Gluten Free Diet

A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes foods containing gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat (including kamut and spelt), barley, rye, malts and triticale. It is used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent, often as "dextrin". A gluten-free diet is the only medically accepted treatment for celiac disease and prevent complications,the related condition dermatitis herpetiformis,and wheat allergy.

Celiac patients can also develop headaches, tingling, fatigue, muscle pain, skin rashes, joint pain, and other symptoms, because the autoimmune attack at the root of the disease gradually erodes the wall of the intestine, leading to poor absorption of iron, folate, and other nutrients that affect everything from energy to brain function.People with gluten sensitivity sometimes experience these far-reaching symptoms as well, though it's less clear why.


If you suspect your body can't tolerate gluten, the first thing you should do is get tested for celiac disease. If the test comes back negative, try a gluten-free diet for a week to see if you feel better, Switching to a gluten-free diet is a big change and, like anything new, it takes some getting used to. You may initially feel deprived by the diet's restrictions. However, try to stay positive and focus on all the foods you can eat.

Some Healthy foods are naturally gluten-free:

• Beans, seeds, nuts in their natural, unprocessed form
• Fresh eggs
• Fresh meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, batter-coated or marinated)
• Fruits and vegetables
• Most dairy products

Avoid all food and drinks containing:

• Barley (malt, malt flavoring and malt vinegar are usually made from barley)
• Rye
• Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
• Wheat

You should also be alert for other products that you eat or that could come in contact with your mouth that may contain gluten. These include:

• Food additives, such as malt flavoring, modified food starch and others
• Medications and vitamins that use gluten as a binding agent
• Play dough

If you plan to go gluten free, select more fruits, vegetables, and lean meat, and more naturally gluten-free grains like brown rice, quinoa, and buckwheat, rather than just buying prepackaged products labeled.

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Dementia - Is it Different with Alzheimers?

Are you noticing changes in your cognitive ability?

You might start to think that something's not quite right when a loved one begins to start repeating themselves, becomes agitated easily or forgetting recent events and information.

We here a lot about Alzheimer's and dementia in the media but what do the terms actually mean?

It might not be Alzheimer's or dementia

As we grow older, we tend to become more forgetful and that's part of normal aging. Other symptoms, such as depression after the loss of a loved one, or side-effects from medication, can show the same symptoms as people with Alzheimer's or dementia, and so a thorough medical assessment is required as soon as possible after the symptoms manifest.

What does Senile Mean?
Senility is not a disease but simply a generic term for a number of neurological disorders which occur in old age. The word is often used to describe the symptoms of dementia, Parkinson's, etc.


What is Dementia?
Dementia is a brain disorder which leads to the progressive loss of cognitive functions. It affects those areas of the brain which are required for language, reason, and memory functions.

Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. Other types of dementia are:

1. Front Temporal Dementia: it affects the front and temporal lobes of the brain and causes personality and behavioral changes. It manifests between the ages of 40-70 and tends to fun in families.
2. Vascular Dementia: arteries which feed the brain become blocked or narrow and the symptoms may begin quickly after a person has had a stroke or slowly, occurring at the same time as Alzheimer's, with similar problems with language, memory and vision.
3. Lewd Body Dementia: This is when abnormal deposits of protein form in the brain, similar to what occurs in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, with symptoms that include disorientation, muscular rigidity, tremors and slow movement.

What is Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer's normally affects people over 65 years old although around 5% of cases are affect people from 35 years up.

Alzheimer's entails a build up of plaques and tangles, which are irregular deposits of protein, which affect the health of brain cells and the way in which they communicate with one another. There is chemical imbalance within the brain which worsens as cells are slowly destroyed. One of the main chemicals which sufferer's lack is called 'acetylcholine', which is a neurotransmitter - it helps to carry messages between networks of cells.

The symptoms of Alzheimer's include memory loss, disorientation, depression, agitation and a withdrawal from social and work activities. Unfortunately, modern medicine can only, at best and for only some, offer palliative care for the patient, making life as comfortable as possible for them.

Alternative treatments and therapies should not be overlooked, including nutritional supplements, doll and music therapy, as they can play an important role of benefiting Alzheimer's sufferers and reduce the requirement for psychoactive drugs.

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Aspergers Syndrome

If you are the parent of a child who has signs of autism, and is told that he or she may have Asperger's syndrome, then it's important to understand the characteristics of this condition.

Asperger's syndrome was recognized by the American Psychiatric Association in the year 1944 and has become a abundant well known issue.


There are a number of symptoms associated with both children and adults with Aspergers Syndrome. These symptoms include:

1. Difficulty with social relationships - Many people with Aspergers syndrome have problems in understanding how other people think and feel.They find it difficult to understand facial expressions and all the non-verbal signals people use to communicate in everyday life.

2. Difficulty with communication - People with Aspergers syndrome do not usually have the speech problems experienced by people with classic autism, they can be good talkers. The problems with communication lie in their inability to take notice of the reaction of the people they are talking to; they may continue to talk about one topic even though the other person has become (or never was) interested.

3. Lack of imagination - People with Aspergers syndrome often excel at factual work, the kind of work that deals with facts and statistics but they can find it hard to use their imagination. They may have narrow areas of interest that they can become fanatical about and they can become attached to specific routines, for example always doing things in the same order when getting ready to go out in the morning. If for some reason they cannot follow their routine they can become upset and agitated or even angry.


4. Other - Many people with Aspergers also have difficulties dealing with change and may lack what is considered to be basic common sense. However people with the condition are not ‘backward' in any way and usually have average, if not higher than average levels of intelligence.

People with Aspergers syndrome are usually at this more ‘able' end of the spectrum. Like autism, Aspergers syndrome, seems to be caused by a biological difference in the brain's development. In many cases there appears to be a genetic cause; there are many cases of autism and Aspergers syndrome running in the same family. One study has estimated that 3 to 7 in 1,000 people have Aspergers Syndrome.

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Depression - How to Fight it

Depression affects an incredible number of individuals world-wide , the fact is, this disorder could be felt by even young individuals these days as a result of a stressful way of living. When depression begins, people’s lives are afflicted since they stop doing their normal regimens.


There are numerous factors that bring about depression such as death of a family member, sudden changes in one’s life, mood-altering medicines, presenting birth, or even seasonal changes. A general symptoms are fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems or loss of interest in sex — may seem to be caused by other illnesses, bored, helpless or worthless. They may always want to stay at home, rather than going out to socialize or doing new things.

Depression symptoms may not get better on their own — and depression may get worse if it isn't treated. Untreated depression can lead to other mental and physical health problems or problems in other areas of your life. Feelings of depression can also lead to suicide.


Suicidal thinking or feelings in older adults is a sign of serious depression that should never be taken lightly, especially in men. Of all people with depression, older adult men are at the highest risk of suicide.

If you're reluctant to seek treatment, talk to a friend or loved one, a health care professional, a faith leader, or someone else you trust.If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, get help right away, seek help from your doctor, a mental health provider or other health care professional.

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