Change Your Child’s Environment to Change Your Child’s Life: Part 3

Nutrient-poor food has become an epidemic in today’s world, especially for children. Many kids consume diets lacking essential nutrients, leading to poor health and development. Unless we prioritize whole and organic foods, much of what we eat is processed and stripped of nutrients, contributing to gut issues and immune system overload.

When the gut lining is damaged, proteins from food can leak into the bloodstream, triggering an immune response. Imagine your immune system as a game of Pac-Man, constantly working to eliminate these unwanted proteins. However, some of these proteins, particularly those in gluten, have what’s known as molecular mimicry—they closely resemble proteins found in the body.

For example, gluten proteins look similar to proteins in the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for coordinating movement, balance, and eye tracking. When the immune system mistakenly attacks cerebellar proteins due to this resemblance, it can lead to inflammation in the brain. Since the cerebellum contains more neurons than any other brain region and plays a crucial role in nearly all neurological functions, even mild inflammation can impact eye tracking, coordination, learning, and behavior.

Similarly, dairy sensitivities—specifically reactions to casein, a protein in milk—have been linked to autoimmune issues in children. In some cases, the immune response to dairy can contribute to conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (an autoimmune thyroid disorder), pancreatic dysfunction affecting insulin production (which can lead to diabetes), and other immune-related concerns.

This is why we emphasize elimination diets, particularly removing gluten and dairy, to identify and address food-related inflammation. By eliminating these foods and observing changes in symptoms, we can gain valuable insight into how diet influences a child’s neurological and overall health.