Before the Gluten-free diet.

[pretender]

What did Coeliac's do before the gluten-free diet came along?

[poing]

be horribly ill and die quickly

not to put too fine a point on it

[pretender]

When did the gluten-free diet first come about? was it not around about the 60's?

Not the right answer sorry!

Once diagnosed the patient avoided Wheat which with the second world war it was found that children with the condition thrived by avoiding wheat as it was in such short supply.

[poing]

Well, I did read once that children with coeliac disease were fed bananas.

glutenfreetravel.com.au/his...

The biopsy method of diagnosis didn't come along until 1954 so perhaps not every diagnosed coeliac was actually coeliac as we understand it today though.

And i bet there were plenty of undiagnosed coeliacs who didn't present with classical wasting and digestive symptoms, but just died.

[pretender in reply to poing]

During the 50's the method of ascertaining the condition of the duodenum was by capsule biopsy, this was carried out by the patient swallowing a small stainless steel capsule which is on the end of a small air pipe (type used with fish tanks today) after many hours the patient was taken to the x-ray dept where x-rays were taken for location of the capsule. Once in position the Doctor/Consultant would attach a large hyperdermic needle to the end that had been taped to the paients head. Once the needle was attached the needle was used to suck a section of the intestine into the capsle where a small guilotine would cut a section off which would attach to a rubber lining in the capsule. Once this had been carried out the patience could then pull the capsule out, slowly of course. The capsule then went to the lab. etc etc

Prior to this way of diagnosis it was by symptoms as well as a possible Lumbar punch.

I had this in 1962 and speak from experience.

[Lynxcat]

For those who wish to see it here is a video of the history of Coeliac Disease:

Dr. Alessio Fasano, Director of the Center for Celiac Research, presents a special seminar on the history of celiac disease at the University of Maryland titled: Celiac Disease and the Gluten Free Diet: From the Banana Diet to No Diet? This seminar was presented in recognition of the special relationship between the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine Americas oldest public medical school and the University of Salerno the worlds first medical school. Dr. Fasano, one of the worlds leader in celiac disease research presents a look back at the history of celiac disease and how is has evolved from being considered rare in the US to one of the most common disease in the US. The University of Maryland Center for Celiac Researchs landmark study in 2002 established the prevalence of CD in the US to be 1 in 133 persons. The CFCR has been the leader in developing new diagnosis tests and treatment options among numerous other research breakthroughs.

youtube.com/watch?v=MQHiBC_...(Not working as expected?)

[Andrea-LifeAfterBread]

Also take into account that the UK, Europe and especially the USA now eat far more gluten-containing foods than ever before.

Gluten grains have been hybridised and often contain more gluten proteins than the original breeds of these grains.

We use more antibiotics now, which lower our gut flora and capability to deal with hard-to-digest proteins.

We don't eat so many traditional fermented foods that keep our gut flora levels healthy and our digestion working well.

All of these and many more factors contribute to coeliac disease and gluten intolerances becoming more prevalent than ever before.

[pretender]

The best answer was given to me by a dietician, take a loaf of bread and take out the soft inner part, add a little water and then knead into a doughy lump. Some fisher men do this for bait.

Now picture that lump of doughy material bouncing around your stomach.....flattened villi.

Stop doing this and your gut heals.....very basic and explantory.

[1stgls]

I think probably a lot of people realised that eating bread was not so good for them and avoided it --- my brother was diagnosed in the early 50s * he was a "failure to thrive child" Dad lost his job and mum worked for a farmer and he allowed her to bring home all the vegs which would not sell, ( she could not afford flour) my brother improved, dad got a job, mum bought flour , my brother got ill again.

the diets pre-war, pre chemicals! were much more natural and were not bulked out to the extreme they are now, our grandparents probably never bought a "coated/flavoured" piece of meat,,,,, chips were just chopped up potatos cooked in lard.

It seems we need more artificial flavours and that is the problem as wheat is used as a carrier for the flavouring