Grain Brain by David Perlmutter

Author:David Perlmutter [PERLMUTTER,, DAVID/LOBERG, KRISTIN]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Health & Fitness / General
ISBN: 9780316234825
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: 2013-09-16T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

Brain Drain

How Gluten Robs You and Your Children’s Peace of Mind

As a rule, what is out of sight disturbs men’s minds more seriously than what they see.

—JULIUS CAESAR

IF SUGARS AND GLUTEN-FILLED CARBS, including your daily whole-grain breads and favorite comfort foods, are slowly impinging on your brain’s long-term health and functionality, what else can these ingredients do on a more short-term basis? Can they trigger changes in behavior, seize control of focus and concentration, and underlie some tic disorders and mood conditions like depression? Can they be the culprit in chronic headaches and even migraines?

Yes, they can. The facts of “grain brain” go far beyond just hampering neurogenesis and increasing your risk for cognitive challenges that will progress stealthily over time. As I’ve already hinted at throughout the previous chapters, a diet heavy in inflammatory carbs and low in healthy fats messes with the mind in more ways than one—affecting risk not just for dementia but for common neurological ailments such as ADHD, anxiety disorder, Tourette’s syndrome, mental illness, migraines, and even autism.

Up until now, I’ve focused primarily on cognitive decline and dementia. Now, let’s turn to gluten’s destructive effects on the brain from the perspective of these common behavioral and psychological disorders. I’ll start with the afflictions that are often diagnosed in young children, and then move on to cover a wider array of issues that are found in people of every age. One thing will be clear: The removal of gluten from the diet and the adoption of a grain-brain-free way of life is often the surest ticket to relief for these brain ailments that plague millions, and this simple “prescription” can often trump drug therapy.

GLUTEN’S ROLE IN BEHAVIORAL AND MOVEMENT DISORDERS

I first saw Stuart when he had just turned four years old. He was brought to my center by his mother, Nancy, whom I had known for several years; she was a physical therapist who had treated many of our patients. Nancy began by describing her concerns about Stuart and reported that although she really hadn’t noticed anything wrong with her son, his preschool teacher felt he was unusually “active” and felt it would be a good idea to have him evaluated. I was not the first doctor to see him because of this concern. The week before visiting us, Stuart’s mom had taken him to their pediatrician, who proclaimed that Stuart “was ADHD” and had written a prescription for Ritalin.

Nancy was rightfully concerned about placing her son on the drug, and this prompted her to look into other options. She began by explaining that her son had frequent anger outbursts and that he “shook uncontrollably when frustrated.” She described how the preschool teacher complained that Stuart was unable to “stay on task,” making me wonder exactly what tasks require undivided focus in a four-year-old.

Stuart’s past medical history was revealing. He had suffered lots of ear infections and had been on countless rounds of antibiotics. At the time I evaluated him, he was on a six-month course of prophylactic antibiotics in hopes of reducing his risk for continued ear infections.

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