Tag Archives: nutrients

Are Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Lewey Body Linked to Gluten?

I had written this a while back in response to an article in the New Hampshire Leader, Sept 18, 2016; Silver Linings: Issues of Aging in NH: Could This Be A Cure by Gretchen M. Grosky

If nearly 8 million people are suffering from Lewey Body, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s it would seem incumbent on mainstream medicine to look at the root cause of these degenerative, debilitating, and costly diseases that are tearing into the heart of families.

Since gluten can affect any part of the body it would be essential for health professionals, in all facets of medicine, to have a handle on the widespread hazards of gluten consumption. But it appears little is being done to educate our practitioners  (motivation for writing Toxic Staple).

Over 300 symptoms, diseases, and associated conditions are linked to gluten by thousands of world studies. Gluten can affect neurons, the brain, blood, bones, muscles, tissue, organs, glands, and the fetus. It is linked to numerous neurological, gastrointestinal, autoimmune, and cancer issues with strong research to back it up, yet many diseases and symptoms are begging for more.

Significant research links many devastating, neurodegenerative diseases to gluten. Among them are MS, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS, Alzheimer’s/dementia issues, supranuclear palsy, schizophrenia, seizures, autism, ataxia, ADHD, tremors, neuromuscular disease, migraines, depression, ataxia/balance issues and more.

It’s easy to understand how such crippling neurological diseases as Lewy Body, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s can evolve. When the intestinal villi that absorb vitamins and minerals are destroyed due to celiac disease the body becomes deficient in nutrients vital for optimal brain and neural health. Taking a handful of vitamins will do little to help if malabsorption from celiac disease is the problem.

One storyteller (in Toxic Staple) speaks of allergies, skin issues, fatigue to the point of needing a nap in his car at lunchtime, arrhythmias, depression, and memory retrieval problems. He was diagnosed with celiac disease, followed the gluten-free lifestyle 100%, and seven months later everything was gone. Another woman was headed for an Alzheimer’s unit. She was diagnosed with celiac, put on the GF diet and is doing great at age 85 in her own place.

It would be most important for any patient with most any chronic health issue to look into testing for gluten intolerance/sensitivity or celiac disease, but testing is another whole can of worms. Too often not enough testing is given and there can be many false negatives. Patients need to become their own advocate and get educated. Don’t delay!

Order your copy of Toxic Staple here: http://toxicstaple.com/buy-the-book/https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Staple-Gluten-Wrecking-Health/dp/0989239217

Read endorsements here suggesting doctors read Toxic Staple: http://toxicstaple.com/endorsements/

Disclaimer

Zika, Microcephaly, and Gluten

Is it possible that microcephaly is linked to celiac disease (CD) and gluten? Most definitely! Perhaps many of the cases of microcephaly being linked to the Zika virus are really linked to gluten! Microcephaly may be caused by malnutrition among other reasons such as drug use, toxic chemicals, untreated PKU, and viruses.1

Celiac disease is a malabsorption disorder created by the destruction of the intestinal villi in response to an immune reaction to gluten. Healthy villi absorb vitamins and minerals that keep the body functioning optimally. When celiac robs the body of nutrients it can affect any part of the body, especially the fetus if the mother has undetected and untreated celiac disease.

“Microcephaly is relatively rare, affecting about 25,000 children in the U.S. a year.”2 This number seems astronomical for such a serious condition much of which might be prevented by the detection and treatment of celiac.

A quote from Toxic Staple points to the seriousness of celiac disease and how important it is to have a healthy pregnancy by detecting celiac disease and addressing a gluten-free lifestyle:

“Thyroid hormones also play a role during pregnancy. In fact, these hormones ‘have been shown to be absolutely necessary for early brain development.’ ” Pregnant women with thyroid disease [often associated with celiac disease] who do not receive hormone therapy can expect a troublesome outcome.3

“Folic acid, iron, and vitamin K are other nutrients crucial to the development of the fetus, and CD may lead to their deficiency. Some researchers surmise that ‘endocrine imbalances and immune disturbances’ play a part as well.4 Babies born to women with CD had ‘a three-fold higher risk of intrauterine growth retardation…’ if the mother’s CD was recognized after the birth. The bottom line is that ‘treatment of celiac women is important in the prevention of fetal growth retardation.’ ”5

In one study “a 15-month-old girl with celiac disease presented with microcephaly and developmental delay.” A gluten-free diet allowed for head growth, but when gluten was reintroduced there was no head growth, and antibodies for celiac disease increased.6

In a perfect world where there was no malnutrition due to celiac disease or a very poor diet many of these cases of microcephaly and many other fetal maladies would not exist. When the body cannot absorb vitamins and minerals necessary for normal development huge deficits in mental and physical health and development may occur.

Read this most interesting slant on the Zika virus by Jon Rappoport:

https://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/2016/01/31/busted-25000-cases-of-microcephaly-in-the-us-per-year/

  1. http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/microcephaly/symptoms-and-causes
  1. Ashwal S1, Michelson D, Plawner L, Dobyns WB, Practice parameter: Evaluation of the child with microcephaly (an evidence-based review), Neurology. 2009 Sep 15;73(11):887-97. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181b783f7.
  1. Radetti, G., A. Zavallone, L. Gentili, P. Beck-Peccoz, and G. Bona. “Foetal and Neonatal Thyroid Disorders.” Minerva Pediatrica 54, no. 5 (2002): 383–400.
  1. Stazi, A. V., and A. Mantovani. [Celiac Disease. Risk Factors for Women in Reproductive Age.] Minerva Ginecologica 52, no. 5 (2000): 189–96.
  1. Nørgård, B., K. Fonager, H. T. Sørensen, and J. Olsen. Birth outcomes of women with celiac disease: a nationwide historical cohort study. Am J Gastroenterol. 1999 Sep;94(9):2435-40.
  1. Bostwick HE1, Berezin SH, Halata MS, Jacobson R, Medow MS. Celiac disease presenting with microcephaly. J Pediatr. 2001 Apr;138(4):589-92.