Gluten and Neurological Issues

How gluten can affect your body and health

By Dr. Rosalia Mariz, HealthWalk

Now that the days are shorter and it is chilly in the morning and in the evening; our tendency is to eat more comfort foods. We gravitate to foods that we recall from our youth and festive occasions, most of which are often high carbohydrate foods like bread, cake, pasta, pastries and other flour based products, all of which contain gluten. Foods that contain gluten, like wheat, barley, spelt and kamut are easily identified and there also many not so obvious sources like soy sauce, beer, food starches, food emulsifiers, food stabilizers, artificial food coloring, malt extract and food additives like maltodextrin, and dextrins. It is important to stay away or at least severely minimize all foods containing any of these ingredients because they affect your health adversely in ways you would never think they would.

The following is a case of a 44 year old male who came into HealthWalk™ for support with his increasing loss of mobility and pain. In his Vital Hematology blood analysis his blood showed very low levels of iron. (Gluten damages the intestines which then cannot absorb nutrients and cause the body to be depleted of iron, calcium and other vital nutrients.) He had had for six months a history of progressive right leg weakness and wasting along with intermittent painful spasms and progressive weakness and wasting in the right arm. He had already had a MRI which revealed a region of hypersensitivity along several areas of the brain. Repeat neuro imaging one month after his initial revealed more extensive changes in the same patterns with additional involvement of the right sub cortical region.

After careful analysis we suggested that he began a gluten free diet (Nutritional Counseling) along with appropriate supplementation to support his nutritional needs (approximately seven months after the onset of his initial symptoms). Nine months after initiation of treatment his right arm function had returned to normal. Improvements in the right leg were more limited, wasting was still present with some residual spasticity. He was able to walk unaided and button his shirt. He continues to make improvement with the dietary plan and supplements that we have suggested based on his Vital Hematology live blood analysis, Galvanic Skin Response analysis and Nutritional Counseling.

Studies show that subjects diagnosed with cerebellar ataxia, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, ADD/ADHD, epilepsy, memory impairment, headaches, migraines, gait abnormalities, showed evident abnormalities in regional cerebral blood flow related to gliadin reaction (gliadin is a sub protein of gluten). Contrast enhancing brain lesions resolved without recurrence with an adherence to a gluten free diet.

Recovery from anemia occurs between 6 and 12 months on a gluten-free diet alone (without iron supplementation) as a result of normalization of histological alterations of the intestinal mucosa.

Gluten sensitivity + intestinal damage = celiac disease; gluten sensitivity + no intestinal damage = sensitivity; it can damage other tissues like myelin, cartilage, skin, muscular endothelium, liver, kidney and focus on the central and peripheral immune system. There is also a higher prevalence of hearing loss in celiac patients and an immunological pathogenesis of cerebellar degeneration. Schizophrenia is frequently found in people with Celiac disease and Celiac disease is frequently found in people with Schizophrenia. In countries where gluten grains are rarely eaten Schizophrenia is rare or non-existent!!!!

A very important factor to people’s reaction to gluten in this country is that most grains here are genetically modified and are stored in bins denatured by enterotoxin compounds which acts to kill cells by altering the permeability of the epithelial cells of the intestinal wall. These factors add to the dangers we are exposed to in eating non-organic grain products. In today’s complex food growing, manufacturing and processing chain, it is up to us as consumers to make the effort to find out exactly what we are buying and consuming – the consequences of ignoring this can be damaging long term to our health.

At HealthWalk™ we are dedicated to supporting you to regain, maintain and enhance your vibrancy and wellbeing.