The Myth of GFCF Foods
Most people believe that GFCF foods work on their children with autism. Actually, studies have indicated that GFCF foods do not quiet or the traits associated with autism and do not make it any better. I attended a conference with Temple Grandin as the keynote speaker and Grandin made note that GFCF foods do not work and instead, the person should have a high protein diet. You know...She was right. I seemed to function better when I eat protein-high foods, although it may get me a little bit more weight on the scale. Yet, it is quite worth it.
I definately feel better when eating GFCF food - less foggy in the head etc - which gives me a better chance at thinking through social situations.
However - I get cravings fro gluten an the GFCF food is expensive.
I've never noticed any difference with digestion with gluten and caesin. So I think it might be a case of mild sensitivities/allergies that are undiagnosed. Myself, I've noticed that eating carbohydrates helps to keep me from "crashing" when coming off my meds.
My take on it is this, if you have allergies, digestive and/or medical issues, then treat those, but don't go claiming it's an issue related to autism, ADHD, LD, etc. I think that the only way it relates to autism is that if you're not feeling your best, whether you're a child, a teen or an adult, you're not going to act your best, autistic or not. No-one is a good patient.
I am not gluten-sensitive or casein or lactose-intolerant, but i am wheat-sensitive, and dairy-sensitive.
Wheat gives me digestive upsets, headaches, diarrhea, loss of concentration, feeling 'spaced out', and fatigue; it can take me several days to come right after eating it. But i don't react this way to other gluten-containing flours, like spelt, rye or oats, and i have been tested for coelic disease markers when i had an episode of inflammatory bowel disease, and i don't have it.
Dairy gives me lots of ear/nose/throat problems - coughing all night, sneezing, eyes streaming, it's like i've got a cold or really bad hayfever. Also it can give me digestive upsets and headaches too.
I also need to keep the amount of sugar and fat low in my diet, they don't do me any good either. And i too feel better on a high-protein and high-carb diet, but then i have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome too, so that could account for it - high protein diets are recommended for those with CFS.
Another interesting note - a while back i read a book on different diets for different blood types, i can't remember the title. My blood type is A positive, and it recommended for A types that we don't eat things like wheat, dairy, and the 'heavier' type of dried beans, like red kidney, etc. Which is interesting as i have never been able to tolerate them well, whereas the recommended things, like avocado, rye flour, soymilk, broccoli, chickpeas, are all things i eat lots of, and love and tolerate well. So if you don't tolerate wheat or dairy or gluten well, then it might be worth finding out your blood type (if you don't already know it) and see if you can find this book (wish i could remember the title for you!),and see what it recommends for your blood type. I think there is definitely something in it.
The blood type book is "Eat Right For Your Type"
I was going to post a response here to the GFCF topic but it turned into a really long post. So I'm making a new topic. Feel free to merge, mod(s), if you think it belongs here..
Yeah, i think that's the one. There's been an updated version of it i think.
GFCF & Feingold have been great for me. Gluten makes me feel like I've been konked over the head, dairy makes me stuffy, sluggish and constipated, and red dye makes me nuts. I'm still very autistic, even when I don't eat those things, but I do feel better than I would if I had eaten those things. I'm only one autistic person, and I've never been asked to participate in a scientific study, but anecdotally, there are many of us who feel we've benefited from those particular dietary approaches. That said, I certainly don't think that one size fits all, and I'm glad to hear that the high-protein diet is working well for you. Thanks for sharing your experience. Maybe somebody else here will like the high-protein diet, too.