Dietary Possibilities for Autism

By Dr. Michael Roth

Flickr photo credit goldsardine

I often counsel patients in my holistic chiropractic practice to make changes in their diet to help balance their health. Wheat/gluten, dairy and sugar are the three biggest problem-creators in my patients’ diets. This can be especially true for my patients with autism.

There is growing interest in the link between autism and gastrointestinal (GI) ailments. A study by the University of California Davis Health System found that children with autism born in the 1990s were more likely to have gastrointestinal problems, including constipation, diarrhea and vomiting, than autistic children who were born in the early 1980s.

According to one theory, some people with autism cannot properly digest gluten and casein, which form peptides, or substances that act like opiates in their bodies. The peptides then alter the person’s behavior, perceptions, and responses to his environment. Some scientists now believe that peptides trigger an unusual immune system response in certain people.

Flickr photo credit Rik Lomas

Gluten and gluten-like proteins are found in wheat and other grains, including oats, rye, barley, bulgur, durum, kamut and spelt, and foods made from those grains. They are also found in food starches, semolina, couscous, malt, some vinegars, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and artificial colors and flavors.

 

Flickr photo credit Mike Mozart

Casein is a protein found in milk and foods containing milk, such as cheese, cream, butter, yogurt, ice cream, whey and even some brands of margarine.

 

 

 

This is what I recommend to my patients with the diagnosis of autism:

• First, eliminate all dairy from their diet. Substitute almond milk instead of their regular milk.
• Next, eliminate the foods and products that contain gluten—wheat, oats, barley, rye, and spelt are the most commonly found.
• Grains that CAN be eaten on a gluten-free diet include rice, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat, millet and any other gluten-free grains.
• Eliminate corn from the diet. Corn tends to be inflammatory in nature and many children diagnosed with autism seem to be allergic or have a sensitivity to corn.
• Avoid GMO (genetically modified organism) foods. Some studies show that there is a connection between GMO foods and incidences of autism. GMO foods may also put added stress on the immune system.
• No added sugar.
• No artificial coloring or flavoring.
• Gluten-free, casein-free foods that CAN be eaten: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs and beans.

Some parents, doctors and researchers say that children have shown mild to dramatic improvements in speech and/or behavior after these substances were removed from their diet.

In my office, parents have reported back to me that there have been positive and often remarkable changes in their child’s behavior once these dietary changes have been made!  Call Crystal at my office (805) 644-0461 to schedule a consultation today!

Loving Life Without Gluten

By Crystal Dodson, Holistic Health Coach

www.NourishedWithLove.com

 

Back in October 2009 I realized something was very wrong with my oldest son who was two at the time. He had begun developing as a typical child does, then around 16 months I noticed that he was changing. He would no longer look us in the eye. His smile was gone. He began to have constant temper tantrums. He was upset more often than he was happy. I just had a new baby and my first son didn’t want to have anything to do with his new brother.

He didn’t have any language to tell us if he wanted or needed something. It seemed like my son was slipping away. He was in his own little world, content to engage in repetitive stacking of blocks instead of connecting with us in a meaningful way. I began to suspect that my child might have Autism. The word scared me. I didn’t want to talk about it or even think about it.

 

Around the same time my good friend Rachel suggested that I look into a gluten-free casein-free diet for my son. She said she heard it was making a big difference for a lot of children who were dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

 

I was offended that she would bring this up. I was doing the best I could to feed my children the healthiest possible way I knew. I didn’t give them junk food. They never ate fast food. How dare she suggest that I wasn’t doing enough! Something changed in my heart as I realized she was just trying to help.

 

I began to research the diet and discovered that parent surveys done by The Autism Research Institute list the gluten-free casein-free diet as one of the most successful interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders. According to one theory most, if not all, children with Autism have a damaged intestinal lining or “leaky gut”. Because digestion is compromised, the child’s body is not able to properly digest the gluten and casein proteins.

 

These incomplete proteins, or peptides, travel through the “leaky gut” into the blood stream where they cross the blood brain barrier and bind to opiate receptors in the brain. The peptides then alter the person’s behavior, perceptions, and responses to his environment. It all seemed very overwhelming. I didn’t even understand what gluten was. How was I supposed to take it out of his diet? I decided to start with removing casein because I knew what that was.

Flickr photo credit Laura Dahl

I remember the first night I gave my son a little almond milk instead of regular cow’s milk before bed.  He didn’t drink it.  I felt like I was depriving him.  I started questioning my decision already!  The next night we tried the almond milk again, and again he didn’t drink it.  We sauntered off to bed, but this time when I leaned in to kiss him goodnight, he didn’t turn away!  This was the first time that he let me kiss him square on the mouth!  I remember cheering, clapping, and celebrating with tears flowing down my cheeks.  I must have kissed him 50 times in a row.

 

This is what it felt like to have a child respond to a mother’s love.  It was absolutely incredible!  I decided right then and there that I would commit to doing whatever it takes to help my son.  I felt empowered.  There was something I could do to help him!

 

I didn’t care that the pediatrician thought diets didn’t work.  When my son was officially diagnosed with Autism in November of 2009, I realized that I was already proving the pediatrician wrong.   My son was fully capable of loving me.  We just had to figure out how to help his little body heal so he would be able to express that love more easily.

 

I started researching gluten and slowly trying to replace our old foods with gluten-free alternatives.  Many times I bought things thinking they were gluten-free, only to find a hidden source of gluten.  I decided to give myself some grace.  I might not have him transitioned to a gluten-free diet overnight, but I was doing the best I could to head that direction.

 

My son had a lot of texture sensitivities.  I remember putting a spoonful of food up to his mouth and he would start dry heaving before it even touched his tongue.  There were lots of days that he hardly ate anything.  I stayed the course.  Through trial and error we made it work.

 

I made muffins with shredded carrots and zucchini.  I blended vegetables into smoothies.  I could get him to drink almost anything.  I started juicing and he would drink his fresh green juice so quickly.  As his body healed he became tolerant of more foods.  This was a very slow process.  Many nights dinnertime felt like World War III.

Flickr photo credit Radek Szuban

We have been on an all organic gluten-free, casein-free diet for three years now. My son is now five and has made incredible progress. He talks in complete sentences. His eyes are sparkling. He loves hugs and kisses. He plays with his little brother. He is brilliant. He reads at a second grade level and is fascinated with solving word problems. He loves life. I am so blessed to be his mommy. What a little miracle he is! We still have a ways to go on his journey to recovery, but I do believe he WILL recover. With God all things are possible!

 

If for any reason you are considering going gluten-free I would encourage you to try it. Start by figuring out what foods have gluten in them and replace those with gluten-free alternatives. Search the internet for gluten-free recipes. Buy ingredients one at a time to make foods that are exciting to you. Get in the kitchen and experiment!

 

Remember, just because something doesn’t turn out perfectly the first time doesn’t mean it is not worth trying again. Your attitude is incredibly important here. Focus on what you CAN eat. Be thankful that you choose to take a step to increase your health and happiness. Take it one step at a time. Surround yourself with support. Give yourself grace. Stick with it and I bet you will agree that it was worth it!

Flickr photo credit Natalie Buzina

— By Crystal Dodson

    Holistic Health Coach

    www.NourishedWithLove.com

Should You Choose “Gluten-Free”?

By Dr. Michael Roth

 

We’ve been hearing about gluten more and more these days. Your grocery store may even have a “gluten-free” section of food items. Often clients in my holistic chiropractic practice wonder if gluten could be the cause of their symptoms. This month, I’d like to bring you up-to-date on what science knows about gluten and its role in celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and the gluten-free diet.

 

Gluten is not a protein itself but rather a protein composite that is found in the grass-like grains of wheat, rye, barley spelt, kamut and triticale. Oats also contain gluten and certified gluten-free oats are available.

 

Flickr photo credit Rik Lomas

 

The first health condition discovered to be caused by exposure to gluten was celiac disease. This is an autoimmune attack on the small intestine. Common symptoms include abdominal pain and cramping, and alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation.

 

By damaging the intestinal lining, gluten can result in maldigestion and malabsorption of nutrients. A blood test is required to properly diagnose celiac disease. Gluten can also travel through the body and damage other organs. Almost any chronic health condition you can think of has been associated with gluten sensitivity, including aching joints, stress and anxiety.

 

There are several ways that gluten can produce adverse health effects. In sensitive individuals, the immune system produces antibodies against gluten. This causes inflammation and attack on various organs. What is the organ most commonly affected by gluten? The brain is the organ most damaged from gluten sensitivity. From headaches to dementia, from seizures to schizophrenia, including learning disorders and developmental delay, gluten sensitivity can be a major factor.

 

Flickr photo credit Laura Dahl

 

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is another condition that may result from eating foods with gluten. Individuals who suffer from non-celiac gluten sensitivity suffer very similarly to people with celiac disease, but tests for that disease are negative. Through my holistic modalities, I am able to pinpoint gluten sensitivity and address it immediately.

 

Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity are both treated with a gluten-free diet. Gluten avoidance is not an easy undertaking, yet can be life changing. Those with celiac disease need to practice lifelong gluten avoidance. Whether people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity can ever go back to eating gluten is not clear at this time.

Flickr photo credit Anssi Koskinen

 

Nor does a gluten-free diet aid weight loss, experts say. Unless your body is reacting negatively to gluten, eating gluten-free food will not help you lose weight. Eating gluten- free can cause deficiencies in iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, magnesium, fiber, and other nutrients because people are avoiding breads, cereals, and grains that are fortified.

 

In contrast, many gluten-free products are not fortified. Be careful when choosing from the growing number of gluten-free products on the market shelves. They’re typically higher in carbohydrates, fat, and sodium, and lower in fiber. Instead, people can bake healthier bread at home that’s higher in fiber and protein and made with gluten-free grains that have been certified to be uncontaminated and gluten-free, such as quinoa, amaranth, or millet.

 

 If you are having digestive issues or suffering from a chronic health condition, please call Crystal at (805) 644-0461 in our Ventura office and schedule an appointment for an office visit. Find out if gluten is a health factor for you!