Sorry - a diet change won’t cure autism

London - Autism is a disease that affects children, their parents, their siblings and almost everyone they come into contact with. And it is not hard to understand why.

Often, a contented, smiley baby will have slowly grown into a fractious, withdrawn toddler or young child. While other children start to become independent, the autistic child often won’t speak, refusing to engage or even make eye contact - lost in their own world, staring, rocking, not walking without tiptoeing.

They are prone to tantrums, screaming fits and violent outbursts at the slightest change to daily routine, and often suffer from distressing bowel habits.

Once a child is diagnosed - in itself, a difficult and often drawn-out process involving a host of referrals to psychiatrists and other specialists - families are often left to their own devices. They will have been told: there is no cure, and no treatment.

That is not to say there aren’t practitioners who say they can treat, and even reverse, autism. And so, given the almost complete lack of hope offered by hospital consultants, devastated parents begin a treadmill of trying different therapies - often called interventions - they hope may help.

As a GP, and a parent, I understand how finding some glimmer of improvement can become all-consuming. Thankfully, in Britain at least, we seem to have moved on from the hope of a cure, accepting that those with autistic spectrum disorders may not be like the rest of us, but maybe a different version of normal.

However, one intervention that seems to have taken root is the gluten-free, casein-free diet (GF-CF). Gluten is in wheat and therefore is found in bread, pasta, pizza and biscuits. It is also in barley and rye and there is a similar compound in oats. Casein is a cow’s milk protein and is found in all dairy products, and a range of processed foods.

For more than 20 years there have been theories about the negative effects of gluten and casein on the brain and behaviour. It has been postulated that in autism and other mental-health problems, these compounds are not broken down properly in the gut and go on to alter behaviour, communication and brain function.

It is also suggested that some autistic children may have sensitivities to gluten and casein and are not digesting these foods properly: this would not only worsen their autistic features, but also cause bowel problems. From a scientific point of view, this has never been proved. The authors of the most recent study on the subject concluded they could not recommend exclusion diets as treatment.

But three-quarters of parents with autistic children have tried a complementary or alternative therapy including restrictive diets: the main reason cited for this is that they feel there are fewer risks than with prescribed medications. However, the GF-CF diet is not a no-harm intervention.

The diet is very restrictive, which is hard in children with behavioural problems, where food and meal times may be a challenge. Restricting the diet of an already fussy eater can lead to dietary deficiencies.

The GF-CF diet can have significant physical health consequences. The lack of gluten and casein can lead to a deficit of calories, fibre, calcium and protein, affecting growth and bone density.

It is also a very costly diet as gluten and dairy-free alternatives are expensive. Despite these problems and the evidence against it, some of my patients find positive changes in behaviour and improvements in communication.

This seems to contradict the evidence, but it doesn’t. Dr Richard Mills, of Research Autism, says: “Symptoms of autism vary widely and change - sometimes seeming worse, sometimes better - within individuals. This means the true effects of such diets are difficult to quantify.”

Indeed, parents, trying out a raft of interventions such as the GF-CF diet, may find behaviour improves. But in the longer term, it can often deteriorate again.

Dr Mills says: “It’s worth trying, as long as expectations are realistic.”

For parents looking for advice, be wary of the internet. Avoid anyone who claims to have the cure for autism - no one does.

I wouldn’t recommend the GF-CF diet but I appreciate why parents try it. I would be open to patients trialling, once the risks-versus-benefits have been discussed with a doctor.

But it should not be seen as a lightweight therapy. It is a massive undertaking. - Daily Mail

* Follow Dr Ellie Cannon on www.twitter.com/dr_ellie

Ask the expert: Gluten-free tax deduction?

My son was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease. He's allergic to gluten. Gluten-free foods are so expensive! I've heard I can claim the cost of his food on my taxes because it's medically necessary. Is that true?
Yes. But the deduction is less helpful than you think. Find out if you have access to an employee benefit called a medical flexible spending account. It can save you money by letting you buy your son's medically required food with pretax dollars.
Regarding your question, if you itemize deductions, the extra cost of gluten-free food is a medical deduction. If a loaf of bread containing gluten costs $2.89, for example, and gluten-free bread costs $6, the extra $3.11 is deductible. And if you must travel to a special store to buy gluten-free food, the cost of transportation to and from the store is deductible. But you can only take medical deductions to the extent that your total unreimbursed expenses exceed 7.5 percent of your income. If you earned $75,000 annually, for example, you could only deduct medical expenses in excess of $5,625.
A flexible spending account is a better deal. You tell your employer how much of each paycheck you want to set aside for uninsured medical expenses. These contributions reduce your taxable income; they aren't subject to federal, state or payroll taxes. As you incur uninsured medical expenses, you submit the receipts to your employer or insurance company, and you're reimbursed from your account. If you're in the 25-percent federal tax bracket, your total federal tax saving is about $33 for each $100 in expenses. But don't contribute more to the account than your anticipated expenses; by law you forfeit any money you don't spend in the calendar year.
The bottom line
Unreimbursed medical expenses are tax deductible only if they exceed 7.5 percent of your income

Gluten-containing cosmetics could explain puzzling cases of GI symptoms and rashes in consumers with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Yet information about this important ingredient is mostly unrevealed.

“The use of some cosmetics, including products used on the lips and face, can result in unexpected exposure to gluten,” explain George Washington University gastroenterologists Marie L Borum, MD and Pia Prakash, MD.

As they reported Nov 31 at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology,(1) their interest in the subject began with one of Dr. Borum’s patients, a 28-year-old woman who experienced exacerbation of her celiac symptoms, including gastrointestinal complications and a recurring skin rash, after using a body lotion advertised as “natural.” 

“It was difficult to determine whether gluten was contained in the product she was using,” says Dr. Prakash. “But once she stopped using the body lotion her symptoms resolved.”

The lack of readily available information about cosmetic ingredients that Dr. Borum experienced first-hand with her patient prompted the researchers to expand their research.

They first identified the top cosmetic companies in the United States and visited the official website for each company as part of a search for “gluten” and “gluten free” - to identify products specifically manufactured without gluten.

Only 2 of the top 10 cosmetic companies in the United States offered any detailed ingredient information, and no mention was made of gluten sources, according to the study.

Next, Drs. Borum and Prakash researched the ingredients for individual cosmetic products using an independent website. The independent website offered lists of ingredients for products marketed by 5 of the top 10 companies - but again no mentions of gluten sources were identified.

Overall, ingredient information was unavailable for 4 of the top 10 companies - and none of the large companies specifically offered gluten-free cosmetic options, according to the study findings.

““This study revealed that information about the ingredients, including the potential gluten content, in cosmetics is not readily available,” Dr. Prakash concludes.

While smaller companies may specifically advertise gluten-free alternatives, she says, “top-selling manufacturers should indicate whether their products can be safely used by individuals with gluten sensitivity.”

About Celiac Disease

Affecting as many as 2-3 million people in the United States and 20 million worldwide, celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disease that damages the villi of the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. Approximately 1 out of every 100 people may have celiac disease - though only 1 out of 10 people with celiac disease may be actually diagnosed and are aware that they have this disease.

Women are diagnosed with celiac disease two to three times more often than men and current research indicates that 60% to 70% of those diagnosed with celiac disease are women, according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.

The only treatment option for those with celiac disease is gluten avoidance. Patients who do not adhere to the gluten-free diet usually continue to suffer from symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas and diarrhea.

In addition, these patients are at higher risk for developing complications of celiac disease such as cancer of the small bowel and esophagus, and narrowing in the bowel due to inflammation.
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When treats can be tricky, thats is also the reason why I chose to do these Gluten Free fairy cakes for these children who are Gluten sufferer!

hough he's only 7, Shane Keller knows more about the human body than most adults learn in a lifetime. One thing he knows is that he can't attack a bag of Halloween candy face-first.

"I'm the same as you," said the San Ramon second-grader, who has Type 1 diabetes. "I just can't eat the same as you."
Years ago, his condition might have made Halloween scarier than a masked guy running around with a chain saw. Now the annual sugarfest serves as an illustration of how doctors, parents and even children have learned to manage the disease.
"The technology of diabetes management has changed dramatically the past 10 years," said Kathy Solis, a registered dietitian from the Center for Diabetes Services at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. "One major stride is when the child is able to make small and simple decisions for himself."
Shane, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 10 months old, also has celiac disease, a digestive disorder which makes him intolerant of gluten. Neither condition, however, will stop him from trick-or-treating. He will be accompanied by his mother, Keri, as well as "the kit" -- a container that holds glucose tablets, syringes, apple juice, insulin, snacks and an automatic one-dose injector called a glucagon, which contains a substance that lowers his blood-sugar level if needed.
"I just have to watch out for candy," said Shane, who takes at least four shots of insulin a day,

plus at least 10 finger pricks to test his blood sugar."If my mom doesn't know how many carbs are in the candy, she asks the people to get the box to see.

It's an increasingly familiar scenario. Shane is one of 215,000 Americans younger than 20 living with Type 1 diabetes. A 2009 study published in The Lancet, a British medical journal, predicted that the number of children younger than 5 diagnosed with Type 1 -- which usually occurs in people younger than 20 -- could double by 2020. Unlike Type 2 diabetes, Type 1 is not lifestyle-related, and researchers aren't sure what's behind the increase.
For thousands of parents and their children, living with diabetes means having to tiptoe through holidays and events that involve sweets -- mindful of the acute health risks, yet not wanting to ruin a holiday that many hold dear. The caveat, of course, is there's little margin for error.
"His life is so established," Keri Keller said of her son. "He always asks before he eats something. He trick or treats like any kid. But we check his insulin level before he goes out and we say, 'OK, you can have six pieces of candy.' He knows the rules and that a big bag of M&Ms don't count as one piece of candy."
Things are trickier for kids with food allergies, however. One peanut can send a child to the emergency room, so it's imperative that parents such as Noriko Swanson pay attention to what's in the candy.
Swanson owns LiveFreeFoods.com, an online store that specializes in food for families affected by food allergies and diabetes. The Walnut Creek resident was inspired to start the business by her 4-year-old daughter, Willa, who has life-threatening allergies to dairy, gluten, eggs, sesame and most nuts.
"I like to focus on what I want Halloween to mean for my family -- dressing up and having fun," she said. "It's inevitable that candy will be part of that fun, but I try to not let that be the focus. There are so many ways to take part in Halloween that don't involve sweets."
Swanson's children inevitably encounter candy on Halloween, so they know which kinds they need to steer clear of. She suggests homemade treats at parties, where ingredients can be controlled by parents and children can help in the kitchen. She suggests making gluten-free cake or putting dried fruit in a bowl of gluten-free pretzels, for example.
As for trick-or-treating, the Swansons have a system in place. After sorting what can and cannot be eaten safely, the kids get to trade their candy for other prizes or safe treats picked out ahead of time.
"At home, I only pass out candy that's safe for our household as well," she said. "This is both a way of supporting our daughter and ensuring she feels safe."
Different parents tackle the holiday in different ways. Scott Corey, of American Canyon, whose 12-year-old daughter, Shelby, is diabetic, said his family doesn't make a big deal out of Halloween, as the kids prefer not to.
"Halloween is just like any other day when it comes to the candy," he said. "We count the carbohydrates and give her the right amount of insulin to cover it. We do watch her blood sugars more closely because it's really easy to spike them to potentially dangerous levels if we don't track things correctly. Unfortunately, Shelby and I -- the two Type 1 diabetics in the family -- have the biggest sweet tooths. Go figure."
Mike Muller, of Concord, said his 9-year-old diabetic daughter gets involved with costumes and going out, but then the candy comes home and goes through the parental filter.
"Her nondiabetic brother is subject to the same screening and doesn't feel left out," he said. The parents screen the candy for safety and put the highest-quality treats into one pile, he said. The subpar pile gets bagged and traded in at the orthodontist for cool stuff. The good treats get rationed out for a few days until the Halloween hype has faded.
Children with dietary restrictions have annual Halloween traditions, just like other kids. Keri Keller said her son doesn't see it differently than his friends do. Except, of course, that none of his friends have as much experience reading food labels.
"You're supposed to treat him like a kid," she said, "not a diabetic."

Special Gluten and wheat free Halloween themed fairy cakes

I am creating an event for Halloween ! if you want to please any children , why not offering them a special personalized Halloween box with 4 different patterned GF fairy cakes . The whole box cost £6.00 with delivery . Please place the order by the 28th of October at christelle@glutenfreedelices.co.uk

I only supply London right now  , hopefully next year I will be national at least !

5 favourite gluten-free grains

There was a time in my life when eating gluten-free was mandatory to ensure the safety of my wife. Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity affects more people today in North America than ever before. There are several theories about why this may be happening, but I will save that subject for another day. I believe that the hybridization of wheat over the last 70 years has resulted in a grain with higher levels gluten (some have suggested that wheat today has 50 times more gluten than it did 100 years ago). Gluten is a very sticky protein and is difficult for anyone to digest properly, whether you have Celiac Disease or not. So I personally try to limit my wheat intake even though I don’t have a gluten sensitivity.
There are many excellent alternatives to wheat and I want to share my 5 favourite gluten-free grains.

5) Amaranth

Don’t let this small grain fool you. It may be small, but it’s powerful. My favorite use of amaranth is to pop it like popcorn for a deliciously nutty-flavoured snack. Since it’s full of minerals, vitamins and amino acids, health experts have indicated that amaranth may help reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, improve immune system function and even prevent the premature greying of hair.

4) Millet

This is a fantastic grain which has a consistency that will vary with the preparation method. It can be boiled and mashed like potatoes, or fluffed like rice. Not only does millet contain 18 different amino acids, but it also holds a significant amount of vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorus and manganese. It has been suggested to have cardiovascular and heart protection properties, gallstone prevention traits, and offers a reduction in risk of childhood asthma.

3) Black Rice

This rice is considered to be the new kid on the block. In recent years, it has been haled as a superfood by many due to it’s high nutrient values. Black rice is loaded with amino acids, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Claims have been made that black rice may help reduce blood pressure, alleviate arthritic symptoms and lower your risk of cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s Disease.

2) Buckwheat

No, not the Little Rascal pictured above. Containing over 11 amino acids in substantial amounts, as well as vitamins, minerals and even trace amounts of essential fatty acids make buckwheat a gluten-free superstar. Helping to control blood sugar and lower the risk of diabetes are just a couple benefits of buckwheat. This grain (although technically not a grain) is easy to prepare and very versatile. My favourite buckwheat dish right now is a fresh tabouli salad.

1) Quinoa

My favorite grain for the last several years has been quinoa. It comes in a range of colours, including red white and black. Red is my preferred variety. This is one of the easiest grains to prepare and one of the most nutrient-dense. Quinoa has a plethora of nutritious features, such as fiber, vitamins and minerals. It could even be considered a complete protein since it contains all essential amino acids. There have been many suggested health benefits, including migraine relief, cancer risk reduction and cardiovascular protection/prevention. If you haven’t tried quinoa yet, now is a great time to start!
It’s easy to see from the information above that limiting my gluten consumption is not the only reason I choose to eat these grains. Whether you have Celiac disease, a gluten sensitivity, or you’re just trying to give your health a boost, switching over to any of these grains from regular wheat or white rice could help immensely. As with all grains, the least refined the better.

top clever !QR code cookies create unique personalized messages German company Qkies combines QR codes and cookie mix to create edible personalized messages.

10th October 2011 in Food & Beverage.

We’ve seen QR codes put to various uses over recent months, from helping conferences run more efficiently to linking t-shirts labels to MP3 files. Now German company Qkies have given the QR code the edible treatment, combining them with cookie mix to create munch-able personalized messages.
Qkies — a cooperative project of Juchem Gruppe, a German food trade company, and DFKI, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence — can be used as a playful alternative for a variety of things, from party invitations to business cards. Qkie cookie mix is available online at EUR 6.90 per box, and will make 20 Qkies. Consumers make and bake the cookies before decorating them with the enclosed QR codes, printed on edible paper. The recipient of the cookies scans the QR code with their phone to be directed to either a video on YouTube, a photo on Flickr or a personalized web page containing a specific message, as dictated by the sender.
We’ve seen QR codes used to contain practical, musical and now personalized messages. Under what guise will we next see this multi-functional code?
Website: www.qkies.de