Diet without casein and gluten for autism child

It is a sad fact that all conventional medicine has to offer a parent with an autistic child are drugs designed to treat completely different problems like schizophrenia.

But Jenny McCarthy isn’t the only mother of autistic children who appears to benefit from a diet that excludes gluten and casein. Parts of the medical profession are also starting to take sides, suggesting that gluten, casein and sometimes other things be excluded as a first approach.

Part of this is due to parental pressure, of course. But part of that is due to research into the effects of celiac disease, which often coincides with mental difficulties ranging from “blurry thinking” to ADHD-like symptoms when undiagnosed (and therefore untreated). Other researchers have found a link between gluten and casein and serious mental problems like bipolar disorder.

Parents who have tried the GFCF diet (as it is often known) are often almost evangelical in their zeal, which some find off-putting. But if you found a cure for a child affected by something so bad, wouldn’t you be excited and want to help others in the same boat? Sure you would.

So we can’t blame moms and dads in this situation if at times they seem to be a little “over the top” in their endorsement of what appears to be a miracle cure.

It’s no miracle, though.

If the mechanism behind gluten and casein’s role in autism is what it seems to be, it’s really quite understandable. Researchers say that the cause is that when either of these proteins is broken down, it’s a two-step process. In normal digestive systems, that is.

But in some people who have a defect of one kind or another, the second part of the process doesn’t take place. Therefore, the opioid peptides produced in the first stage (casomorphine and gliadomorphine) are never further broken down and can escape into the bloodstream.

Until now, the mechanism behind “leaky gut syndrome” that allows for this loss had not been explained, but in July 2008, Maryland researchers discovered a receptor called CXCR3 that “opens the intestinal barrier to make it more permeable.”

Imagine a constant drip feeding of opium (just as the “first stage” digests casein and gluten) every time your child eats anything?

If true, the theory makes it clear how removing this constant stream of toxic chemicals can make a child appear to come back to life once they retire. As I said, it’s not a miracle, but it may seem like it.

And all for a change of diet ,It also explains why adding chemicals to what is already floating in the bloodstream has little positive effect. You have to break the addiction to “naturally” produced opiates, not add another level of addiction.

The gluten-free and casein-free diet is not an easy choice, of course. Gluten is found in almost all processed foods, and what’s left likely contains casein. So it’s pretty much a staple diet, with lots of whole grains (excluding wheat, rye, barley, and closely related grains), fresh fruit and nuts, vegetables and meat that didn’t go through a factory, and no dairy products.

products There are still a lot of things to eat, but in general they are not things you can pick up and take home in the microwave.

Casein is also often added to “non-dairy” cheeses and similar products to make them more like real ones, so be very careful.

Another problem in the early days is that there is often a “withdrawal” process, because opioid peptides can produce an addictive effect. This is difficult to deal with when your child appears to be getting worse in the early stages instead of getting better.

Just remember that this isn’t an indication that the diet isn’t working. It could just be withdrawal symptoms. Give them plenty of time to fade before giving up. In many, perhaps most cases, after a while this phase passes and you will begin to see positive results.

 

The causes of autism, myths and realities

Parents who have children with autism want to find the main source and think that knowing this could cure or even prevent it. No one has found a particular reason why autism develops in children.

Perhaps someday, autism could be linked to a specific genetic abnormality, but most likely the source is not just one thing, but a number of possible factors.

Autism cannot be prevented or cured, so it is best that we understand as much as possible about autism and are willing to make the necessary adjustments to live life to the best of our ability.

Let’s first take a look at what parents might think could cause autism, but it certainly isn’t. Bad parenting does not cause autism.

When the causes were unclear, parents were sometimes accused of using abusive parenting techniques and psychologically ruining their children by causing autism. Another myth is that poor nutrition causes autism.
Malnutrition does not cause autism, but there are proven cases where children with autism benefit from taking vitamins.

There are many studies showing that there is a link between the brain and autism. These studies show that autistic people have bigger brains than normal.

People without autism may have larger brains, but this is only a scientific observation. Although brain size is an observation, it is the actual function of the brain or the malfunction of a part of the brain that causes autism. Another sign of brain malfunction is that children with this disorder have immunodeficiency.

These factors are certainly genetic. It is not a direct result of the parent’s parenting skills, but may be a gene that has been passed down through the family’s gene pool. It is also common for a couple to have another child who has autism.

Autism has also been linked to vaccines and is continuously being researched. Discuss these risks and benefits with your doctor of any vaccine that may have this type of disclaimer. Vaccines are very important, especially today with the prevalence of diseases, but it is equally important to know the risks associated with vaccines.

Nobody knows what causes autism. There are many old wives myths, tales and assumptions, but the truth lies in the individual genetic makeup of our bodies. There is nothing we can do to prevent or cure it, but we can treat and understand autistic people in our life in the best possible way.

It is important to be educated about the signs, symptoms, and treatments. Autism is a complicated problem, and every day, researchers are looking for better ways to recognize this disease, treat it, and ultimately find a cure.