Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder that causes a reaction in your body to the protein, gluten. Gluten in your digestive system triggers your immune system to produce antibodies against it. These antibodies damage the lining of your small intestine (the mucosa). Damage to the mucosa in your small intestine impairs its ability to absorb nutrients from your food, causing nutritional deficiencies.
Gluten is a protein found in grains — particularly wheat, barley and rye. These grains, especially wheat, make up many of the staple foods of the standard Western diet, from breads and cereals to pasta and baked goods. Besides that, gluten often appears as an additive in food products where you wouldn’t expect to find it, such as sauces, soups and packaged foods. Beer is usually made from barley or rye.
Causes:
Many autoimmune diseases, like celiac disease, are at least partly inherited (genetic disorders). That means a particular gene mutation that’s passed down through family lines makes you more susceptible to developing it. But not everyone with the gene mutation develops the disease, and not everyone who develops it has one of the known genes. Other factors appear to be involved in triggering it.
Symptoms:
Symptoms of celiac disease vary widely among people, which can make it hard to recognize. Some people don’t notice any symptoms at all. Some experience indigestion and other gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms after eating gluten. Some only have vague symptoms of nutritional deficiencies later on, when real damage has been done. In these people, symptoms of anemia may be the first to present.
Treatment:
The first and most important step in treating celiac disease is to stop eating gluten. You can’t change the way your body reacts to gluten, but you can prevent gluten from triggering that reaction. When you stop eating gluten, your small intestine will begin to heal and will soon be able to absorb nutrients again. You have to maintain a strict gluten-free diet for life, though, to avoid hurting your small intestine again.
Koala:
Symbolically the Koala represents sensitivity, mindfulness, and overcoming the odds. The koala teaches us to slowly down, to think about our choices, and choose wisely our goodies in life. While managing Celiac having the koala in your tree will help pick the goodies to consume
1. Limited Diet: Koalas primarily feed on eucalyptus leaves, which make up about 90% of their diet. These leaves are tough to digest and have low nutritional value, so koalas have a low metabolic rate to conserve energy.
2. Sleepy Lifestyle: Koalas are known for their sedentary lifestyle and sleep for an average of 18 to 20 hours a day. This is mainly due to the low energy content of eucalyptus leaves, which provide minimal energy for their daily activities.
3. Unique Digestive System: Koalas have a specialized digestive system to break down the tough eucalyptus leaves. They have a large cecum, where most of the digestion takes place, and a hindgut that allows them to extract more nutrients from the leaves.
4. Mating Season: The mating season for koalas usually occurs during the southern hemisphere’s spring and summer months, from September to February. During this time, males bellow to attract females, and conflicts between competing males may arise.
5. Territorial Behavior: Koalas are territorial animals, and each individual typically occupies a home range that overlaps with those of other koalas. They use vocalizations and scent marking to establish and defend their territories.
6. Conservation Status: Koalas face various threats, including habitat loss, disease, and climate change. As a result, they are listed as vulnerable to extinction in many parts of their range, especially in Australia, where the koala population has been declining.
7. Unique Fingerprints: Koalas have unique fingerprints that are nearly indistinguishable from human fingerprints. This has posed challenges in conservation efforts, as it complicates the identification of individual koalas.
8. Climbing Adaptations: Koalas have strong limbs with opposable thumbs and two opposable digits on their hind feet, which help them climb and grip tree branches. Their large, sharp claws aid in climbing and provide stability.
9. Chlamydia Infections: Koalas are susceptible to chlamydia, a bacterial infection that can cause reproductive and urinary tract problems. Chlamydia is a significant concern for koala populations and has contributed to declines in some areas. Conservation efforts often involve addressing the impact of this disease on koala health.
10. Marsupials: Koalas are marsupials, which means they carry and raise their underdeveloped young in a pouch. Female koalas have a pouch that opens towards the rear, protecting their joey (baby) from external threats