Coeliac disease – a missing link

I was diagnosed with Coeliac disease in October 2006. Overall, I now happily eat a more varied and satisfying diet, it has been a socially isolating experience, initially, being surrounded by people who did not want to understand and/or accept that I my health needed special consideration. Having extremely low energy it was easier to stay on my own than risk the harmful social attitudes to have company.

Along my gluten free journey, it has been a slow process of healing. Firstly, the physical needed addressing and as the medical model focuses around the physical part of health there was education on the gluten free diet and support which came from joining Coeliac WA – CWA (now part of Coeliac Australia). I highly recommend joining Coeliac Australia to learn from their standardised information and access to valuable resources.

It took me approximately 9 months to feel I was across the gluten free diet. During that time, I thought I was gluten free and then through the learning from CWA I identified other unexpected sources of gluten. It took me years (est 10 years) to address the change in diet, learning to cook new recipes, identify food I’d never heard of and adapt to a new lifestyle, to conserve the little energy I had, repair, heal my body while working to keep a roof over my head and paying bills.

To add to this challenge, I had also moved interstate in 2005 and that had it’s own unexpected challenges. Whilst I fully feel that WA was the space I needed to unpack and work through some intensely traumatic situations, this provided a whole new social space to question what was helpful and what was harmful, psychologically. Eventually I became aware of the impact on my mental and emotional health as well which needed support and guidance.

People with Coeliac dis ease often suffer from chronic fatigue, adrenal problems and circumstances that often leave you feeling exhausted, drained and angry. There can be psychological and cognitive patterns which people with Coeliac dis ease have in common. You may have experienced ridicule, lack of acceptance and acknowledgement and rejection. Experiences which lead to these persistent feelings can create a low self worth of not feeling good enough.

From my experience, I would have preferred a wholistic approach to treating Coeliac dis ease as this embraces the physical (diet), mental (psychological & cognitive processes) and spiritual (energetic, emotional). Along the gluten free journey you will meet people who help you think differently about life. Changing diet is an effective catalyst for this. Engaging in counselling will also assist. My sessions will support and guide those on their journey with Coeliac dis ease.

Reiki is aimed at re balancing your chakras. The main chakra that is compromised for those with Coeliac dis ease is the solar plexus (also known as the coeliac plexus or manipura). I have used Reiki and other energetic techniques to reinstate and balance my solar plexus and re empower my personal power. This has not meant that I stop the gluten free diet, however, it has aided my overall healing and enhanced my wellness, self esteem and ability to engage in my life socially, and the world.

Throughout a Reflexology treatment I also incorporate balancing chakras and include reflexes for the digestive and excretory system which all contribute to assisting your body to heal. The characteristics related to the solar plexus chakra include: stomach region, adrenal glands, digestion, assertiveness, power and capacity to structure and organise one’s life. If you have Coeliac dis ease you may notice that some, if not all of these aspects are impacted in your life.

If you would like to add me to your health team, please book your appointment today (https://calendly.com/heeltohealbookings) or if you still have questions please feel free to contact me and it will be a pleasure to answer them.

I look forward to seeing you at your next session at Heel to Heal.

Many Blessings

References:

  1. Reflexology for the Treatment of pain, The Kruchik Method Reflexology, Mauricio Kruchik, October 2017
  2. Metaphysical Anatomy Volume 1, Evette Rose, Create Space Independent Publishing Platform, 2012
  3. Coeliac Australia, www.coeliac.org.au
  4. The Chakras, their characteristics, Associations & Reflex zones, Jan van Baarle publishing