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Gluten-free fad?
Recently, I asked a server at a restaurant if they had a gluten-free menu. She said yes and then: "it's a really popular diet." This is not an unusual response, I find.
In fact, I have had people tell me that they were going to "try going gluten-free" for health and weight-loss reasons. I know eliminating gluten from your diet is not harmful, but wonder if eating gluten-free has any health benefits to someone who does not have celiac or a gluten intolerance. Is it just me, or is gluten-free becoming kind of a fad?
In a description of her book, "The G-Free Diet," Elisabeth Hasselbeck says she discovered the "myriad benefits that anyone can enjoy from a gluten-free diet: from weight loss and increased energy to even the alleviation of the conditions of autism." I question whether any of these benefits are reached without a celiac diagnosis, gluten intolerance or other GI issues. It's interesting that so many people are willing to spontaneously try a diet that I've been struggling with for so long!
As far as "alleviating the conditions of autism," I have to say that I found my son was effected positively after going gluten-free. Surely feeling better has something to do with it, as he also has celiac, and GI problems are common in people with autism. I'm still waiting for a good study or information to prove it, but I hear stories from parents all the time who say the diet, especially combined with eliminating casein, has an effect on behaviors associated with autism. But many parents also report that they don't see a difference, so it may be good for some and not for others. It's not an easy task -- especially for those little ones with rigid behaviors and eating patterns -- so it's probably best to consult a doctor or dietitian, as I did.
But back to the G-free "fad" ... one would hope it can only create a broader awareness. As more establishments become aware of gluten-free diets, they are adding gf menus and products. It's not uncommon to see gluten-free products at nearly every food source, and it's becoming less rare that people look at me like I'm speaking a different language when I say the word "gluten."
But I also wonder if there's a downside to all this faddish frenzy over the "G-Free" movement. The more trendy it sounds, the less seriously people may take an already overlooked and painful autoimmune disease that hits home to 1 in 133 Americans. To those with celiac, this is not a lifestyle choice. It is a necessity.
Perhaps it's time to start calling it a "gluten-free treatment" instead of diet.
In fact, I have had people tell me that they were going to "try going gluten-free" for health and weight-loss reasons. I know eliminating gluten from your diet is not harmful, but wonder if eating gluten-free has any health benefits to someone who does not have celiac or a gluten intolerance. Is it just me, or is gluten-free becoming kind of a fad?
In a description of her book, "The G-Free Diet," Elisabeth Hasselbeck says she discovered the "myriad benefits that anyone can enjoy from a gluten-free diet: from weight loss and increased energy to even the alleviation of the conditions of autism." I question whether any of these benefits are reached without a celiac diagnosis, gluten intolerance or other GI issues. It's interesting that so many people are willing to spontaneously try a diet that I've been struggling with for so long!
As far as "alleviating the conditions of autism," I have to say that I found my son was effected positively after going gluten-free. Surely feeling better has something to do with it, as he also has celiac, and GI problems are common in people with autism. I'm still waiting for a good study or information to prove it, but I hear stories from parents all the time who say the diet, especially combined with eliminating casein, has an effect on behaviors associated with autism. But many parents also report that they don't see a difference, so it may be good for some and not for others. It's not an easy task -- especially for those little ones with rigid behaviors and eating patterns -- so it's probably best to consult a doctor or dietitian, as I did.
But back to the G-free "fad" ... one would hope it can only create a broader awareness. As more establishments become aware of gluten-free diets, they are adding gf menus and products. It's not uncommon to see gluten-free products at nearly every food source, and it's becoming less rare that people look at me like I'm speaking a different language when I say the word "gluten."
But I also wonder if there's a downside to all this faddish frenzy over the "G-Free" movement. The more trendy it sounds, the less seriously people may take an already overlooked and painful autoimmune disease that hits home to 1 in 133 Americans. To those with celiac, this is not a lifestyle choice. It is a necessity.
Perhaps it's time to start calling it a "gluten-free treatment" instead of diet.
posted by Alissa Malerman at
8:47 PM
3 Comments:
Hello,
In your article you mentioned that you would like to see a study that supported a correlation between autism and gluten sensitivity. As the author of the recently published book, "The Gluten Effect", I am happy to provide you with several studies which I site in my book.
In a 2002 study out of Norway, ten of twenty autistic children began gluten-free and casein-free diets while the other ten stayed on regular diets. After a year, the group of gluten-free and casein-free diets had significant improvements in development over the other children. These findings have been repeated in other studies.
In 2006 one study evaluated thirty autistic children and compared them to thirty non-autistic children. In the autistic group, fifty percent had gluten-related antibodies while less than seven percent had these antibodies in the non-autistic children's group.
In another study, children with autism had a significant number of anti-gliadin and anti-Purkinje cell antibodies compared to normal children. These are the antibodies that are directed at gliadin (a protein within gluten) and Purkinje cells (nerve cells in the brain that regulate balance). These findings support that gluten sensitivity can indeed cause autistic symptoms through auto-antibody reactions.
I hope this helps,
To your good health,
Dr Vikki Petersen
Founder of HealthNOW Medical Center
co-author of "The Gluten Effect"
www.healthnowmedical.com
www.glutendoctors.blogspot.com
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Hello-
I support your idea of calling the G-Free movement a treatment, as opposed to a fad.
I am the mother of an anaphylactic dairy allergic child, and the G-Free "fad" really angers me. There is no such thing as a "fad" when it comes to life threatening gluten, dairy, peanut, whatever....... food allergies.
I am a member of the Circle of Food Allergic Families Support Food & Allergy Anaphylaxis Network. These organizations saved my sanity and changed our lives- there is help available for food allergy kids.
I'm all for people eating healthier and becoming more active in changing their lifestyle with better food choices.
However, when you do not have a choice and you have to continually advocate for a child who will get hives from dairy contact, or go into anaphylaxis because "it wasn't made with any milk", one can become frustrated and even offeneded when people take a blaise' "fad' approach to something life threatening for others.
So, now I will get off my soapbox! I have a wonderful support system and encourage anyone with food allergies or kids with food allergies to check out the COFAF (http://cofafdetroit.weebly.com/ and FAAN http://www.foodallergy.org/about.html websites.
thanks for letting me vent!
Sincerely,
Carol Kalvelage
Rochester Hills, MI
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