Gluten free diet

[Prayingforacure]

Has anyone gone onto a. Gluten free diet? I read an interesting article through another parkinsons site that this could be beneficial to pwp, I am looking into it today for my husband, also asking his physician to order blood work to check on celiac.

[Jupeter]

My wife is a coeliac so I tend to eat less gluten than most - bread apart we usually eat gluten free. I haven't noticed any effect and I doubt very much if there could be any impact on PWP.

I would be interested in reading this other article, if you could let us know the site?

[Hidden]

Could gluten’s toxicity extend to the nervous system, producing symptoms identical to classical Parkinson’s disease? A new case study adds to a growing body of research indicating that wheat’s neurotoxicity is greatly underestimated.

A remarkable new case report describing the dramatic recovery of a 75-year-old Parkinson’s disease patient after following a 3-month long gluten free diet reveals the need to explore whether there is an increased prevalence of silent or symptomatic celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity both in those afflicted with Parkinson’s disease and the related multi-factorial neurodegenerative condition known as Parkinsonism.

Published in the Journal of Neurology, the report notes that celiac disease often manifests with only neurological symptoms, even in advanced age. This may strike the reader as surprising, considering gastrointestinal complaints are the most commonly noticeable symptom; and yet, when the voluminous published literature on gluten related adverse health effects is taken into account, so-called ‘out of intestine’ expressions of intolerance to gluten-containing grains are far more common than gut-related ones, with no less than 200 distinct adverse health effects implicated.

From schizophrenia to mania, autism to peripheral neuropathy, the central nervous system is particularly sensitive to its adverse effects.

There are a wide range of mechanisms driving gluten associated neurotoxicity, such as:

•Gluten Acts Like A ‘Brain Drug’: The presence of pharmacologically active opioid peptides in wheat including four gluten exorphins and gliadorphin, and another is gluten’s ability to restrict blood flow to the frontal cortex.

•‘Gluten Brain’ Autoimmunity: Plenty of research now indicates that in susceptible individuals wheat adversely affects the gut-brain axis, increases intestinal permeability, and ultimately leads to the immune system misidentifying self-structures within the brain or neurological tissue as “other,” causing the host immune system to attack its own nervous system. Read More: “2 Popular Foods May Turn the Immune Against the Brain.”

•Wheat’s “Invisible Thorns” Affect The Brain: The defensive carbohydrate-binding protein in wheat known as wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), also know as “wheat lectin,” has been found to cross the blood-brain-barrier and can interfere with neurological function in a number of ways. Read more: “Opening Pandora’s Bread Box: The Critical Role of Wheat Lectin in Human Disease.”

•Grains Metabolically Impair the Brain: The larger context is that grains provide an inappropriate or suboptimal set of nutrients for brain metabolism. Dr. David Perlmutter in his NY Times bestselling book Grain Brain links cognitive impairments endemic to older populations in Western cultures to the over consumption of carbohydrates (from grains and sugar), and the under consumption of fats.

Considering these factors, it is not surprising that gluten removal from the diet could result in what the title of the published case report described as a “Dramatic improvement of parkinsonian symptoms after gluten-free diet introduction in a patient with silent celiac disease.” We’ve seen similar remarkable recoveries with brain-metabolism optimizing fats like coconut oil in cases of debilitating dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Source: GreenMedInfo

[DeParkiePoet in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Anthony! As usual complete and concise information...I have been on a Gluten free diet for 3 months. I've noticed a little more clarity in my thoughts. However you must be vigilant about cross contamination. The anti-bodies and WGA could be responsible for an inflammatory auto-immune cascade leading to apoptosis in the substania nigra...just a thought..

[Prayingforacure]

Jupiter the above article is what I read last night, I sent the site to you by private message. Thanks Anthony for posting the information. I will post the link hope it is ok to do that. Kind regards, Patti

parkinsonsnews.com/dramatic...

[hilarypeta]

Yes and sugar and milk. Onlyy eat food that is easily digestible ...what i have found,,,

[DeParkiePoet in reply to hilarypeta]

Hi Hilary, I agree, I find that that old adage works best... K I S S

Keep it simple sweetie. The easier it is to digest the better...

[PatV]

gluten free made me more constipated, a common PD side effect. low FODMAPs reduced the PAIN!!! associated with dystonia and IBS-C that I have struggled with for 8 years. But NO effect on PD symptoms. Stop clutching at straws.

[Prayingforacure]

Thanks everyone for your replying to my posting. The changes this past year have proven beneficial and we have seen improvement in many ways for my husband. The best change was getting him off the pd meds he was on. I realized we needed to take charge. I started praying for all decisions and changes we needed to make, i believe God is leading us in directions and I will never give up hope, I will never quit clutching to straws, I will cling to them. His physician we now have, is very much in agreement with all I am doing, and has been great in testing him for nutritional deficiencies. Thank you for information on those books mentioned, will check them out.

[DeParkiePoet in reply to Prayingforacure]

Thank you so much for the straws that bind us together, We are all One. I sincerely hope that your husband can tell you how much he appreciates you... if not this poem is for you

For all the Care-Givers, especially the Spouses like my wife- JUNE

2.24.11.219

Unlike you, I have never suffered

Alone

Those tears on my pillow are not mine

Alone

In this darkest of nights I will not sleep

Alone

I do not stumble on this rocky and treacherous path

Alone

Now that we are being swept out into the wine dark

You who have borne the burden of increasing responsibilities and a shrinking life with authentic love

You have had your true love, your man, stolen, leaked away from you daily

You who has defended my honor and pride by lying to cover for my mistakes.

You who saw your life's dream explode, then swept up the pieces and was off to work before noon.

You, who hold my trust, my power, my family, my Muse and my love

You who have fought for me, shopped and cooked for me, tandemdanced with me, fed me and somehow still laughs at my stupid jokes.

No, you are the one who has suffered

Alone

I have become your Summer man, some days are good, some are not

It's hard not to be self-centered when it takes all my concentration just to tie my shoes.

But, Heaven still takes my collect calls,

“Forgive me for my sins against you” fails miserably. I know that and that there is no blame..

When “I love you”, seems so inadequate

Idiopathic, 3 musketeer Logic

all for one....but none for you.

Thank you for giving me your heart, your love and your only life...

I feel that I must be the luckiest man on the face of G-d's Earth..

I thank G-d for all the gifts we have been given, so many wonders...

And for all the great things that await us in the future....

“Things just get better from here”...Michael J.

For all the Care-Givers, especially the Spouses like my wife- JUNE

2.24.11.219a

[Norton1]

Thank you Prayingforacure. I have sent off for a gluten test kit I can do myself which is claimed to be as reliable as the test through the doctors.

May I ask you to give us the names of the medications your husband was taking which made him so ill and how long did it take him to come off them?

Regards

Norton

[Prayingforacure in reply to Norton1]

Sorry for long time to reply. Norton I am just now seeing your posting, my husband was on MIRAPEX and Sinamet, I took him off them in December 2012, I did one at a time in a week, great improvement in time over all the side effects from those meds, the reason I took him off them is because of his violent abuse to me for over a year, physicians couldn't figure it out, so I decided to start thinking for ourselves. I also researched on foods that provide dopamine and started adding different things weekly. I took him off breads, pastries, milk no more dry cereals and replaced them with gluten free cream of rice or gluten free oats, I also started giving him flavored gluten free yogurts at least 4or 5 per day, think they helped with the constipation, I think that along with everything else. Sorry to have to say it but I was so disappointed in every NEURO specialist he was seen by, so after many years on meds we decided to start thinking and researching on our own and not rely totally on the NEURO dr.s

It sure isn't easy to step out on our own without a physicians guideance however all they wanted to do was to increase more drugs but we feel what our decision came to be was for the best.

[Norton1 in reply to Prayingforacure]

Hello Prayingforacure

I have followed your posts avidly since joining this HU website and I must say that I agree with you intuitively about some of the advice we get from neurologists and treatment recommendations. They do not have to deal with it on a daily basis in quite the same way as does a PwP and their care giver does.

After eight years since diagnosis I now take a similar attitude as you, I have listened, tried what the medics say, but now I read up about Parkinson's as I can and make my own decisions as to which direction I want to take. After all, I live with the consequences of of any information where ever it comes from, so I decided to take responsibility myself.

Incidentally, I find far more value in what I read here than I do from any appointment with a medic where Parkinson's is concerned, but that is just my opinion.

If I may say this to you, the time and effort you have put into getting your husband on an even keel is quite remarkakable and as one human to another, I thank you for it.

God bless.

Norton1

[Prayingforacure in reply to Norton1]

Thank you Norton1, I was so happy to see our local store now placing the NO GLUTEN ON GLUTEN FREE ITEMS ON THE SHELVES, made my grocery shopping ever so much easier and quicker. Norton if it hadn't been for the serious head injury five years ago that my husband fell, I believe things would not be like they are today. All those awful side effects while he was on them and the off episodes took a lot out of him, looking back I can't help but feel they were part of his falling, just my gut feeling. I made the decision to hire through an agency to have someone come in to help me three times a week assisting with my hubbies care, I requested a male a young man in his twenties, I pray it will work out, I will be right here during the time but am in need of a letting someone help. I have dwindled down to 110 pounds, am now drinking the insure plus, I thank God for the strength HE provides, our son still hasn't saw fit to phone, will be three years in November, can't understand, we aren't the only ones I guess in that situation, as have heard this from several others. Take care Norton, God bless you and your Mrs.

[Norton1 in reply to Prayingforacure]

Thank you for your reply Prayingforacure. The thing which struck out at me was your decision to hire in some help for you and your husband. Let's hope that this will take some of the stress away and that you can build up your strength again. My grandmother took a drink called 'slippery elm' at times like you are going through.

As you are aware, we are similarly connected by our stay away sons. It's hard to accept especially at times like this and it took me a full two years to accept that I may never see him again; that was over ten years ago now. The thing is that we have two other children and some grandchildren and we have richer relationships with them as a result of our situation.

I think often of you, your husband and son and hope that you will be reconciled in the not too distant future. God moves in mysterious ways.

Best wishes.

Norton1

[Prayingforacure in reply to Norton1]

Norton I use iPad as don't. Have computer, can't stretch the print on this new set up with the site here, looks like I won't be able to continue coming into the site, I have a problem seeing the type and have my ipad set to the largest print, I have sent email on this issue, hope they can make a correction, i love this site and the support so many give one another here. Thank you for prayers and blessings to you and Mrs.

[Norton1 in reply to Prayingforacure]

Hello Prayingforacure

I, too, use only an iPad and expect to continue posting on this HU website. I can not imagine the HU management would revamp their site which excludes the use of tablets such as we have.

If that proves to be the case, I shall certainly miss reading your occasional posts, but that will not stop me sending my best wish thoughts to you and your husband.if I find that I can no longer join in the discussions here on this excellant site, I will write to the management asking why.

In my thoughts.

Norton1

[DeParkiePoet]

The body will only Scavenge muscle tissue if it is in a protein deficient state.

[DeParkiePoet]

I have been titrating down on my Meds too, I went from 9 Sinemet a day and 24 mgs of Requip down to one half of that 4.5 sinemet and 12 mgs of requip over a period of 4 months. I suffered, like a drug addict but I'll keep on reducing until I'm freeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

[DeParkiePoet]

True that! Protein is the tertiary fuel for the body, after glucose and lipids, The heart is so much more but you are correct, it is a pump at base! Thank you!

[pauline19]

BC of Alzheimer's risk (my mom) and medication-resistant IBS I was checked over and over for celiac. Finally genetic sensitivity to gluten Free was positive. Eliminating wheat was JUST THE BEGINNING. there are over 200 gluten proteins identified so far...I was advised by Mayo Clinic immunology to eliminate anything that grows on grass or meat that is fed grains. I went totally gluten/grain free, grass fed pastured meat only. While my tremors have not improved, I don't have the horrible gut problems and the brain fog I'd had for 40+ yrs was gone. Went off all my psych drugs, pain went to 3/10 from 10/10. Its worth it a million times over. No GMO foods either!!

[ParkinsonSpouse]

This is an interesting topic. Last year, my husband who has PD, was seriously ill with a virus . As a result, he became lactose intolerant & gluten intolerant. We noticed his pain has decreased a lot since he began eating a gluten free diet. He still has back pain, but the pain in other areas has almost vanished.