Dr. Vikki,
I just recently found out about NAET. I would love to know what you think about it. Can NAET help with gluten intolerance?
Thanks,
Jill
Jill
Dear Jill,
I have not known of a case where NAET reversed any gluten intolerance. I know that they make claims to do so, but personally I have not witnessed it, despite having patients try it.
I really wouldn’t recommend it.
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Have a health question pertaining to gluten intolerance that you’d like to ask Dr. Vikki Petersen?
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And welcome to my blog!
Whether you're here looking for advice on how to go gluten free (with delicious kid-approved recipes of course!), or to read some of the latest medical research on celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity...or even to read about one woman's rise from the depths of gluten-free despair to a place of downright enthusiasm, it makes no matter. The point is, you are here now so let's have some fun!
I have used BioSET (similar to NAET but more advanced) to clear my casein, corn, soy, bean, peanut and other intolerances. I've been told by my practitioner that I should now be able to eat gluten, and that may be true, but I'm choosing not to because I think it's unhealthy for everyone and I don't want to take any chances. I'm also still avoiding unfermented soy and genetically modified corn but BioSET has been like a miracle for me. I can eat dairy foods with no reactions now (the food I missed the most), I can eat at restaurants again and I'm doing much better overall since starting it a few months ago. The enzymes that are a part of it have made a big difference for me and after struggling with an autoimmune illness, I now feel like a "normal" person most days.
Thank you, Dr. Vikki (and Heidi), for posting this Q & A!! I believe that NAET can be helpful for food issues in general, but it does NOT eliminate anyone's need to eat 100% gluten free. I have a support group member who has just finished NAET and told me she is avoiding gluten at home, but can be less vigilant now that previously. That news via email made my heart sink. I keep reminding support group members/friends that lack of a noticeable reaction does not mean that something awful is not happening in your body. As another friend/support group member stated, someone with celiac/gluten intolerance who is eating gluten with no reactions may "suddenly" have a much more serious reaction to deal with, in the form of lymphoma, another autoimmune disease, etc. We have to remember that about 40% of those with celiac disease state they had no symptoms before diagnosis and the same can hold true for those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity/gluten intolerance.
Thanks again! Off to share …
Shirley
I can vouch for the fact that no noticeable symptoms DOES NOT MEAN something awful is not happening inside your body!! That is the single biggest message that I hope to convey on my blog. After eating gluten-free for six months after my initial celiac diagnosis, I fell off the wagon and resumed a gluten-full diet – no symptoms whatsoever so I thought I had been misdiagnosed – low and behold a year later and all sorts of awful began to surface, another autoimmune disorder, systemic immune infections, you name it. Then my uncle died of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, just 9 days after he was diagnosed. It was so advanced there was no opportunity to fight it. Talk about a wake up call! Knowing that what happened to my uncle could be in my future if I didn't get a grip on reality and accept my celiac diagnosis…very sobering indeed.
Anyone who claims they can "cure" celiac (or non-celiac gluten sensitivity) is LYING. There is no cure beyond a strict gluten-free diet. It breaks my heart when good people get taken advantage of, especially when it comes to one's health. And this is why education is so very important.
One's life is an awfully steep price to pay for inaccurate and misguided information.
NAET has helped both mine and my daughter's allergies – but it it doesn't work 100% in every case. My dairy allergy has cleared, and my daughter's reactions to accidental wheat or dairy intake has been MUCH improved. But my doc says it works for allergies, not intolerances…we still avoid as much as possible. I just use it to lessen the effects of accidentally eating something we shouldn't 🙂
Short of a miracle, nothing will make gluten intolerance go away — even if the symptoms hide. Don't take a chance with your life.
Honestly… whenever anyone tells me "oh this helps me digest gluten!" I wonder if that means it's really all that great. I mean, if our bodies don't want to digest gluten, why are we forcing them to? In emergencies, I think it can help. But every day? So not worth it. That intolerance is a message trying to tell us something!
I wish I could say it worked for my son, but it didn't. He has multiple food allergies and eczema and nothing changed after months of expensive appointments. I do believe it helps some however.
I have had several NAET treatments and have noticed considerable changes. My main recurring symptom was always brain fog. After I ate something or was in contact with something I had an allergy/sensitivity to, I had what I call a case of the "dumbs". I don't have Celiac Disease, but have/had multiple allergies and sensitivities including those to wheat, barley, rye, gluten, dairy, nightshades, tomatoes, trees, grass, mold, etc. In 2008 I had a blood test affirm these allergies and then in 2011 after various NAET treatments I had a follow-up blood test done which affirmed all these allergies were completely gone. I did not need a blood test to prove I was no longer experiencing reactions, but it is a nice scientific bit of evidence.
In saying this, however, I still try to avoid gluten as I do not think it is good for me. We are experiencing a totally different menu these days than our ancestors of the past 80,000 years and I just don't think our bodies are ready.
As for the success of NAET, I believe finding a good practitioner is key. Mine is an oriental medicine practitioner, she's passionate about health and she knows what she is doing.
I have a close friend who had amazing results with NAET. Hadn’t eaten dairy in over 15 years bec. it made her throat close up. She did NAET treatments 10 years ago and has been eating dairy ever since. I also see that on BerkeleyParentsNetwork, there are about 10 postings from parents, all of whom reported excellent results for their kids with allergies and immunity issues.