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Not all allergic reactions to wheat are caused by celiac disease, according to Italian researchers who studied data on 276 patients diagnosed with a unique disorder known as non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS). In a double-blind, placebo-controlled wheat challenge, the researchers found that NCWS patients may be suffering from a non-lgE mediated food allergy, like celiac disease, that primarily affects the innermost layer of the GI tract. Symptoms are delayed, making it difficult to diagnose. NCWS symptoms involve the gastrointestinal tract, the nervous system, the skin and other organs. Symptoms disappear when wheat is excluded from the diet, and come back when wheat consumption resumes.
"Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity as an Allergic Condition: Personal Experience and Narrative Review", The American Journal of Gastroenterology, November 05, 2013
Physicians at a Texas cancer center have issued a statement addressing some common misconceptions about how cancer spreads. One of the most common, and most fallacious, of these myths, is that eating sugar feeds the spread of malignant tumors. It doesn’t, the researchers said. Consuming sugar from natural sources – like fruits and vegetables – absolutely does no harm, and is in fact necessary for good health. But excess sugar in the diet, especially from processed foods, contributes to obesity and an increased risk of cancer. The doctors advised people to avoid processed sugars found in cakes, baked goods and desserts, and instead eat fruits that help “maintain a healthy weight and prevent health issues”.
"Debunking Myths About How Cancer Spreads", News release, Houston Methodist Cancer Center, November 02, 2013
The serious liver condition known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NFLD) is not associated with intake of sugar, according to a British study, but rather with a high caloric intake, no matter the source. Researchers said recommending a low-fructose or low-glycemic diet to prevent NFLD is therefore not justified. Instead, they found that a high-calorie diet, no matter the source of the calories, itself is more associated with the disease, and that a healthy diet and regular exercise are the best ways to prevent, and deal with, NFLD. “Our study serves as a warning that even short changes in lifestyle can have profound impacts on your liver," the researchers concluded.
"No Difference Between High-Fructose and High-Glucose Diets on Liver Triacylglycerol or Biochemistry in Healthy Overweight Men", Gastroenterology, November 01, 2013
Irish researchers report that the study of the human microbiota – trillions of beneficial bacteria in the gut belonging to a thousand species – could transform scientific thinking about basic human nutrition, gut health and disease prevention: This has come about because of developments in DNA sequencing technology that have made possible closer analyses of complex microbial communities in the human digestive tract. Data from recent studies have shown that diet can program the gut microbiota and affect health status. Someday the food industry might be able to design food ingredients and supplements that shape gut microbiota, improving consumer health.
"Our Gut Microbiota and How It Can Be Programmed by Food", News release, Teagasc, November 01, 2013
A European study comparing recent data from dietary surveys conducted in eight countries has found that the European diet lacks 17 basic micronutrients. Conducted by the International Life Sciences Institute, the study found that vitamin D was the most severe deficiency, but diets also were low in iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6 and folic acid. The researchers said that except in the case of vitamin D, low levels of vitamins do not pose a public health risk generally, but may in the case of specific age groups.
"Mapping low intake of micronutrients across Europe", British Journal of Nutrition, October 31, 2013
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Oregon State University College of Public Health and Human Sciences:, October 28, 2013
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