Autism

Autism is a disorder that causes young children to not develop normal social relationships, and can begin from the age of two. An autistic child also behaves in compulsive and ritualistic ways, and often communicates in an abnormal manner.

High levels of antibodies to gluten and casein (a protein in milk products), have consistently been found in autistic children. Compelling research reveals that a gluten-free and casein-free diet can dramatically reduces the symptoms of autism.

A specialist in autism and schizophrenia from the University of Oslo in Norway, Karl-Ludwig Reichelt, M.D. – a paediatric researcher there, purports autistic children do not produce enough peptidases. Peptidases are enzymes that break down the peptides (amino acid chains) of casein and gluten. Consequentially, the partially digested peptides from casein and gluten enter the bloodstream through a compromised gut wall, then migrate to the brain, where they affect the individual’s cognition and behaviour. However, there are also other factors involved in the development of autism. For example, vaccinations and mercury toxicity have been involved, perhaps compromising gut integrity which allows casein and gluten peptides to pass into the bloodstream, attacking the central nervous system.

To investigate just how effective a gluten-free and casein-free diet is, a study by Reichelt in 1995 placed 15 autistic children on this diet for four years. Each autistic child, exhibited improved cognitive skills, social behaviour, and communication abilities – except on occasions when they ate foods containing gluten and casein. J. Robert Cade M.D., from the University of Florida, Gainesville, has also conducted similar research. One of his studies, found that 81 percent of autistic children he treated with a gluten-free, casein-free diet displayed improvements in their behaviour.

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Neurological Diseases Part 2

One of the first symptoms of gluten sensitivity and neurological disorders, are unexplained, frequent headaches.

The M.D. of the Royal Hallmashire Hospital in Sheffield, England – Marios Hadjivassiliou, studied four male and six female patients suffering from headaches and gluten sensitivity – some of which also had unsteadiness or ataxia. The patients had MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) performed on them, with the each patient showing abnormal results, with white matter appear on the scan – characteristic of cerebral inflammation.

Nine patients were introduced to a gluten-free diet, which resulted in seven of those patients being completely relieved from their headaches, and partial relief in the other two.

It is still unknown how gluten sensitivity causes damage in neurological and cerebral disorders.

A possibility is that it is caused by nutrient deficiencies such as folic acid, vitamin B₁₂, and vitamin B₆ deficiencies. Another possibility is immune reactions to gluten or some direct toxic effect of the gliadin.

Regardless of the inner workings of gluten sensitivity, it is apparent that if a gluten-sensitive person continues to eat gluten, their condition will worsen.

For the most therapeutic results gluten-free diets are best implemented in the early stages of gluten-sensitivity, before too much damage is done.

In advanced neurological conditions gluten-free diets aren’t as successful so it is crucial gluten sensitivity is detected early.

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Neurological Diseases Part 1

People suffering from neurological diseases of unknown causes have a far greater frequency of gluten sensitivity than those of the general population.

One study in particular showed 57 percent of patients with neurological disorders of unknown origin had elevated levels of antigliadin antibodies, compared to only 12 percent in the control group.

This is especially true for patients with ataxia (unsteady and shaky movements) and neuropathy patients (numb and weak limbs).

Some other neurological conditions that are linked with gluten sensitivity include brain atrophy, epilepsy and memory impairment across various ages – including people aged in their twenties and thirties.

In patients with early-stage dementia, it is often common that they are diagnosed with celiac disease years or decades after the onset of the dementia.

This shows how pivotal it is for people to get tested for gluten sensitivity, as the earlier it is detected the less damage will be done to the brain – that cannot be corrected easily.

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Microscopic Colitis

Over the next few weeks I will be writing about other conditions that are associated with gluten sensitivity.

Colitis and Other Gastrointestinal Complaints are associated with gluten sensitivity – making it crucial to understand how to avoid this, in order to live a healthy life.
Colitis occurs when the colon is inflamed and usually causes chronic diarrhoea and cramping. This often develops from a variety of factors – one of which is gluten sensitivity. A common disease that can cause diarrhoea and cramping is microscopic colitis and is strongly linked to gluten sensitivity. Microscopic colitis is also often diagnosed as collagenous colitis.
Microscopic colitis relates to celiac disease as the damage done in the small intestine caused by celiac disease is almost identical to the damage done in the large intestine caused by microscopic colitis.

The difference between the two conditions is microscopic colitis is a secondary gluten sensitive condition – i.e. it may develop from something other than gluten sensitivity. For example microscopic colitis often develops from an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the colon, then once it has developed the immune system reacts to the gluten – making the situation far worse.

Therefore, the best solution to this is to implement a gluten free diet, while also taking supplements to correct the imbalance of bad bacteria.

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Silent Coeliac Disease is the damage to the small intestine (which is typically found in traditional coeliac disease), but without any obvious symptoms.

As the obvious symptoms are not present people can go for years, often decades without being diagnosed, while coeliac disease slowly but silently eats away at their health.

The initial signs of Silent Coeliac Disease include:

• Anaemia
• Osteoporosis
• Some types of autoimmune disease

Data presented from a recent study in the US suggests that:

Coeliac Disease is a gluten reaction in the immune system that causes damage to the small intestines & malabsorption of nutrients, sometimes without any obvious symptoms but with severe complications.

Recent research from the U.S. provides some interesting indicative data suggesting Coeliac Disease occurs in:

• 1 in every 167 healthy children
• 1 in every 111 healthy adults
• 1 in every 40 symptomatic children
• 1 in every 30 symptomatic adults
• 1 in every 12 first – and second-degree relatives of coeliacs

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Keeping your trolley free of gluten is not always the simplest of errands. Previously we’ve discussed Gluten Safe grains (see my previous article “Inside The Gluten Free Kitchen”) but supermarkets are a maze of gluten products. Use this article to help you make the right choices in the supermarket:

Fruit:

All fresh fruit is gluten free. Buy and enjoy whatever is in season. Fresh fruits are a great source of vitamins and nutrients.  Plain frozen, tinned and dried fruits will not contain gluten.

Juices:

Juices are mostly gluten free. Classic flavours and mixes are fine.  However the latest craze is ‘Super Juices’ and these may contain gluten. These so-called ‘Super Juices’ often contain wheat and/or barley grass.

Vegetables and Salads:

As with fruit, fresh vegetables are gluten free. Just be careful of premixed vegetable or salad packs that come with sauce packets. The sauce packets will often contain gluten.

*Tip when buying pre-made salads, avoid salads made mostly of ice-berg lettuce. Iceberg has the fewest nutrients of all types of lettuce. The darker the lettuce the more nutritious value it has.

Tinned or frozen packets of plain vegetables will be gluten free but will be less nutritious.

Dairy Products:

Milk, cream, yoghurt, sour cream and cheese are naturally gluten free.  However, if you’re considering purchasing processed cheese or yoghurt that has added flavouring always check the label cautiously (as gluten might have been added).

Eggs:

Not only are eggs an amazing source of protein, they are also gluten free.

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Celebrations and social get-togethers can be difficult for gluten free dieters. Delicious snacks, wholesome meals and enticing deserts make it hard to resist gluten.

Consider this your gluten free party plan:

1. Talk to your host.

Before the party, try talking to the host about your dietary concerns.  Make sure he/she understands you’re not trying to create more work for the cook. You just want to understand what dishes to avoid come the night of the party.

2. Volunteer to bring a dish.

By bringing your own gluten free food item, it allows you to eat something with complete confidence.

3. Snack ahead of time.

Depending on the type of social gathering, you may be able to eat dinner before you go. Filling your stomach before you get to the party will stop you from its gluten temptations.

4. Eat salad and vegetables.

Exercise some common gluten free sense. Think about what’s safe and what’s not. Salads should be fine (just watch out for croutons). As should plain vegetables. True, neither is likely going to be the most interesting food available, but they will be the safest.

5. Drink Well.

It’s a party, so you’re likely to have a drink or two. You can’t have beer, but wines, soft drinks and distilled spirits can all be consumed

6. Chip Bowl Protocol.

Chips are one of the most common party snacks. Simple is always safe.  Avoid chips with flavouring (unless you know they’re gluten free). Plain potato and corn chips will be safe.

7. Dessert.

You should avoid cake and biscuits  (unless you know for sure). Gelatin, fruit, sorbet and most ice creams will be fine.

8. And The Rest.

Crackers are a no-no, but cheese is fine.

Sandwiches should be left alone, however you can have sliced meats (ham, turkey, chicken etc).

Having celiac disease or wanting to exercise gluten free diet is not a party killer. As always just be careful. If you’re not sure, leave it.

Following the above tips will go a long way to ensuring you can celebrate and maintain your gluten free well-being.

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If you enjoy a gluten free diet, then dining in a restaurant warrants a certain level of caution.

Firstly, ignore the complimentary bread!

Yes, you’re hungry.  Yes, it is free.

But it’s almost certainly not going to be wheat free.

The solution:

Have a snack before you go out. Something small, that will tie you over during that ‘eternity’ between ordering and the waiter arriving with your food.

When ordering, as a general rule: ignore fried food.

Battered foods are almost always made with a wheat-based batter.  *Note: the oil in which the foods are fried is even more likely to be tainted with gluten.

Be wary of sauces. Go for something simple, such as grilled meat, fish or chicken with olive oil and/or lemon juice.

Salad dressings are another gluten free hazard. Most will not contain gluten. However, some (especially Asian style) do. Try sticking to oil and vinegar for dressings.

Rice would seem a safe choice. Yet Coeliac Disease sufferers be careful. Always ask if it is cooked with chicken stock. Many stocks contain gluten.  Best to check if the restaurant does use stock before you order.

If you are not confident in your options, speak with the waiter and/or kitchen staff.  Tell them you have ‘a wheat allergy’ (it may not be entirely true, but it will effectively communicate your dietary needs).  To make things even simpler, carry a dietary alert card that you can hand over to the kitchen staff.

Remember, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

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If you’ve recently been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease such as gluten sensitivity, these are the basic treatments that are most likely to occur.

The first step doctors will take is to identify targeted nutritional needs.
All doctors will perform check-ups, using various methods but they’ll all achieve the end result of gaining a comprehensive understanding of your nutritional deficiencies.   

The Gluten Free Diet:

Many doctors will prescribe a gluten free diet to you even if you haven’t had a blood test confirming you have a gluten sensitivity, if you’ve been unsuccessful with other treatments. Doctors will usually keep you on a gluten free diet for at least three months, so they are able to see the results effectively.

The Casein Free Diet:

Doctors will often prescribe a casein free diet for patients suffering from gastrointestinal disorders like Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

The Paleolithic Diet:

If a doctor puts a patient on a gluten free diet, they’ll also often put the patient on a Paleolithic diet as it will also help treat an autoimmune disease. The Paleolithic diet consists of replacing grains from the diet with fresh, natural foods. The foundations of this diet are that our ancestors had a diet that was close to a Paleolithic diet rather than the high carbohydrate, processed foods many people consume today.

Dietary Supplementation:

Most doctors will prescribe dietary supplements either orally or intravenously to you, in order to help you restore your health a lot faster.

Detoxification:

On top of prescribing dietary supplements to you, doctors will also usually prescribe you supplements that are specifically designed to help remove toxins from the body.

The treatments may sound difficult as you might see it as a severe change, but the results will far outweigh the food sacrifices you’ll make as you’ll feel healthy, happy and energetic.

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In 2004 a research study was published examining the link between gluten sensitivity and severe headaches.

The research was focused around “soft” neurologic conditions such as headaches in young adults and children. Headaches were the most commonly found neurologic disorder in the 111 patients with celiac disease. Out of the patients in the study; 64.5% with headaches had late onset symptoms of celiac disease or were gluten sensitive, and 35.5% had the early infantile form of celiac disease.

The study broke down the type of headaches the study participants experienced:

• Migraine 45.1%
• Non-specific 35.5%
• Tension-psychogenic 19.4%

Sixteen study participants were put onto a gluten free diet which relieved them of there symptoms.

Imagine the results if all patients who showed gluten sensitivity (not only the ones diagnosed with celiac disease) had been placed on a gluten free diet.

Another study conducted in 2001 followed 10 patients who suffered severe headaches and who all had MRI tests suggesting inflammation of the central nervous system, were each found to be gluten sensitive. These patients were told to start a gluten-free diet and all but one patient found relief. Seven out of the 10 patients recovered completely from their headaches, while 2 experienced partial improvement. The one patient who continued to suffer from headaches? Well he refused to try the gluten-free diet.

The next case from the study illustrates the power of a gluten-free diet.

A 50 year old man whose medical history did not show a disposition towards migraines experienced unexplained headaches for 4 years. When his headaches increased in severity and frequency, he agreed to take a blood test, which showed that he had anti-gliadin antibodies.

When he started on a gluten-free diet, his balance improved and his headaches disappeared completely. But 2 years later his symptoms had returned. When questioned, the man confessed he had stopped following a gluten-free diet. Another blood test was taken and this confirmed the return of anti-gliadin antibodies.

The results convinced the man that gluten was the reason for his headaches. He took up his gluten-free diet and has remained headache free to this day.

If this isn’t enough evidence to show that gluten can be the reason for headaches consider the following case.

One patient said that he had suffered from migraine headaches for more than 10 years. Neurologists that were consulted could find no cure, and the migraines continued to intensify so much that he had to take early retirement. By 2002 his 3 headaches a week had increased to an almost non stop headache, during one particular month he was headache free for only 3 days. Migraine medications did not work to help the patient’s pain.

The patient’s family doctor then suggested a gluten-free diet. The headaches slowly became less frequent and after several months he was 98% headache free.

Gluten-free wins again.

When parents discover they have an autistic child they often take drastic measures including drugs to control or offset their child’s autistic patterns. The Autism Research Institute (ARI) in the US, collected information provided by more then 23,700 parents who completed the questionnaire. ARI wanted to find out which remedies were the most effective in treating autism.

They found that one of the most effective treatments was following a special diet: removing gluten and casein from the autistic child’s diet, with 65% of parents reporting that their child got better.

Parents themselves report excellent results from a gluten-free, casein-free diet (Casein is the major protein in milk).

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