Can you imagine a piece of bread destroying your brain? It may seem farfetched, but if you have celiac disease, it’s a genuine possibility. For some celiac sufferers, consuming gluten – a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye – can lead to an autoimmune reaction that destroys nerve tissue and brain cells. The primary defense against this destruction is adopting a gluten-free diet.
Deteriorating Memory
Several years ago, I found myself on the brink of full-blown dementia. I experienced severe and seemingly inexplicable cognitive and memory difficulties. For example, I could take part in a conversation in the morning, only to have no recollection of it by the afternoon. Driving became increasingly difficult, and my ability to write and edit deteriorated significantly.
One evening, my son interrupted me to ask why I was telling him a story I had already told him two minutes before; I had no memory of doing so, and I realized I was in serious trouble.
Unexpected Solution
Not long before my symptoms worsened, I had read about a study at the Mayo Clinic that discovered people with celiac disease who were suffering cognitive decline improved on a gluten-free diet. I hadn’t given it much thought at the time, but my worsening condition pushed me to try going gluten-free out of desperation.
I had little hope that it would make any difference, but I also had nothing to lose. To my amazement, I experienced remarkable and almost instant results after eliminating gluten from my diet.
Within the first three days, I lost five pounds, even though I was eating the same amount of food as before. More importantly, my memory improved significantly within seven days. The improvement was so dramatic that my family immediately recognized it.
Additionally, skin rashes that had persisted for years mostly cleared up. Simultaneously, 40 years of high blood pressure ended, and I no longer needed the medications I had taken for it.
Reversing Cognitive Decline
My experience aligned with the Mayo Clinic’s research: for people threatened with dementia, giving up gluten can not only stop the deterioration of mental faculties but can even reverse the process.
Experts warn that at least one in every 100-133 people in the U.S. has celiac, meaning about 3 million people are affected, most of whom don’t know they have this autoimmune problem. Research reveals that the rate of celiac has quadrupled in the past 40 years, for unknown reasons. Another frightening fact: if you have celiac disease, don’t know it, and don’t follow a gluten-free diet, you quadruple your chances of dying.
Age Is Just A Number
You’re never too old to develop celiac disease, as Alessio Fasano, M.D., director of the University of Maryland’s Mucosal Biology Research Center cautions. While the most common signs of celiac are considered to be digestive issues like cramping, diarrhea, and intestinal bloating, these symptoms did not affect me. Furthermore, research from Finland shows that elderly people suffer from celiac at a rate about two and a half times higher than the general population. Previously, experts believed that gluten sensitivity almost always occurred in childhood.
A Necessity, Not A Fad
Although many people believe that the increasing demand for gluten-free foods merely reflects a fleeting fad, giving up gluten has proven to be a necessity rather than a fashion for people like me. If you or someone you know is experiencing cognitive decline, it could be beneficial to consider adopting a gluten-free diet – it may just change your life.
