psychotropic medication – Gluten Free RN

An estimated 50% of Americans are on some type of psychotropic drug. Half of the US population!

What is causing such widespread prevalence of mental health disorders? Prescription anti-depressants and sedatives don’t solve the underlying problem… So how do we get to the bottom of this?

The Gluten Free RN contends that there may be a connection between mental health and undiagnosed celiac disease. Today she explains how several disorders (anxiety, depression and paranoia, among others) have been linked to gluten, discussing how a leaky blood-brain barrier can lead to hypoxia, an inflammation of the brain.

Nadine walks us through the best research in mental health disorders and gluten sensitivity, sharing two landmark studies that emphasize the gut/brain connection and characterize celiac disease as primarily a neurological disorder. Nadine offers her insight around working with schizophrenic patients and the increasing number of children suffering from anxiety. Listen in to understand how gluten impacts your mental health, and learn how to eliminate brain fog, get off prescription meds, and enjoy a higher quality of life!

What’s Discussed:

The connection between gluten and hypoxia

Leaky blood-brain barrier leads to inflammation of brain, decreased oxygen flow

The shocking statistics around Americans and psychotropic drugs

Estimated 50% of US population on psychotropic medication

The potential relationship between mental health disorders and undiagnosed celiac disease

High instance of depression, anxiety, fatigue and paranoia
May have difficulty sleeping, headaches or seizure disorder
Nearly all experience brain fog

The health consequences of undiagnosed celiac disease

Malabsorption of nutrients
Damaged immune system
Neurological symptoms
Hormonal imbalance
Neurotransmitter disruption

The findings of the landmark Cooke study in 1966

Ten of 16 patients with celiac disease had severe progressive neuropathy
All 16 had severe malabsorption

The conclusion of an editorial published in Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry

Celiac disease, NCGS is primarily neurological

How a gluten-free diet can resolve gastrointestinal and psychiatric symptoms

Celiac disease can manifest as depression, anxiety or psychosis
Research published in International Journal of Celiac Disease demonstrates gut/brain connection

Nadine’s experience with schizophrenia patients

Majority are gene positive for HLA-DQ2, HLA-DQ8

The increasing number of children diagnosed with anxiety disorder

May be caused by undiagnosed sensitivity to gluten

The concept of food as medicine

Body may read gluten as toxic, must remove from diet

Imagine being admitted to a psychiatric hospital and accused of being a pathological liar because no matter how carefully you follow the high-carb diet prescribed by your physicians, you continue to lose weight. In the introduction to his book, How Doctors Think, Dr. Jerome Groopman shares the story of a woman who was misdiagnosed with anorexia nervosa. The patient was ready to give up when one last doctor discovered villous atrophy and determined that it was celiac disease—not an eating disorder—that was causing her malnourishment.

Today the Gluten Free RN explores the reasons why celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are often mistaken for anorexia nervosa. She shares the limited research in the field, as well as the symptoms related to malnourishment that may be caused by gluten, including several mental health disorders.

Listen in as Nadine covers the use of PWAG (people who avoid gluten) as a derogatory term and shares her frustration with labels like ‘orthorexia nervosa’ which imply that gluten-sensitive patients are obsessed with healthy food: ‘I avoid gluten like the plague because it is, in fact, the plague for those of us who have celiac disease.’

What’s Discussed:

The use of PWAG as a derogatory term

‘People who avoid gluten’
Half of people in US
Implies food crazed/obsessed

The new term orthorexia nervosa

Refers to obsessive behavior in pursuit of healthy diet
Not clinical term/official diagnosis

The concept of food as medicine

Anecdotal evidence of celiac disease misdiagnosed as anorexia

Introduction of Dr. Jerome Groopman’s book, How Doctors Think
Woman admitted to psychiatric hospital (thought to be pathological liar)
Continued to lose weight despite prescribed high-carb diet
Biopsy revealed Marsh 4 damage
Gluten-free diet resolved symptoms

Why celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are misdiagnosed as eating disorders

Inability to absorb nutrients results in severe weight loss, malnutrition
Become picky eaters because food causes suffering
Practice food avoidance

The prevalence of celiac disease

3% of the US population
Millions undiagnosed

How gluten affects a celiac patient

Gluten protein as neurotoxin
Damages intestines
Impairs immune system
Causes inflammation
Heart attack
Stroke
Joint, muscle pain
Any -itis

Nadine’s recommended variation of a Paleo diet

Local, organic, whole foods
100% grass-fed beef (no antibiotics/hormones)
Nutrient dense

The study of celiac disease and eating disorders

Very few research studies in last 11 years
Handful of case studies in literature

The issues associated with malnourishment

Little body fat
Cachectic
Hormonal disruption
Thyroid issues

The anger and contempt Nadine has experienced as the Gluten Free RN

Gluten, dairy associated with comfort food
People resistant to give up

The mental health issues associated with malnourishment

Significant cognitive impairment
Hypoxia
Brain atrophy (shrinking)

The effect of gluten on epithelial tissue

Leaky skin, lungs, blood vessels, blood-brain barrier
Causes increased/decreased blood pressure, POTS

The consequences of gluten getting through the blood-brain barrier

Causes hypoxia
Brain needs oxygen to work appropriately
Brain fog (irritability, anger)
Early onset dementia

The shocking statistics around psychotropic medication in the US

Up to 50% of population on anti-depressants, mood-altering drugs
Gluten-free diet could help ‘get brain back’

Nadine’s advice for parents of children who miss multiple days of school

Could be undiagnosed celiac disease
No downside to clinical trial of gluten-, dairy-free diet
Consider Whole30 Diet (eliminate sugar, grains, legumes)

The process of a gluten detox

Gluten has narcotic-like effect on brain
May feel worse before you feel better
One day to two months

The benefits of maintaining a gluten-free diet

Anxiety goes away
Mood improves
Able to sleep
Pain resolves
Heal intestines, epithelial tissue
Reduce inflammation
Heal immune system
Brain receives necessary oxygen

The foods Nadine recommends as part of a super-good, high-fat diet

Avocados
Olive oil
Coconut oil
Coconut milk
Hemp milk

Why Nadine chooses not to eat if there is any risk of gluten contamination in her food

The places where gluten hides

Single bread crumb
Dusting of flour
Oil French fries cooked in
Personal care products

Resources:

How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman, MD

Dr. Groopman’s NPR Interview

“The Interaction Between Eating Disorders and Celiac Disease: An Exploration of 10 Cases” in the European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

“Orthorexia and Anorexia Nervosa: Two Distinct Phenomena? A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Orthorexic Behaviours in BMC Psychiatry

“Predictors of Orthorexic Behaviours in Patients with Eating Disorders: A Preliminary Study” in BMC Psychiatry

“Eating Disorders and Celiac Disease: A Case Report” in The International Journal of Eating Disorders

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Books by Nadine:

Dough Nation: A Nurse’s Memoir of Celiac Disease from Missed Diagnosis to Food and Health Activism

Gluten Free RN

Posts tagged: psychotropic medication

Mental Health Disorders and Celiac Disease EP058

What’s Discussed:

Resources:

Connect with Nadine:

Books by Nadine:

Eating Disorders and Celiac Disease EP043

What’s Discussed:

Resources:

Connect with Nadine:

Books by Nadine: