Autism Diet

The Gluten and Casein-Free (GFCF) Diet serves as an important biomedical foundation in improving symptoms or recovering individuals from autism, Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD (collectively known as neurodevelopmental disorders or "NDs") as well as several chronic illnesses.

We may not know all the reasons why the GF/CF diet works today but what we do know is that children on the autism spectrum, or with ND's and chronic illness often have abnormal reactions to certain foods including gluten and casein.  Many of these individuals also suffer from some type of digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) issue and/or have symptoms of a leaky gut (contents leaking into the rest of the body) and mal-absorption (difficulty digesting nutrients).

Digestively, the body has more difficulty breaking down longer chains of molecules like gluten and casein. In a perfect world, the intestines produce enzymes to break down these chains into single sugars.  These sugars are then absorbed directly, but the leftovers are food for bacteria and fungus and can also leak through the gut to cause havoc in the body.

A person with a leaky gut has damaged villi and cell junctions inside the GI tract, leaving gaps in the intestinal wall.  Growing evidence shows that these longer protein chains go through a permeable gut wall, enter the bloodstream and affect the brain where the protein chains attach themselves to opioid receptors in the brain causing a morphine-like or "foggy brain" effect.

• Clouded mental function
• Insomnia
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Impaired Social Connection
• Blocking of pain messages
• Dilated pupils
• Anxiety
• Craving the opioid effect like a drug addiction