I have just seen a boy Joseph in my Clinic. He is ten years old. He is gluten sensitive (diagnosed by high gliadin antibodies and a good clinical response to a gluten-free diet).
He complains of a sore tummy, he is tired and irritated. He has a degree of reflux and constipation.
In the past, he went gluten-free with good effect - all his symptoms disappeared. However, he has been eating gluten for the last year again and is now sick again.
Both he and his parents are reluctant for him to go back on a gluten-free diet because it is somewhat complicated for them, it is inconvenient and it costs more.
He has a choice of three outcomes: Disease, Drugs or diet?
1. DISEASE He can continue with disease probably getting more symptoms, and having a significant impact on his health, particularly in the future.
2. DRUGS He can take drugs for reflux, constipation and pain. This means he still has the ongoing disease and also the potential of harm from chronic medication.
3. DIET He can choose dietary changes. He needs to be on a gluten-free diet and eat more healthy food.
The third option is the most complicated for his family but would give him the biggest benefit. The choice seems like a no-brainer intellectually, but when you apply these thoughts to the real life, many people chose drugs and disease.
My call: diet not drugs. Eat better food for better health.
Cheers Dr Rodney Ford
Bloody Hell! Complicated???
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I do NOT understand these parents. I shouldn't judge - I'm not a mother. But I like to think that if this was my child, I would be moving heaven and earth to make him healthy, and if that means life is 'complicated' - then so be it.
I agree, Janet! I am a mother and when my son was diagnosed with CD at 9, I "moved heaven and earth" not only to make him healthy, but to make him feel proud about his food. Gluten Free is healthy and can be very tasty, quite delicious really! His friends from school all loved his cookies and cakes and their Moms came to me for the recipes! He's 19 now and totally in control of his GF diet.
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