Ep 222 Neurology and Celiac Disease

Let’s start the blog with the show notes for this Episode –

The CCA presented a webinar the first month of May, Celiac Awareness Month, about Neurology and Celiac Disease.  Nicole Byrom introduced the two guests for the webinar, and now, I have been able to record a podcast with both of them.  I first speak with Sonia Jones, who was also featured in an article in the Canadian Celiac Magazine. Here’s the link –

www.celiac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/CCA-May-Magazine-1-May-2022.pdf

Sonia’s story is one of a very quick onset of neurological symptoms, followed by a prolonged journey to diagnosis. With all the tests Sonia was given, she’s confident she’s the million-dollar patient.

I then speak with Dr. Ian Croall. Dr. Croall is a Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield in England. He is not a medical doctor seeing patients, but during the course of his research, he has studied the brains of many people with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and gluten ataxia. You can find out more about his studies by watching the webinar. I speak to Dr. Croall about the impacts of his research on other celiacs and on those yet to be diagnosed.

You can watch the webinar at this link –

Neurological Complications and Celiac Disease

The Canadian Celiac Association chats with Dr. Iain Croall, PhD from the University of Sheffield, and Sonia Pereira, patient, to discuss the neurological complications of celiac disease. Dr. Croall explains the link between gluten exposure and celiac disease.

You’ll also hear in the podcast about the “Could it be Celiac” Checklist. Here’s a link –

Symptom Checklist

Think you or your child may be having issues with gluten? Take our symptom checker to learn if you should get tested for celiac disease. Here are the next steps we recommend: First, take the checklist below and share the results with your doctor to see if you need to be tested.

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Celiac Kid Stuff – https://www.celiackidstuff.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

Other Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

My Thoughts –

This podcast was tough for me.  The link to profound neurological symptoms was something I’m not very familiar with.  Over the years, people have told me about relatives with celiac disease and some of the odd symptoms they suffered prior to diagnosis.  I remember one lady who came into my bakery.  She was from a large family.  Once she received her celiac diagnosis, she encouraged her siblings to be tested.  She told me one sibling was in and institution, unable to function on their own.  After the diagnosis of celiac disease, this sibling started the gluten free diet, left the institution, and was able to carry on a relatively normal life.  Certainly, stories like this are anecdotal, but somewhere in there, there is, I believe at least a thread of truth.

As time goes on, I’m hearing more stores that involve the brain, as opposed to the gut, and gluten.

After all the things Dr. Croall said, one of the important nuggets I took away from our conversation was that rarely do scientists find something that helps the brain to help itself. The brain is stubborn (maybe that’s good), and often re-circuits itself in an attempt to heal (also good), but rarely reacts positively to something like a gluten free diet (that’s problematic).

When most of us receive our diagnosis of celiac disease, we often hear the term “the gluten free diet is our medicine”.  It would appear this phrase is more important than we might have originally thought.  Not only is it our medicine, but it will work to protect our brains, and those of others who may not have celiac disease.  The gluten free diet and the brain – both complicated.