Gluten can cause an elevation in cholesterol levels leading to the prescription of a class of drugs known as statins.  Common examples include Zocor, Lipitor, and Crestor.  Unfortunately, these medications can contribute to a variety of health problems.  The following video discusses what you should know…

Gluten is a common cause of high cholesterol

In my clinic, I commonly see patients with high cholesterol.  Going gluten free for many of them leads to dramatic reductions.  I have seen 100 point drops in some patients.  The irony in this is that many doctors and nutritionists will recommend whole grain as a treatment recommendation.  You see the same recommendations coming from the TV.  Honey Nut Cheerios, Shredded Wheat, etc – all being pushed to help drop cholesterol levels.  It is estimated that anywhere between 3-30% of the U.S. population has a problem with gluten sensitivity.  It would be appropriate for health care providers to take note and demand a change in the generic recommendations being given.  It would also be prudent for the government to take note and make drastic changes in the food guide pyramid, as it is the tool being used to teach our children about proper nutrition.

This weekend I spoke at the Charleston gluten free/allergy free expo.  There were an estimated 4-500 people in attendance.  Both Fox and CBS News came out to cover the show and do interviews with me – which was great because the gluten free message was able to reach the entire city of Charleston!  I had the great fortune of sharing the stage with Melinda Dennis.  Melinda is an expert nutritionist focused on helping patients with celiac disease at Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.  We talked about the pitfalls of the gluten free diet…

The full video is available to Gluten Free Society members here <<<

What To Do When the Gluten Free Diet Fails

The topic of the day focused on what to do when the gluten free diet fails.  Melinda and I both touched on multiple issues that patients face in their journey to recover their health:

• Gluten free substitute foods are very unhealthy
• Cross contamination and hidden gluten
• Damaged digestive tract
• Dysbiosis (abnormal bacterial growth in the gut)
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Hidden food allergies
• Digestive enzyme deficiencies
• Intestinal infections
• and much more…

The take home message was simple.  If you are following a gluten free diet and not recovering, you should initiate the following steps.

1. Avoid all grains including oats, corn, and rice.
2. Check your medications (if you are taking any) for hidden gluten.
3. Have your vitamin and mineral levels checked comprehensively by your doctor.
4. Have your doctor test you for delayed hypersensitivity food reactions.
5. Have your doctor perform a gastrointestinal test to measure for hidden infections, leaky gut, and digestive enzyme deficiencies.
6. Once you have collected all of the above information, implement action steps based on the results.

If you cannot find a doctor willing to help with the above, you can contact Dr. Osborne’s office or check the gluten free doctor database for doctors who have been trained by Dr. Osborne here <<<==

Miss The Expo?

I will be hosting another event in Sugar Land, Tx (just outside of Houston) on May 19th.  You can get the details here <<<

Should Patients With Schizophrenia be put on a Gluten Free Diet?

Individuals with recent-onset psychosis had increased levels of IgG and IgA antibodies to gliadin compared with control subjects.  Individuals with multi-episode schizophrenia also had significantly increased levels of IgG antibodies to gliadin…

This is not the first time research has made this connection

Source:

Gluten Free Society’s Stance:

This study sheds light on the fact that most mental disorders are actually influenced by food choices. Food and food additives are the ultimate drug.   Ever see a child have a hyper reaction after eating food dyes or sugar?  Think about it… Pharmaceutical medications are typically derived from singular chemicals from plants and animals.

How many times have you eaten something so that you could satisfy some mental craving.  Peptides in grain and dairy have been shown to stimulate pleasure centers in the brain. Most psychiatrists completely dismiss the fact that food plays a role in mental health. The late Dr. Abram Hoffer spent his life researching the correlation between schizophrenia and nutrition. He had a higher success rate at treating schizophrenia to remission than any of his colleagues.

Think about this: Schizophrenia is supposedly an imbalance in brain chemicals. Psychiatrists give drugs to try and restore this imbalance. However; to date, it is a rare occurrence for a psychiatrist to actually measure the brain chemicals they are trying to treat. It makes much better since to measure these imbalances but to also determine what is contributing to or causing these imbalances. In the case of schizophrenia, gluten and casein can play a major role in contributing to the disease.

All schizophrenic patients should have the following lab tests before blindly taking medications:

1. HLA-DQ gene analysis to identify gluten sensitivity
2. Vitamin and mineral analysis (www.spectracell.com)
3. Neurotransmitter testing to identify chemical imbalances in serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, histamine, and other neurochemicals that influence brain function.
4. Additional food allergy testing to identify other foods that may be playing a contributing role.

If you want to learn more about Dr. Hoffer’s research his book is available below -

Dr. Hoffer’s Book is available here!

It is no mystery that serum (blood) tests to identify gluten sensitivity are fundamentally flawed. It is also no mystery that the intestinal biopsy is flawed as well. Unfortunately, doctors continue to use these tools definitively to diagnose celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. If the labs come back normal, many doctors dismiss gluten sensitivity all together. This leads to a lot of people going undiagnosed and staying sick.

 There are Thousands of Different Types of Glutens

Part of the problem with one of the serum lab tests (anti-gliadin antibody test) is that it is only sensitive for a very specific type of gluten called gliadin.  Researchers have identified thousands of different types of gluten proteins found in grains, but lab tests don’t measure whether or not patients react to all of these different glutens – just gliadin.

Serum lab test flaws don’t stop there.  Most of these tests measure a specific type of antibody produced by your body’s immune system.  The most common antibody types measured are IgA and IgG.  Your body can make five different types of antibodies (see below).

1. Immunoglobulin A (IgA)
2. IgG
3. IgM
4. IgD
5. IgE

Additionally, your body’s immune system can react to gluten in multiple ways (direct T-Cell reactions, immune complex reactions).  Your immune system can also make other types of chemicals to help you fight gluten.  These chemicals are typically not measured at all.  Examples include -

1. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)
2. Interferon

 The diagram below illustrates some of these immune system reactions.

Gluten Can Cause Damage in Other Ways

New research has also discovered that gluten can cause changes in your friendly intestinal bacteria (dysbiosis).  These changes can contribute to the development of celiac disease and other autoimmune diseases.  Research has also discovered that gluten can cause leaky gut syndrome.

Bottom line – if you have had negative test results via biopsy of serum labs, you may still have gluten sensitivity.  The most accurate way to get a meaningful diagnosis is genetic testing or using an elimination diet.  You may also want to take this quick quiz <<<==

All the best – Dr. Osborne – The Gluten Free Warrior

If you liked, if it helped you, if you think it can help someone else, share it…

What to do when going gluten free is not enough to restore your health…

***We will be giving away more than $2000 in door prizes!

Bring yourself, bring your family, bring your friends.

A Gluten Free Diet Might Not be Enough

Many go gluten free and continue to have persistent health issues.  This meeting will focus on how to improve health beyond the gluten free diet.  Including:

• What lab tests you should ask your doctor to order
• How vitamin and mineral deficiencies can hinder the healing process
• Rebound symptoms of going gluten free
• How hidden food allergies can secretly keep you sick

Place: 550 Eldridge Road, Sugar Land, TX 77478

Time: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

One of the most common forms of unintentional gluten exposure comes from both over the counter and prescription medications.  Often times doctors are not aware that their prescribed medications contain the toxic protein ingredient, and their patients get a daily dose of hidden gluten.

Gluten Free Diet Challenges

The medication issue is often times a big problem in patients going gluten free and trying to restore good health.  I have seen patients stay sick because a prescription drug contained various forms of gluten.  The irony here is that the drug is supposed to have a benefit, but serves the opposite function in these types of cases.  There are so many ways we can get exposed to hidden gluten, the medicines should not be one of them.

If you are taking a prescription drug, make sure you check with the doctor, the pharmacist, and the drug manufacturer to get clarification on whether or not it contains grains.  For a list of  hidden terms used on labels go here <<<   Corn glutens are the most commonly found ingredient in medications.  You can find a list of hidden names for corn here <<<

Medications Can Also Deplete Vitamins & Minerals

Unfortunately, many doctors prescribe drugs without giving thought to the long term effects on nutrition.  As I have discussed in previous articles, nutritional deficiencies are one of the biggest problems that gluten sensitive patients face.  A lack of key nutrients delays, slows and in many cases stops the healing process in its tracks.  As a matter of fact, one of the main reasons a gluten free diet will fail has to do with a patients vitamin and mineral status.   The following diagram lists some common medications and the nutrients they inhibit or block:

If you have been prescribed medications, the first thing you need to do is talk with your doctor.  Have him/her run lab tests to check your nutritional status.  If any deficiencies are identified, supplement appropriately.  If your doctor won’t help you with this, consider finding a functional medicine doctor who will.  The future of medicine does not lie in a doctoral dictatorship that orders you to follow blindly without question, but in a mutual relationship of concern between you and your doctor.

All the best,

Dr. O

P.S.

If you want to learn more about hidden sources of gluten, watch this video <<==

Breaking The Cardinal Rule of Nutrition

It is in this that the cardinal rule of nutrition is being broken.  What is the cardinal rule?  Simple – one cannot achieve or maintain health eating unhealthy foods.  Now all we have to do is define healthy.  This is where a lot of confusion sets in.  Healthy for one, many not be healthy for another.  I have had patients react to blueberries and broccoli.   So part of how we define healthy for an individual is by following the next three rules -

1. Don’t eat foods that you are allergic or intolerant to (get tested to avoid confusion)
2. Don’t eat it if it makes you feel bad.
3. If you can’t pronounce the terms on the ingredients label without a biochemistry degree or lots of practice, then it is not healthy.

Digging Out of an Unhealthy Hole

The average person who identifies gluten as an issue is already sick.  Therefore, removing gluten for someone with gluten sensitivity, removes a food that creates inflammatory damage, removes a food that overstimulates the immune system, removes a food that changes the good bacteria in the intestine, and removes a food that causes leaky gut (AKA – intestinal permeability).  All good things.  However;  replacing gluten based foods with other processed junk food does nothing to help the body recover from years of gluten induced damage.  In fact it stops the healing process in its tracks.  This is one of the major reasons why people going on a traditional gluten free diet do not heal.

Health restoration requires care and attention to diet and other lifestyle components.  Remember,  going gluten free may improve how you feel, but it doesn’t guarantee full recovery from illness, especially if you are trading one unhealthy food for another.

Starting The Healing Process

In my experience treating thousands of patients, the best place to start is a functional medicine approach.  Get with a doctor oriented in this style of practice.  Gluten Free Society has started a training program for doctors and health care providers.  You can check our database of certified practitioners >>here<<  Ask him/her to help you identify chemical, physical, and mental imbalances in your lifestyle that are blocking your path to good health.

Lab Tests To Customize Your Health Needs

The following labs work up should be done to obtain personalized treatment/guidance options for you:

• Other food allergies you might have (for the right test watch this <<==)
• Whether you have leaky gut syndrome or intestinal infection
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

I hope this information was helpful to you on your road to recovery.  You can learn even more with my online Glutenology Health Matrix program.  Please feel free to share it with someone who needs help.

All the best,

Dr. Osborne – The Gluten Free Warrior

Dr. Terry Wahls was stricken with the autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis.  She saw the best doctors that the Western world had to offer.  None of the conventional treatments could help her, so she turned to Functional Medicine and nutrition.  She changed her diet and changed her life…

Autoimmune Disease and Gluten

It is a very well established fact that gluten can induce autoimmune disease (AID).  Multiple sclerosis is one of many forms of autoimmunity effecting the U.S. today.  As a matter of fact, AID effects 23 million Americans.  This doctor turned to diet and non traditional treatment using vitamins , minerals, and other plant based nutrients after medicine failed.  She went from being crippled and dependent upon others to bike riding and enjoying life again.  Her message is a powerful testament to the importance of diet.

Going Gluten Free is Not Enough

Many of you have embarked upon a gluten free lifestyle to help heal.  You continue to eat processed sugar, processed dairy from sick cows, processed meat from the same sick cows, food marinated in chemicals and preservatives.  You do so because the package says gluten free (and that makes it OK regardless of how unhealthy it is).  You do so because eating right is hard.  You do so because you don’t want to feel like a social outcast.  You do so because it is socially acceptable to destroy ourselves with food.  You do so because the TV ads tell you it is OK. You do so because ____________ (fill in you own blank).

The damage of “doing so” can be seen all around us.  Diseases of bad nutritional choices and sedentary lifestyle are rampant. One million Americans die annually from heart disease.  In 1910, there was not enough heart disease in this country to support a cardiology practice.  More than a million Americans die annually from cancer.  The U.S. spends more money on healthcare than any other country in the world, yet we rank at the bottom of the list in health.

As Dr. Wahl states above, don’t be fooled into the false belief that the processed, packaged substitute foods can help you reach your health goals.   This artificial food is toxic and will only contribute toward your deteriorating health.  You have a choice!  Choose illness or choose health.

I am not trying to be harsh here, but reality and truth sometimes sting.  You can ignore them and pretend like you are nutritionally immune to the detriments of a bad diet, or you can take action.

I spend time researching and writing and sharing information with you because I care

Need a guide to get you on the right path?  >>>The Glutenology Health Matrix<<< can help you.

All the best,

Dr. O

A new research study has identified that vitamin C reduces inflammatory damage induced by gluten. The authors of the study state the following:

Ascorbate decreases the mucosal inflammatory response to gluten…

Research Resource: Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2012 Jan-Feb;40(1):3-8. Epub 2011 Mar 21.

Gluten Induced Damage Can Cause Vitamin C Deficiency

This is just one more reason to make sure that you are checking your vitamin and mineral levels twice per year. So many of us are cross contaminated with gluten on a regular basis, and every bit of help from nutrition is worth investigating. It is a well established fact that gluten can contribute to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Most doctors measure for iron and vitamin D levels as part of their standard laboratory follow up in patients with celiac disease. Unfortunately, only looking at iron and vitamin D is not comprehensive enough because nutritional deficiencies can reduce a patients ability to heal and respond to a gluten free diet.  Vitamin C is a potent immune modulator, helps with antioxidant function, helps the brain make dopamine, helps the adrenal glands make epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol, helps the skin and cardiovascular system maintain their elasticity and integrity…  Some of the most common symptoms of vitamin C deficiency are bleeding gums, and easy bruising.  Below, I have listed additional information about vitamin C (ascorbate) for your benefit. You should be aware however, that many forms of vitamin C are derived form corn. As corn can be a problem, make sure to check your brand.

Benefits of Vitamin C

* Improved blood vessel and cardiovascular integrity
* Enhances hormone healthy and reduces hormone unhealthy actions
* Enhances proper neurotransmitter functions
* Promotes immune system health
* Enhances nitrous oxide (NO) functions (potent chemical that regulates antioxidant status and blood pressure)
* Enhances and repairs detoxification functions
* Enhances ATP energy compound production
* Enhances healthy bone formation
* Enhances and rebuilds glutathione (a potent antioxidant system and liver detoxifier) functions
* Promotes iron balance [uptake and release]
* Reduces bioaccumulation of toxins
* Improves gastric transit time
* Protects DNA from oxidative damage
* Reduces toxic minerals in body
* Enhances natural anti-cancer surveillance
* Direct tumor cytolytic (killing) effects

Signs & Symptoms of Vitamin C Deficiency:

• Dry and splitting hair
• Inflammation of the gums (gingivitis)
• Rough, dry, scaly skin (hyperkeratosis)
• Easy bruising and slow healing
• Infertility
• Histamine elevations (leads to increased environmental allergies)
• Easy bruising
• Spontaneous nosebleeds
• Weakened enamel of the teeth
• Swollen and painful joints
• Gallstone formation
• Anemia
• Increased susceptibility to infection
• Weight gain (due to metabolic slowing)
• Weight loss

Drugs/Medications that deplete or interfere with Vitamin C:

• Aspirin and other NSAIDS
• Birth control pills (oral contraceptives and hormone replacement)
• Cyclosporine
• Corticosteroids and glucocorticoids
• Furosemide (Lasix), and other diuretics such as caffeine
• Heparin and coumadin (blood thinners)

Food Sources for Vitamin C:

High: Acercola cherries, broccoli, brussel sprouts, collards, guava, rose hips, black currant
Moderate: Cabbage, spinach, citrus fruits, strawberries, cauliflower, chives, green peppers (jalapenos), red peppers, watermelon, tomatoes, kiwi, mango, cranberries, potatoes, winter squash, raspberries, blueberries, pineapple

One of the biggest delays in healing that patients with gluten sensitivity face has to do with the deficiency of vitamins, minerals, and other dietary nutrients.  Many doctors check their patients for iron deficiency, but fail to check other essential nutrients like vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, chromium, B-vitamins, etc.  Failure to address nutritional deficiencies can lead to delayed healing and delayed response to a gluten free diet.  The study below was conducted over a 10 year period and found that patients with a prior diagnosis of celiac disease had worse nutritional status even after following a strict gluten free diet.

Results: Coeliac patients showed a higher total plasma homocysteine level than the general population, indicative of a poor vitamin status. In accordance, the plasma levels of folate and pyridoxal 5″-phosphate (active form of vitamin B-6) were low in 37% and 20%, respectively, and accounted for 33% of the variation of the total plasma homocysteine level (P < 0.008). The mean daily intakes of folate and vitamin B-12, but not of vitamin B-6, were significantly lower in coeliac patients than in controls.
Conclusions: Half of the adult coeliac patients carefully treated with a gluten-free diet for several years showed signs of a poor vitamin status. This may have clinical implications considering the linkage between vitamin deficiency, elevated total plasma homocysteine levels and cardiovascular disease. The results may suggest that, when following up adults with coeliac disease, the vitamin status should be reviewed.

Research Resource:

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2002; 16: 1333–1339.

Gluten Causes Nutritional Loss…

What You Can Do to Prevent Nutritional Side Effects

Talk with your doctor about the study above.  I have provided a link to it so that you can print it out.  Ask your doctor to test you for vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  It is important that you ask for more than just a standard serum test.  Many doctors will check you blood for calcium, B-12, folate, and magnesium using serum tests, but these tests are largely inaccurate.  The following lab tests should be requested to assess your nutritional status thoroughly:

• Spectracell (highly specialized vitamin and mineral analysis) – This test measures your nutritional storage and gives an accurate assessment of your status over the past 6 months.
• 25 OH D – This is a special vitamin D test.
• Homocysteine  (blood test)
• Iodine loading test (urine test)

Remember that proper nutrition is the key to healing.  If you are lacking any essential nutrients, your body will not be able to properly heal and your progress on a gluten free diet will be hindered.  I have seen patients completely fail to respond to a gluten free diet because of nutritional deficiencies.

Many Medications Cause Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

I recently did a radio show on this very topic.  Commonly prescribed medications have been shown to contribute to nutritional deficiencies.  For example, blood pressure medications can cause deficiencies in magnesium, potassium, and B-vitamins.  If you are taking a prescribed medication, click here to learn more on this topic, and then speak with your prescribing doctor.

If your doctor does not have a nutritional background, encourage him/her to take Gluten Free Society’s Tier 1 and Tier 2 certification course.  This 10 hour class is designed to get doctors and other health care providers up to speed on managing patients with gluten related issues.  Part of that is knowing how to guide a patient through the nutritional pitfalls of healing.  Remember that gluten sensitivity is a nutritional issue.  If your doctor is not trained nutritionally, it will be hard for him/her to give you adequate guidance.

All the best,

Dr. O