LIVING WITHGLUTEN INTOLERANCE

Gluten Intolerance can develop at any age, depending on various genetic factors. The effects could be any combination of bloating, abnormal bowel movements, abdominal pains, headaches, tiredness, skin issues, depression, unexplained weight loss, anaemia (iron deficiency), anxiety, autoimmune disorders, joint and muscle pains, leg or arm numbness, and brain fogging.

Disorders can happen anytime from within minutes to hours from ingestion. Ignoring the condition can result is permanent organ damage, and over time even with fatal consequences.

Diagnosis is initially carried out by testing the presence of tTG-IgA tissue (transglutaminase antibodies) in the bloods. Patient must be on a gluten containing diet prior to test. Further examinations

GLUTEN INTOLERANCE IS LATELY BECOMING QUITE A COMMON CONDITION DUE TO INCREASED TESTING AND AWARENESS. THE CONDITION IS MAINLY CHARACTERISED BY ADVERSE REACTION TO GLUTEN. GLUTEN IS A PROTEIN FOUND IN WHEAT, RYE, BARLEY, AND THE MAJORITY OF PROCESSED FOODS. THERE ARE MANY LEVELS OF INTOLERANCES AND THE MOST SEVERE IS CELIAC DISEASE.

are performed through endoscopies and intestinal biopsies. Celiac subjects need to adhere to strict gluten-free diets. Any gluten ingestion, even in minimal amounts (like contamination), can damage the small intestine, causing nutrient deficiencies, malnutrition, and malfunction of the immune system. The subject would then become immunedeficient and unable to fight even the simplest infections.

A very common and serious misconception is that using Gluten Free ingredients make up for a safe Gluten Free diet. This is wrong as the food preparation area, utensils and anything else used to prepare the final product needs to be totally free from any type of gluten contaminants and dedicated exclusively for gluten free food. The raw ingredients need to also be certified as gluten free.

HEALTHY DIET

GEOFFREY AXIAK

M.Sc. Nursing (Manchester), B.Sc. Nursing, P.G. Dip. (Nutrition & Dietetics).,

Registered Nutritionist

Mobile: (+356) 99822288 Website: http://gaxiak.yolasite.com Email address: axiakg@yahoo.com Primary Health - Floriana GEOFFREY AXIAK HAS BEEN WORKING AS A REGISTERED NUTRITIONIST SINCE 2003, PROVIDING PERSONALISED DIETS TO CLIENTS WITH VARIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS, SUCH AS DIABETES, HEART PROBLEMS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND OTHERS. HE REGULARLY DELIVERS TALKS, SEMINARS, LECTURES AND COURSES ON NUTRITION TO VARIOUS AUDIENCES OF PEOPLE INCLUDING HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND HE ALSO ORGANISES SEMINARS, COURSES AND CONFERENCES ON THE SUBJECT. HE HAS ACQUIRED A LARGE EXPERIENCE IN THE AREA OF FOOD ALLERGIES. HE ALSO HAS A VAST EXPERIENCE IN ON THE MEDIA AND IN CARRYING OUT NUTRITIONAL SCREENING OF ALL AGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE, WORKING WITH CATERING ENTITIES AND PERFORMING NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS, MENU PREPARATION AND ANALYSIS AND OTHER MATTERS. HE HAS OFTEN PARTICIPATED AND EVEN SPOKEN IN CONFERENCES BOTH LOCALLY AND ABROAD ON TOPICS RELATED TO NUTRITION. HE ALSO TOOK PART IN THE FORMULATION OF THE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE WHERE HE FORMED PART OF THE TEAM DEVELOPING THE NATIONAL OBESITY STRATEGY AND HE HAS ALSO WORKED WITH VARIOUS ENTITIES, HOSPITALS AND CLINICS TO PROMOTE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN THE MALTESE PUBLIC. HE PRESENTLY OFFERS HEALTHCARE COURSES INCLUDING IN NUTRITION, LEADING TO ACCREDITED QUALIFICATIONS OF VARIOUS LEVELS, FOR LAY PERSONS AND FOR QUALIFIED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS.

A healthy diet, based on the new Food Guide Pyramid, advocates daily exercise. This means that in order to stay healthy and to complement a healthy lifestyle, it is crucial to include a routine of exercise. Before one starts doing some regular exercise it is very important that he seeks the guidance of a doctor and undergoes a thorough medical check-up. This should include an assessment of one’s heart condition and stress endurance levels. This is crucial so that once one starts undertaking regular exercise, he (which from now on will be taken to mean any man or woman) will not over-exert himself and hence be doing more damage to his health than benefit.

When one comes to start doing exercise it is important that one starts with a slow and small degree

of exercise and not with a full-blown intense type of exercise. Exercise can take any form and can range from walking to jogging, running, swimming, using of exercise equipment and any other form. It is important that any kind of exercise will be tailor-made to the particular person. For example, it is dangerous for an obese person to use a treadmill or to walk briskly or run as the excessive weight would be putting a large strain on the person’s joints in his legs and knees. In such cases it would be wiser for an obese person to use an air-walker or a bicycle which are smoother or to swim. Swimming is the best exercise for obese persons as it places no strain on the knee joints and is still useful to help him lose weight. It is also useful for any person doing regular exercise to be guided by a qualified person and/or a gym instructor or personal trainer. At the same time it is important that such persons also keep a regular contact with a qualified nutritionist who can monitor their weight and weight-loss programme.

As a final point it is important that before doing any exercise, the person takes a supply of carbohydrates, such as a fruit or a cereal bar. Carbohydrates provide a source of slow-release, long-lasting energy, which would provide energy for the person to spend throughout the exercise session. This would increase his stamina and give him the strength to exercise for a longer time. Proteins, on the contrary, would provide a source of short-lasting, fast-release energy which would increase strength but not endurance.

Performing daily exercise is one of the most basic elements constituting a healthy lifestyle, but as can be concluded from the article above, this needs to be planned and the person needs to be adequately be supervised by qualified personnel in order to make sure he is safe and the benefit obtained from the exercise is the maximum possible.