Eatsmartelpaso's blog

Coming in March: FREE Grocery Tours

This post is sponsored by One Touch as part of their nationwide Eating Healthy With Diabetes campaign. All opinions are mine. 

 

Healthy Eating with Diabetes

Bridget Swinney MS, RD, LD

Before we talk about eating well if you have diabetes (or pre-diabetes) let's review a few facts:

• 29 Million people in the US have diabetes, but 8 MILLION DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE IT
• 86 million people have pre-diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes is directly linked to obesity
• Diabetes used to be a disease of mid-life and old age--not anymore
• Uncontrolled diabetes increases the risk of blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, and earlier death

Now that I've got your attention...

How can we eat well with diabetes--and more importantly, can how can we eat well to PREVENT diabetes?

It's all about food choices--and most of our food choices happen at the grocery store. 

LEARN MORE BY SIGNING UP FOR  A FREE GROCERY TOUR!

That's why I'm excited about my partnership with One Touch & Albertsons to provide FREE local grocery tours in El Paso focused on Eating Well with Diabetes. The tours are actually happening in March around the country at Albertsons, Safeway, Tom Thumb and other stores and facilitated by a Registered Dietitian and Pharmacist. Your store pharmacist is an important person who can also help you manage diabetes.

HOW TO REGISTER:

 For a list of available tours in your area, and to register, go to diabetesdigest.com/EHWD  or call 1-877-728-6655. Or simply click on the poster at the bottom of the page.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN ON THE TOUR?

From the Dietitian:

• How to plan a healthy plate
• General nutrition tips
• How to use a food label to count carbs
• How to make your diet heart-healthy

From the Pharmacist:

• Which tools can help you stay healthy
• How to easily increase physical activity
• How to prevent diabetes
• What's considered a healthy blood glucose range

Who Should Attend a Tour:

• People with diabetes or pre-diabetes
• Family members/caregivers of people with diabetes
• People with family history of diabetes

 

5 QUICK TIPS ON EATING WELL--

whether you have diabetes or not!

 

EAT MORE VEGGIES! 

Non-starchy veggies have few calories, are full of filling fiber and have lots of disease-fighting antioxidants. Start your meal with a veggie like mini carrots and broccoli with low-fat dip, cucumber spears, some cherry tomatoes or a green or cabbage salad. Just watch out for the dressing--it can turn a healthy dish into calorie overload!

 

EAT SMART CARBS

Brown rice, whole wheat bread, quinoa, barley, farro, beans, oatmeal and other whole grain cereals,lentils and fresh fruit. All these carbs are rich in fiber, so they are digested more slowly and have a lesser impact on blood glucose.

 

EAT A VARIETY OF PROTEIN

I'm not biased when it comes to choosing protein--it's all good--as long as it's lean! Be it beef, pork, chicken or beans--it's critical to choose right and cook it right to keep saturated fat to a minimum. What to look for? When choosing beef, choose cuts like loin and round. A list of American Heart Association approved lean beef cuts can be found here. If eating chicken, slip off the skin before you cook it. Pork? Bacon may be the latest food trend but it's full of salt and saturated fat, so best to choose pork loin instead.

Most of us don't eat enough seafood. It's recommended that we eat seafood at least twice a week for the healthy omega-3 fat it contains.  Omega-3 fats are great for your  heart, during pregnancy for fetal brain development and may even help prevent alzheimer's. Here is where it's better to choose a fattier fish like salmon--because it contains more healthy fats. (Click here for the recipe for the pictured Salmon with Mustard Dill Sauce and other recipes from the National Fisheries Institute.) 

Beans really are magical and you should try to eat some type of bean or legume daily. Hummus anyone?

 

THINK YOUR DRINK! This advice hasn't changed!

You know what I'm talking about...that means ditch the sugar-sweetened drinks like soda, juice drinks, and sweet tea. Most of  your fluids should be water, but moderate amounts of tea and coffee have healthy benefits too. Just watch what you put in them.

 

WATCH PORTION SIZES

Even if you have diabetes, most any food fits into a healthy diet--if you watch your portion size. Stay away from super-sizing unless you want a super-sized waistline and a super-sized blood glucose level to go with it!  Sushi contains easy-to-digest white rice and also contains seaweed, as well as other sauces, which can add a lot of sodium. It's a good thing sushi comes in tiny portion sizes!

 

 

NOW TAKE THE NEXT STEP--

SIGN UP FOR A GROCERY TOUR!

Bargain of the Week: Petite Sirloin

I love a good bargain and I bet you do too. So, imagine my delight when on Monday, I stopped into Albertson’s to get “a few things.” And checking the ads on the way in, I saw that they had one of my favs, Petite Sirloin, on sale—get this—buy one, GET TWO FREE! Being on the TKiCB, (that is, Two Kids In College Budget), I take the good deals when I can get them.

 

So when you are mostly cooking for two, what do you do with about 7 pounds of petite sirloin? Marinate and freeze them, of course! I love using marinades because not only can they make good use of cuts that are less tender, they are also a great way to add flavor and increase nutrient content. How so? Acidic and enzymatic ingredients like wine, vinegar, citrus juice, pineapple, papaya and yogurt in the marinade help loosen up the muscle, making it tender. Adding herbs like rosemary, as well as lemon juice decrease the amount of HCA’s (heterocyclic amines—cancer causing compounds produced when meat is grilled at high temperature.) The oil and salt in the marinade help bring the flavor of the spices deeper into the meat.

 

So back to my petite sirloin—could I settle for just one big batch of marinade? Heck no! Instead, I made 5 different kinds. If you’re a “bit of this and touch of that” kind of cook, shaking up marinades is right up your alley. If you’re more of a recipe follower, creating marinades can help you turn more creative because there is just no wrong way to do it! So here is what I came up with:

 

Bag#1:

White wine

Olive Oil

Sofrito (made previously and frozen: a combination of chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper and parsley)

Smoked paprika

Cumin

Fajita Seasoning

 

Bag#2

Red wine, Olive oil, Dried onion, Dried tarragon, Salt and pepper

 

Bag #3

Red wine, Olive oil, Oregano, Crazy Mixed-Up salt

 

Bag#4

Bruschetta sauce (actually the bottom of the container of bruschetta sauce—mostly tomato juice with garlic and basil), Red wine, Olive oil, Herbs de Provence (A mix of savory, oregeon, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, and basil)

 

 

Bag#5

Masterpiece BBQ sauce (what was left in the bottom of the bottom, which wasn’t enough!), Ketchup, Soy sauce, Garlic powder, Soy sauce,Olive oil

 

As you can see from the lineup of ingredients, any spice you can pull from your cabinet (or garden) is going to work great, so have fun!

The instructions for making a marinade go something like this:

1. Label your bag with number of servings, ingredients (so you can recreate your masterpiece if you like it) and the date.
2. Add all ingredients to a Zip Loc bag.
3. Close it and shake to make sure it is all mixed.
4. Add meat, close carefully while getting out all extra air.
5. Massage the meat so it mixes well with the marinade.
6. Fold over the bag so that all the marinade is concentrated on the bottom with the meat. Roll the top of the bag over.
7. Freeze what you won’t cook in the next few days.
8. When defrosting, take out the night before and leave in the refrigerator.

The next day around dinnertime, your meat will be ready to cook and beautifully seasoned.

I chose to cook my meat with bruschetta sauce-Bag#4-first. 
I cooked it on the stovetop  over medium-high heat to medium rare.  Taking the meat out, I cooked the marinade to boiling for 1 minute, then poured over the meat. It was delicious. 

I hope you run into the same good luck soon—buy one get two free-- and can use my marinade ideas. 

Oh and don’t forget, lean beef like petite sirloin is super nutritious providing more than 10% of the Daily Value for nine essential nutrients including iron and zinc. Lean beef is a nutrient-rich food that is especially important for growing children and pregnant women.

 

Checklist for a Healthy Memorial Day BBQ

Bridget Swinney MS, RD, LD

Grillmeisters: Take Note!

 

Memorial Day weekend marks the official start of grilling season for many--you're probably planning a cookout yourself. Unfortunately, this weekend also marks an uptick in the number of people who get sick with food borne illness. Why? Warm temps mean foods spending time in the "danger zone" of temperatures. That's the no man's land between 40 and 140 degrees where bacteria can multiply to astronomical and "sickening" levels.

We all stand a chance of getting sick if we don't play it safe in the kitchen-- or out by the grill. But some groups of people are much more likely to get sick and have worse consequences. Pregnant women who get sick with listeria, for example, can have a miscarriage. Children, whose immune systems are still developing, are also more likely to get hit with food poisoning and get sicker.

Other groups at higher risk include people over 65, those with chronic disease like diabetes, cancer or AIDS, to name a few. People who have had an organ transplant are also at great risk because immune system-suppressing drugs they take means their immune system isn't as strong to fight off the nasty bacteria sometimes found in food.

Use this Checklist to Keep Your Grilling Safe this Summer!

• Keep it Cool!
  
  • Coolers
  • Nested bowls with ice/ ice packs
  • Serving dishes with built-in cooling
  • Frozen water and juice bottles are also a good way to keep foods cold in the cooler
  • Smaller serving dishes that are refilled frequently from the fridge
  • Smaller containers to cool large amounts of leftovers quicker
• Keep it Hot!
  • Food thermometer to make sure food is not in the danger zone when cooking or holding
  • Crockpot/ warming dishes
  • Grill burner—keep hot foods adjacent to a heated burner for serving
  • Small pan or microwave-safe dish to heat marinade to boiling for reuse.
    
• Keep it Clean!
  • Scrub brush for produce, which has been a common source of food borne illness
  • Hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, container with weak bleach solution
  • Paper towels for hands and to wipe up juices from hot dogs, raw meas, seafood and poultry.
    
• Keep it Separate!
  • Different cutting boards for raw meats and produce
  • Different plates to take raw food to the grill and take off cooked foods
  • Multiple sets of knives, serving and cooking utensils for  raw meats and cooked foods/raw produce
  • A different brush (and marinade) for using on raw and cooked meats.
    

A safe, happy and tasty Memorial Day weekend to all!

Click on the pictures below for info from www.homefoodsafety.org

Produce Guide

       

Grilling Guide

  

Is My Food Safe? Phone App

 

Fight Disease with "Super Condiments"

I recently attended the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual meeting in Philadelphia. With over 10,000 Registered Dietitians gathered, it was definitely the place to be for up-to-date nutrition info!

There was a lot of discussion about chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension and of course how diet can prevent these diseases. While there has to be some focus on what "not to eat"--my clients would rather hear about what they can eat!

One thing people don't often think about  is how condiments could actually help us eat healthier. When you think of condiments, you might think salt, pepper, and ketchup--but there is so much more! Sodium is something that most of us have too much of and it can have an effect on blood pressure. New guidelines suggest that most of the population (everyone over age 51, and anyone with high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease; and African Americans.) eat only 1500 mg of sodium.

Instead of using salt or salty condiments at the table, use these "super condiments".

• Lemon or lime: Citrus gives a burst of flavor that is sodium-free-and it also squirts on the vitamin C and other antioxidants. Marinating meat in a lemon-based marinade decreases chemicals formed when grilling.
• Salsa and Chiles: Yes--salsa is a great way to get your veggies and chiles are indeed a "super-condiment!" Chiles in general are a good source of vitamin C, but more importantly, they contain capcaisin--the ingredient gives chile heat also is a strong cancer fighter. Word of caution though, if the chile and salsa you eat is mostly on fried tortilla chips, you might want to cut back on the chips and use veggies instead.
• Chopped cilantro, parsley, green onion or basil. My friends know me as a real gringa when it comes to eating spicy, so instead of a spicy salsa, I usually ask for chopped cilantro and onion. Lots of flavor with antioxidants built in, with no fat or salt. Win-Win.
• Soy sauce: Yes, I know that soy sauce is extremely high in sodium--but if you must use salt, soy sauce might be a good substitute. Soy sauce, made from fermented soy beans, actually has some of the same benefits as eating other probiotic foods. Soy sauce also gives a food what's known in the food world as "umami" a Japanese word meaning "pleasant savory taste". Umami is now considered the fifth basic taste. Using low-sodium soy sauce in place of salt in dishes can give your dishes more depth and possibly more health benefits than using salt.

Other Super Condiments

Cocoa: You've heard about dark chocolate and cocoa being good for you. Is it true? Yes! One way to get the flavonols--the ingredient in chocolate that has a positive effect on blood pressure--is with natural cocoa. Natural cocoa is actually lighter than "Dutched" cocoa--but it has more flavonols. Sprinkle some in your coffee, or on your oatmeal or make some old-fashioned hot cocoa.  

Cinnamon: It's also true what you've heard about cinnamon--it actually does help regulate blood sugar--that is --unless you take your cinnamon inside a giant, iced cinnamon roll! Instead try putting cinnamon in your oatmeal or sprinkle on your bran flakes, in your coffee or hot cocoa or brew some cinnamon sticks in your tea.

Basil, Pesto and Sofrito: I've been spoiled the last two summers with a great crop of basil in our garden. We always have some sprigs in water (it makes a pretty centerpiece) at the table, where I often snip a few leaves to go on top of salad, veggies or eggs. The basil is ready to harvest for the season to make pesto out of--which can be used in place of mayonnaise on sandwiches, in pasta or to eat on top of plain grilled fish or chicken. My Puerto Rican friend Tere taught me how to make sofrito--which she makes with cilantro, onion bell, pepper and garlic. Chopped finely in a food processor, I freeze it in small containers and bring it out to start as a base for many dishes. Variations for Sofrito exist from Spain to Cuba and the Caribbean. But all have the same basic idea--combine aromatic ingredients now to save time later when you want more flavor. By preparing sofrito ahead of time, you can add these healthy ingredients any time--even when you don't have time to chop! You can also use sofrito as a type of salsa--to give more flavor and nutrition to your food without adding salt or fat.

Buen Provecho!

 

 

 

Grilling Smart--For the Fourth and Beyond!

 

 

Independence Day generally means 3 things— checking out the local Fourth of July Parade, having a cookout and watching the fireworks. It seems the perfect time to talk about tips to make grilling healthier and safer.

 

Somehow when we cook out, the usual food safety tips we use in the kitchen fly out the window.  “It’s even more important to think about the four food safety rules when doing a barbecue: Clean, Don’t Cross Contaminate, Cook to the Right Temperature, and Refrigerate Promptly” says Flor Esnayra, MS, RD, LD, President of the El Paso Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly The El Paso Dietetic Association.)

 

Washing Up:

 

In the kitchen it’s easy to remember to wash hands, use separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods and using an antibacterial wipe to clean up spills. In the great outdoors, you might not think twice about petting the dog or wiping your nose, then putting buns on the grill to heat.

• Keep some wipes and antibacterial gel outside as a reminder.
• If you’re packing up your picnic, bring separate cutting boards and plates for putting the cooked and raw meats on. Ditto with spoons and tongs that you use for the raw vs. cooked food.
• If you want to clean as you go, make your own outdoor cleaning station. Using 2 empty tubs, fill both with water and add unscented bleach to one: 1 tablespoon bleach to each gallon of water. Dip utensils, rag or paper towels in the bleach solution to sanitize, then rinse utensil with water.
• Keep paper towels handy—using sponges to wipe up bloody spills only means you’ll be spreading those same germs around later!

 

Cook Properly: How to Know if It’s Done?

 

"Forget about relying on 20/20 vision to let you know when the hamburger or the chicken is done," says Joan Salge Blake, MS, RD, LDN, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson. Eyeballing it is a quick way to end up sick from undercooked meat. For example, when it comes to hamburgers, looks can be deceiving. According to Salge Blake, about one out of four hamburgers will turn brown prematurely before they've reached the safe internal temperature of 160°F. "Make sure you use a food thermometer to determine when dinner is ready," she says. Sadly, only 20% of people use a food thermometer according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Check out this chart for safe internal temperatures.

 

Cooking outdoors is tricky since cooking temperature varies-- a lot. Flare-ups often cause charring and the impression that the food is cooked, only to find out that it’s raw on the inside! To prevent flare-ups, trim visible fat off of chicken and meats. Consider pre-cooking chicken pieces and immediately pop them on the grill for final cooking to prevent the charred/rare effect. If the outside gets brown before the internal temperature shows it’s ready, put it off to the side (with that portion of the grill turned off) to use indirect heat to finish cooking.

 

Speaking of charred—those char marks and smoke may add a unique flavor to your BBQ, but it can also expose you to potentially cancer-causing heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Preventing grease from dripping on the heat source, and avoiding charring can keep your grill menu healthier for your guests. Besides the tips above, using a marinade can decrease the production of both HCAs and PAHs—and they make your food tastier and more tender.

The sky's the limit for what you put in a marinade--the basic ingredients are something acidic (vinegar, citrus juice, wine) plus herbs and spices. Putting turmeric and rosemary in your marinade help too, as those herbs have been shown to decrease the production of HCAs. Check out this basic marinade recipe.

 

Keeping Food Cool or Hot

The Cold Bowl clearlyacrylic.com

 

Yeah, it’s really annoying to eat cold borracho beans or warm potato salad—but it’s even more annoying if you spend the next few days in bed (or worse) due to food poisoning!!  Keep in mind that when the temperature is over 90 degrees, cold food should only be kept at room temperature for an hour. When it’s over 100, make it 30 minutes or so.

Use a crock pot, hot plates or heating pans with sterno (you can buy at the dollar store!) Or think about serving from the grill where food will stay warm for a while—you can also turn the grill back on low for a few minutes to re-heat.  Keeping food in aluminum pans and covered with foil will help keep things warm for a while.

For cold foods, think about double-plating. Fill a container or bowl bigger than the one you plan to serve in with ice and put your serving container on top. Better yet, invest in some serving dishes that have this feature built in.  Don’t forget to replace the ice as it melts!

 

Refrigerate Promptly

When the crowd moves on to dessert, it’s time to start putting away the perishables. You can always bring them out later for the late-comers or for the second go-round! Refrigerate in shallow containers so the food cools faster.

 

There’s nothing quite like celebrating our country’s independence with an old-fashioned barbecue. Take those extra steps to keep your friends and family healthy this Fourth of July!

 

 

 

Dietary Intervention to Decrease the Symptoms of Autistm: Is it Helpful?

Today's guest post is by Madiha Ahmad, who is a few weeks away from receiving her Master of Science degree in Nutrition. You can read more about Madiha at  http://blog.themaddiet.com/ 

                  Autism spectrum disorder is a behavioral disorder that has become prevalent in one out of every 166 children in the U.S. (1).   It has been ranked 3^rd among the most common developmental disabilities seen in children today.(1) This disorder can delay a child’s verbal communication, affect their social skills, and cause lack of interest in activities. Usually children are diagnosed by the time they are 2 ½ years old.  Medical intervention of autism is helpful, but there is now emerging research and studies being done on the dietary aspect of treating this disorder.

                   Nutrition plays a huge role in the growth of development of children. Autistic children are presented with many challenges in life due to their behavioral symptoms. It is imperative to provide these children will optimal nutrition to avoid any malnutrition, decreased weight, vitamin deficiencies or Gastrointestinal (GI) issues.  Many autistic children experience GI issues or malnutrition due to their current dietary habits. Lack of appetite or lack of interest in eating can lead to malnutrition.   Issues of irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, gluten sensitivity, Crohn’s disease, and celiac disease can be seen in autistic children. This is where dietary intervention comes into play. If we try to resolve these GI or malnutrition issues sometimes we see an improvement in the autistic child’s behavioral patterns.

 Several autism organizations support using nutrition as a method of treatment for autistic children.  National Autism Association, Autism Network for dietary intervention, Autism Society, Talk About Curing Autism (TACA), and Defeat Autism Now (DAN) are just some examples of organizations and support groups that advocate nutritional intervention for this disorder. What is the dietary intervention for this disorder? There are many different diets that are being researched such as; gluten free/casein free diet, ketogenic diets, specific carbohydrate diet, and organic diet/limiting process foods. Research and studies are being done to study the effectiveness of these different diets and their impact on autism.  The most common diet where research and studies have been done is the gluten free/casein free diet.  Another diet mentioned by the National Autism Association group, but where not much research is been done is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). These two diets seem to show some improvement in behavioral symptoms of autism. (2) The goal through dietary intervention is to try to decrease the symptoms of autism and give these children a chance for some relief.

The gluten free/casein free diet is the most commonly used diet for autistic children. The gluten free portion of it involves removing the protein “gluten” from the diet. Gluten is found mainly in whole grain products. Anything made with wheat, barley, and rye is to be avoided on this diet. The casein free portion involves removing the protein “casein” from the diet.  Casein is found in milk products.  An important thing to remember when starting this diet is to eliminate one of the proteins first and then move on to the next one. This way we can determine if there is an allergy to either protein by observing if symptoms improve or not with the removal of the proteins.   Usually it is recommended to remove the milk products first, since casein can be eliminated from the body at a more rapid pace than gluten. Once milk has been removed from the diet for about 1 month then gluten products can be eliminated from the diet. It takes about 6 months to rid the body of gluten. Parents who put their children on this diet must remember to continue it for a span of about 6-8 months to see how effective it is. (3)

 The reasoning behind removing gluten and casein from the diet is that autistic children might have problems digesting these two proteins.  The digestion of casein and gluten produce certain by-products and it is these by-products that are believed to cause or worsen the symptoms of autism. (3) The breakdown of gluten produces a byproduct called gluteomorphine.  Gluteomorphine is believed to have “drug” like symptoms and might be contributing the symptoms of autism once in the bloodstream.   There is some speculation that autistic children might have a “leaky gut” which allows gluteomorphine to enter the bloodstream. (3) This would provide good reasoning behind removing gluten from the diet and maybe explain why it actually has benefited some autistic patients.

Parents in support groups for autism have reported that the gluten free/casein free diet actually has benefited their children.  Support groups, like Healing Thresholds and National Autism Association advocate this diet. Also, there have been parental testimonials that this diet has in fact alleviated some of the symptoms associated with autism. There is a concern about risk of nutritional deficiencies when on this diet.  Since there is no milk intake, calcium deficiency can be a concern.   It is important that children on this diet be followed up by a registered dietitian for proper advice in other foods that are rich in calcium or possibly adding a calcium supplement.

There are several studies that have been done on the effects of the gluten free/casein diet on autistic children.  Several articles suggested that the elimination of these two proteins in the diet actually improved behavioral patterns in autistic children and when the proteins were re-introduced in the diet behavioral patterns shifted.(4,5,6) One randomized control study that was done recently on a Danish population of 72 autistic children in which26 were put on gluten free/casein diet and the other 29 were a control group. (No diet)(7) The study concluded that “dietary intervention” had a positive impact on children with autism spectrum disorder.  There were definite improvements in behavior among the 26 children that were on the diet.(7) Research on the effect of the gluten free/casein free diet on autism need to continue to provide us with additional concrete evidence. 

The National Autism Association advocates another diet called the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). The SCD involves removing starches and certain sugars  from the diet. (8) Because autistic children tend to have GI issues, removing starches which are harder to digest may improve the GI issues and improve digestion.  It is the improvement of digestion and food sensitivities from the elimination of starch and sugar that might improve the behavioral symptoms associated with autism. (8) There has not been much research on this diet’s effect on autistic behavior and some experts have brought up inconsistencies in the diet. However, autism support group websites have enthusiastic recommendations from parents who say it has drastically improved behavioral symptoms in their children. More research for this diet as an actual treatment for alleviation of autistic symptoms is warranted.

Most of the research on diet and autism concentrates on the elimination of gluten and casein; this dietary intervention is also the most commonly used.  The belief is that these two proteins cause most of the digestive issues leading to the behavioral problems that are seen in autism.  Parents of autistic children have tried this diet and many support groups advocate it. If the parent thinks that the child is ready and they are ready to follow this strict diet, it may be beneficial. The parent must remember that is essential to consult with a registered dietitian while their child is on this diet to prevent any occurrence of malnutrition or vitamin deficiencies.

 

Work Cited

1. Brown, Judith E. Nutrition Through the Life cycle,4^th edition. Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Belmont, CA. 2011.
2. National Autism Association http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/diet.php
3. 3.     Autism Web   http://www.autismweb.com/diet.htm
4. Healing Thresholds http://autism.healingthresholds.com/therapy/gluten-free-diet
5. Knivsberg AM, Reichelt KL, Nodland M: Reports on dietary intervention in autistic disorders. Nutr Neurosci 2001;4(1):25-37.
6.  Knivbserg A.M., Reichelt K.L., Nodland M., Hoien T.: Autistic syndromes and diet. A four year follow-up study. Scand J Educat. Res. 1995, 39: 223-236.
7. Millward C, Ferriter M, Calver S, Connell-Jones G. Gluten- and casein-freediets for autistic spectrum disorder. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2004;(2):CD003498. Review. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2008;(2):CD003498.
8. Whiteley P, Haracopos D, Knivsberg AM, Reichelt KL, Parlar S, Jacobsen J, Seim A, Pedersen L, Schondel M, Shattock P. The ScanBrit randomised, controlled,single-blind study of a gluten- and casein-free dietary intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders. Nutr Neurosci. 2010 Apr;13(2):87-100.
9.  “SCD diet”  http://pecanbread.com/p/intro/introhome.html