health

Why a gluten-free diet is not for everybody

23.10.16


A gluten-free diet is a diet where gluten is not included in daily meals.

Gluten itself is a type of protein found in seeds, primarily wheat, rye and barley. In processed products, gluten can help the rising process of bread and give it a chewy texture. Recently, the gluten-free diet has become a trend due to claims about its health benefits. However, is such a diet good for everybody?

Gluten-free diet for celiac disease sufferers

The gluten-free diet is primarily intended for those who suffer from celiac disease, which is a condition where the body cannot digest gluten contained in food. Due to its indigestible manner, the body interprets gluten as a threat and then produces an antibody that backfires to the small intestinal lining, resulting in swelling and damage in the small intestinal lining tissues. The damage of these linings causes a decrease of the intestine’s ability to absorb iron going into the body. This is dangerous for our health because iron absorption takes place mostly in the small intestine. Celiac disease sufferers usually also experience diarrhea, anemia, pain in the bones and even patches on the skin. Celiac disease attacks people of various ages and usually happens without special symptoms.

There is not yet medication to fully cure celiac disease. Treatment that can decrease the symptoms of celiac disease is the one and only gluten free diet. Celiac disease sufferers must avoid gluten containing foods. The amount of gluten contained does not matter because a small amount of gluten can trigger the immune system to attack the intestinal lining.

Gluten-free diet for autism sufferers

Aside for celiac disease sufferers, gluten-free diet can also be addressed to those with autism spectrum disorder sufferers or autism. Autism sufferers usually adopt a Gluten Free Casein Free (GFCF) diet, which eliminates all gluten and casein contained in their daily meals. For autism sufferers, gluten and casein that goes into the body cannot be digested thoroughly, which will then be interpreted as a hostile component by the brain. This causes autism sufferers to go through behavioral changes. By eliminating gluten and casein, we can expect some cognitive enhancement in autism sufferers.

Gluten-free diet for non-celiac gluten sensitivity sufferers

There are some people who are sensitive to gluten contained in foods. Further examination is required to determine whether a person suffers from celiac disease, sensitive to gluten, or just allergic to wheat. Even though the symptoms are more or less the same (diarhea, stomachache, and other symptoms appearing around a few hours to a few days post gluten consumption), the impact inflicted is not as bad as celiac disease.


Can one adopt a gluten-free diet if one doesn’t have none of the above conditions?

What if you don't suffer from any of the above condition yet still want to do a gluten-free diet? The following are a few things that can help you consider whether this diet can suit your lifestyle. 

Your choices of food will be significantly limited

When you decide to do a gluten-free diet, you’ll have to say goodbye to the foods you often consume on daily basis. Bread, biscuits, oats, pasta, various pastries, all processed wheat products are a no-no. Although the food market is now flooded with gluten-free labeled foods, they can be priced twice as much compared to regular ones. Aside from that, these alternative foods can have higher calories and saturated fats too.

Gluten-free foods often have incomplete nutrients

Those who are obligated to do gluten-free diet due to certain condition is recommended to consult with doctors and also a nutritionist because most gluten containing foods are staple foods that are often consumed on daily basis. By eliminating those kinds of foods, food choices for them become limited. Without consultation, people who undergo gluten free diet have a risk of deficiency of vitamins, mineral and fiber.

You may need food supplement

Gluten-free products sold at the market generally contains lack of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, calcium, iron, magnesium and fiber. Celiac disease sufferers are recommended to take extra vitamins to prevent the mentioned vitamin and mineral deficiency.

Gluten is difficult to digest


Gluten has been claimed to trigger health problems. As reported by the Washington Post, Alessio Fasano, founder and director of Center for Celiac Research & Treatment in Massachusetts General Hospital, says that it is true that there are no enzyme found in the body to properly digest the complex protein contained in gluten. When the immune system detects the existence of gluten, it will try to fight and eliminates gluten from the body. But for some people, our immune system is somehow able to cope with gluten.

Thoughts

here's how to deal with tantrums in public

2.10.16

We’d like to think that tantrums and high tempers are signs that a child cannot be tamed. As a matter of fact, no matter how bad your child's tantrum is, it is part of his or her growth. 

During the growth period, children will push themselves to the limit. They gain autonomy, touch everything, experience bursts of energy and sometimes become very stubborn. Tantrums generally happen because a child lacks knowledge and does not have the ability to handle a burst of emotion. Child and adult minds work in different ways, even compared to slightly older children. They don't have good self- and emotional control yet. Thus when adults think that raging in a public place for no reason is considered inappropriate, children will not understand. They will keep doing it, because a tantrum is a biological thing. 

When your children launch into tantrums at home, they are easy to cope with. You can place them in their rooms, keep your distance, or get assistance from people around the house to calm them down. But what happens when the tantrum happens in public, at the mall for instance, when you are doing your shopping and they’re whimpering for you to buy their favorite snack? It's a bad enough situation without the judging faces of people around you making the tantrum more difficult to handle.

Just ignore it

Getting angry at your child will only worsen their emotion -- even more so if you punish them for the tantrum. The children will store their anger and frustration within themselves. This is not very healthy. 

During a tantrum a child cannot think clearly. Children will be fully controlled by their emotions. These overflowing emotions ‘invade’ the brain’s frontal cortex, the judging and decision making area. So yeah, reasoning persuasion would not bring any results, even less if forced or scolded. This is because the parts of the brain that can do those things are taking time off.

There is nothing you can do to make a child end his or her tantrum. Remember that children actually have the right to engage in a tantrum, but you also have the choice not to get involved in it. So yeah, ignoring your baby is actually an option. The goal of a tantrum is to seek attention from you. When you entice or force your child to stop whining, this means that you actually encourage them to have another tantrum in the future because they get what they want: your attention, either good or bad.


When you are at a shop and your child suddenly goes into a tantrum, do not show any response, not even staring them in the face. If the whining worsens, immediately leave the shop and go somewhere for solitude for the child to release his or her anger until he or she feels satisfied. In the meantime, you can check your phone, read a book, take a break -- anything really. When they’re worn out and recover from the tantrum, you may talk to them and continue your shopping. Ignoring your child while in a tantrum does not mean you are a bad parent.

Crying and whining while in a tantrum actually helps children to release their emotions in a harmless way. They can extract their dissappointment and frustration, heal themselves and regain self-control, all by their own effort without involving a loud argument.

Give some hugs

When you see your child in a rage, hugs may be the last thing you think of. A child's tantrum may have the tendency to make adults become emotional. However, as a parent, staying calm is the best thing you can do. Hugs can make a child feel safe and let them know you caree, although you disagree with their actions. Do note that this is not just any hug. Embrace them tightly and firmly, not the kind of hugs for bedtime stories, and don’t say anything while embracing your little one. Tantrums can be a big problem when parents gave up too soon or too often, teaching the child that a tantrum is the best solution to get what they want. 

Be prepared

Keep in mind that children and toddlers may have the tendency to display their emotions when tired or feeling hungry. Thus, if you are to do your monthly shopping for instance, make sure your little ones are well fed and well rested before leaving the house. During shopping, it's good to fill your bag with necessary ‘equipment’ to keep your child busy or you can use it to distract them when they show signs of a tantrum. Bring along candies, biscuits, or a favorite toy. This stuff may seem petty, but it can be a big help. Other than that, setting some ground rules when going out to the store can also reduce the risk of a tantrum. Before arriving at the destination, you can clarify to your little one that the goal of going to the mall is only for grocery shopping, not for ice cream or a new toy. 

Frustration can also be the cause of a tantrum. If you know the mall you’re visiting has your child’s favorite toy store, be sure to spare some time visiting the place, or you should reconsider visiting that mall. Thinking of your child's reactions, the consequences and every possible alternative does not mean you’re giving up; this means you are being a wise parent.