I recently had a problem with a Git repository corrupting when I restored it from a backup to a FAT drive. Suddenly `git status` was printing "fatal: Not a git repository"! I managed to clone my repository from someone else but it was a big hassle.
A few days later I decided to poke around some more it see if I could fix the repository. It turns out that the problem was based on FAT being case insensitive. All I had to do was move GIT_ROOT/.git/head to GIT_ROOT/.git/HEAD, where GIT_ROOT is the root directory of the repository. Fixed!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Does a gluten free/reduction diet help with ADHD?
The short answer is that no one definitely knows.
The long answer is much more complex. I didn't find a large scale rigorous scientific study that specifically covers ADHD and gluten. Some people swear by a gluten free/reduction diet (henceforth 'The Diet') but any good scientist would be horrified at using pure anecdotal evidence to make a decision. One guy put together a list of studies but most are irrelevent or (deliberately?) misinterpreted.
Newsweek ran a story a while back that is very critical of The Diet. They quoted several scientists that found the notion ridiculous. Still, there weren't any studies cited. MedicineNet's Ask the Experts was also skeptical of the diet. ADHD is, by definition, a "biochemical disorder" that is not caused by gluten. An ADHD diagnosis explicitly rules out causes like learning disabilities or depression. (Not in the article: many people with ADHD also have learning disabilities) If ADHD improves with The Diet then the person does not, by definition, have ADHD. To follow up Ask theExperts, why would only a small part of the population react to gluten by getting ADHD?
Regardless of the science, perspective gluten reducers need to remember a few things.
Wheat is a staple of the Western diet. That makes a gluten free/reduction diet a hassle and potentially expensive. Bread, cake, pasta, pizza, and many other products must be eliminated. There are alternatives like rice bread (which is actually quite good) but those are difficult to find and usually more expensive. And that great Italian restaurant or pizza parlor near your house? Cross those off your list.
For the people who want The Diet to replace medication, think again. Many (but not all) people with ADHD are greatly helped by medication. One of my cousins has such severe ADHD that she can't safely drive except when she's taken her ADHD medication that day. ADHD can be extremely disruptive to success in life, including work, school, and personal life. Depending on the person, medication can be the difference between getting into a highly competitive college and being limited to a community or for-profit college. Parents, I have nothing against community colleges (my local community college has a wonderful reputation) but children shouldn't have their options unnecessarily limited because their parent(s) refused medication.
Ultimately the decision is your own. If you're willing to put out the energy then go ahead. Just remember that it's difficult and unproven.
The long answer is much more complex. I didn't find a large scale rigorous scientific study that specifically covers ADHD and gluten. Some people swear by a gluten free/reduction diet (henceforth 'The Diet') but any good scientist would be horrified at using pure anecdotal evidence to make a decision. One guy put together a list of studies but most are irrelevent or (deliberately?) misinterpreted.
Newsweek ran a story a while back that is very critical of The Diet. They quoted several scientists that found the notion ridiculous. Still, there weren't any studies cited. MedicineNet's Ask the Experts was also skeptical of the diet. ADHD is, by definition, a "biochemical disorder" that is not caused by gluten. An ADHD diagnosis explicitly rules out causes like learning disabilities or depression. (Not in the article: many people with ADHD also have learning disabilities) If ADHD improves with The Diet then the person does not, by definition, have ADHD. To follow up Ask theExperts, why would only a small part of the population react to gluten by getting ADHD?
Regardless of the science, perspective gluten reducers need to remember a few things.
Wheat is a staple of the Western diet. That makes a gluten free/reduction diet a hassle and potentially expensive. Bread, cake, pasta, pizza, and many other products must be eliminated. There are alternatives like rice bread (which is actually quite good) but those are difficult to find and usually more expensive. And that great Italian restaurant or pizza parlor near your house? Cross those off your list.
For the people who want The Diet to replace medication, think again. Many (but not all) people with ADHD are greatly helped by medication. One of my cousins has such severe ADHD that she can't safely drive except when she's taken her ADHD medication that day. ADHD can be extremely disruptive to success in life, including work, school, and personal life. Depending on the person, medication can be the difference between getting into a highly competitive college and being limited to a community or for-profit college. Parents, I have nothing against community colleges (my local community college has a wonderful reputation) but children shouldn't have their options unnecessarily limited because their parent(s) refused medication.
Ultimately the decision is your own. If you're willing to put out the energy then go ahead. Just remember that it's difficult and unproven.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)