Gluten is the term we use to describe the mixture of proteins, including gliadins, that are found in wheat grains, barley, and rye. Gluten, quite simply, means ‘glue’. And the term is appropriate because it is that glue-like quality found in these grains that make them ideal ingredients in our baked and prepackaged goods. The sticky quality of gluten has given it value in non-edible markets such as the production of paper and fabric glue. It is also used as cattle feed and as an initial ingredient in the manufacturing process of monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Most of us have a remote understanding of celiac’s disease, the seemingly rare autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that causes damage to the intestinal villi, thus triggering a whole host of health problems, nutritional deficiencies, and possible colon cancer if left untreated. (more…)

We all know that celiac disease is a problem of the small intestine, but most of us are probably unaware that it could actually be the root cause of a whole host of neurological problems from brain fog, to tingling and numbness sensations in your extremities, to developmental delays and learning disorders, autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, movement disorders like ataxia, and even psychological issues from irritability or depression to schizophrenia. (more…)

On the heels of Jenny McCarthy’s new book, Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism, and several different national television appearances with celebrities such as Oprah and Larry King, ABC’s Good Morning America gives us a closer look at the Gluten-free/ Casein-free diet and its potential benefits, not just for children suffering from Autism, but for any child suffering from developmental delays. Watch the interview on October 15, 2007: Can a New Diet Help Autistic Kids?

If you are considering a gluten and casein free diet for your child, visit our forum for more information and recipe ideas.

Halloween is slowly approaching, inevitably marking the beginning of the sweet treat season that doesn’t quite end until Valentine’s day. This poses quite the challenge for the allergy sensitive family wanting to indulge a little without suffering major setbacks. Over the next few months I will be devoting some time to holiday baking without wheat or corn. I am working on altering a few favorite family recipes and researching Feingold friendly colors, corn-free extracts, and wheat-free doughs. In the meantime, here is a rundown of our top 5 favorite gluten and corn-free baking mixes. (more…)

Wheat and Corn allergy sufferers need to be careful with the rice they buy. Most commercial brands are fortified with vitamins and minerals, also labeled “enriched”, and this is problematic for wheat allergy sufferers, but it is a double whammy for those that need to avoid corn too. For corn sufferers, ascorbic acid, derived from corn byproducts such as dextrose, is used in the vitamin compounds sprayed on the kernels to enrich the final end product. To bind the vitamin compounds corn or wheat starches are generally but not always used. (more…)

Dr. Jim Stevenson and his team of researchers from the University of Southampton, U.K., just published the results of their study in the September issue of the Lancet: “Food additives and hyperactive behavior in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community.” Stevenson and his team tested 297 children in a double-blind-placebo-control study. Each child was given a drink and then their parents and teachers subsequently rated their behaviors. (more…)

A recent study preformed by Chi-Tang Ho, P.h.D., at Rutgers University found extremely high levels of reactive carbonyls in 11 different carbonated soft drinks made with high fructose corn syrup. He estimates that one can of your favorite soft drink could contain five times the amount of reactive carbonyls than what would be typically found in the blood of an adult with diabetes, blood that would contain elevated levels of reactive carbonyls as a complication of the disease.

Unbound reactive carbonyls are dangerous as they are thought to cause tissue damage, unlike bound and chemically stable fructose and glucose components found in refined sugar. Published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study claims that High Fructose Corn Syrup laden soft drinks, when consumed in high doses, leads to the development of diabetes. (more…)

A twinkie isn’t just a cream filled cake made from milk, flour and eggs. When Hostess seals the little dessert treat into it’s individual plastic wrap it is a conglomeration of over 39 ingredients with a shelf-life of over 24 days. In Twinkie Deconstructed, Steve Ettlinger writes a road map for understanding the etiology of this familiar favorite Hostess snack. He chronicles his “Journey to Discover How the Ingredients Found in Processed Foods Are Grown, Mined (Yes, Mined), and Manipulated Into What America Eats.” (more…)

If you are practicing a gluten and maize-free diet (GF-MF) and are still struggling with allergy symptoms it may be due to your condiments. It is a little known fact that condiments often contain hidden corn or gluten components that only the experienced allergy sufferer may be aware exist. Condiments are usually made with vinegar. White vinegar can be made from any fruit, or any material containing sugar, including and especially corn. So if you tend to use a lot of ketchup you may want evaluate whether or not the kind you use is safe from allergens. Ketchup is a favorite condiment for just about any meal, so let’s look at some familiar and harder to find brands…. (more…)

Bed-wetting, or Nocturnal Enuresis, is a nuisance when parents are starting to potty train. But for many families this inconvenience stretches for many more years. As bed-wetting children age it becomes even more apparent to them that there is something wrong.

There is a shame that runs deep among those that grew up with plastic mattress covers and a second set of spare sheets already underneath them. It is a secret society of members that hold on to their anonymity for life. As adults they remember sleep over parties and vacations that were always wrought with anxiety. A bed-wetter knows when they to go to sleep that more than likely they will awaken hours later wet and embarrassed, and it is completely out of their control. Or is it?

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