For patients seeking resolution. For practitioners seeking answers.
Coeliac Disease: A Functional Medicine Approach to Diagnosis, Healing, and Clinical Mastery
You Deserve More Than a Gluten-Free Diet
Coeliac Disease is often misunderstood—even by the people who treat it.
It’s not “just” a digestive issue. It’s a whole-body autoimmune condition that can affect everything from your brain to your hormones, your skin to your fertility. And while a gluten-free diet is essential, it’s rarely the full solution.
Whether you’re a patient struggling to feel better or a practitioner trying to untangle a complex case, I’m here to help.
For Patients
I work with individuals who’ve been diagnosed with Coeliac Disease—or suspect they have it—but still don’t feel well, even after removing gluten. If that’s you, you’re not alone. I’ve been there myself.
For Practitioners
If you’ve been frustrated by confusing lab results, treatment-resistant cases, or a lack of clear guidance, I teach practitioners how to approach Coeliac and gluten-mediated autoimmunity with clarity and confidence.
My Clinical Perspective
As someone who has Coeliac Disease myself, I’ve seen two major challenges within the coeliac community—both as a patient and as a clinician.
1. Getting a Diagnosis is Often Incredibly Difficult
For every person diagnosed with Coeliac Disease in the UK, it’s estimated that seven others have the condition but remain undiagnosed.
In the United States, that number rises to an estimated 90–95% of people with Coeliac Disease who are still undiagnosed.
On average, it takes approximately 10 years from the onset of symptoms to receive a diagnosis, and most people will have seen at least five different doctors during that time.
The symptoms are often vague, varied, or mistaken for other conditions—leading to years of misdiagnosis, frustration, and unnecessary suffering.
2. Many People Don’t Fully Recover on a Gluten-Free Diet
For some, removing gluten from the diet is life-changing. Their symptoms resolve, their energy returns, and their health improves dramatically.
But for many others, a gluten-free diet isn’t enough.
Some people continue to experience the same symptoms they had before diagnosis. Others even develop new symptoms after going gluten-free. This can be incredibly disheartening.
Here’s why that happens:
- There may be ongoing damage or delayed healing—even after gluten is removed.
- Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and other gut microbiome imbalances are common in people with Coeliac Disease.
- Additional food sensitivities or inflammatory responses may emerge.
- Other autoimmune conditions might be present or developing—but overlooked, because everything is being attributed to Coeliac Disease.
- Despite NICE guidelines recommending ongoing care, follow-up support is often inadequate or nonexistent.
Because I live with Coeliac Disease myself, I’m especially passionate about supporting others with this condition. I know firsthand how complex and frustrating it can be.
If you’re struggling to get a diagnosis, or if you’ve been diagnosed but are still unwell despite following a strict gluten-free diet, please reach out. You don’t have to navigate this alone—and you deserve to feel better.
Why Coeliac Disease is More Complex Than You Think
Most people with coeliac disease suffer from symptoms outside the gut. In fact, only 1 in 8 people with Coeliac Disease have gut-related symptoms. Instead, they may present with:
Neurological
- Brain fog
- Migraines
- Numbness and tingling
- Balance issues
Mental Health
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irritability
- Mood swings
Skin & Hair
- Dermatitis herpetiformis
- Eczema
- Chronic hives
- Hair thinning or loss
Hormonal & Reproductive
- Irregular periods
- Infertility
- Early menopause
- PCOS symptoms
Others
- Chronic fatigue
- Joint pain
- Autoimmune co-conditions
- Nutrient deficiencies (iron, B12, folate)
Because symptoms can be so varied, many people go years
—sometimes decades—without a proper diagnosis.
My Personal Connection
I have Coeliac Disease myself. I was diagnosed and began eating gluten-free in 2004. That diagnosis changed both my life and my career.
It led me to specialize in gluten-related disorders and autoimmune disease, and to pursue advanced training as a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner and Nutritional Therapist. Over the last two decades, I’ve worked as a clinical educator for Cyrex Labs, taught autoimmune and gluten-related modules at The Institute for Optimum Nutrition and The University of Northampshire, and consulted for leading laboratories including Doctor’s Data, Genova Diagnostics, and Regenerus.
Today, I help patients heal more fully and train functional medicine practitioners across the UK, Europe, and North America.
In that time, I’ve seen just how many people suffer unnecessarily because:
- Their symptoms are dismissed
- Their testing is incomplete or misinterpreted
- Their treatment stops at “just go gluten-free”
I’m here to change that.
Functional Medicine:
A Deeper, More Holistic Approach
In functional medicine, we don’t stop at the label. We ask: What’s driving this? What’s happening in the immune system, the gut, the environment, and the nervous system to lead to this pattern of dysfunction?
When it comes to Coeliac Disease, this means:
- Looking beyond positive or negative test results
- Investigating co-morbid conditions (autoimmunity, infections, mold exposure, etc.)
- Supporting immune regulation and oral tolerance—not just intestinal healing
- Addressing nutrient deficiencies, systemic inflammation, and resilience
Why Traditional Testing Isn’t Always Enough
Many patients have been told they “don’t have Coeliac” because their biopsy was negative or their antibodies were within range. But here’s the truth:
- Testing is timing-dependent. If you’ve already removed gluten, results may be falsely negative.
- There’s a spectrum. Some people fall into “latent Coeliac” or NCGS with immune reactivity but no intestinal damage—yet.
- Most testing misses the full picture. Standard panels often exclude markers for transglutaminase-6 (neurological), deamidated gliadin, or wheat germ agglutinin.
I use advanced testing—including Cyrex Labs panels—to gain a more accurate picture of what’s happening in your immune system.
For Patients
Your Healing Journey Starts Here
If you’ve been diagnosed with Coeliac—or suspect you may have it—but still don’t feel well, I want you to know: You’re not failing. You just haven’t had the full support or information you need.
I specialize in:
- Complex, treatment-resistant Coeliac cases
- Overlapping autoimmune conditions
- Non-Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity
- Children, teens, and reproductive health in gluten disorders
My approach is personalized, comprehensive, and grounded in evidence and experience.
For Practitioners
Learn to Navigate Coeliac with Confidence
If you’ve ever stared at a confusing test result or had a patient who didn’t improve on a gluten-free diet, you’re not alone.
I created The Autoimmune Academy to help functional medicine practitioners:
- Understand advanced testing (beyond the basics)
- Learn how immune mechanisms drive gluten reactivity
- Develop flexible, unbiased clinical toolkits
- Confidently address complex autoimmune and gluten-mediated cases
If you’re a practitioner who wants to feel more confident in your clinical reasoning and outcomes, let’s stay connected.
Free Resources to Support You
Read my article about Grieving Gluten
Read my article about Setbacks in the Path to Recovery
Read my article about my ‘No Stone Left Unturned’ approach to health restoration
Read my article about why your history is so important to help us understand how to move you forwards now
Sign up to my newsletter to download my comprehensive e-book on Coeliac Disease.
