klc's Blog

Yes, from what I've read on the message boards and blogs, gluten has and does impair brain function. I hear a lot of talk of anything from "brain fog" to seizures to schizophrenia to depression. My understanding is that gluten damages our intestines which causes malabsorption of vital nutrients. Naturally, that would cause a chemical imbalance, among other things, in our bodies.

My daughter (diagnosed at the same time as I was in 2004) was so severely B12 deficient that the doctor said he'd never seen anyone with levels that low. B12 deficiency can result in neurological disorders. Luckily, we discovered before any damage was done - that we know of.

You might also consider that your heavy drinking (you said it, not me ) has caused damage. You do know, don't you, that alcohol kills brain cells? And in addition, beer contains gluten. A double whammy for you.

Thank you Mosaics! I guess a blood test to check my B12 level would be recommended.

I wasn't specifically recommending a B12 test. I was just using that personal experience as an example of possible symtoms of celiac disease and how it might affect our brains. If you are B12 deficient, you would be very tired/fatigued all the time. My daughter was sleeping constantly even though she was only 20 and wanted to be out doing things.

I understand. I am suffering from fatigue on a somewhat regular basis. I don't know if this is part of the healing process, a vitamin deficiency or something else. I am welcoming any input regarding this disease since my doctor doesn't seem too knowledgeable about it ( maybe it's time to see a specialist).
Do you know if a vitamin B12 deficiency will show up on a standard blood test? Thanks again Mosaics! You seen to take a considerable amount of time responding to alot of peoples posts. This is very admirable.

I don't know if testing for B12 deficiency is included in a standard blood test or not. You may have to request it specifically. We didn't know to request it for my daughter, but because of her fatigue, our doctor thought of it.

Any doctor can order a B12 test, but yes, you do have to specifically ask for it, otherwise they don't seem to think of doing it.

Check out Scott's (admin's) blog, and read the entry from two days ago. It's all about gluten affecting the brain. Very informative.

Thank you Ursula! Scott's blog was informative. How exactly did you find out that you were allergic to tomatoes and other vegetables. What kind of testing did your doctor order? I am very new to the world of food allergies. My doctor ran a celiac panel 5 months ago and it came up positive. There has been a dramatic improvement in my health since going gluten free, especially the bathroom part. I am a little suspect of some other allergies.

I was tested with a vega machine about five years ago by a naturopathic doctor, and the whole nightshade family scored very high. Eliminating those made a definite difference, especially eliminating tomatoes. I already knew that potatoes caused gastrointestinal problems, it was obvious, and I was limiting them.

I found out about lectins and salicylates through links people posted here, and did an elimination diet to confirm my suspicions.

And the most effective way to do it is through an elimination diet. Unfortunately, sometimes people have a problem with combined foods, that are not a problem if eaten separately. Those are nearly impossible to figure out on your own.

One of my daughter cannot tolerate the combinations of tomatoes and meat, and potatoes and meat. She seems fine with any of them separately from each other.

One of my granddaughters cannot tolerate the combination of egg and grains. Meaning that my daughter has to bake with an egg substitute so she can eat her muffins or cakes.

I do suspect that my daughter really has a problem with nightshades, and my granddaughter may be gluten intolerant.

I was diagnosed with an intolerance to the combination of grain and fruit. If I ate applesauce cake for instance, I'd break out in terrible hives all over within an hour or two, which would last about 24 hours and would drive me insane with the itching. If I'd scratch, they'd run together and swell. I remember my arms being bright red and terribly swollen on occasion. If I'd take Benadryl as soon as a reaction started, I could sometimes prevent that reaction.

Now I know that I am intolerant to all grains, as well as most fruit. The combination was really bad.

i'm very new to this having been diagnosed about a month ago. where would i go to find out what lectins and salicylates are and if i am reacting to them.

Supplementing the amino acid l-tyrosine really helps my brain fog (almost immediately). If you are B12 deficient, supplementing will make you feel better almost immediately. B-12 supplements can reduce reaction to sulfites. Google "b12 deficiency" for more info.