| before the Defeat Autism Now Protocol cited the | | | | Institute, among others, that autism is not just a |
| removal of gluten and casein in one’s diet | | | | mental disorder. |
| as an effective action against the symptoms of | | | | But how can a gluten- and casein-free diet cure |
| autism (and, ultimately, against the disease itself), | | | | autism? |
| these two proteins have already been linked to a | | | | According to a number of researches done by |
| number of diseases and complications. For | | | | the Autism Research Institute, gluten and casein |
| instance, people suffering from the celiac disease | | | | produce toxins that can damage parts of the |
| (a small intense autoimmune disorder) and from | | | | body. These toxins seep through vital organs, |
| wheat allergies are asked to follow a gluten-free | | | | including the brain, which could have caused |
| diet. Kalle Reichelt, in her breakthrough research | | | | autism. A research in Canada validates this |
| during the 1990s, cited that gluten and casein can | | | | claim—when gluten and casein were given |
| have opioid-like effects, blocking pain receptors in | | | | to test rats, their brain became inflamed, a |
| the body, among others. With these, it has | | | | condition that also happens to the brains of people |
| already been established that gluten and casein | | | | with autism. By removing gluten and casein in |
| can be harmful to people suffering from autism. | | | | one’s diet, one can also avoid these |
| Recent developments in the study on autism cite | | | | harmful toxins. |
| that following a gluten-free and casein-free diet | | | | Of course, a gluten- and casein-free diet (also |
| can cure autism. The cause of autism, of course, | | | | known as the GFCF diet) would take time before |
| has not been settled yet, although a number of | | | | its effects become evident. Also, some patients |
| theories abound. One of the theories becoming | | | | are not responsive to this treatment; something |
| more and more prominent today is that autism is | | | | that can be attributed to the claimed number of |
| caused by a number of external | | | | reasons for the development of autism in a |
| factors—from vaccines to toxins. Again, | | | | person. This is why the GFCF diet is usually done |
| while those who contend that autism is a brain | | | | together with other Defeat Autism Now (or DAN) |
| disorder remain firm with their stand, many of | | | | treatments, such as chelation (a treatment to |
| them have already said that autism could have | | | | remove heavy metals from the body) and the |
| been triggered by these external factors, giving | | | | use of supplements such as probiotics and amino |
| validation to the claim of the Autism Research | | | | acids. |