Tony Hart says:”Following diagnosis, I had to alter my diet significantly and have since followed a strict gluten-free diet. The hardest things to give up have been doughnuts and Guinness, although I have taken to cider and wine well!”
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by intolerance to gluten. Damage to the gut lining occurs when gluten is eaten. There is no cure or medication for the condition; the only treatment is life-long adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. Without a gluten-free diet, the disease can lead to other conditions, such as malnutrition, osteoporosis, bowel cancer and also can cause infertility problems
At least 1 in 100 people in the UK is estimated to suffer from coeliac disease; however, according to a recent study, only 12.5% of people with the disease are actually being diagnosed.
Fundraising is going very well and Tony hopes to raise over £1500 for Coeliac UK. He has set-up a ’just giving’ site if anyone would like to donate
www.justgiving.com/tenshart
His training is also going well, “last year I completed the London Marathon in 4hrs 6mins but found the heat very difficult; this year I am hoping for closer to 3hrs 30 mins. I have started to branch out into triathlons mainly through using swimming and cycling as part of my training as they put less strain on the body. My aim going forward is to try to complete an Ironman within the next couple of years.”
Coeliac UK is holding its awareness campaign, ‘Food Without Fear’ from 12th – 18th May. This year’s campaign seeks to raise awareness of the need for greater gluten-free provision across the catering spectrum, from restaurants and cafés to hospitals and schools.
In reality,eating-out on a gluten-free diet can be a miserable experience; choice is often very limited and the risks of eating gluten, through cross-contamination or by mistake, can put many off venturing out. Recent research conducted by the Health Economics Research Centre at the University of Oxford has shown 67% of people with coeliac disease are less likely to eat out and 77% are less likely to eat food provided in the workplace.