functional medicine and nutritional genomics - American Association ...
functional medicine and nutritional genomics - American Association ...
functional medicine and nutritional genomics - American Association ...
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AAPI’S NUTRITION GUIDE TO OPTIMAL HEALTH: USING PRINCIPLES OF FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE AND NUTRITIONAL GENOMICS<br />
EGID vary widely, depending on the area affected,<br />
<strong>and</strong> can mimic the symptoms of other disorders<br />
like food allergies, IBD, IBS, <strong>and</strong> GERD.<br />
Eosinophilic esophagitis in particular is commonly<br />
misdiagnosed as GERD.<br />
Common symptoms of EGID include:<br />
� nausea or vomiting<br />
� diarrhea<br />
� failure to thrive<br />
� abdominal or chest pain<br />
� reflux that does not respond to usual<br />
therapy<br />
� dysphagia<br />
� food impactions<br />
� gastroparesis<br />
� poor appetite<br />
� bloating<br />
� anemia<br />
� blood in the stool<br />
� malnutrition<br />
� difficulty sleeping<br />
If the child has EGID, it can cause significant<br />
pain, which can result in severe feeding problems<br />
<strong>and</strong> refusal to eat foods. EGID can only be<br />
diagnosed through an upper endoscopy,<br />
colonoscopy, <strong>and</strong> biopsy. Once the presence of<br />
EE, EG, <strong>and</strong>/or EC is confirmed, food allergy<br />
testing is typically ordered by the<br />
gastroenterologist. Since reactions to foods can not<br />
always be identified with food allergy testing, an<br />
elimination/challenge diet is recommended to help<br />
identify problematic foods. The foods that are most<br />
likely causing EGID are milk, wheat, soy, eggs,<br />
<strong>and</strong>/or peanuts.<br />
4) CONSIDER ELIMINATION DIETS<br />
Elimination diets are very popular in the autism<br />
community. The most common elimination diets<br />
initiated by parents include the Gluten Free Casein<br />
Free Diet, Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), Gut<br />
<strong>and</strong> Psychology Syndrome Diet (GAPS), Rotation,<br />
Antifungal, Feingold, <strong>and</strong> the Low Oxalate diets.<br />
Parents have long claimed that many of these<br />
diets are effective in relieving their child’s autistic<br />
symptoms. However, there is very little evidencebased<br />
scientific research that supports or refutes<br />
128<br />
these claims. There are a few studies published<br />
with mixed results (68, 69). Currently, there is<br />
ongoing research on the Gluten Free Casein Free<br />
Diet; the study ‚Diet <strong>and</strong> Behavior in Young<br />
Children with Autism‛ is sponsored by the National<br />
Institute of Mental Health. You may find<br />
additional information on this research study at<br />
www.clinicaltrials.gov.<br />
The Gluten Free Casein Free Diet (GFCF Diet)<br />
The GFCF diet is the single most common<br />
elimination diet recommended for children with<br />
autism. Clinical observation over thirty years has<br />
shown this to be the most effective elimination diet<br />
for children with autism. According to anecdotal<br />
reports, the GFCF diet may relieve the child’s GI<br />
symptoms, increase focus, improve sleep, decrease<br />
hyperactivity, <strong>and</strong> reduce behavioral problems. It<br />
is not considered a ‚cure‛ for autism, but rather a<br />
means to relieve autistic, behavioral, <strong>and</strong><br />
gastrointestinal symptoms.<br />
Currently, there is no clear explanation of why the<br />
GFCF diet is effective for many children with<br />
autism. In the early 1980’s, the ‚opiate excess‛<br />
theory arose suggesting that incompletely digested<br />
peptides, gliadomorphine <strong>and</strong> casomorphine, with<br />
opioid activity could precipitate autism (70, 71).<br />
The opiate excess theory is still very popular<br />
today; however, it remains very controversial.<br />
Another theory, ‚non-IgE mediated food allergy‛<br />
theory arose in 2002. Research conducted by<br />
Dr. Harami Jyonouchi suggest that children with<br />
autism may be predisposed to allergic reactions to<br />
the dietary proteins, gluten, casein, <strong>and</strong> soy, which<br />
leads to gastrointestinal inflammation <strong>and</strong><br />
behavioral symptoms. Jyonouchi’s research<br />
indicates that while only a small percentage of<br />
children with autism tested positive for IgEmediated<br />
food allergies via IgE RAST <strong>and</strong> skin<br />
prick tests for gluten, casein, <strong>and</strong> soy, a<br />
significant percentage of these same children<br />
experienced symptom improvement on a gluten,<br />
casein, <strong>and</strong> soy elimination diet. Jyonouchi found<br />
that children with autism had an increased<br />
proinflammatory cytokine response to gluten,<br />
casein, <strong>and</strong> soy, which indicates that these<br />
children have a non-IgE mediated immune reaction<br />
2012