Feeding the Brain: Pt 3

       The Growing Epidemic

In the past two articles in this series on Feeding the Brain, I have discussed the foundational pieces of the gut/brain connection and the underlying nutritional aspects of ADHD/Odd behavior. Today, I will address the ‘elephant in the room,’ autism, a topic that speaks closest to my heart as I have both a son and a grandson on the spectrum.

Autism has become very trendy today. ‘Able-ism,’ ‘acceptance,’ ‘neuro-diversity,’ ‘tolerance for differences’….these are all topics which elicit great passion in almost every person in the country.

First, I wish to share some statistics. In the 1970s, the rates of autism were about 1 in 10,000. Today, they are 1 in 26. Experts expect that by 2030, our rates will be at 50% with over 85% of males being affected.

Autism is considered a growing epidemic. It is not the purpose of this article to address the underlying causes. I will say that the ‘genetic’ aspect of the diagnosis lies in the inability of the body to process toxins from the body. Each family has the exact genetic marker. When I learned this over ten years ago, I was fascinated by the variety of our unique genetic code.

In the autistic spectrum, there are many common health factors. The first to address would be the body’s inability to detox normally. Another common factor is the leaky gut aspect which I addressed in the first article in this series. Healing the gut is essential in order to improve the symptomology of this diagnosis.

Just like in schizophrenia, people with autism share an oxidative stress overload. People in the spectrum also experience undermethylation, low levels of glutathione, heavy metal toxicity levels, yeast overload, imbalances of minerals such as zinc and copper, along with common nutritional deficiencies such as magnesium and Vitamin A. There are additional challenges, but these are the ones most important.

With these presenting issues, a parent may easily feel overwhelmed. It’s not uncommon for a parent to believe, ‘My child is autistic and will always be that way.’

I will say that there are some people on the high end of the spectrum who have been breaking the mode and creating wonderful inventions or performing great wonders of work. Perhaps they do not feel anything needs fixing. But I’m speaking to the majority of parents who have the low-functioning, non-verbal child. Those parents who lie awake at night scared of what will happen to their child when they are gone and can no longer provide.

This was MY fear when my son received his diagnosis. (I do address this issue in an earlier series.)

I describe autism like a puzzle with the pieces forced together out of their proper places. If a parent is willing, I believe it is possible (though not easy) to put the puzzle pieces back in their proper places. Even though the pieces may create a colorful piece of art, it is not until they are in the proper places that the full beauty can be seen.

With this in mind, a parent detective can work with a professional as they make the needed changes to bring those ‘pieces’ in alignment.

Why do I believe this? The professionals said my son would need to be put in a group home. They were wrong. He lives and works independently. In addition, I’ve listened to too many doctors who have consistent results of recovery to a more ‘functional’ level of behavior.

Though some may choose to think of autism as nothing to ‘recover’ from, in reality, it is a portrayal of the body’s inability to detox with the resulting nutritional deficiencies. It is up to the parents to decide if they are willing to tackle such a task so that their child can grow and develop to fulfill their God-given potential.

I believe God can and will reward our efforts when following His guidelines to restore both mental and physical health.

If you would like more information on the steps to take to help your child’s symptoms to lessen, or you would like some professional guidance as you make these changes, feel free to contact me at kindlingdreamsllc@gmail.com.