Welcome to Gluten-Free Remedies™

Dr. Shikhman is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology. He is a leading author of numerous scientific publications in peer review journals, including Journal of Immunology, Arthritis and Rheumatism, Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, New England Journal of Medicine and Nature Biology, among others.

Dr. Alex Shikhman
MD, PhD

About Gluten-Free Remedies™

Featured

Hello and welcome to glutenfreeremedies.com. Let me tell you a little bit about myself and why I started Gluten-Free Remedies. I am a rheumatologist and founder of the Institute for Specialized Medicine in San Diego, CA. I have been solving tough medical issues for my patients for years—many of whom have celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

For those who are genetically predisposed to gluten sensitivity, a gluten-free diet can bring miraculous relief.  But the elimination of gluten doesn’t allow the body to get the critical nutrients it needs. The best way to compensate for the lack of these nutrients is to take supplements. I wanted to provide a safe, worry-free option for the gluten intolerant community so I created Gluten-Free Remedies™.


We are certified by the Celiac Sprue Association

CSA Recognition Seal

You can reach us at 855-TAKE-GFR (855-825-3437) or info@glutenfreeremedies.com

All information contained on this website is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment or for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition.

Foggy Award Nominee

I am very grateful to be nominated for my work in the gluten free community. It is rewarding to share my knowledge with everyone; from the newly diagnosed to those who have been following the lifestyle for years. Thank you Find Me Gluten Free and I wish all of the nominees the best and I look forward to the results. Thank you! Dr. Alex Shikhman

Gluten Intolerance Self Assessment

If you are interested to know if you are likely to have a gluten intolerance, take our self assessment quiz. The 30 question quiz is based on common indicators of gluten intolerance and your results rate your likelihood of having a gluten intolerance. Results are scaled from low – very high and As always, I recommend that you see your personal doctor for further evaluation.

Begin the quiz by clicking here

Controlling Elevated Cholesterol without Prescription Drugs

Increased levels of blood lipids (fat) known as hyperlipidemia is one of the strongest risk factors for development of coronary artery disease (heart attacks and strokes). There are many different types of lipids which can be identified and measured in human blood. The clinically important types of lipids include total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL (low density lipoproteins) and HDL (high density lipoproteins). The LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”) is a more accurate predictor of coronary disease than total cholesterol as higher LDL cholesterol levels increase your risk of coronary disease. The HDL cholesterol (“good cholesterol”) actually lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke, and is considered a negative risk factor for these conditions. Similarly to LDL, elevated triglyceride levels are also associated with an increased risk of coronary disease and stroke. Numerous clinical studies showed that lowering LDL and triglyceride levels and increasing HDL levels can significantly decrease the risk of coronary artery disease.

Lipid levels can be lowered with a combination of diet, weight loss, exercise, and medications or appropriate food supplements. People with high cholesterol should make changes in their lifestyle by reducing total and saturated fat in the diet, reducing carbohydrate consumption, losing weight, performing aerobic exercise, and eating a diet rich in non-sweet fruits and vegetables.

The appropriate lipid-lowering drug or food supplement therapy can be started at any time after diagnosing hyperlipidemia. There are several medications available to help lower elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

These include:
Statins (lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, fluvastatin, atorvastatin, and rosuvastatin) – are the most popular prescription drugs to control hyperlipidemia. They decrease the body’s production of cholesterol, reduce LDL and to a lesser degree triglyceride levels. However, taking statins is frequently associated with muscle pain and in rare cases severe muscle damage.
Ezetimibe (Zetia) the bile acid sequestrants (cholestyramine, colestipol, and colesevelam) – decreases the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol from the digestive tract and lowers LDL levels.
Nicotinic acid (Niacin) – is a vitamin that is used to lower triglycerides.
Fibrates (gemfibrozil, fenofibrate and fenofibric acid) also lower triglyceride and raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Consumption of lipid lowering drugs is frequently associated with side effects such as:

  • Elevation of liver enzymes
  • Muscle pain, cramps or even muscle damage
  • Nausea, vomiting, bloating and diarrhea
  • Facial flashing
  • Allergic reactions

Nutritional lipid-lowering supplements and herbs are an efficient and less toxic alternative to the drugs.

The most popular natural products for hyperlipidemia include:

Fish oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which reduce inflammation and decrease triglyceride levels.
Black currant seed oil contains high amounts of omega-6, omega-3 fatty acids and linoleic acid. In addition to its anti-inflammatory activity, black currant seed oil lowers LDL and to a lesser degree triglycerides.
Pantethine is an active form of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) which lowers cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and increases HDL production in a dose-dependent manner.
Chromium polynicotinate is a natural body constituent that regulates sugar/glucose transport in various cell types. Consumption of chromium polynicotinate results in lowering of LDL levels.
Policosanol is a mixture of fatty alcohols derived from the waxes of sugar cane which lowers LDL and increases HDL body synthesis.
Guggul is the resin of the Commiphora mukul tree that has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for more than 2000 years to treat a variety of ailments. Guggul possesses lipid lowering activity and reduces LDL levels.
Biotin, or vitamin H is necessary for the metabolism of fats and amino acids. It plays a role in the citric acid cycle, which is the process by which biochemical energy is generated during aerobic respiration. Taking biotin reduces LDL levels.

In general, natural products for lipid control work more slowly than drugs; most of their benefits are seen in 2-3 months. The treatment of hyperlipidemia is a lifelong process. Once you have an effective treatment plan and begin to see results, it is important to stick with the plan. Stopping treatment usually allows lipid levels to rise again.

Review of 2012 Hot Topics

Over the last year, we’ve held a monthly facebook Q and A on The Celiac Diva page. We’ve combined some of the top questions and answers for you to review. Most of the answers are geared toward using supplements to help. To download a PDF version click here.

January 2012 Hair and Skin Issues
People with gluten intolerance and CD are known to deal with various skin, hair and nail problems.

These problems can be segregated into several categories.

1. Problems related with gluten-driven autoimmune responses/chronic inflammatory reactions.

Under this category are:
- Dermatitis herpetiformis
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Psoriasis

Typical treatment is based on gluten elimination and treatment of the underlying immune/autoimmune problem.

2. Problems related to malabsorption of vitamins and nutrients, including malabsorption of iron, vitamin D, biotin, B12 and silica.

The problems under this category present in the form of hair thinning, diffuse hair loss, brittle nails, poorly healed skin sores, skin dryness etc.

Solution: multivitamins, biotin (up to 20 mg a day), iron glycinate, Eclipta alba, biosilica.

3. Problems related with abnormal gut microflora and yeast/candida overgrowth.

The problems under this category manifest in the form of the itchy rashes, hives and acne.
I have bought of uncontrollable itching what can I do to help it?
I break out with acne, what can control this?
Get checked for yeast overgrowth as this can cause acne. You can take an Indian herb called Manjista.

I have extremely dry skin, what can I do to control this?
Individuals may want to get checked for Sjogren’s Syndrome as one of the common indicators of SS is sever skin dryness. SS is also tied to CD as they share the same gene HLADQ2.

My hair has been thinning or falling out, can anything reverse this?
Look into getting your iron levels checked as low iron can cause hair loss. You can also try Biotin and Eclipta Alba.

Can vitiligo be a side effect from celiac disease?
Yes, vitiligo can be connected to CD. Gluten blocks the production of melanin by going gf, melanin can be produced again. Continue reading

Your top questions answered about detoxing for gastrointestinal problems

How do you know which detox program to choose? There are different kinds of detoxing based on what ails you. This post focuses on gastrointestinal problems.

How often should I detox? It depends on why you are doing it. If you are feeling fine, but just want to give your system a fresh start, then once a year is enough. If you are experiencing symptoms, then twice a year is best.

What are some typical symptoms? It’s very subjective to each person when to do it. In general, some signs to look for are increased fatigue, constipation and irregular bowel movements.

What supplements are beneficial for a GI detox? Triphala, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mannan Oligosaccharides, Taurine, Liver Detoxifier and Bacillus coagulans (probiotics). For more synergistic results, take all of these for up to 4 weeks.

If you have a physician that you usually see, I would ask him/her to evaluate you based on your symptoms.

Is it yeast overgrowth or gluten intolerance?

Due to the profound changes in intestinal microflora, the symptoms of yeast overgrowth can often mimic celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

The symptoms of yeast overgrowth include:

  • Bloating
  • Headaches after meals (predominantly over forehead)
  • Craving for sugar/carbs
  • Frequent hives
  • Eczema
  • Brain fog and fatigue
  • Loose stools

So how do you know which you have?
The most accurate diagnosis is based on detection of yeast overgrowth in the stool or (slightly less reliable) detection of elevated titer of anti-candida antibodies in the blood.

I have yeast overgrowth. Now what?
Therapy includes:

Yeast Detox Diet
The yeast detox diet consists of eating low carb foods, foods high in fiber and taking a probiotic. While detoxing, a handful of supplements are very beneficial: chlorella, triphala, psyllium husks and yucca schidigera.

Timeframe
It will take around 2-3 months to detox and another 3-6 months of maintenance.

Secret Tip
Unlike water, which just goes right through you, coconut milk or coconut water is beneficial in eliminating yeast because it acts like a gel and grabs onto items to move things out of your system.

To read this topic in it’s entirety visit The Celiac Diva Facebook page Original discussion: October 26, 2012

Dealing with Muscle Fatigue: Citrulline Malate

DEALING WITH MUSCLE FATIGUE: CITRULLINE MALATE

Muscle fatigue is a common condition which reflects a declined muscle ability to generate force. It occurs when the body temporarily exhausts its supply of energy, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), glycogen and creatine phosphate. In addition, muscle fatigue may represent a consequence of the excessive accumulation of metabolites of muscle contractions such as adenosine diphosphate (ADP), magnesium (Mg2+), reactive oxygen species, lactic acid, ammonia and inorganic phosphate.

A number of conditions can result in recurrent or chronic muscle fatigue. These include:
- Excessive physical activity/overuse
- Chronic infections
- Fibromyalgia
- Malabsorption
- Diabetes
- Congestive heart failure
- Lung emphysema Continue reading

Top 3 Questions About Gluten Breaker

1. When is it good to use?
Gluten Breaker is good to use when you eat at a place where you are not 100% sure the meal is entirely gluten free. It’s great to take with you when you travel or eat out at a restaurant.

2. What is it good for?
Gluten Breaker is used to break down small (up to 1 gram) of gluten that could be present in a meal. Typically this defends against cross-contamination or gluten that may be hidden in a sauce or dressing. It helps alleviate any negative reactions you may have to gluten. This does not allow you to eat gluten. You cannot knowingly eat a gluten-filled meal and expect this to work.

3. How do I use it?
You take two capsules before your meal and two capsules after your meal.

To learn more or to purchase visit: Gluten Breaker

Your questions on weight and still feeling sick after going gf answered

Dr. Shikhman answers questions on weight issues many with celiac disease or gluten intolerance face. Read more about why this happens and what supplements may help. This Q & A took place on The Celiac Diva’s facebook page.

Weight Issues, August 2012
Still sick after going GF, July 2012

All information contained on this website is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment or for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition.

Natural treatment for headache and lower back pain with butterbur/feverfew

Recent article by Gluten Free Remedies in Healthy Times Newspaper on the benefits of Butterbur for lower back pain.

Several well-designed clinical research trials, focused on therapy of migraine headaches, revealed that an herb called butterbur offers not only substantial migraine headache relief, but also prevents the recurrence of these headaches. These clinical trials did not surprise naturopathic practitioners and herbalists; since butterbur (a perennial shrub growing throughout Europe, certain parts of Asia and North America) has been used for centuries as a medicinal plant to treat headaches and neck pain. Read more. Article on page 11.