More and more families are turning to the GFCF diet to help with Autism Spectrum Disorders and a whole host of other diseases and disorders. When people begin this diet, it can be very overwhelming. Hopefully this "cheat sheet" will offer less anxiety, less confusion and give you the power to move forward and continue to make a difference in your child and/or your family lives. Before we get to the gluten free and casein free tips, I feel it is most important to get your family healthy. Chemicals are for scientists, not for the human body to consume. This is important even for those who are typically developing. The most imperative thing to do first is to START TO READ LABELS. This will prepare you for what lies ahead. Any food or drink items that say these following words or letters need to remain on the store shelf and never come into your home: artificial, Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 5, aspartame, nitrites, BHA, BHT, TBHQ, preservative, MSG, and high fructose corn syrup. These ingredients can cause severe behavioral problems, sleep disorders, poor self-control, meltdowns, anxiety, aggression, hyperactivity, irritability, depression, mood swings, aches and pains and a host of other ailments and negative behaviors. To learn more go to www.Feingold.org Let us now talk about hints for ridding your body of gluten and casein. Many people are not aware of the damage cross contamination can cause. What is cross contamination? It's a knife...

Use the GFCF diet cheat sheet to eliminate gluten and casein, read labels to avoid harmful ingredients, and watch for cross-contamination.

Gluten Free/Casein Free (GFCF) Diet Cheat Sheet

    More and more families are turning to the GFCF diet to help with Autism Spectrum Disorders and a whole host of other diseases and disorders. When people begin this diet, it can be very overwhelming. Hopefully this "cheat sheet" will offer less anxiety, less confusion and give you the power to move forward and continue to make a difference in your child and/or your family lives. Before we get to the gluten free and casein free tips, I feel it is most important to get your family healthy. Chemicals are for scientists, not for the human body to consume. This is important even for those who are typically developing. The most imperative thing to do first is to START TO READ LABELS. This will prepare you for what lies ahead.  Any food or drink items that say these following words or letters need to remain on the store shelf and never come into your home: artificial, Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 5, aspartame, nitrites, BHA, BHT, TBHQ, preservative, MSG, and high fructose corn syrup. These ingredients can cause severe behavioral problems, sleep disorders, poor self-control, meltdowns, anxiety, aggression, hyperactivity, irritability, depression, mood swings, aches and pains and a host of other ailments and negative behaviors. To learn more go to www.Feingold.org  Let us now talk about hints for ridding your body of gluten and casein. Many people are not aware of the damage cross contamination can cause. What is cross contamination? It's a knife...

Use the GFCF diet cheat sheet to eliminate gluten and casein, read labels to avoid harmful ingredients, and watch for cross-contamination.

Gluten Free/Casein Free (GFCF) Diet Cheat Sheet

Gluten-free and casein-free diets (also referred to as GFCF) continue to grow in popularity as an alternative remedy for treating special needs like autism or ADHD. While some parents say their child's symptoms disappear while on these diets, other parents note their children do not improve. So what exactly is GFCF and how does it help? Gluten is a protein found in grains, such as wheat and barley. While gluten is harmless for many children, those individuals with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity can have extreme symptoms even from the smallest bite of food containing gluten. For those children with celiac disease, the body released antibodies that attack the intestines and prevent the body from absorbing nutrients from food. It often results in extreme pain, stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or NCGS, also causes an autoimmune reaction, but it does not cause the body to create those antibodies like celiac disease. There is no treatment for celiac disease or NCGS except a gluten-free diet. These diets can be tricky for kids because of food provided at school or parties, and eating out with the family can be challenging as well. Working with a dietician is important to ensure your child is not missing out on vitamins and nutrients often obtained from foods with gluten. Casein is a milk protein found in milk and other dairy products. A casein-free diet eliminates dairy products and some...

GFCF diets are popular for autism/ADHD; gluten and casein may worsen symptoms in some. Strict label reading and nutrition care are vital.

What is Gluten-Free and Casein-Free?

 Gluten-free and casein-free diets (also referred to as GFCF) continue to grow in popularity as an alternative remedy for treating special needs like autism or ADHD. While some parents say their child's symptoms disappear while on these diets, other parents note their children do not improve. So what exactly is GFCF and how does it help?   Gluten is a protein found in grains, such as wheat and barley. While gluten is harmless for many children, those individuals with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity can have extreme symptoms even from the smallest bite of food containing gluten.   For those children with celiac disease, the body released antibodies that attack the intestines and prevent the body from absorbing nutrients from food. It often results in extreme pain, stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or NCGS, also causes an autoimmune reaction, but it does not cause the body to create those antibodies like celiac disease.    There is no treatment for celiac disease or NCGS except a gluten-free diet. These diets can be tricky for kids because of food provided at school or parties, and eating out with the family can be challenging as well. Working with a dietician is important to ensure your child is not missing out on vitamins and nutrients often obtained from foods with gluten.    Casein is a milk protein found in milk and other dairy products. A casein-free diet eliminates dairy products and some...

GFCF diets are popular for autism/ADHD; gluten and casein may worsen symptoms in some. Strict label reading and nutrition care are vital.

If you live in a large city, especially in the land of fruits and nuts, where there are Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Sprouts and health food stores all within five miles from your home, finding GFCF foods is not a problem. If you live in a tiny town, hundreds of miles from any large, or even medium sized communities, you have a much more difficult time purchasing GFCF foods, unless you order online. Whole Foods Market www.wholefoods.com exists in thirty-eight states and D. C., with seven stores in each UK and Canada. Some states have ONE store, where as some cities have five. Whole Foods has an incredible array of GFCF foods to choose from, to whet your appetite. They even have guides in each store of the brands of GFCF foods that can be found. Ask at Customer Service for this printout. Trader Joe's www.traderjoes.com is in thirty-four states and in DC, with more locations being added constantly. They have a great GF list and a Vegan list, to find GFCF, read the labels and call, when in doubt. You can combine these two lists, yet Vegan also means egg free and animal product free, so it is casein free for sure. Their products are marked with a lower case "g" on the package and an upper case, "V" designating gluten free and Vegan. For their GF products see: http://www.traderjoes.com/pdf/lists/list-no-gluten.pdf for their Vegan items: http://www.traderjoes.com/pdf/lists/list-vegan.pdf Keep in mind, if it is GF, it is not necessarily CF...

Find GFCF foods at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Wegmans, and online. Check GF and Vegan lists, read labels for GFCF items.

Where to Purchase GFCF Foods and Some Favorite Brands

If you live in a large city, especially in the land of fruits and nuts, where there are Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Sprouts and health food stores all within five miles from your home, finding GFCF foods is not a problem. If you live in a tiny town, hundreds of miles from any large, or even medium sized communities, you have a much more difficult time purchasing GFCF foods, unless you order online.  Whole Foods Market www.wholefoods.com exists in thirty-eight states and D. C., with seven stores in each UK and Canada. Some states have ONE store, where as some cities have five. Whole Foods has an incredible array of GFCF foods to choose from, to whet your appetite. They even have guides in each store of the brands of GFCF foods that can be found. Ask at Customer Service for this printout.  Trader Joe's www.traderjoes.com is in thirty-four states and in DC, with more locations being added constantly. They have a great GF list and a Vegan list, to find GFCF, read the labels and call, when in doubt. You can combine these two lists, yet Vegan also means egg free and animal product free, so it is casein free for sure. Their products are marked with a lower case "g" on the package and an upper case, "V" designating gluten free and Vegan. For their GF products see: http://www.traderjoes.com/pdf/lists/list-no-gluten.pdf for their Vegan items: http://www.traderjoes.com/pdf/lists/list-vegan.pdf Keep in mind, if it is GF, it is not necessarily CF...

Find GFCF foods at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Wegmans, and online. Check GF and Vegan lists, read labels for GFCF items.

Where to Purchase GFCF Foods and Some Favorite Brands

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Special Needs
Articles

Gluten Free/Casein Free (GFCF) Diet Cheat Sheet

What is Gluten-Free and Casein-Free?

Where to Purchase GFCF Foods and Some Favorite Brands

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs Articles

Gluten Free/Casein Free (GFCF) Diet Cheat Sheet

What is Gluten-Free and Casein-Free?

Where to Purchase GFCF Foods and Some Favorite Brands

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs
Articles