Diet is an essential part of our treatment plans here at the Primal Movement Clinic. We find that grains are becoming increasingly involved in our patients dietary and overall health problems, so here is some information on why and how you can help to make changes to your diet if necessary.
Grains have only been part of the human diet for approximately 10,000 years which is not nearly enough time for an evolutionary adaptation. As such, many of us are unable to properly digest grain based foods. Compared to to dairy foods, which are arguably a much more natural part of the human diet than grain, nearly all dairy is exposed to the destructive pasteurisation process which significantly alters it’s natural composition. While pasteurization is intended to kill germs and improve the safety of dairy products, it also destroys and deforms beneficial nutrients making them less beneficial and potentially difficult to digest
During digestion, gluten and casein are digested into smaller peptides. With compromised intestinal health, these peptides can easily enter the bloodstream where they’re likely to be recognised as antigens and attacked by the immune system. This can result in autoimmune disorders, and because some gluten and casein peptides are opioids, they can alter brain function. An immune response to gluten and casein can occur within the intestines, causing inflammation, which ultimately can lead to more intestinal damage. This then leads to an increase in intestinal permeability, perhaps even leaky gut syndrome, resulting in a higher susceptibility to the problems associated with gluten and casein.
As most people eat grain or dairy with a vast majority of their meals, it should come as no surprise that these digestive issues can eventually destroy the intestinal lining. This then leads to the immunity of the intestines shutting down, affecting the rest of the body, and eventually opening the door to major disease.
Autism and being Gluten free
The gluten and dairy free diet is commonly included in natural treatment protocols for autism because of the excessive immune activity and alteration in brain function that gluten and casein can cause. There’s an especially strong association between autism and a specific type of casein called A1 beta Casein. Autism is often associated with chronic infections, immune deficiency, and even autoimmune disorders. As such, giving the overworked and rundown immune system a rest from having to fight off reactive foods often provides symptom relief and gives the body a much better chance of healing itself.
Gluten and Dairy Aren’t the Only Culprits
As intestinal health declines, we become more susceptible to developing food sensitivities. Unfortunately, this can and typically does include healthy foods such as meat, fruit and vegetables. As such, avoiding gluten and dairy isn’t always enough and it’s often important to be tested for food sensitivities. Doing so will enable you to eliminate unnecessary immune activity within the intestines by specifically identifying the foods that you react to and should avoid.
Gluten and Dairy Replacements
While it’s best to avoid grains completely when gluten intolerance is a concern, there are several gluten free grains that can usually be eaten without a problem. They are amaranth, rice, corn, buckwheat, quinoa and millet. However, if you’re very sensitive to gluten, keep in mind that these grains are sometimes contaminated with small traces of it.
Excellent replacements for dairy include coconut milk, coconut oil and ghee. While soy is often used in place of dairy, it’s far from the health food that it’s advertised to be and can cause worse problems than the dairy it’s replacing. For more information on the risks of soy, visit the Weston A. Price Foundation’s Soy Alert Page or read The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla Daniels.
Get the Entire Family Involved
The modern diet is extremely high in grain based foods, and unfortunately, we’ve developed quite an appetite for them. In fact, many people are literally addicted to highly refined grain based foods such as bread and pasta. Although dairy isn’t quite as popular as grain, it’s not far behind. As such, following a diet that eliminates these two foods can be extremely difficult from both a mental and logistical perspective.
Due to the popularity of grain and dairy, intolerances are very common and most people would benefit from trying, even if temporarily, a grain and dairy free diet. If you or someone in your family needs to avoid grain and dairy, having the entire family follow the diet will not only provide support, but will likely improve the health of everyone involved as well.
If you are looking for dietary advice or holistic lifestyle management, please get in touch :-)
Thanks for reading,
We Are Primal
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