Diet and Autism: What You Need To Know

by Julie Matthews

Due to recent medical studies, parent reports and research, we know that the road to autism recovery begins with diet. Choosing foods to add and remove from their diet is the very first step to improving the health and well being of children with autism. Certain food substances, most notably gluten and casein, are known to be problematic for the child with autism and should be avoided - and other foods rich in healing nutrients are beneficial when added to children's diets.

Attention to nutrition and specific diets are intended to help balance biochemistry, promote systemic healing, and provide relief of autism symptoms. By adding an autism diet, supplementation, enzymes and consistent healthy nutrition to your autism pediatrician's treatment plan; your child has the opportunity to have better sleep and cognitive ability, less pain and rashes, a positive change in digestion, and improvement in various behaviors. As a veteran biomedical autism nutrition specialist and Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) Practitioner, I encourage you to discover the opportunity to help your child heal through diet, and share that even the pickiest eaters can make marked improvements. I work with families around the globe as they apply diets to support their child's recovery plan as a complement to behavioral therapies and other treatments. Parents, pediatricians, and nutritionists are observing tremendous results in children whose parents are choosing to implement autism diet into daily family routine.

When autism diets are correctly and diligently implemented by parents, improvement in gastrointestinal problems, diarrhea, constipation, language, learning, focus, attention, eye contact, behavior, sleep difficulties, toilet training, skin rashes/eczema and body pain has been clinically documented. Improvement will vary because every child is different.

There are a number of diets that are used by parents, autism nutritionists and pediatricians to assist with recovery. They include the Gluten-Free Casein-Free (GFCF) Diet, Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Diet, Low Oxalate Diet, Body Ecology Diet, Feingold Diet and the Weston A. Price Diet.

Most parents begin with the GFCF Diet--removing all gluten and casein from the foods they serve their children. With the help of your autism pediatrician and well trained autism nutrition specialist, selecting and implementing an appropriate diet can be one of the first, and most powerful, recovery steps a parent can implement upon diagnosis.

Common physical symptoms of children with autism include diarrhea, constipation, bloating and GI pain, frequent infections, sleeping challenges, and inflammation/pain. Understanding that there are physical as well as behavioral symptoms clarifies that autism is not solely a brain disorder. When we appropriately identify autism as a whole body disorder, we can comprehend how what happens inside the body and cells, affects the brain--and how the food we feed a child affects the body and its biochemistry.

For many children with autism, nutrient deficiencies, imbalanced biochemistry, and digestive problems can play a significant role in these physical conditions. Altering food choices affects these processes and helps improve symptoms--both physical and behavioral.

Poor digestion in children with autism can lead to a condition known as leaky gut, malabsorption of nutrients, inflammatory responses to foods that are not broken down, and a burden to the detoxification system. Nutrients are essential to all biochemical and brain function. Adequate nutritional status requires the consumption of nutrient dense food and proper digestion to breakdown and absorb those foods.

Poor digestion often stems from environmental factors, genetic susceptibility, lack of beneficial bacteria, inflammation, and immune system response to certain foods, and studies have shown leaky gut, low levels of beneficial flora, inflammation and immune response to food in children with autism. Additionally, the response to certain foods such as gluten and casein can create an opiate or inflammatory reaction that can affect the brain--causing foggy thinking--affecting attention, language, and learning.

The gut is an essential component to understand and address in autism. The gut breaks down your child's food so they can have the nutrients needed to support biochemistry and allow the brain to function properly. The largest part of the immune system (70%) is found in the gut--a system often imbalanced in autism causing an inability fight viruses, yeast, and other pathogens properly while contributing a overactive inflammatory and allergic response.

Understanding that gut and brain are connected helps explain WHY autism and overall health are improved through a diet that supports digestion/GI health. According to Hippocrates (the father of modern medicine), "All disease begins in the gut," and this certainly proves true with autism

Removing the offending foods that contribute to inflammation, trigger immune response (food sensitivities), create opiates, and increase toxicity is crucial; and adding foods that can support a healthy ecosystem and provide needed nutrients is essential.

HOW DIET CAN HELP AUTISM

By supporting digestion and biochemistry through diet, parents can help improve autism symptoms. Here are several examples of how good food and nutrients can improve the health of the gut, the whole body's biochemistry, and positively affect the conditions and symptoms of autism - and, empowering actions that you can take when applying diet.

Nutrient Deficiencies. Nutrient deficiencies are common among children with autism. Poor quality and limited diets exacerbate this problem. Additionally, supplementation has shown to be supportive and a nutrient dense diet can supply needed nutrients. Specific nutrients are required for complex biochemical processes, and nutrients can only be digested and absorbed through food and supplementation when the GI tract is functioning well.

• Increase the quality and digestibility of food

• Sneak in vegetables for picky eaters

• Juice vegetables and consuming homemade bone broths

• Add supplementation

Leaky Gut and Gut Inflammation. Improving digestion, reducing inflammation, and healing the gut are important steps in overall health and healing. Commonly reported benefits include: reduced diarrhea and constipation, improved behavior, greater language, and less skin rashes.

• Remove foods that inflame the gut such as gluten, casein, and soy

• Add foods that heal the gut and are anti-inflammatory such as antioxidant and probiotic-rich foods

• Add foods that supply beneficial bacteria (probiotics) such as non-dairy yogurt and raw sauerkraut

• Add foods that support beneficial bacteria growth (probiotics)

Yeast Overgrowth. Yeast is a harmful organism that can affect energy level, clarity of thought, and intestinal health. Yeast overgrowth is often triggered by heavy antibiotic use--common in children with autism with poor bacteria-fighting ability. Yeast overgrowth creates gut inflammation and decreases gut function.

• Remove sugars

• Remove yeast-containing foods

• Reduce refined starches and, in some cases, remove them.

• Add probiotic-rich foods

Toxicity and Poor Detoxification When children's detoxification systems are not working optimally or are overburdened by pre-existing toxins, avoiding additional toxins from food is important. Food based chemicals can cross the blood brain barrier and affect the brain, creating hyperactivity, aggression, irritability, and self-injurious behavior.

• Avoid food additives

• Avoid toxins in food supply and meal preparation

• Eat organically

• Add foods that support the liver

Poor Methylation and Sulfation Biochemistry. Methylation, transsulfuration, and sulfation are just one set of biochemical pathways that do not function optimally for many children with autism. These pathways can be supported by avoiding certain substances that are processed (and overburden) by those pathways, and supplying nutrients that are needed (and often in low supply).

• Remove phenolic foods--artificial ingredients, and foods high in natural salicylates, amines and glutamates.

• Improve methylation and sulfation through supplementation

Their diligence at nourishing hope is always worth parent effort. I am seeing measurable positive changes in children whose parents are working hard to correctly and consistently implement diet. As I work with parents, we chart diet and healing progress and carefully record improvement in sleep, behavior, cognitive ability, language, eye contact, aggression, digestive problems, rashes, pain and more.

My clients are relieved to learn that I do not spout the dogma of any one diet. As an Autism Nutrition Consultant and Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) Practitioner, I practice nutrition intervention focused on improving systemic health and relieving physiological and behavioral symptoms. Autism diets are food-based strategies employed toward this objective. I help parents choose the best initial diet for their child and then work to customize that diet to further meet their specific needs.

When I begin to work with parents, I typically recommend GFCF or SCD to initiate dietary intervention and healing. Additionally, I may suggest just adding fermented foods, soaked grains and nuts, and more vegetables.

I then refine the diet by potentially removing the salicylates, amines, glutamates, or oxalates. This can be done by looking for reactions, but more accurately by eliminating them for a few weeks and then reintroducing them to see how the child reacts.

The easiest and most important initial action, no matter what diet you choose, is to remove artificial ingredients and junk food. Artificial ingredients are highly toxic and very difficult for the liver to breakdown--they are associated with hyperactivity, asthma, aggression, irritability, and sleep disturbances.

Food additives and ingredients to avoid:

• Artificial colors: red #40, yellow #5

• Artificial flavors: vanillin

• Preservatives: BHA, BHT, TBHQ

• Monosodium glutamate: MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and other hydrolyzed items, autolyzed yeast, yeast extract

• Artificial sweeteners

• Trans fats, partially hydrogenated oil found in many commercial mayonnaise, margarine, and peanut butter products, fast foods and fried food, and baked goods.

The most important dietary principle is to start. It sounds simple but start somewhere. Begin with a simple diet change such as getting rid of all artificial ingredients and see what's next.

I know what you are thinking, "My child is picky and very inflexible with eating new foods. I'm never going to be able to get him to eat anything other than wheat and dairy, and never mind anything "healthy." I also understand that you are really wondering if an autism diet will help your child and their symptoms. I have had some very picky eaters in my nutrition practice--many children ate only bread and dairy, others subsisted on just pancakes and fries.

When the body creates opiates from foods, one can become addicted to them and thus crave nothing but those foods, or when yeast overgrowth is present, a preference for only carbs and sugars can result. Children eventually narrow their food choices to include only those that make them "feel better". It's worth trying diet because once the child gets passed the cravings (a few days to a few weeks), they often expand food choices dramatically and it becomes much easier to do.

As we enter 2009, more children are recovering. They are finding relief from autism symptoms. In my practice, I often hear reports from parents that digestive disturbances are often one of the first areas that children find relief as diarrhea or constipation is eliminated. Then children often feel better--from there, they can engage more in school and therapy and I often hear reports that language and behavior improve. The other most common comment I hear to great elation from the parents is sleep improving--supporting the well-being and outlook of the whole family.

I encourage every parent with a child that has autism to try diet--read, learn and try.

It's crucial that parents believe that it's possible for their child to change and improve. By envisioning the changes, you project a positive image that is important for your child and the success of your overall efforts. I've never known a child with autism that did not benefit from dietary intervention, and I've never seen a child's diet that did not eventually expand and improve--increasingly, as the body heals.

I, like you, am committed to helping children with autism get better. Nourishing hope comes from the depths of our hearts and is fueled by love and devotion. Always have hope.

Autism Recovery - Sudden Onset Regression

by Dr. Kurt Woeller

Regression is a problematic occurrence that happens with some individuals on the autism-spectrum after there has been significant gains being made in cognitive development, social interaction, etc. Sometimes the regression pattern is sudden. Here are some clues:

Dietary Infractions - this is high on the list. Sometimes a hidden ingredient, or a change in ingredients that you are not aware, i.e. from a Gluten-free, Casein-free food. Also, getting sabotaged with the diet - not necessarily intentional - from friends, family members, at school, a new therapist, your child getting into another child's lunch, etc.

Supplement Changes - sometimes a new supplement, or a new ingredient in a supplement can cause regression. An example would be a change in the amount of particular vitamin - such as B6, or a new flavor for Cod Liver Oil. Also, increasing the amounts of supplement(s) could contribute to regression.

Other Food Exposure - such as dyes, preservatives. Or new natural foods that are high in phenols - grapes, plums, bananas, etc.

Yeast Overgrowth - this is very common, and can come on quickly. Sometimes you will not know what caused it. I have seen kids get yeast issues following a cold, flu or even allergies from the environment. In Southern California there are Santa Ana winds that blow warm air in from the deserts about 4 to 6 times per year. This usually brings a lot of allergens with it. Other regions have their own unique environmental changes. Increase in allergy can cause a shift in the immune system with increased inflammation. A trial of anti-fungal medication like Diflucan or Nystatin, or natural remedies like Grapefruit Seed Extract can help. If it is a yeast issue, the behavior will shift for the better in 5 to 7 days. Also, if allergy is suspected taking an anti-histamine could help.

Time Cycle Changes - regression patterns can occur with time changes - summer to fall, fall to winter, winter to spring, etc. This commonly occurs with sudden changes in dark and light cycles - particularly in areas when the clocks move backwards or forwards twice yearly.

Stress - change at school or therapy. A new challenging task, new teacher, new kid(s) is class. Anything that is upsetting the routine that a child is use to. The same pattern can occur at home with new or sudden changes.

Recent illness or coming down with a cold/flu/Allergies - see above explanation under Yeast Overgrowth.

Constipation or sluggish bowels - many times a change in bowel function - usually with a child going through a period of sluggish bowels - can create a situation of increased bowel toxins. These toxins get absorbed and create imbalances in the body and brain. Giving some additional magnesium to bowel tolerance - as citrate - can help to improve bowel function. Bowel tolerance means the 'point at which loose stools occur' is the time to cut back on the dose of magnesium. Magnesium can also help with hyperactivity. If needed, a laxative or child's enema can help clear the bowel of stored up stool.

Growth Spurt - regression in kids can sometimes occur with a growth spurt. Many times when children go through growth spurts they have an increased appetite or sleep more soundly at night.

An ADHD Diet Therapy Can Really Help!

by Diana Ketchen

Bringing home your tiny bundle of joy, many parents never think about the possibility of dealing with ADHD. But for parents and children diagnosed with this problem, the challenges of ADHD can frustrate and overwhelm. As questions arise about the best treatment from doctors, many quickly assume that parents will want the easy way, with a prescription. Many parents are concerned about the long-term affects, however, and have found that there are alternative therapies through ADHD diet therapy and herbal supplements.

DIET and ADHD

Diet and behavior has been studied as a possible factor in ADHD in children, as well as the cause for other behavior problems, since the early 1970's. Some parents have found that by keeping the diet remedies for ADHD children through an additive free diet that the results have been nearly as good or better than drug treatment. Modifying diet is a good first step to take before resorting to medication.

Since some children's behavior is triggered by different dietary factors, finding the culprit can be tricky. Keeping a food journal and eliminating certain trigger foods through the "elimination diet" is the most effective way to find out what foods are causing problems and finding diet remedies for ADHD for your child. ADHD is not the only problem from food triggers; behavior problems - including autism - as well as sleep problems and irritability - have also shown improvement from the elimination diet.

ELIMINATION DIET HOW TO

When searching for diet remedies for ADHD, read up on the common triggers. Make your child's meal plans for a week while withholding the suspected trigger. Chart behavior changes and attention over the course of the week, since it often takes time for the allergen or trigger to work itself out of the child's system. Teachers and care providers are going to have to be on board to get accurate results!

Common triggers include food dyes - this includes dyes found in medicines, drinks, food products, candy - dyes are a non-essential part of the child's dietary needs. Other common foods that can trigger reactions are dairy products, particularly cow's milk, sugar and artificial sweeteners, processed meats and fried foods.

Once you are ready to add the foods back into the diet, add one type of food every two days, and watch for behavior changes. After it is determined that the food is not a cause, it can be added back into the regular diet.

HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS

ADHD diet therapy can be used in conjunction with herbal supplements to maximize results. Both children and adults have seen positive response when using herbal treatments. These are common items, easy to find. Ginkgo Biloba is known to improve blood flow to the brain, thus improving memory and concentration. Combining this with American Ginseng has been shown to help symptoms of ADHD in children in several studies. St. John's Wort is another popular treatment. It has been used for years as an anti-depressant, by increasing serotonin (which affects mood).

Grape Seed Extract is another popular treatment, becoming more common as a first line of defense by doctors. Grape Seed Extract is believed to inhibit the faster than normal breakdown of dopamine in the brain for ADHD patients.

Pine Bark, also called Pycnogenol, is a complex of flavanoids that increases circulation and lowers free radicals. This is a potentially good treatment up and coming in the herbal remedies available for treating children with ADHD.

Finding the right ADHD diet therapy for your child is not an overnight magic pill. It takes time and persistence, but many parents and teachers will testify that diet remedies for ADHD combined with alternative therapies such as herbal remedies and extended behavior modification, that there is hope! Your child can be the focused and attentive child you want - well, as much as any child can be! By using ADHD diet therapy, you are keeping your child from the risks of associated drug risks.

10 Easy Steps to Detoxify Your Body and Improve Your Health

by Valerie Balandra NP

The environment we live in is full of toxins. We inhale them in the air we breathe, ingest them with our food and water, and absorb them through the pores in our skin. Even the personal care products and cleaning supplies that we take for granted are full of poisons that are harmful to our bodies.

While we are surrounded by pollutants from the environment, the human body produces its own toxins. Our metabolic processes result in chemical wastes which can compromise our health.

The accumulation of these harmful substances in the body is known as "toxic load" - sometimes referred to as "body burden." Over time, the buildup of environmental toxins in our systems can lead to chronic or severe health problems.

Some medical researchers estimate that nearly 75% of the diseases that afflict us are largely due to the toxicity of our systems. Headaches, chronic respiratory illness, cancer, and even autism have been linked to the accumulation of unsafe chemicals in the body.

The good news is that, although it is impossible to completely isolate ourselves from these harmful substances, we can reduce our exposure to them and decrease their impact through a simple detoxification program. By following these 10 easy steps, you will rid your body of many harmful chemicals, putting yourself on the path to a healthful lifestyle and greater sense of well-being.

1. Get plenty of restorative sleep. Adequate rest is critical to your body's ability to heal itself and perform its many biological functions properly.

2. Plan your meals with good nutrition in mind. Be sure to eat plenty of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables; avoid processed and pre-packaged foods, refined flour and sugar products, trans-fats, and red meats. Proper nutritional balance is important for maintaining healthy organ function, especially the excretion of toxic elements through the liver.

* A cleansing diet designed to flush toxic matter from your digestive system may be incorporated into your detox program. Keep in mind that these diets are meant for the short term only, and people who are being treated for a medical condition should not undertake a restrictive diet without the approval of their physician.

3. Adapt a stress management technique that suits your lifestyle, such as yoga, meditation, or another soothing activity that you enjoy. Stress is responsible for the production of hormones which can be harmful, leading to heart disease and other severe illness; stress management reduces levels of these hormones and boosts your ability to cope with the challenges of life.

4. Physical activity heightens your body's ability to excrete toxins, as well as providing an overall health benefit. Exercise is important to the success of your detoxification efforts, in addition to being necessary for a healthy lifestyle.

5. Avoid behaviors that are detrimental to your health, like smoking, drinking alcohol in excess, and recreational drug use; stay away from artificial stimulants like caffeine. These substances will inevitably slow down your detoxification progress.

6. Take herbal supplements. There are several detoxifying herbs which are available in either tea or capsule form. These include dandelion, milk thistle, burdock, and red clover. Ginger root and the popular acai berry are also known for their detoxifying properties, as is Vitamin C.

7. Purchase a body cleanse or liver and colon cleanse kit. These consist of natural detox products that flush toxins from your liver and colon, restoring optimal function.

8. Drink plenty of water. Adequate hydration is needed to remove toxic elements from your body.

8. Massage therapy is not only relaxing and restorative; it allows your body to excrete toxins up to 200 times faster than on its own.

9. Take a sauna or a hot bath regularly. The skin is a major excretory organ, and the heat of a sauna or bath opens the pores and increases your body's rate of natural detoxification.

10. Reduce exposure to toxic elements. An air filter in your home will drastically improve the quality of the air you breathe; use natural cleaners and personal care products whenever possible to prevent the absorption of toxins through your skin. Sticking to organic foods lowers your risk of ingesting dangerous pesticides. Watch out for foods wrapped in plastic wrap; plastic contains chemicals called phthalates which are known to cause cancer and developmental problems, including early-onset puberty.

While it is impossible to completely eliminate your exposure to dangerous chemicals in the environment, by following these steps you can greatly diminish their harmful impact on your health.

ADHD Alternative Treatments - Have You Heard Of The Dirty Six?

by Robert William Locke

Do you know what the 'Dirty Six' are ? Read on. They are nasty colourings and additives in kids' sweets. Did you know that, in spite of the UK Food Standards Agency decision to ban dangerous colourings and preservatives in children's sweets (candy), they are still being used by food companies? All you have to do is read the small print on the packets and the horrible truth is there for all to see. The role of diet and nutrition and especially additives in kids' sweets have come under much scrutiny as parents and carers try to decide what is the best ADHD alternative treatment . ADHD medication is now regarded with much suspicion by parents and an effective ADHD alternative treatment is now being widely discussed.

The UK government failed to bite the bullet with the food companies and rather cowardly opted for a 'voluntary phasing out' of the harmful additives in sweets which have definitely been shown to have a detrimental effect on children's behaviour causing hyperactivity and exacerbating ADHD symptoms. The main culprits are mainly colours which are extracted from coal tar - they can hardly be described as healthy food. !

Maybe you have heard them being called by different names or even numbers. Take your pick. They are all very colourful - for example, sunset yellow (E 110) carmoisine (E122) and the well known tartrazine (E102) just to mention three of the 'Dirty Six'. The most dangerous one has a very pretty name - it is called 'brilliant blue' and that causes hyperactivity in children as well as skin rashes and other nasty ailments. Needless to say it is banned in many European countries but NOT in the UK. It is not even on the so-called 'voluntary phasing out list '!

Diet and nutrition are only one part of the puzzle in the ADHD alternative treatment mosaic. Still, in the UK, Ritalin is now being prescribed much less as parents are advised to opt for behaviour therapy for themselves and their children. That may be time-consuming and expensive and for busy parents it is a big investment. There has been a storm of protest in the UK where special schools have come under the axe and all children - including those suffering from Autism and ADHD are to be 'included' and taught together with all the other children. This is a fine idea but the sad truth is that no money has been set aside to train the teachers so that they deal effectively with ADHD children in the class.

The best ADHD alternative treatment is probably a combination of therapy, diet, exercise and counselling. In order to avoid dangerous ADHD drugs, parents are looking at alternatives and they have found that natural and/or homeopathic remedies are the safest and most effective. The link below will provide the answers to any questions or doubts you may have.