With Celiac Awareness Week this week, I thought it would be a great time to discuss the links between Psoriasis and Celiac Disease.

It has been absolutely wonderful that researchers have identified gluten intolerance amongst people with psoriatic disease. When I was a kid, I constantly told my specialists that I didn’t feel well after eating bread, cereals and other gluten filled foods. They told me there was no evidence and to keep enjoying those foods if I wish.

However, in recent years gluten has been found to increase inflammation in the body, and increase insulin resistance (which people with psoriasis have) in addition to the gluten intolerance people with psoriasis have.

So does this make psoriasis sufferers celiacs? Not necessarily. There is a strong genetic link between psoriatic disease and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). This means a person with psoriatic disease can have digestive upsets such has stool irregularities (diarrhoea, constipation), bloating, and flatulence and so on.

To check if you have celiac disease, its best to go to your doctor and get the test done specifically for this. But here’s the thing; people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis need to omit gluten from their diet. Despite whether or not you have celiac disease or not, it is absolutely essential to avoid gluten due to the research identifying the increase in inflammation in the body as a result of eating gluten.

The truth is going gluten free is super easy. I encourage people to always stick to fresh, home made food.

Avoid pre-packaged food as sometimes gluten can be added in a product when you least expect it.

Pre plan your meals for the week and look for recipes that are anti-inflammatory and gluten free, just as we have on our website.

Click here for our wellness recipes.

Tell me about your experiences with gluten. Did you always have a “gut feeling’ something was wrong when you ate gluten? How has your life changed since you stopped gluten? Or are you still struggling to keep off gluten?

Sharing your experiences can help someone else who may be struggling. If you prefer to be anonymous, feel free to email me and I can share your story anonymously.

If you have found this blog post helpful, share with your social media buddies and hopefully day by day we can all work towards be a healthier and happier community. Irene