Olympian Rebecca Adlington reveals she has been diagnosed with life-changing disease after pleading for help
Olympian Rebecca Adlington has revealed she has been diagnosed with a life-changing disease after calling for help from her fans online.
The 36-year-old gold medallist swimmer took to social media earlier this week to share an update on her health, namely explaining that she's recently been diagnosed with a condition which affects one in 100 people.
However, only 36 percent of people with the condition are clinically diagnosed with the under diagnosis of the disease being a significant problem as it is estimated around half a million people in the UK are currently undiagnosed.
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Rebecca's diagnosis was coeliac disease - a condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues when you eat gluten which damages your gut so your body cannot properly take in nutrients.
Coeliac disease can cause a range of symptoms, including diarrhoea, abdominal pain, indigestion, constipation and bloating, the NHS states.
Taking to Coeliac UK's Instagram on Wednesday (26 March), Rebecca began: "Hello, everyone. As someone newly diagnosed with coeliac disease, I have definitely quickly learned how vital gluten free prescriptions are for managing this condition, but in some areas, these prescriptions are totally being cut.
"Coeliac UK is handing in a petition to Number 10 to make sure we're heard. So please sign and share the petition today."
According to the charity, its petition to protect gluten free prescriptions has now closed and reached an 'outstanding' 22,826 signatures.
"On Wednesday 19 March, we delivered the petition directly to 10 Downing Street, presenting our call for action to the UK Government," Coeliac UK continued.
"While we’ve made great strides, the campaign continues. We will keep you updated as we work with Government officials to drive much-needed change."
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition which sees the body's immune system mistakenly attack healthy tissue.
In coeliac disease, the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten - which can be found in the likes of wheat, barley and rye - as a threat to the body and attacks them.
It's not entirely clear what causes the immune system to act this way, but a combination of genetics and the environment appear to play a part.
While there is no cure for coeliac disease, the NHS advises that following a gluten-free diet should help control symptoms and prevent the long-term complications of the condition.
You can find out more about Coeliac UK and the work it does here.
Rhiannon Ingle