What is Gluten free/Casein free?
GFCF is a diet basically excluding all products containing gluten (protein found in wheat, rye, barley, etc) and casein ( protein found in milk), The premise is that gluten and casein molecules can not be digested properly and penetrate the gut wall entering the bloodstream as molecules similar to gliado morphine and caseo morphine. These molecules have morphine-like effect on the brain and lead to symptoms like brain fog, inability to concentrate, sleep issues, moodiness, chronic inflammation etc.
Gluten and casein intolerance is often linked to autoimmune disease, behavioral and learning disabilities and ASD(autism specter disorder). Thus GFCF diet is a must according to most autism-treatment centers.
Our experience with GFCF
We first heard about GFCF from the therapists at the center our kid used to have therapy at. Disclaimer: Our boy does not have autism, but at the time he was 2 years old with symptoms resembling ASD, so we were very worried and sought help at a therapy center. Later during our research we found numerous cases of miraculous improvement all over the forum boards and blog posts on the web. My favorite story was about a non-verbal little girl about 4-5 years old who started the diet and in a week time not only started speaking but could actually use freely 50 words.
Soon enough we started the diet expecting visible results. The truth is nothing happened. The kid was very distressed for a week or two by the change of food and drink (he still liked to drink milk at that time). Otherthan that absolutely nothing changed - his sleep was still bad, his belly was still as bloated, his stool was absolutely the same as before, his concentration and language abilities remained unchanged. A month and a half into the diet we transitioned into GAPS. I have a lot of good things to say about GAPS.
Here are my pros and cons of GFCF based on our own experience with it and on my personal observations on other families on this diet
Pros
- Removing gluten and casein and avoiding sugar improves skin conditions and mainly acne immensely.
- Removing gluten and dairy helps you stay away from a number of GMO products and processed supermarket milk rich in hormones.
- Avoiding gluten and processed dairy products (rich in sugars) actually helps you lose weight more effectively.
- I've come across publications on how people over the age of 3 lack the enzymes needed to digest dairy products properly so by going GFCF you have that issue resolved for you.
- GFCF is a relatively popular diet and there is a number of substitutes widely accessible.
- GFCF is definitely a step in the right direction. However, it is not enough to resolve your more complex health issues.
Cons
- Almost all processed foods contain gluten or could be contaminated with gluten so you need to read the labels meticulously
- GFCF diet does not automatically equal healthy. It is easy to substitute wheat for white rice, corn and potato starch and overdo it.
- Remember the story about the little girl who started speaking? Her parents wrote that after a few weeks she showed allergies to the rice milk she drank and they had to switch brands. This shows me that despite going GFCF her main problem - leaky gut, did not resolve.
- By going GFCF and not being a celiac you will be constantly bombarded with statements that you are depriving your body of "certain nutrients and fiber". I am not saying there is no such thing but I also have not come across scientific facts on the subject. These statements, however, get very old very fast and to me it's frustrating.
- By not consuming fermented organic dairy such as yoghurt or kefir you are in fact depriving your body of certain strains of beneficial probiotic bacteria. You can supplement of course, but yoghurt is cheaper and more delicious.
And to end on a funny note - remember that lead and cocaine are also gluten and casein free.
