Adults:Any success with the Gluten & Casein Free diet?

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Or, any other diet? Paleo? Feingold diet?

If so, how? What improved

Note: I've seen many success stories with children, but what about adults. Is this a diet that really works?

The only diet that works for me goes like this:

1) Eat less.
2) Exercise more.
3) No excuses.

I've lost 25 pounds since February.

What for? Autism, weight loss or general health?

My family's gone gluten-free for my dad's sake. We've all noticed health benefits, but I can't say I've noticed any distinct benefits where Autism is concerned.

Autism. I've heard there's diets out there that can lessen the symptoms. But, I've seen this happen with younger children.

I was talking about diets such as these
-Feingold
-GAPS
- GFCF

I'm just really tired a lot, have poor memory, can't focus a lot... I'm ADHD to... And I've heard duets work for that too

I have found that it helps reduce or eliminate my migraines, which is significant. I haven't noticed any other benefits.

Improvements I've noticed since going gluten-free:

- less migraines and inflammatory issues (joints), no bloating

- increased physical energy, better sleep (this also helps me deal with stress and over-stimulation)

- increased mental energy, focus and concentration

- less occasions when I feel restless, overwhelmed, confused, or mentally lethargic

It hasn't been a magic fix or panacea, but it helped. Keep in mind I'm also very active and eat "clean", cook from scratch and can't tolerate the smell and taste of highly processed food or fast-food.

I have had great success on the GF diet... but that's because I have Celiac Disease. :p

Honestly, I think the reason why the GF diet has been so good to so many people is that they're forced to eat healthier foods and in more reasonable portions. GF food is expensive. You can't pile it on the plate like gluten food, unless you want to punish your wallet.

Well, if my tests come up positive for lactose intolerance and celiac disease, I may have to end up going GFCF, which will be difficult given my love of foods containing dairy and wheat.

My lactose intolerance test is coming up in a few hours, and I have to fast for it. The one thing I want most in the world right now is melted cheese. Gooey, greasy, melted cheese, preferably on some tortilla chips or fried bread.

So if casein is an opiate does that mean I'm a junkie?

Hi there,

I've experimented so much with diet... here's my experience.

First of all, I've read a bit (not a lot) about the relationship between digestive difficulties and neurological disorders, including Autism, and mood difficulties such as depression. Apparently gut imbalances really affect serotonin, and I read somewhere that serotonin issues are common in Autism. I've read a little about leaky gut syndrome, I've not really read enough about this (if anyone can enlighten me please do) but I wonder if the digestive disorders people with autism often have make us more susceptible to different foods and likely to have food allergies. I would just say I'm a sensitive person, both to sensory stimulus, emotions, food, everything, basically.

I used to have terrible digestive issues, I would look pregnant almost every day but would blow up significantly after eating and feel really uncomfortable. I spent years trying to resolve this. I also felt very very stressed when people would walk in the room and I had to begin socialising with them, and felt very uncomfortable with physical proximity to people, felt very stressed being out in the world etc.

I was born Vegan so I have never had dairy so I can't comment on that, but about a year ago I began cutting out sugar and found this helpful in the sense that sugar was just addictive and promoted weight gain. I've heard it's bad for many other reasons, i.e a friend cut it out and her chronic eczema totally disappeared but I didn't have any conditions like that to notice a difference. I do think it's toxic though so nowadays I substitute with Stevia or rarely have blackstrap Molasses (which is still sugar but at least contains many nutrients).

About 4 months ago I cut out gluten. This was a real shock for me - I had side effects like quitting a drug. My whole body literally hurt with muscle aches and back pain that went on for maybe 2 weeks, it was agony, I was crying on the floor. I've found gluten withdrawel symptoms are very common and some people recommend doing it in phases rather than going cold turkey for this reason.

I honestly don't know if this has helped me. In the beginning I was convinced it was helping because I now feel much better with physical proximity, eye contact, being out in the world (apart from noise issues, still). As time goes by, I can't remember what I was like on gluten, so I honestly don't know. However, I know that despite the costs and inconvenince that being a gluten free Vegan causes me, everytime I consider eating gluten again there's a voice inside me that says (not literally) DO NOT EAT GLUTEN AGAIN. So I'm just trusting my instincts on this one for now.

I think the greatest benefit to me has come from introducing probiotics and fermented food into my diet. I realise now it was almost completely devoid of good bacteria now. I make my own yoghurt - literally just pour a litre of soya milk into a pan, tip in the contents of 2 pro-biotic capsules, add a tablespoon of sugar (for the probiotics to feed off) then pour the mixture into pots and put in my yoghurt maker. It's supereasy, super quick and ready the next day.
I have also learnt how to make pickled foods, cauliflower, cabbage and onion is my favourite combo - these foods (pickled with salt) are amazing sources of good bacteria. When I can't eat these foods, I take a probiotic capsule.

Since the probiotic experiment my digestive issues have improvided DRAMATICALLY. I am so happy with the results on this one. I will keep taking probiotics/fermented food long-term as it makes such a difference. Apparently you can also heal your digestive system so that eventually you can go back to eating gluten and even cure food intolerances.

Following Biomedical approaches to treating autism, I have also reduced my oxylates, from sources like spinach, soya, sweet potatoes - apparently people with autism have high oxylate levels, but do your own research on this one. It's not just gluten and dairy - it's also spinach and soya. I haven't noticed any effects but it's early days.

I have started taking magnesium and calcium supplements and a B complex vitamin. I have ordered some INOSITOL - a B vitamin which is reputed even by leading psychiatrists to work miracles for depression, anxiety and OCD. Fingers crossed!

I hope in this abundance of info you find something that answers your question good luck!

it took me 50 years to grok that not all calories are alike. refined carb calories have aged me prematurely. i wasn't supposed to be broken down, wrinkled and age-spotted at 50, this despite avoiding sun exposure and general weathering like the plague. i was told this was due to the AGEs [Advanced Glycation End-products] in refined carbs. they really do AGE you prematurely. anyways, since cutting back on wheat/refined carbs by about 90% my aging seems to have slowed back down to normal, so far. my weight [fluctuating between 160 and 240 over the years, for the last few years] now has stabilized at about 190 [BMI=25]. have lately discovered the multiple benefits of a low-salt diet, but since I have a salt tooth I've had to use lots of fake salt and other low-sodium food taste enhancers. a nice WPer turned me onto Chinatown ultra-low-sodium soy sauce that has only 145mg of sodium per tablespoon! highly recommended. anyways, the benefits of the low-sodium regimen are stabilized BPs, markedly reduced inflammation at my extremities, vastly reduced cold hands and feet, no more edema in general, I used to be able to stick my finger into my leg and the depression would remain for several minutes but no longer.

I have battled my weight all my life, I only recently discovered nutritarian diet principles most recently promulgated by doctor Joel Fuhrman MD, which states that the lack of key micronutrients causes an un-slake-able hunger as the body seeks nutritional fulfilment. you can research that if you wish. it is not productive to condemn people for their lack of nutritional education when our educational system especially in the American medical establishment falls down flat in this regard. the vast reduction in gluten in this diet is [I believe] a key thing.

SonicallySensitive, I agree with the comment immediately above.
A. This threat had nothing to do with weight loss. It was about help for autism-related difficulties.
B. I found your commends incredibly judgemental and naïve.

I've never in my life been overweight, I veer towards underweight, in fact, and having been born Vegan have always been extra conscious of healthy diets. But Weight loss is not anywhere near as simple as telling people to stop stuffing their face with so many calories. I work with a psychologist who works for the National Health Service in England precisely treating obese people. She says most of the time obesity is not to do with the diet - it's the result of eating disorders caused related to serious emotional and mental health problems as a result of passing through horrific abuse. They have to spend a year in therapy learning how to cope with these experiences in addition to learning how to eat healthily.

Secondly, when was the last time you saw an obese person at the gym? I never do. Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to walk in a gym when you're five times the size of everyone else there? Or maybe when you can't fit through the door and your knees have buckled?

If there's anything I've learnt from being undiagnosed with Aspergers for 29 years of my life, its that other people don't know what life is like in your world, and sometimes, just a little bit of compassion can make a big difference.

...Really?

Read the opening thread - and the title.

Absolutely nothing to do with autism.

I was addressing the opening thread by the individual who created it.




Interesting. I find it honest and informed.

I'll expand:


Yes it is. Weight loss is simple: consume less calories.

The psychology of choosing to consume less calories is a different issue from that of losing weight.



I simply don't believe this and would like to see data to back up this claim.

Have you seen the average diet of the average UK individual?

Our nation is overweight/obese.

Most eat crap.


Like the US, the UK is covered in overweight sloths who have forgotten what even basic terms such as 'walk' mean.



...Now that's very specific. Again, any statistics?

By 'horrific abuse', what do you mean?

These vague terms can, today, mean anything from rape to having to watch reality TV.



Are you saying all those with eating disorders have passed through horrific abuse?

This is nonsense.



...The hardship of it all!

.....It's good business for psychologists, isn't it?



Almost every day I'm there - which is almost every day.

But at least they are trying.

However, going home and treating oneself to a pizza after walking on a treadmill for 3 minutes is just stupid.




No. Because I'm not a gluttonous pig.

They should be ashamed of themselves - having a body is a gift. Taking it to ruins is an insult not only to oneself, but to society.

However, when the majority of said society are equally as overweight, the voice that says 'stop consuming as many calories' is pushed to the side by the vast majority who are deluding themselves in thinking someone else is spooning the ice cream tub down their gullet.



...Oh no... no another 'I think I'm autistic'? Let's not go there.


I show no compassion to the gluttonous.

They are one of the true indicators of just how decadent, indulgent, & selfish our society has become.

They don't need a pat on the back and a cuddle (personally I think you're helping them toward an early grave) - a reality check is simple enough, with that being:


The continuation of your lifestyle will not only destroy yourself, but also the lives of those around you.

can you patiently explain to me how this is so? how does my obesity hurt my associates?

Family/friends/loved ones etc are forced to watch you slowly kill yourself.