When I read this article on Sott – www.sott.net/articles/show/249209-Gluten-Attack-Is-gluten-attacking-your-brain- about Gluten Ataxia I felt like I was reading the story of my life. Or rather the past 7 years of it. For several years now I've been searching for a definitive diagnosis to the things that I experience on a daily basis...and here it is. I thought it would make me feel better to know what's wrong with my body, however now that I do, it offers little consolation.
Having personally gone through all of the rounds of Hell that are mentioned in the article I would like to share with those of you who are still struggling and suffering (or maybe you know someone who is) the things that I have learned along the way through trial and painful error. I will present it in the form of a list, from most important to least, and try to include all vital details. However, since the topic is rather broad, questions are welcome.
I also must stress that I am not a doctor, or even a medical professional, in any way shape or form. Everything that follows has been derived from my own research and personal experience with this condition, and does not constitute medical advise, or is a substitute for qualified medical care.
So here it goes!..
1. THE DIET.
The single most important thing in reclaiming at least a semblance of a functional life for me was a hyper-strict (and I mean HYPER-strict) gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free diet (no alcohol!). I will not go into detail about my journey with food, but suffice it to say it was long and arduous, with much painful experimentation. There was a period of time (months/years) when I was allergic (to one degree or another) to every single eatable thing out there. I also learned, however, that eliminating the foods that you are allergic to is a must. (The way I can tell is I usually get brain fog shortly after I eat something allergenic, although it is not a fool-proof method.) I have finally settled on a modified version of a Paleo-diet, consisting of mostly easily-digestible market-bought chicken (soup) & eggs, some kinds of fish, some vegetables & greens (not too much raw stuff though), some nuts, vegetable oils (see special section about oils below), and buckwheat or puffed[!] rice for carbs. I found that supplementing with food-based[!] vitamins & minerals is also a daily must. (More on vitamins below).
Vitamin D.
This vitamin holds a special place in my heart, so I gave it it's own sub-section. REGULAR MODERATE SUN EXPOSURE I found to be extremely beneficial long-term. Since vitamin D deficiency is fairly rampant in the general population, and especially in people with gluten-sensitivity or those with darker skin, I feel it is good advise for anyone. If "sun exposure" is in short supply in your area, next best thing is supplementation, however it may take longer to build-up to normal levels. Another warning here: do not over do it. Too much sun will do more harm than good (as I have found out on numerous occasions), since it is a moderate stressor to the already stressed body (not to mention cancers and such). My personal recommendation is 15-20 min in afternoon sun (not mid-day) with full-body exposure semi-daily.
EXERCISE.
Moderate daily exercise is very important and helps with several things at once (MODERATE is the key word here, just as with sun exposure more is not better, however consistency is); a) & b) it rebalances your immune-nervous systems equilibrium, i.e it raises your endorphins while at the same time lowering stress-response; c) it gets rid of lactic acid build up. Having tried several different forms of exercise I have settled on yoga, because it also includes extensive stretching (which also helps the nervous system) and conscious breathing (this helps rebuild the damaged areas of the cerebellum that control unconscious muscle function, such as breathing, swallowing, intestinal muscles, etc.).
MEDITATION.
...Or any other stress-relieving calming activity (I also draw, go on walks, or just sit in a park looking at trees). I must say, though, there's really no replacement for meditation and clearing the mind. I found that whenever I start skimping on my meditation time (daily or twice-daily) I immediately feel it.
DOING NOVEL AND VARIED THINGS.
This is a strange one, but through my experiences and research I found that this is the single most important thing if you want to regrow brain-nerve cells. Whenever one does something new that is also interesting or otherwise important, new connections within the brain are established, this process then stimulates your body to grow more cells to accommodate the influx of new information. So do something interesting and new! Even if it's just reading a book on a topic you've never studied before, or singing in the shower.
There's more information that I can share, beyond the scope of this post, such as my own personal method of desensitizing myself to various different allergies (food or air-borne), more detailed coverage of food issues, such as preparation, storage, organic vs. non-organic, etc., yoga practice and more. For those interested in more of this specific information I will make a new post.
I hope that this helps someone out there to regain functionality and get their life back, as it did, and continues to do so for me.
I must reiterate, however, that none of this constitutes medical advise, but rather is a recapture of my own personal experience with this condition they call gluten sensitivity, so do exercise caution and make necessary adjustments to suit your needs.
...Oh, and another thing, I do not mean to imply that from practically bed-ridden, almost completely non-functioning individual I, through this "method", turned into a perfectly healthy person. No. But I DID get my life back, and I AM able to do most of the things I enjoy doing...within reasonable limits.
However only through constant vigilance, determination and exercise of will.
Having personally gone through all of the rounds of Hell that are mentioned in the article I would like to share with those of you who are still struggling and suffering (or maybe you know someone who is) the things that I have learned along the way through trial and painful error. I will present it in the form of a list, from most important to least, and try to include all vital details. However, since the topic is rather broad, questions are welcome.
I also must stress that I am not a doctor, or even a medical professional, in any way shape or form. Everything that follows has been derived from my own research and personal experience with this condition, and does not constitute medical advise, or is a substitute for qualified medical care.
So here it goes!..
1. THE DIET.
The single most important thing in reclaiming at least a semblance of a functional life for me was a hyper-strict (and I mean HYPER-strict) gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free diet (no alcohol!). I will not go into detail about my journey with food, but suffice it to say it was long and arduous, with much painful experimentation. There was a period of time (months/years) when I was allergic (to one degree or another) to every single eatable thing out there. I also learned, however, that eliminating the foods that you are allergic to is a must. (The way I can tell is I usually get brain fog shortly after I eat something allergenic, although it is not a fool-proof method.) I have finally settled on a modified version of a Paleo-diet, consisting of mostly easily-digestible market-bought chicken (soup) & eggs, some kinds of fish, some vegetables & greens (not too much raw stuff though), some nuts, vegetable oils (see special section about oils below), and buckwheat or puffed[!] rice for carbs. I found that supplementing with food-based[!] vitamins & minerals is also a daily must. (More on vitamins below).
Water.
Drink clean water! And I don't mean charcoal-filtered. (I don't know why, but I get an immediate reaction to any water that was filtered with activated charcoal). Either distilled (not in plastic bottles!), spring water, or non-carbonated light mineral water. No other drinks are a part of my personal diet.
Drink clean water! And I don't mean charcoal-filtered. (I don't know why, but I get an immediate reaction to any water that was filtered with activated charcoal). Either distilled (not in plastic bottles!), spring water, or non-carbonated light mineral water. No other drinks are a part of my personal diet.
Fat absorption.
From what I have read so far, as well as from my own personal experience, many people with gluten sensitivity are not able to absorb fats properly, i.e. they simply do not get digested. In my case I (with the help of a knowledgable friend) have tracked the problem to underproduction of bile, so during[!] every meal that has high-fat content I supplement with Ox Bile. I must put in a disclaimer and warning at this point: bile (Ox bile especially) is a very caustic substance and can easily damage your sensitive mucosa inside, so be very careful about dosage (appropriate for the amount of fat being ingested), as well as TIMING – I always take it DURING the meal when some food is already in the stomach but you're not done eating yet. Also, I have to mention here, raw pumpkin seed oil is an excellent source of various vital nutrients if you eat it uncooked, and at the same time it also fights funguses like Candida, which most of us with gluten-sensitivity have a problem with. (Candida probably warrants a whole separate...book, but I have found combination of Goldenseal & Myrrh gum powder very effective in keeping it at bay.)
From what I have read so far, as well as from my own personal experience, many people with gluten sensitivity are not able to absorb fats properly, i.e. they simply do not get digested. In my case I (with the help of a knowledgable friend) have tracked the problem to underproduction of bile, so during[!] every meal that has high-fat content I supplement with Ox Bile. I must put in a disclaimer and warning at this point: bile (Ox bile especially) is a very caustic substance and can easily damage your sensitive mucosa inside, so be very careful about dosage (appropriate for the amount of fat being ingested), as well as TIMING – I always take it DURING the meal when some food is already in the stomach but you're not done eating yet. Also, I have to mention here, raw pumpkin seed oil is an excellent source of various vital nutrients if you eat it uncooked, and at the same time it also fights funguses like Candida, which most of us with gluten-sensitivity have a problem with. (Candida probably warrants a whole separate...book, but I have found combination of Goldenseal & Myrrh gum powder very effective in keeping it at bay.)
Vitamins.
I picked vitamins that are made from REAL FOODs, not the yeast-generated kind, with each tablet containing "reasonable" amounts of various vitamins with no more than 200% of the recommended daily value in one tablet. (B-vitamin absorption also seems to be an issue with gluten-sensitive people).
I picked vitamins that are made from REAL FOODs, not the yeast-generated kind, with each tablet containing "reasonable" amounts of various vitamins with no more than 200% of the recommended daily value in one tablet. (B-vitamin absorption also seems to be an issue with gluten-sensitive people).
Vitamin D.
This vitamin holds a special place in my heart, so I gave it it's own sub-section. REGULAR MODERATE SUN EXPOSURE I found to be extremely beneficial long-term. Since vitamin D deficiency is fairly rampant in the general population, and especially in people with gluten-sensitivity or those with darker skin, I feel it is good advise for anyone. If "sun exposure" is in short supply in your area, next best thing is supplementation, however it may take longer to build-up to normal levels. Another warning here: do not over do it. Too much sun will do more harm than good (as I have found out on numerous occasions), since it is a moderate stressor to the already stressed body (not to mention cancers and such). My personal recommendation is 15-20 min in afternoon sun (not mid-day) with full-body exposure semi-daily.
EXERCISE.
Moderate daily exercise is very important and helps with several things at once (MODERATE is the key word here, just as with sun exposure more is not better, however consistency is); a) & b) it rebalances your immune-nervous systems equilibrium, i.e it raises your endorphins while at the same time lowering stress-response; c) it gets rid of lactic acid build up. Having tried several different forms of exercise I have settled on yoga, because it also includes extensive stretching (which also helps the nervous system) and conscious breathing (this helps rebuild the damaged areas of the cerebellum that control unconscious muscle function, such as breathing, swallowing, intestinal muscles, etc.).
MEDITATION.
...Or any other stress-relieving calming activity (I also draw, go on walks, or just sit in a park looking at trees). I must say, though, there's really no replacement for meditation and clearing the mind. I found that whenever I start skimping on my meditation time (daily or twice-daily) I immediately feel it.
DOING NOVEL AND VARIED THINGS.
This is a strange one, but through my experiences and research I found that this is the single most important thing if you want to regrow brain-nerve cells. Whenever one does something new that is also interesting or otherwise important, new connections within the brain are established, this process then stimulates your body to grow more cells to accommodate the influx of new information. So do something interesting and new! Even if it's just reading a book on a topic you've never studied before, or singing in the shower.
There's more information that I can share, beyond the scope of this post, such as my own personal method of desensitizing myself to various different allergies (food or air-borne), more detailed coverage of food issues, such as preparation, storage, organic vs. non-organic, etc., yoga practice and more. For those interested in more of this specific information I will make a new post.
I hope that this helps someone out there to regain functionality and get their life back, as it did, and continues to do so for me.
I must reiterate, however, that none of this constitutes medical advise, but rather is a recapture of my own personal experience with this condition they call gluten sensitivity, so do exercise caution and make necessary adjustments to suit your needs.
...Oh, and another thing, I do not mean to imply that from practically bed-ridden, almost completely non-functioning individual I, through this "method", turned into a perfectly healthy person. No. But I DID get my life back, and I AM able to do most of the things I enjoy doing...within reasonable limits.
However only through constant vigilance, determination and exercise of will.
