ecosystems During the Anthropocene?. Estuaries and Coasts 33:1–14
Whitehorn, P.R., S. O’Connor, F.L. Wackers, and D. Goulson. 2012. Neonicotinoid Pesticide Reduces Bumble Bee Colony Growth and Queen Production Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1215025.
This Sunday we are celebrating Earth’s day, and Earth corresponded to our recognition by slowly spinning once again around its own axis, thereby allowing us to enjoy yet one more beautiful sunrise and, later on, a beautiful sunset.
As our planet completes one more spin, my thoughts on the 2012 Earth Day are with Rachel Carson and her landmark book “Silent Spring” published in September 1962, 50 years ago.
Silent Spring alerted society, with very compelling, scientifically-sound arguments and beautiful prose, of the risks of the massive use of synthetic pesticides, in particular DDT. Over a decade before this publication, Paul Müller received the Noble Award in Physiology for the demonstration of the efficiency of DDT to control insect populations.
Whereas massive application of DDT proved to be effective in reducing the prevalence of malaria, arguably saving many human lives; it came at a huge cost to all life, as DDT was not only effective in controlling mosquitoes carrying human pathogens, but all insects alike. DDT accumulated in living tissues and increasing in concentration upward in the food web. Decades after the ban on the use of DDT, all of us can still detect significant, but decreasing, concentrations of DDT in our own blood. Hence, massive application of DDT affected insects, both beneficial and noxious, wildlife and humans alike.
Rachel Carson’s work reacted to emerging evidence at the high environmental impacts of DDT, but was met with vigorous opposition from industry, which tried to prevent the publication of her book and made every possible attempt at discrediting her.
Much too often we have seen this same pattern: with the role of CFCs in destroying the ozone layer; the dirty campaign of industry to suppress the evidence for the health impacts of smoking; and the concerted campaign of some industrial sectors to discredit climate science and scientists.
Rachel Carson was, however, a brave woman, if with fragile health, and held her ground against these pressures, driving President J.F. Kennedy to consider seriously the risks of synthetic pesticides. Almost a decade later, following Rachel’s death from cancer, her efforts came to fruition in the form of US legislation regulating the application of synthetic pesticides.
Whereas Rachel Carson’s fight was hugely successful, it is not yet over. Our biosphere continues to receive emissions of synthetic chemicals, many of which have important negative consequences on biota, humans and the Earth System (e.g. acting as powerful greenhouses, impacting upon the ozone layer or interfering with the immune and reproductive systems of organisms, including our own).
The inventory of synthetic chemicals ever synthesized by humans is in the order or a million compounds, of which tens of thousands have been produced industrially and thus released in the environment. Many of these chemicals are biologically active, persistent in the environment and enter global transport. The resulting “anthropogenic chemosphere” (Dachs and 2010) is an important, if not sufficiently acknowledged, vector of global change.
Indeed, Rachel Carson’s fight is not yet over, and we need to continue to be alert at the pervasive effects of synthetic chemicals. A recent paper in Science (Whitehorn et al. 2012) provided compelling experimental evidence, linking the widespread and hereto mysterious decline of bumble bees with Neonicotinoid insecticides. Bees, tiny as they are, play a fundamental role in maintaining biodiversity, and even the production of fruits for human consumption, through their role as pollinators. The widespread decline of bees can have, thus, major impacts on biodiversity and food webs.
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, effective from May 2004, aims at eliminating or restricting the production and use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The original list of twelve compounds was expanded to add ten more compounds in 2010, and an additional 3 have been proposed for regulation. Yet, the rate of adding synthetic compounds to the Stockholm Convention is far slower than the rate of release of new POPs.
One of the POPs included in 2010 is PolyBrominated Diphenyl Ethers or PBDEs. PBDEs are used as flame retardants in a diversity of materials, including building materials, electronics, furnishings, vehicles, airplanes, plastics, polyurethane foams and textiles. They have been shown to reduce human fertility at levels found in households; and we can be certain that these households include our own.
A mature industry should produce sufficient robust scientific evidence for the absence of significant impacts of new synthetic chemicals in the environment, assess their likely persistent and transport pathways in the environment, and provide the scientific community and governmental labs with analytical techniques to resolve the ambient levels of these chemicals. A mature society should demand that industry does just that.
This is, however, not the case, and much too often we discover dangerous impacts of synthetic chemicals long after they were introduced in markets and, therefore, in the environment.
As the Earth Day comes to a quiet end, I see the reflections of the purple tones of the clouds in the quiet waters of the Mediterranean, and remember that Rachel Carson should also be celebrated for other contributions, including her beautiful books about the marine environment. Try, for one, Rachel Carson’s “The Sea Around Us”.
References
Dachs, J., and L. Méjanelle. 2010. Organic Pollutants in Coastal Waters, Sediments, and Biota: A Relevant Driver for Ecosystems During the Anthropocene?. Estuaries and Coasts 33:1–14
Whitehorn, P.R., S. O’Connor, F.L. Wackers, and D. Goulson. 2012. Neonicotinoid Pesticide Reduces Bumble Bee Colony Growth and Queen Production Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1215025.
Thursday, 22 March 2012
Healthy Shelf Monthly Giveaway - April 2012
Who is your favourite dog? Is it your family dog(s), past or present, or a beloved movie or book character?
Simply leave your comment below and you will go into the running to win a free 2 pack of Waggy Dog Bakehouse Large Hearts (12.5cm long each)!
Give a little love back to your four-legged friends!
Waggy Dog Bakehouse aims to provide tasty, healthy treats for dogs whilst practicing sustainable methods of manufacture and promoting adherence to animal welfare standards.
10% of the profits raised from the sale of Waggy Dog Bakehouse treats are donated to the Dogs’ Refuge Home in Shenton Park, Western Australia.
- Organic ingredients
- Grain-Free
- Gluten-Free
- Corn-Free
- Soy-Free
- Dairy-Free
- No added sugar
- No preservatives
- No artificial colours
Of course we also wanted our treats to be mouth watering and irresistably delicious for dogs! The end result is a healthy and tasty freshly baked organic treat which will have your dog begging for more.
Find more Waggy Dog Bakehouse Treats and much more for all of your dogs, cats and most other pets in the Pet Care section of your Healthy Shelf.
Please include your first name, surname initial and postcode in your comment.
This competition closes midnight (WST) Sunday April 29th 2012 and is open to residents of Australia. The winner is drawn at random and will be posted here on our Healthy Shelf Blog and on the Healthy Shelf Facebook page within 48 hours of the close of the competiton.
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