I Have Celiac Disease - How Good Can I Expect to Feel?

Are You Gluten-Free But Still Having Symptoms?

Discovering that you have celiac disease, or gluten sensitivity, is often a decade long process (or longer!) that entails many doctors, many drugs to treat symptoms actually being caused by gluten, and a lot of treatments that don’t work.

When you finally find out the ‘real’ answer – gluten – you think all your problems will be solved. And initially, it often seems that they are. But, due to a continued leaky gut, undiagnosed infections, a compromised immune system, cross-reactive foods (those that mimic gluten), poor digestive enzyme levels, probiotic imbalances and/or hormone imbalance, symptoms often return (or they never went away entirely in the first place).

It can be quite frustrating to diligently follow a gluten-free diet, only to feel 'somewhat' better, but not great. I’ve known many people whom became so discouraged that they began cheating occasionally. They figured that they weren’t feeling great anyway, why try so hard?

As the problems persist, one is easily left with the idea that this mediocre health status is as good as it gets. And too often, doctors concur.

There Is a Reason for Your Continued Problems

 Is it asking too much to handle those lingering symptoms? I don’t think so. We have coined the term “Secondary Effects of Gluten” to address the exact scenario I’ve been discussing. And if you find that this describes you, believe me you are in very good company.

If you’ve heard me speak of the secondary effects of gluten before, believe me it bears repeating. Why? Because this problem of lingering, or returning symptoms, is truly the most common complaint I hear from individuals who have been diagnosed with gluten intolerance. And here at HealthNOW Medical Center we have people visit us from around the world to handle that exact problem.

What Can You Do?

1    1. Don’t give up. There’s always a reason for underlying symptoms and you just need to find out what is causing it.

2     2. Find a clinician who understands the secondary effects of gluten and has the diagnostic tools to discover what specifically is affecting you.

3     If you need help with either of the above, feel free to contact us. We will help you to try to find a clinician local to you or we can help you here. We are a destination clinic and treat patients from across the country and internationally - you don't need to live local to us to receive help. 

      

      The facts are that gluten can be quite devastating to several systems of the body, chief amongst them the digestive tract, nervous system and immune system. Removing gluten from the diet is often insufficient to truly heal these systems. But that doesn't mean they cannot be normalized - far from it.

     We Are Here to Help!

      If you are interested in a free health analysis, consider calling us at 408-733-0400 – we are here to help!

Please share this information with others you know. Whether a friend or family member has been diagnosed with gluten intolerance and continues to suffer symptoms, or their health issues fall within the over 300 symptoms and conditions that could be associated with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, let them know about gluten and let them know that better health is possible.

While it may seem sometimes that ‘everyone’ now knows about gluten, nothing could be farther from the truth. Those of us who live with gluten intolerance are so well versed in it that it may seem unlikely that ‘everyone’ isn’t aware of the problem. But I promise you that awareness has a long way to go before the  millions who continue to suffer needlessly get properly diagnosed.

Need Help? We're Here for You! 

If you felt as if I was describing you above, you are not alone. As I mentioned earlier, adrenal fatigue/exhaustion is almost epidemic. If you would like assistance and don’t have a clinician whom you feel can assist you, consider contacting us for a FREE Health Analysis. We are a Destination Clinic and treat patients from across the country and internationally. We would be delighted to help you as we have been doing so for over two decades.

Visit us at www.RootCauseMedicalClinic.com. If you have questions or need any help, I’m here for you! Call 408-733-0400.

I look forward to hearing from you.

To your good health,

Dr Vikki Petersen, DC, CCN, CFMP


IFM Certified Practitioner

Founder of Root Cause Medical Clinic
Co-author of “The Gluten Effect”

Author of the eBook: “Gluten Intolerance – What You Don’t Know May Be Killing You!”

Gluten Intolerant? Be Careful of ‘Everything in Moderation’ Advice

Is 'Moderation' Always a Good Idea?

We’ve probably all heard ‘everything in moderation’ as a good rule of thumb to follow. Whether we are talking about diet or exercise it seems to ring true, for the most part. But all rules have exceptions and this one is no different.

If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity moderate consumption of gluten is a death sentence. Is that an exaggeration? No it isn’t. Gluten is known to increase the incidence of dying from all causes, in intolerant individuals, when it is untreated  - and the treatment is total and complete elimination of gluten.

Gluten consumption is a zero tolerance policy for those of us who are intolerant, meaning that you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Why do I bring this up? I was reading a recent article in the Huffington Post titled “Should Everyone Avoid Gluten for Good Health”, where the author quoted Alessio Fasano, a personal hero of mine, as stating that he personally ate pizza, but in moderation.

This comment by Dr Fasano then was used as a jumping off point to stress ‘moderation’ as the best choice for those who are gluten tolerant.

This may sound innocent enough on the surface, but remember that most people hear what they want to hear and I can just imagine readers thinking, “If it’s good enough for Dr Fasano it’s good enough for me”.

The vital missing information here is that Dr Fasano is one of the lucky people who suffers from neither celiac disease nor gluten sensitivity. By his own admission and testing, his body tolerates gluten just fine. The fact that he chooses to ingest it in moderation probably has to do with the fact that he knows gluten is not properly digested by anyone, sensitive or not.

Eating Gluten Doesn't Always Result in 'Instant' Symptoms

Getting back to the article, the author, who is not a doctor but a registered dietician, uses what I consider a poor example of explaining why he feels that he himself is not gluten intolerant. He shares that he enjoyed a pasta dinner and felt just fine afterwards, thus confirming, in his opinion, that he is fine to eat gluten.

This is an incorrect way to diagnose the problem. I myself am highly gluten sensitive. If I chose to eat a pasta dinner, I too would feel fine afterwards. Two to three days later, however, I would begin to feel quite horrible.

My point is that gluten intolerance is not an allergy in the true definition of the word and therefore one is more likely to see reactions occurring many hours up to several days later, as opposed to seeing an immediate reaction. I'm not saying that immediate reactions never occur, they do. But to expect that no immediate reaction confirms a negative diagnosis, is far off the mark, and to share it with millions of uneducated readers is downright irresponsible.

The Huffington Post is a largely read site and I don’t want this article that preaches ‘moderation’ to be adopted by someone who is in fact gluten intolerant. Consuming gluten as little as once per month is frequent enough to keep someone quite ill.

Cheating with Gluten is a Dangerous Proposition

 If you already know that you’re gluten intolerant please don’t be tempted to cheat. For those you know who do not enjoy good health, encourage them to get tested. If the test is positive for celiac or gluten sensitivity, make sure they know the importance of zero gluten consumption. It could make the difference between a healthy or disease-ridden life, not to mention a shortened life span for those who cheat.

Better Health is Available!

I hope you found this helpful. If you would like assistance for yourself or loved one, please consider calling us for a Free Health Analysis.

Visit us at www.RootCauseMedicalClinic.com. If you have questions or need any help, I’m here for you! Call 408-733-0400.

I look forward to hearing from you.

To your good health,

Dr Vikki Petersen, DC, CCN, CFMP


IFM Certified Practitioner

Founder of Root Cause Medical Clinic
Co-author of “The Gluten Effect”

Author of the eBook: “Gluten Intolerance – What You Don’t Know May Be Killing You!”

Is Gluten Damaging your Brain?

Do You Have Any of These Symptoms?

Do you get headaches? 

Have you ever gotten one as a result of gluten contamination or ‘cheating’?

Have you had balance or dizziness problems, sometimes known as ataxia? 

How about numbness, tingling or other sensation type issues?

For you, are any of these known side effects due to gluten exposure - meaning that you experience them when you come into contact with gluten?

If you or someone you know falls into this category, whereby gluten affects you neurologically, read on.

Gluten Can Damage Your Brain

A study out of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry last August 2012 revealed that a group of celiacs who were referred to see a neurologist, had significant brain damage.

This group of individuals, average age forty four, when compared to a control group had significantly greater damage to their brains. Since the researchers found damage to both the white matter and grey matter, I thought we should define each.

The white matter makes up about half of the brain and seems to be involved in connectivity, or uniting various partss of the brain that are involved in performing mental functions. White matter affects how the brain learns, even into adulthood.

The grey matter of the brain is made up of nerve cells. The grey matter includes the parts of the brain involved in muscle control plus sensory perception such as seeing, hearing, memory, emotions and speech.

One of the researchers, Dr Hadjivassiliou from the University of Sheffield in the UK, is renowned for his work in the area of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.

The goal of the research was to determine the extent of brain abnormalities in celiac patients.

While it’s certainly not news that gluten can cause brain and nervous system symptoms, the extent to which this study showed significant damage to the white matter of the brain is certainly worth sharing with the general public who suffer from these symptoms, and the neurologists from whom they seek advice.

The study consisted of 33 diagnosed celiac disease patients, whose condition was confirmed by biopsy. Each patient was compared to a control group and differences in brain volume and chemistry were evaluated.

The study revealed that celiac patients had diminished cerebellum volume (the part of the brain that coordinates and regulates muscle activity) plus multiple regions of decreased grey matter density.

In the Study, 30% of Celiacs Showed Brain Damage

Thirty six percent of patients showed white matter abnormalities, completely unexpected for their age group, with the highest incidence in the headache group. They demonstrated twice the number of white matter abnormalities on MRI as compared to the other two subgroups. 

Celiac patients suffering from balance disturbance were discovered to have half as many white matter abnormalities as the headache group, while those with sensory loss revealed about a sixth of the white matter abnormalities. All groups were markedly more affected than the control group that was free of celiac disease.  

While we have long known of the nervous system irritation created by gluten, did anyone for an instant consider that their gluten ingestion could be creating permanent brain damage? That they could be compromising the size and function of their brain? Not likely. But this study reveals that such an outcome is indeed possible.

Anyone Suffering from Neurological Symptoms Should be Tested for Gluten

If you or anyone you know suffers from headaches, imbalance problems, sensory problems or any sort of nervous system imbalance, including seizures and depression, a thorough work-up for gluten sensitivity is an excellent idea.

If you are currently the patient of a neurologist, please share this information with them. Increasing the awareness of your neurologist on this topic will likely benefit many of his or her patients who are gluten intolerant and are unaware of it.

Share this with your family doctor who likely treats many, many patients with complaints of headaches. The likelihood is that a percentage of them are gluten intolerant and potentially suffering from brain damage as a result. You would be doing a humanitarian service to enlighten your doctor to something that he or she has likely not considered.

Need Help? We're Here for You! 

If you felt as if I was describing you above, you are not alone. As I mentioned earlier, adrenal fatigue/exhaustion is almost epidemic. If you would like assistance and don’t have a clinician whom you feel can assist you, consider contacting us for a FREE Health Analysis – call 408-733-0400. We are a Destination Clinic and treat patients from across the country and internationally. We would be delighted to help you as we have been doing so for over two decades.

Until next time, I wish you very good health.

Dr. Vikki Petersen, DC, CCN


IFM Certified Practitioner

Founder of HealthNOW Medical Center

Co-author of “The Gluten Effect”

Author of the eBook: “Gluten Intolerance – What You Don’t Know May Be Killing You!”

Reference:

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 2012 Dec;83(12):1216-21. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2012-303281. Epub 2012 Aug 20.

Should we be 'nervous' about coeliac disease? Brain abnormalities in patients with coeliac disease referred for neurological opinion.

Currie S, Hadjivassiliou M, Clark MJ, Sanders DS, Wilkinson ID, Griffiths PD, Hoggard N.

Gluten Intolerance and the Benefits of Breast Milk – Good and Bad?

I have always been a big proponent of breast feeding. Children who are breastfed are found to have higher IQs and a better overall health status. The benefits that Mother Nature packs into mother’s milk has not been successfully mimicked by any man-made product. Far from it in fact –the formulas on the market are quite atrocious when it comes to nutritional standards for health.

Does breast feeding reduce your child’s chances of developing celiac disease?

It turns out that the risk of developing celiac disease was shown to decrease by a whopping 63% for children breast fed for more than two months compared to those children breast fed for less than two months. I will admit that I would have lost that bet – I would have assumed that two months wasn’t long enough to make that large a difference. But apparently a little goes a long way when it comes to the value of breast milk.

Another study looked at children fed breast milk for three months or more and found an even better result. These children were five times less likely to develop celiac disease as compared to those babies who fell within the less than three month mark.

We used to think that celiac disease was a yes or no proposition, with no gray areas. In other words it was believed that you were born with the disease or you were not. That is incorrect and recent research has proven that celiac disease can develop in those who have the genetic predisposition at any time during their life. In fact the incidence of celiac disease in the general population is known to increase from 1% to 4% (or 5%, depending on the research you look at) with age.

This tells us that the presence of genes for celiac disease and the ingestion of gluten in the diet, are not sufficient to cause the disease to manifest itself. What’s the third factor? The health of the GI tract is the final link. A healthy GI tract will have adequate healthy probiotics to keep the celiac disease genes turned off, thereby preventing the disease from expressing itself. The unhealthy GI tract no longer has robust good bacteria and their weakening numbers makes them incapable of keeping bad genes turned off. The result is the ‘turning on’ of the celiac genes.

Getting back to breastfeeding, it is known that breast milk is a wonderful colonizer of healthy probiotic organisms within the gut. The colostrum mothers produce helps their baby’s immune system mature, thereby preventing disease, especially digestive infections that could create a leaky gut and increased predisposition to gluten intolerance as well as other food reactions.

What about the timing of introducing gluten to children?

Two major studies confirm that timing may be quite critical. In one it was found that infants who were receiving breast milk at the time of gluten introduction had a 52% reduced risk of developing celiac disease as compared with those babies who were not receiving breast milk when gluten was introduced into their diet.

The second study was a landmark study conducted in Sweden, unbeknownst to anyone at the time it occurred. In other words, only retrospectively, was it understood what happened. Here’s the story: In the 1980s a change of guidelines occurred as regards when gluten should be introduced into the diet of an infant. Prior it had been maintained that gluten should be introduced while a child was receiving breast milk. In the 1980s the new guideline recommended that gluten be introduced after weaning had occurred.

The result was a dramatic spike in the incidence of celiac disease in the country of Sweden. After much research, the guideline was reversed and the incidence of celiac disease was restored to its prior level.

Can Gluten in Mom’s Diet by found in Breast Milk?

I was very happy to find this study passed along by the Gluten Intolerance Group that confirmed something I’ve seen clinically for years, but heretofore had not seen any research support.

When babies would come in with colic or constipation or vomiting or rashes or a host of other ailments, the first thing we would do with a breastfeeding mom is change HER diet. We saw, that when Mom was no longer ingesting gluten or dairy (or whatever the offending food was found to be) baby’s symptoms resolved. Obviously that points to the fact that these foods traveled in to the breast milk in a form that could bother baby.

Yet many researchers have stated that the gluten protein was not found in breast milk and there was no indication that a mother consuming gluten could affect her child’s health through her breast milk. When research does not agree with my clinical evidence working with patients, I have learned that clinical experience usually wins out. And so it was in this case. The study cited by GIG referenced that indeed gliadin (the protein found in gluten) was found in high levels in the milk samples of 54 out of 80 healthy mothers on a normal, unrestricted diet. While the presence of gliadin would be fine with a child having no tendency toward intolerance, it obviously is a big problem for those little ones that are already expressing a reaction.

In summary, breastfeeding is very important and healthy for baby. The only caveat is perhaps needing to alter what Mom is eating to prevent certain sensitive foods from entering into the milk. This is not difficult however and a happy baby is well worth the effort.

I hope you found this informative and please pass it along to the mothers and future mothers whom you know.

Need Help? We're Here for You! 

If you felt as if I was describing you above, you are not alone. As I mentioned earlier, adrenal fatigue/exhaustion is almost epidemic. If you would like assistance and don’t have a clinician whom you feel can assist you, consider contacting us for a FREE Health Analysis. We are a Destination Clinic and treat patients from across the country and internationally. We would be delighted to help you as we have been doing so for over two decades.

Visit us at www.RootCauseMedicalClinic.com. If you have questions or need any help, I’m here for you! Call 408-733-0400.

I look forward to hearing from you.

To your good health,

Dr Vikki Petersen, DC, CCN, CFMP


IFM Certified Practitioner

Founder of Root Cause Medical Clinic
Co-author of “The Gluten Effect”

Author of the eBook: “Gluten Intolerance – What You Don’t Know May Be Killing You!”