Hello everyone and welcome to another article to help you in your journey with Coeliac Disease, this week I thought we would explore the issue of anemia.  Sometimes this is the first symtom to show and often goes un-diagnosed for a long time, as general lethargy and tiredness.    Iron Deficiency and Coeliac Disease.   Anemia is a very common symptom of coeliac disease. Why do anemia and coeliac disease so often appear together? First, let’s review some basic information about anemia.

In anemia, the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to the tissues is impaired because of a lack of hemoglobin (the complex protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen). Symptoms of anemia can include shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, feeling cold all the time, a rapid pulse, heart palpitations, and headache.

Anemia has multiple causes. The most common type of anemia -- both worldwide, and in coeliac disease -- is known as iron-deficiency anemia. Iron is a critical component of hemoglobin, so when a person is iron-deficient, the body cannot make enough of it. People with celiac disease can also have anemia of chronic disease, which is related to the damage in their intestines that results from eating gluten.

Why is iron-deficiency anemia so common among coeliacs? When coeliac disease is not treated with a gluten-free diet, the lining of the small intestine is damaged, leading to malabsorption of iron and other nutrients. When the amount of iron being absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract is inadequate, iron-deficiency anemia results. (Other conditions that are associated with malabsorption and iron-deficiency anemia include Crohn's disease, and the overuse of antacids.

Iron Rich Food.

One of the ways that Coeliacs can help themselves is to eat a diet rich in iron. This week instead of a recipe I have included a list of good iron rich foods for you.

Red meat (think lean cuts with little fat)
Egg yolks (boiled eggs for breakfast or lunch)
Dark, leafy greens (spinach, cabbage)
Dried fruit (prunes, raisins, dates)
Iron-enriched cereals and grains (check the labels - Rice Chex are iron-fortified AND gluten free!)
Mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops)
Turkey or chicken giblets (ok, I have to draw a line here, but the dark meat is richer than white in iron, so have a drumstick)
Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans
Liver (hmm....no thanks!)
Artichokes (are you thinking spinach artichoke dip??)