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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Gluten is a collection of proteins found in:

• Wheat
• Wheat Cousins (Spelt & Kumut)
• Rye
• Triticale (a wheat-rye hybrid)
• Barley
• Oats
• An endless variety of processed foods

Of all these grains, wheat is the most challenging, largely because it contains the most gluten.

Food manufacturers, especially bakers, love gluten and have a high regard for the types of wheat that contain the most gluten, since it causes bread to rise and puff up magnificently.

What you may not realise, however, is that gluten can cause many people’s health to nose-dive – often in particularly dangerous ways.

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There are some health problems associated with refined grains.

Eating refined grains can result in the body producing adverse metabolic consequences very similar to what the body experiences when we consume refined sugar.

The majority of refined grain products provoke our glucose levels (blood sugar levels) to increase significantly causing the body to produce insulin to counteract the high glucose levels & return them to normal levels.

Sometimes, however, in the early stages of impaired glucose tolerance, the body will react to the increase of glucose levels by producing too much insulin, which results in the glucose levels dropping well below the normal level.

This condition is known as reactive hypoglycaemia.

This is a clear indication that the body is unable to cope with refined sugars & grains and is heading for more severe glucose tolerance problems in the future.

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Gluten grains may be the most problematic of the grains but a high intake of non-gluten grains has caused plenty of health problems around the world too.

An example of this is corn. Corn is a non-gluten grain but it’s interesting to note that it is particularly low in niacin (vitamin B3) and tryptophan, an amino acid the body can use to make niacin. As a result of a high intake of corn, pellagra (niacin deficiency disease) can develop.

Imbalances & nutrient deficiencies in refined grains

You may not be aware of it, but refined grains are nutrient-deprived foods.

The process of refining wheat involves the removal of the starchy endosperm away from the bran and germ, which also strips away the portions of vitamins & minerals essential for health.

The vitamins & minerals stripped away include:

• 60% of the calcium
• 85 % of the magnesium
• 77% of the potassium
• 78% of the zinc
• 68% of the copper
• 76% of the iron
• 86 % of the manganese
• 40% of the chromium
• 48 % of the molybdenum

Nutrients including chromium, magnesium & zinc are vital in assisting the body to properly use carbohydrates including grains for fuel.

Other nutrients including potassium & calcium are required to perform vital functions such as building & strengthening bones & relaxing muscles.

Unfortunately, eating plenty of white flour products doesn’t provide many of these nutrients. As a result of this it can lead, over time, to subtle pre-clinical nutrient deficiencies. The more refined grains & sugars we eat, the less balance we have of nutritious foods that provide the essential nutrients absent in refined foods.

Eating too many refined grains and sugars instead of nutritious foods leaves our body lacking the vital nutrients from nutritious foods. We are more likely to develop sub-optimal intakes, or worse, nutrient deficiencies, preventing our body from performing at its best.

Keep in mind that whole grains – which refined grains are derived from – also contain no vitamin B12 & none of the important antioxidants including vitamin A, vitamin C & beta carotene.

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Following on from last week’s article “What’s wrong with a high intake of grains?” we continue to explore the misconceptions of high intake of grains.

So, if a high intake of grains is not good for us, the question that pops to mind is;

Why do most of us believe they are actually good for us?

Why have grains become such a focal point of our day to day diet?

There are many pieces to the puzzle. We will begin with the obvious first:

• Advertising
• Social programming & pressures
• The availability of grains
• Promotions

Now looking in more depth:

Grains are everywhere in our society & are saturated through all cultures and in all places.

Grains have been embraced by society & have become the foundation for our meals.  This is why they can be seen through a range of shapes & forms in all food outlets including;

• Supermarkets
• Restaurants
• Café’s
• Food Courts

Essentially, all places that are licensed to sell food will have something  that contains grains.

Just for a moment, consider:

• You walk down the first aisle in the supermarket and you notice cereal or perhaps its muesli bars or maybe pizza bases.
• Every time you go to a restaurant the waiter brings complementary bread or rolls.
• You’re at home and you decide you make a super healthy ham and salad sandwich
• Or how about enjoying a refreshing ice cold beer at the football or other sporting event

Everywhere you go you are presented with the opportunity to consume grains & because of this growing availability of grains the majority of us will give in to temptation, eating them even when we don’t realise it or want to but through pure convenience if nothing else.

This grain domination has happened because society has been socialised to believe that grains are good for us. We have grown up with the notion that we need to have a balanced diet consisting of the four major good groups including:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Meat
• Grains

As a result of these beliefs few of us have had the opportunity to hear any negatives about grains, which has resulted in few questions challenging the idea that grains are a good for you.

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There is a common misconception that lots of grains are good for us. Unfortunately grain, like everything else, is good for us but only in moderation.

But why you say?

Grains are rich in carbohydrates as well as calories, which is why they are used to fatten up livestock & subsequently also fatten us up when we eat excessive amounts.

Grain is a great way to ‘bulk up’ & more importantly is high in nutrients, which keeps drawing us back to them.

An increasing amount of people are intolerant to common grains with millions of people developing allergic reactions & symptoms including:

• Malabsorption of nutrients
• Bloating
• Gas
• Aches & pains
• Other digestive problems

Further to these symptoms, high grain diets are also being linked to some modern day health problems. The latest studies have found problems relating to high grain diets can include:

• Bone diseases; such as osteoporosis
• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune thyroid disease
• In extreme cases, some cancers

So remember, eat in moderation and if you are experiencing any of the symptoms after eating common grains don’t be afraid to see your doctor for more information.

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