What is Coeliac disease? Relate your answer to the function of the villi and how they are adapted for their function.
Coeliac disease is a significant medical condition that can result in a number of serious consequences if not diagnosed and treated properly.
It affects the small intestine - the part of the digestive system responsible for absorbing nutrients.
The villi in the small intestine are small finger like projections, which increase surface area for food. It is richly supplied with blood vessels, which get nutrients from here and transport it to rest of the body.
What happens to a person with Coeliac disease?
In a person with coeliac disease, the lining of the small intestine is damaged by gluten. Gluten is a protein component of wheat, rye, barley and oats.
With this disease, there will be diarrhea, weight loss, anaemia, calcium deficiency, joint pain and bloating.
Treatment - how do we deal with Coeliac disease?
Coeliac disease cannot be completely curable but it is usually treated by excluding foods that contain gluten. Which means, instead of eating things like pasta and cereal, they should eat potato or rice because eating food that contains gluten will cause your symptoms to return.
If you start a gluten-free diet, your symptoms should improve within a few weeks but it will take up to two years for your digestive system to completely heal.
Coeliac disease cannot be completely curable but it is usually treated by excluding foods that contain gluten. Which means, instead of eating things like pasta and cereal, they should eat potato or rice because eating food that contains gluten will cause your symptoms to return.
If you start a gluten-free diet, your symptoms should improve within a few weeks but it will take up to two years for your digestive system to completely heal.
