Another condition in which wheat may exert effects on a vulnerable mind is autism. Autistic children suffer from impaired ability to interact socially and communicate. The condition has increased in frequency over the past forty years, from rare in the mid- twentieth century to 1 in 150 children in the twenty- first. 6 Initial small samples have demonstrated improvement in autistic behaviors with wheat gluten removal. 7, 8 The most comprehensive clinical trial to date involved fifty- five autistic Danish children, with formal measures of autistic behavior showing improvement with gluten elimination (along with elimination of casein from dairy).
It is unlikely that wheat exposure was the initial cause of autism or ADHD but, as with schizophrenia, wheat appears to be associated with worsening of the symptoms characteristic of the conditions.
*Common wheat, upon digestion, yields polypeptides that possess the ability to cross into the brain and bind to opiate receptors.
*The action of wheat- derived polypeptides, the so- called exorphins such as gluteomorphin, can be short- circuited with the opiate- blocking drugs naloxone and naltrexone.
*When administered to normal people or people with uncontrollable appetite, opiate- blocking drugs yield reductions in appetite, cravings, and calorie intake, as well as dampen mood, and the effect seems particularly specific to wheat- containing products.
“What happens if, rather than blocking the brain effect of wheat chemically, you simply remove the wheat altogether?”
Provided you can tolerate the withdrawal (while unpleasant, the withdrawal syndrome is generally harmless aside from the rancor you incur from your irritated spouse, friends, and coworkers), hunger and cravings diminish, calorie intake decreases, mood and wellbeing increase, weight goes down, wheat belly shrinks.
i wonder what the effects would be if removing wheat from a child's diet that have been diagnosed with any of the above would have on them. but since i no longer have children at home, i will have to hope that my children will do the experiment on their own. i do know that when my grandkids r here with us, they don't have behavorial problems. but my daughter says they can be very challenging at home.
at nana's and papaw's house, we DO NOT give them anything with wheat products in them. in fact, they get treat that r so good and tasty they want more. the dinners we make still have them wanting the home stuff but they r getting more used to eating healthier at nana's house. they love the almond butter/applesauce pancakes i make. :)
tho i am still learning to make other goodies and meals, it's a good thing for me and my hubby. he even helps out.
