A gluten free diet is not only beneficial to people suffering from celiac disease it can also benefit many people who are suffering from brain fag, joint pains, auto-immune
and neurological disorders. However, people suffering from celiac disease benefit the most because the disease is caused by a severe sensitivity to gluten. As per the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Program one person out of every 133 adults in the US suffers from celiac disease.

A gluten free diet involves avoiding all foods that have wheat, rye, oats, barley and spelt. Those individuals who are very sensitive to gluten and also those who will benefit from a gluten free diet must avoid pasta, most grains, bread, beer, cereals as well as processed foods that contain gluten. Fortunately however gluten free pasta, bread, beer and other products are easily available these days. Gluten sensitivity can be genetic as well as due to infections and a malfunctioning liver. Another heartening fact is that vegetables and fresh fruits are gluten free.

According to recently published medical literature, research has shown that people who can benefit from a gluten free diet are those suffering from multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, autism, locomotor ataxia (the loss of balance), Down's syndrome, osteoporosis, seizures, anemia, peripheral neuropathies, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, etc. Some other conditions that are associated with consumption of gluten are diarrhea, failure to put on weight, distention of abdomen, etc. Therefore these people are sure to benefit from a gluten free diet.

Many other conditions that may be less commonly caused by gluten sensitivity are delayed puberty, short stature, frequent abdominal pains, infertility, depression, anxiety, multiple abortions, thyroid disease, dermatitis,Sjogren's syndrome, etc. If the root cause is gluten sensitivity in these cases they will greatly benefit from a gluten free diet. Others who suffer from manganese, chlorophyll and zinc deficiencies caused by gluten sensitivity can also benefit from a gluten free diet.

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Thousands of parents are finding that following a gluten-free and casein-free diet helps ease the symptoms of childhood Autism. What constitutes a gluten-free and casein-free diet? A gluten-free and casein-free diet is the elimination of gluten and casein, common gastrointestinal allergens, from the diet. Try cutting all wheat and milk products for a month and determine whether or not your child is: A) Responding better to his or her environment; B) Healthier look in the eyes; C) Rashes decrease and D) Less painful bloating and gas.

Eliminating wheat (gluten) and milk (casein) from a child’s diet need not be an unpleasant experience, although most parents feel that a total diet change would be more complex, expensive, and stressful than filling a prescription. Therefore, they might see a diet change as a last resort for their child displaying Autism symptoms. A word to the wise here, the doctor could very easily miss certain symptoms, by not looking in the right places, and the child, the parents, as well as the physician, are running a risk by not first checking for food allergies and intolerance. The doctor might administer medicine to the child that was manufactured with gluten or casein in it, thereby exacerbating the situation with another source of the allergen. Worse, the doctor could prescribe either hyperactivity or psychotropic drugs which could further disable the child.

It is important to know that many studies have surveyed children with autism and found very few who showed celiac disease symptoms. On the other hand, it is also important to acknowledge that many children, with symptoms amounting to Asperger’s Syndrome, which is not quite full-blown autism, will find relief from their symptoms--and even seemingly unrelated allergies--by changing to a gluten-free and casein-free diet. It need not be a torture process, either.

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Just another benefit of gluten-free foods in your diet!