Gluten Free- Casein Free
Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye.
Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoproteins (αS1, αS2, β, κ). These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 20% and 45% of the proteins in human milk.
GFCF
This is the diet I put Ethan on in order to open up is brain. It worked.
When I was researching this diet, I read quite a bit of information the made perfect sense. What we intake, not only effects our bodies, but also our brains. I know it's true because I've seen it happen.
This is the wikipedia definition for GFCF: A gluten-free casein-free diet (GFCF diet) or gluten-free dairy-free diet eliminates dietary intake of the naturally occurring proteins gluten (found most often in wheat, barley, rye, and commercially available oats), and casein (found most often in milk and dairy products).
Despite an absence of scientific evidence, there have been advocates for the use of this diet as a treatment for autism and related conditions.
Absence of scientific evidence... That is the part that gets me. I took Ethan to get allergy tested a few years ago. He tested positive for being allergic to gluten on his skin and in his blood. He tested positive for being allergic to dairy in his blood, but negative on his skin. The doctor then proceeded to tell me that we could start introducing him to milk... although he is allergic to it in his blood, we could slowly make his body tolerate it.
BAH!
This was 2 years after I had Ethan on the GFCF diet... And At least 4-5 years since I'd found out he was allergic to milk. Anytime... *ANYTIME* Ethan ate something he wasn't supposed to, or was allergic to, I knew. Not only did I know, but the people we were around a lot knew as well. Ethan would start slurring his words really bad, his autism stems would return... He would get frustrated REALLY easy.. it was obvious on so many levels. .
I told the doctor that I would not be introducing Ethan to milk and explained to him what happened when he had anything with milk in it.
He was very short with me when he said "There is no medical books that say allergies effect the brain!" Ok... So- this guy wants me to torture my son by "introducing" him to dairy when we've had no problems being without it...AND it causes him severe problems? Needless to say, I can't tell you what I said back to the doctor because it is inappropriate for some readers. . I did tell him what he could do with his medical books and where he could put them. .
I understand the doctors have to go by the book. I get that... But I also understand my children. I'm not looking for lab stats when I'm taking care of my kids. I'm looking for what improves them the most, and avoiding what is harmful for them.
The amount of improvement with Ethan being on this diet were absolutely tremendous! Before I started it, he screamed and pointed all the time.. Only repeating lines and words. Very little eye contact, constant flapping, walking on his tiptoes, runny bowel movements,yeast infections, spinning in circles, TERRIBLE sensory issues.... After the being on the diet for a short time, EVERYTHING improved so much. The stems calmed down, he could answer a question without screaming or repeating a word over and over. He could let me know how he felt or what he needed without screaming and getting really frustrated. His digestive system turned normal. He wasn't covered in rashes anymore. His brain opened up. He was no longer stuck in his screaming prison.
I'm not saying that Ethan is perfect now..but he is MUCH better. He still has sensory issues, loud sudden noises or loud noises in general bother him. Before- I couldn't take him to wal-mart with out him having a panic attack. Now he handles it like a pro! He doesn't get as overwhelmed as he used to. There are certain things over the years we've learned to avoid, but the improvements are amazing!
Ethan handles the food really well too. He knows what he can and can't have, and doesn't really mind not being able to eat stuff that the other kids can. I try to make sure he has his favorite kinds of foods all the time. The Aldi supermarket randomly has GFCF chicken nuggets.. They don't get things at set times, and they never know when they will have certain products.. They can go months with no chicken nuggets. . Last time they had them in stock, I bought 17 bags! I know that might sound a little crazy.... But Ethan is very picky and that is the ONLY kind of chicken nuggets that he likes. I don't even mind buying 17 bags. Our freezer is stocked for a while!
I'm not saying that every kid with autism should be on the GFCF diet. Everybody is unique.. It has been proven to be very helpful to people who aren't allergic to it. I think it's worth a shot. Everything we eat effects our body somehow.... Open up your mind and do the research:)
Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye.
Casein is the name for a family of related phosphoproteins (αS1, αS2, β, κ). These proteins are commonly found in mammalian milk, making up 80% of the proteins in cow milk and between 20% and 45% of the proteins in human milk.
GFCF
This is the diet I put Ethan on in order to open up is brain. It worked.
When I was researching this diet, I read quite a bit of information the made perfect sense. What we intake, not only effects our bodies, but also our brains. I know it's true because I've seen it happen.
This is the wikipedia definition for GFCF: A gluten-free casein-free diet (GFCF diet) or gluten-free dairy-free diet eliminates dietary intake of the naturally occurring proteins gluten (found most often in wheat, barley, rye, and commercially available oats), and casein (found most often in milk and dairy products).
Despite an absence of scientific evidence, there have been advocates for the use of this diet as a treatment for autism and related conditions.
Absence of scientific evidence... That is the part that gets me. I took Ethan to get allergy tested a few years ago. He tested positive for being allergic to gluten on his skin and in his blood. He tested positive for being allergic to dairy in his blood, but negative on his skin. The doctor then proceeded to tell me that we could start introducing him to milk... although he is allergic to it in his blood, we could slowly make his body tolerate it.
BAH!
This was 2 years after I had Ethan on the GFCF diet... And At least 4-5 years since I'd found out he was allergic to milk. Anytime... *ANYTIME* Ethan ate something he wasn't supposed to, or was allergic to, I knew. Not only did I know, but the people we were around a lot knew as well. Ethan would start slurring his words really bad, his autism stems would return... He would get frustrated REALLY easy.. it was obvious on so many levels. .
I told the doctor that I would not be introducing Ethan to milk and explained to him what happened when he had anything with milk in it.
He was very short with me when he said "There is no medical books that say allergies effect the brain!" Ok... So- this guy wants me to torture my son by "introducing" him to dairy when we've had no problems being without it...AND it causes him severe problems? Needless to say, I can't tell you what I said back to the doctor because it is inappropriate for some readers. . I did tell him what he could do with his medical books and where he could put them. .
I understand the doctors have to go by the book. I get that... But I also understand my children. I'm not looking for lab stats when I'm taking care of my kids. I'm looking for what improves them the most, and avoiding what is harmful for them.
The amount of improvement with Ethan being on this diet were absolutely tremendous! Before I started it, he screamed and pointed all the time.. Only repeating lines and words. Very little eye contact, constant flapping, walking on his tiptoes, runny bowel movements,yeast infections, spinning in circles, TERRIBLE sensory issues.... After the being on the diet for a short time, EVERYTHING improved so much. The stems calmed down, he could answer a question without screaming or repeating a word over and over. He could let me know how he felt or what he needed without screaming and getting really frustrated. His digestive system turned normal. He wasn't covered in rashes anymore. His brain opened up. He was no longer stuck in his screaming prison.
I'm not saying that Ethan is perfect now..but he is MUCH better. He still has sensory issues, loud sudden noises or loud noises in general bother him. Before- I couldn't take him to wal-mart with out him having a panic attack. Now he handles it like a pro! He doesn't get as overwhelmed as he used to. There are certain things over the years we've learned to avoid, but the improvements are amazing!
Ethan handles the food really well too. He knows what he can and can't have, and doesn't really mind not being able to eat stuff that the other kids can. I try to make sure he has his favorite kinds of foods all the time. The Aldi supermarket randomly has GFCF chicken nuggets.. They don't get things at set times, and they never know when they will have certain products.. They can go months with no chicken nuggets. . Last time they had them in stock, I bought 17 bags! I know that might sound a little crazy.... But Ethan is very picky and that is the ONLY kind of chicken nuggets that he likes. I don't even mind buying 17 bags. Our freezer is stocked for a while!
I'm not saying that every kid with autism should be on the GFCF diet. Everybody is unique.. It has been proven to be very helpful to people who aren't allergic to it. I think it's worth a shot. Everything we eat effects our body somehow.... Open up your mind and do the research:)
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