Mari Wilson

I recall the few years before I was diagnosed with coeliac diseaseA condition where a person is unable to eat gluten as it makes their body attack itself. , how my stomach was always bloated.  I felt so uncomfortable and very tired.

Singing takes a lot of physical energy and going onstage means you are very aware of your appearance, as well as how you are feeling. It got to the stage where I would have two sets of stage clothes, as I never knew from one day to the next, what shape I would be. One was a fitted outfit to show off my figure on a good day and one was loose and voluminous for the bad days. It seemed ridiculous because I was swimming a mile a day, going to aerobics classes and generally keeping as fit as I could.

I enjoy sports and working out, and I know how important these things are to my health as I also have Type 1 Diabetes, which was diagnosed in 1978. I don't eat meat and have always had a healthy diet - so what was I doing wrong?

In 1992 I planned to release a new album, The Rhythm Romance, so in 1991 I was at the photo shoot for the album cover. When I saw the results I couldn't believe how thin I'd become and how my eyes had lost their sparkle.

Towards the end of 1991 I was looking pretty dreadful. I had dark circles under my eyes, I had lost weight (but didn't look good for it) and I had no energy.

I had a weeks engagement at Ronnie Scot's Jazz Club in London and I have no idea how I got through it. I would sleep all day just to get through the performances.

Soon after I went to see my diabetes consultant who told me something about a condition called coeliac disease, which for some reason has a high incidence amongst diabetics. I was booked in for a biopsyWhen a small amount of tissue is taken during endoscopy. and sure enough, he was right - I had coeliac disease.

Just like when I found out I had diabetes, there was an enormous relief to finally discover what was wrong with me and that there was a name for it.

I thought to myself; okay, now that I know what it is, I can deal with it and get fit again.  Knowledge is power and if there's any advice I can give it is to find out as much as possible about your condition. Then you become the boss - you run the disease, it doesn't run you.

The reason I was so terribly tired was that I was extremely anaemic - in fact the nurses couldn't believe I was actually standing up! Immediately I was put on iron tablets and told to cut out glutenA protein that is found in the cereals wheat, barley and rye. from my diet completely. Of course, having diabetes, I was used to going without certain things and I knew I could do it.

People often express sympathy at my restricted diet, but I'm very happy to be putting the right fuel into my body. My diet is so healthy that it shows in my skin, my eyes, my hair and my energy levels. I'll admit that there used to be the odd day when I fancied a doughnut or something, but that has diminished over the years because my palate has changed so much that I crave salads and fruit much more - and my body appreciates it!

To begin with it was hard, but things have changed so much for the better since my diagnosis. There are gluten-freeWhen a food has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten so it is safe for people with coeliac disease to eat. ranges in almost every supermarket and they improve all the time. The one thing I used to miss was the warm bread served before a meal in a restaurant, but I was out recently and when I refused the bread on offer, the waiter said "would you like some gluten-free bread madam?" Well, I couldn't believe it! He brought me four warm gluten-free bread rolls. I ate one and put the rest of them into my handbag!

Having seen what gluten was doing to my body, my health and my well-being, I'm happy to live without it.  Getting diagnosed and being back in control of my life is one of the best things that have ever happened to me.