A LIFE without pasta, fresh bread and chocolate cake might seem too miserable to imagine.

So how would you cope if you became one of the thousands of people who suffer from coeliac disease?

Coeliacs have a life-long intolerance to gluten - the protein in wheat, rye, barley and oats which is found in bread, pasta, cakes and many processed and manufactured foods.

The condition causes weight loss, anaemia, diarrhoea, digestive problems, tiredness, breathlessness and mouth ulcers. If left untreated, it could lead to more serious conditions such as osteoporosis or cancer.

Around 250,000 coeliacs are living in the UK and most supermarkets now stock a range of gluten-free foods to feed them.

Staples such as bread, pasta and flour can be obtained on prescription and many coeliacs can eat a healthy and even enjoyable diet.

Senior dietician Sara Townsend, of York Hospital, said the condition could affect both young and old.

"When you eat, the lining of the small intestine absorbs nutrients as food passes through the gut," said Sara. "But when coeliacs eat gluten, this lining becomes inflamed and as a result, it is unable to absorb the nutrients.

"Once it's diagnosed and people embark on a gluten-free diet most people feel so much better and happier.

"Before it is diagnosed people have an enormous variety of different symptoms."

Coeliac disease is usually diagnosed by a blood test after discussions with a GP. Patients are then referred to a dietician for help to adopt their new eating pattern.

"A gluten-free diet means you have to think about food in a way you have not thought about it before," said Sara.

"There is no reason why it can't be healthy and enjoyable and there are plenty of gluten-free substitutes around. The quality of them has improved over the years.

"It's essential to stick to the diet as the gluten is a trigger for reactions that damage the intestine. It,s important to avoid it completely to give the intestine time to recover.

"You can obtain staple foods such as bread, pasta, crackers and flour on prescription and you can often get a greater range of food on prescription than you can in your supermarket."

Sara advised coeliacs to use fresh ingredients and check food labels very carefully.

"Eating out can be very difficult as restaurants and cafes vary enormously on the food they can provide for coeliacs," added Sara. "Planning ahead is very important."

For information and advice, log on to www.coeliac.co.uk or phone the helpline on 0870 444 8804. For information on the York support group email york@coeliac.co.uk.

Updated: 13:15 Friday, August 19, 2005