(05-05-12) Eliminating gluten from the diet can relieve brain fog (mental confusion)

by Sarka-Jonae Miller

(NaturalNews) Brain fog is a real problem despite the lack of information in
most medical and psychological texts. Brain fog describes mental confusion or a
lack of mental clarity. People with brain fog have difficulty thinking clearly
most of the time and in varying degrees. A morning bagel, lunchtime sandwich or
pasta dinner may be the cause behind this scary condition.

Brain fog reduces quality of life
Even though the medical community mainly ignores brain fog, it is one of the
most important symptoms, says Lawrence Wilson, MD on his website DrLWilson.com.
Brain fog is unrelated to depression, dementia or any other mental problem and
yet it is rarely accepted as a real symptom that can help make appropriate
diagnoses.

People may spend their whole lives in a mental fog, unable to focus, make
quick connections, process information correctly or keep up in school or the
workplace.

Gluten and brain fog
According to Dr. Wilson, gluten-containing foods can cause reactions in the
brains of people with gluten sensitivities that lead to brain fog. Gluten is a
protein in most grains, including wheat, rye and barley. What people eat does
affect the brain. Food allergies can disrupt the sensitive balance of hormones
and chemicals in the brain, resulting in problems from depression to
schizophrenia, according to an article on AlternativeMentalHealth.com.

People who are sensitive to gluten often suffer from malabsorption, leading to
low levels of essential nutrients in the body. The body attacks gluten as if it
were an invader, which damages the finger-like projections called villi that
absorb nutrients when food passes through the small intestine. Malabsorption
can inhibit mental development in children and lead to deficiencies in people
of any age.

The brain needs a variety of nutrients to be healthy. Vitamins, minerals,
protein, starches and healthy fats are all necessary for optimal brain
function. According to DrLWilson.com, some of the most important nutrients
include:

? B vitamins, especially B6 and B12
? Calcium
? Choline
? Chromium
? Iodine
? Magnesium
? Omega-3 fatty acids
? Selenium
? Thiamine
? Vitamin D
? Zinc

These nutrients are in a wide range of foods, all of which may not be digested
properly because of intestinal damage caused by eating gluten. A lack of these
nutrients can cause brain fog, according to DrLWilson.com.

Eating any gluten, even small amounts, activates the immune system. Symptoms
appear to spread from the gut throughout the body, including the brain,
according to an article on DrKaslow.com, the website of Jeremy E. Kaslow, MD.

Gluten avoidance
People may eat gluten and not know that their bodies are suffering. Allergic
reactions often cause swelling and inflammation. Unfortunately, swelling in the
gut because of an allergic reaction is not as easy to detect as swelling at the
site of a bee sting or swelling on the face from eating foods that someone is
allergic to. Even less observable is inflammation in the brain due to an
allergic response. People cannot feel brain tissue; the tissue is not designed
to alert people of problems using signs like itching, pain or swelling people
can feel in other parts of the body, according to DrKaslow.com.

The solution is to adopt a gluten-free diet. Avoiding gluten improves
cognition, lifting the brain fog so people can think more clearly. Getting off
the gluten also has been shown to stabilize mood, improve grades, increase
motor skills, promote faster learning, improve concentration and eliminate
brain fog, according to DrKaslow.com.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/brain_fog.htm

http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/brainallergies.htm

http://www.drkaslow.com/html/gluten-brain_connection_.html

About the author:
Sarka-Jonae Miller is a health writer and novelist. She was certified as a
personal fitness trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and
the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. She also worked as a massage
therapist, group exercise instructor and assistant martial arts instructor.
Miller's premiere novel, "Between Boyfriends," was recently published http:
//www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006Q6TSCS/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

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