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Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Utilizing a Bio-Medical Approach
in Treatment
With approximately 2 million children exhibiting developmental delays significant enough to be categorized
as an ASD in the United States alone, some scientists have recently begun to modify their long held beliefs regarding the
basic etiology driving this collective group of disorders. Though no one completely understands everything about all of
its potential causes, there is now significant movement away from the belief that ASD's are predominately the result of a
genetic disorder (itself the representation of progress from what had been the held psychoanalytic consensus- focusing upon
a 'frigid' mother). This relatively new paradigm shift has resulted in a number of practitioners that assess and treat this
broad spectrum of conditions utilizing a biomedical approach- acknowledging the presence of environmental factors or "triggers"
such as infection and heavy metal toxicity and further viewing them as treatable pathologies.
What is emerging from
the most recent work with ASD is the theory that the varying degrees of cognitive and emotional impairments exhibited have
their basis in physiological and biochemical disorders- with appropriate testing rooted in exploring immunological, gastrointestinal,
and neurological issues. Bernard Rimland, PhD, pioneer of the DAN! protocol believes, along with many others, that ASD's
are PRIMARILY medical disorders- the resulting impairments being a by-product of the physical illnesses from which these children
suffer. Physically ill children, with medical disorders that will benefit (to varying degrees and on a highly individualized
basis based upon conditions such as age and medical history) by proper testing and treatments that address nutritional sensitivities
and deficiencies, immune irregularities, and the condition of health found in the gastrointestinal tract.
Together,
we can work to address the area of diet and nutrition for your child. Many parents that adopt a GF/CF diet for their children
have witnessed improvements, some profound. Though gains in overall functioning can vary greatly from child to child, there
is no telling the extent to which your child may benefit unless you are actually willing to try. Improvements are relative
to each child, but have been noted in various areas including sleep patterns, attention span, social connectedness, language
ability/ communication, bowel regulation, and a reduction in self-stimulating behaviors.
Many children are addicted
to gluten and casein for very real physiological reasons- the result is often a highly self-limited diet, comprised mainly
of the foods that supply the basis for their opioid peptide addiction. Briefly, when the proteins gluten or casein are ingested,
they are incompletely broken down, leaving peptides (branches of amino acids) that travel through the intestine ("leaky gut"
syndrome, an issue of toxic by-products produced by yeast- the result of antibiotic use) into the bloodstream and to the brain,
where they react with opiate receptors- mimicking the effects of opiate drugs such as morphine and heroin. Specifically,
the seven amino acid peptides are called caseomorphin (casein), and gluteomorphin (gluten), sometimes detected in urine samples
of children with autism.
The physical manifestation of these substances (and/or other sensitivities to common offenders
such as soy, corn, yeast) are noted in behavioral and cognitive functioning- contributing to mood swings, self-injurious behaviors
(decreased pain sensation), screaming fits, night sweats, appearing spaced-out or foggy, stomach problems, red cheeks/ears/nose,
sticky, unformed, fatty stools, seizures, dry skin, migraines, dark under eye circles, laughing, diarrhea, bloating, and sleep
disturbances. Needless to say, the removal of the foods containing these offending proteins can result in symptoms of withdrawal.
However, once they have been cleared from the system (4 or 5 days for dairy, longer for wheat), many parents are surprised
at how readily their child will take to other foods. Many children are opioid free within 6 months-1 year.
Because
issues of fungal overgrowth (such as Candida- usually the result of repeated antibiotic use to treat prior infections, earaches,
etc.), result in excess toxins within the body (see behaviors noted above as well as hyperactivity, confusion, aggression,
cravings, abdominal distention) which in turn impair the CNS and immune system, we will also touch upon medical testing (OAT,
Stool, Blood- physician/lab) and explore the appropriate dietary (sugar/yeast free) and supplement (antivirals/antifungals:
Lauricidin, grapefruit seed, elderberry, garlic, oregano, olive leaf, NAC, echinacea, etc.) interventions as (studies suggest)
they apply.
The prescription drug Nystatin does not enter the blood stream and can be discussed with your physician.
Ultimately, the health of the gut is largely linked to the immune system and vice versa, whereby healing the former will have
a positive and direct impact upon the functioning of the latter. The growing field of psychoneuroimmunology draws upon these
connected systems- integrating the functioning of the brain, neurons, and immunity. Chelation is not recommended unless supervised
by a physician, and only after gastrointestinal health is first addressed.
We will explore areas of supplementation
that have been shown thus far to be safe as well as effective. The degree to which your child will exhibit any gain in functioning
is, again (as with all modalities of therapy and intervention), dependent upon and relative to the uniqueness of each individual.
Typically, a multi vitamin formula containing extra B6 (P5P) and Magnesium but no copper, along with supplementation of calcium,
DMG w/wo folate, Vit. A, C and E, probiotics, EFA's, methylcobalmin, and enzymes will be utilized, staggering each new introduction
at least a week at a time.
As with most any measure of successful modification, the assessment of benefit(s) derived
is based largely upon the observations of those with whom the child has regular contact- teachers, therapists, primary caregiver,
etc.. Combining information on recent treatments with your child's individual observational reports, we will work together
to create a regimen that brings about as much growth and improvement in your child as possible.
Dietary and supplementation
recommendations beyond those noted (removing refined sugars, G/F, C/F, S/F) will require the use of appropriate medical intervention
and laboratory testing to assess conditions of yeast, bacteria, fungus etc., to guide any detoxification protocols, and to
monitor any medications or injections prescribed.
While making modifications in diet that can improve cognitive
and behavioral functioning by minimizing common toxins and aiding the various systems of the body in healing and regeneration,
we will go yet a step further- exploring and addressing environmental exposures to agents such as heavy metals, common cleaning
products, cookware, artificial additives, preservatives, colors, synthetic perfumes, and typically used personal care items.
At this very moment, there is much being learned about the grouping of symptoms referred to as ASD's, and I pledge
to work along with you in staying abreast of the most recent developments in the evolution of this new medical model that
has given great hope to so many who have had their lives touched by these very special children.
In many ways, those
with ASD are asking, no requiring, that we as a society take a hard look at nothing short of how it is that we live. Perhaps
we could all stand to benefit by examining our reliance on pharmaceuticals, the way in which we have poisoned and abused our
water, air and soil supplies, and our willingness to overlook the effects of ill health that result from the foods that we
so commonly consume just as long as they remain fast and convenient. We are essentially challenged to live life from a slower,
gentler way in many regards. Our capacity to love and to sacrifice, to nurture and grow, and to learn and evolve can be
a magical process of self discovery.
There are many people traveling along a similar journey, and I encourage you
to reach out to others and become involved to whatever extent you can with as many organizations, forums, chat rooms, individuals,
families, etc. as you can. It is empowering to realize that you are ultimately the best advocate for your child and possess
the capability of knowing your own instincts and employing a path of common sense in approaching his or her overall treatment.
Providing yourself the opportunity to share your insights as well as hear from others will likely be quite helpful and rewarding
on many levels.
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PERSONAL QUIPS and some FAVORITE QUOTES...
*NEVER
GIVE UP
*There is no day as important as today-
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
*Never let the future disturb you.
You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.
*Everything
you need is already within you!
*The soul conceives, the mind creates, the body experiences.
*You are your own
destination.
*Welcome each experience for the wisdom it contains.
*Accept no one's definition of your life.
*Mind
controls the body and the source of inspiration for the mind comes from the spirit.
*Every cell of the body reacts
to the thoughts of the mind- Keep toxins out of body and mind.
*BE the change you want to see in the world.
*ALWAYS
be grateful
*Compassion. Integrity. Truth. Faith. Home.
*Every day is a miracle- a blade of grass sprouts from
a seed, against all odds, in darkness, toward light.
*Go, meet your destiny.
*Thoughts create reality...live
the life of your dreams.
*That constant dialogue that runs through your head- the body believes it to be reality.
*Meditation,
way to inward communication.
*Choose: live in love or in fear
*A smile is love, announced :)
*Body: Spiritual
vehicle- on loan given so soul can experience, explore, grow, discover, seek, learn...My job to protect & maintain its health.
*Be
still and know. Still to hear the soul.
*To evolve you must experience.
*Truth exists. Only falsehood has to
be invented-
Georges Braque
*To believe a thing impossible is to make it so.
*Many of our cares are but a
morbid way of looking at our privileges- Sir Walter Scott
*The greatest possession is SELF possession- Ethel Mumford
*To
know yourself; a gift.
*A talent is both a gift and an obligation.
*No person who is enthusiastic about his
work has anything to fear from life- Samuel Goldwyn
*Defeat should never be a source of discouragement but rather a
fresh stimulus. The opportunity to reassess, recommit.
*All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have
not seen- R.W. Emerson
*A man has to live with himself; he should see to it that he always has good company.
*Right
is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it- William Penn
*It is not easy
to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere- Agnes Repplier
*Knowing others is wisdom,
knowing the self is enlightenment- Lao-tzu
*Self-respect is the fruit of disclipine: the sense of dignity grows with
the ability to say no to oneself- Abraham J. Heschel
*Character is much easier kept than recovered-
Thomas Paine
*The
person who knows little is proud that she knows so much; the person who knows much is sorry that she knows so little.
*Every
man's work...is always a portrait of himself-
Samuel Butler
*A friend can not be known in prosperity; and an enemy
cannot be hidden in adversity- Ecclesiasticus 12:8
*A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves
himself- Josh Billings
*Our lives reflect the quality of our character.
*When someone shows you who they are,
believe them.
*Those who challenge us are often our most powerful teachers.
*There are no accidents. Everything
is just as it should be. Things happen as and when they need to.
*Duality: Allows for awareness. Witness to one shows
us-teaches, creates the other.
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A Modern American Conundrum: Overfed and Undernourished
There
is little doubt that technology has had a significant and deleterious effect upon the foods we are likely to consume as part
of our modern diets. Consumer demand and profit margins have come to reflect a collective value comprised of speed, convenience,
and consistency rather than a regard for proper nutrition.
The industrial revolution brought with it not just a demographic
shift from farms to cities, but major changes in our food supply as well. Issues such as shelf-life and cost effectiveness
began to take priority over food quality. Highly processed goods such as white flour and sugar were suddenly available at
reasonable cost to everyone, and the stage for burgeoning and massive food companies had been officially set.
Bleaching,
refining, preserving, flavoring, coloring, sugaring, and altering food has become very big business. Paired with shrewd advertising,
we have come to mistakenly regard many product offerings as sustenance. As a result, the bar on various ailments and conditions
of disease (think diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, obesity, depression, fatigue- you get the idea) has been raised to epidemic
proportions.
With the bulk of the average American's diet offering little in the way of nutritional value, we eat and
eat- alternating between bouts of willpower and guilt. Yet, on a biochemical level, it stands to reason that our processed
diets have our appetites racing out of control. There is, of course, no satiety within the core of our being- no message
to indicate that the biological drive behind our hunger has been met. We take in all of these calories and they are virtually
devoid of nutritional value to our cells, to the intricate systems that enable us to function optimally. Stuck, we attempt
to operate in a state that is highly out of balance.
The result is a nation overfed and undernourished. A condition
born of our interference with nature and her laws- an oxymoron courtesy of modern innovation.
Attempting to make heads
or tails out of all the conflicting nutritional advice out there is no simple task. Extracting sound information and managing
to effectively apply it to everyday life is a daunting and overwhelming prospect for most of us. Learning and applying the
basics of nutrition will go a long way in contributing to your state of health and functioning. After all, everyone is entitled
to experience optimal health throughout their lifetime, and consuming the proper foods is absolutely crucial.
A proper
will serve to satisfy the needs of your body and your appetite, while serving your health- regulating your weight, energy,
mood, etc., naturally. Try, if you would, to entertain the following thought: If I don't take care of my body...where am
I going to live?!
Sources
Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with Nutrition. Berkley, CA: Celestial Arts
Publishing,
1992.
Jensen, Bernard, and Anderson, Mark. Empty Harvest. Garden City Park, NY:
Avery Publishing Group, 1990.
Price, Weston A. Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. New Canaan, CT:
Keats Publishing Inc., 1998.
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SOME TERRIFIC BOOKS AND AUTHORS:
The Top Three:
____________
Empty
Harvest. B. Jensen; M. Anderson
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. W. A. Price
Staying Healthy with Nutrition. Elson
Haas, MD
____________
Blended Medicine. Michael Castleman
CalciYum! R. Bronfman
Diet and Nutrition. Rudolph
Ballentine, MD
Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy. W. C. Willett
Eat to Live. Joel Fuhrman, MD
Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.
M. Murry; J.Pizzorno, ND
Fabulous Beans. B. Bloomfield
Food and Healing. Annmarie Colbin
Food as Medicine. D. S.
Khalsa
Foods Can Save Your Life. Neil Bernard, MD
Foods That Heal. Bernard Jensen, PhD
Great Good Desserts Naturally.
F. Costigan
Healing Foods. Michael Straten
Healing with Whole Foods. P. Pitchford
Meatless Burgers. L. Hagler
Mediterranean
Cooking. J. Clarke & J. Farrow
Nutraceuticals. A. Roberts, MD; M. O'Brein, MD
Nutritional Biochemistry. Tom Brody
Nutritional
Guide. Louise Tenney
Optimum Nutrition Bible. Patrick Holford
Prescription for Dietary Wellness. Phyllis Balch, CNC
Principals
and Practice of Phytotheray. Simon Mills
Power Foods. Stephanie Beling, MD
Soy of Cooking. M. Oser
Super Foods Rx.
Steven Pratt, MD
Sweet and Natural. M. McCarty
The Best-Ever Vegetarian Cookbook. N. Graimes
The Green Pharmacy.
James A. Duke, PhD
The Natural Lunchbox. J. Brown
The Taste for Living Cookbook. B. Ginsberg & M. Milken
The Whole
Foods Market Cookbook. S. Petusevsky
Totally Dairy-Free Cooking. L. Lanza
Vibrant Health from Your Kitchen. B. Jensen
Women's
Bodies, Woman's Wisdom. C. Northrup, MD
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Finding Your True Hunger
Ah, the reasons we
eat! Hunger, sure of course that's a given, but often there are many other reasons and factors that come into play as well.
We might crave a particular food for its texture or mouth feel- like ice cream or peanut butter. The sight or scent of a
certain food might evoke a pleasant memory or time shared in celebration. Some of us are conditioned to eat with no more
provocation other than the time of day, weather we are truly hungry or not. It is this true hunger that is the focus of our
exploration here.
I wish, for those of us for whom the behaviors categorized under the umbrella of emotional eating
are an issue, that we might find balance within ourselves so as to align our inner knowing, our bodies, and our minds. This
takes work in the form of self-knowledge, but I implore you to stick with it, to hang in there, no matter the struggle.
The
only way to insure failure in anything you do is to give up, and giving up is simply not an option. Strength comes over time,
as long as we focus on where it is that we wish to be. Set your sites on a meaningful goal and pursue it with fervor. The
following thoughts are submitted for your consideration and to help you identify patterns that might play a role in how and
when you are eating. If you find that you subscribe to the behaviors noted here much more often than not, then it is time
you begin to address the underlying issues so you can stop them and move on. The chief way of accomplishing this is by making
physiological changes, and the way to do that is through addressing your diet. You'll see...but for now, let's focus on making
conscious changes to our normally unconscious state of mind when it comes to eating.
At what point have we stopped
eating when we needed to and started eating when we wanted to? I hope this is clear: wanting food is not the same as being
hungry. Many people have become pretty darned good at subsuming, or rationalizing at least, that they are. Wanting is the
reflection of a mental/emotional need, while actual hunger is, of course, physiological. It communicates to us that the digestive
system is ready to perform its job- to break down and assimilate the nutrients the body requires to operate correctly. When
we eat out of psychological want and not physical need, we are actually asking the body to perform a function that it is not
prepared to. Uh-oh. Already, we have diminished our chances of digestion itself being carried out properly. Combine this
with the kinds of foods we tend to eat under such circumstances, and, well, already we can see that this is not a pretty picture.
Just in case you can't fully envision the process set forth by emotional eating, consider the ill-digested food itself,
the cascade of the toxins that it generates, and the effects that all of this then has upon each of the various and complex
systems of the body. When we overwork an organ or system of the body, it becomes weakened and will eventually compensate
by under-working at a later point. What we wind up with is an even greater state of imbalance and a higher chance for disease.
The imbalanced body further craves imbalance- the old "like begets like" principal. An undesirable cycle on so many levels.
So let's avoid it- heck, let's strive to reverse it, shall we?!
A shift to healthy, optimal eating will beget the
same, see- simple! But how and where do we begin the process of addressing our emotional health to the extent that it impacts
our physiological selves? Numero uno is to pay attention to yourself. Commit to knowing yourself! It has been said that
the greatest possession one could ever hope to achieve is self-possession, and it is so true! Sit- be present in your own
body, quiet your "scattered" thoughts and all the chatter/static- key in- connect to your soul, ask of your heart- be absolutely
honest, and listen!
The next time you eat, whenever and wherever that is, take a moment and ask yourself if you are
TRULY hungry. This does not include the desire of others to be eating, the time of day, the fact that you were just about
to sit down and write out bills, or that you've just realized that this weekend marks the arrival of your mother-in-law for
an extended visit. If you have ascertained that you are NOT truly hungry, then wait until you are. Often, identifying an
unpleasant task or acknowledging an uncomfortable emotion allows us to address it. Now, try DOING the task, or FEELING the
emotion instead of eating. HAVE the experience instead of avoiding it and you will be amazed at the sense of empowerment
and esteem it brings. The same principal that like begets like is at work. Avoiding anything only means that you give it
power- it is a behavior based in FEAR and will keep you "stuck" dealing with it much longer. I do not mean to imply that
making such changes in behavior will be effortless. It will, however, become easier. The key is getting started!
Sometimes
just feeling an emotion is difficult- we often don't want to and will avoid or suppress it. Uh-Oh, again. The ONLY way to
do it is to do it. You cannot fill a void, escape loneliness and insecurities, address fears or frustrations, sedate, numb,
or suppress a feeling with food (shopping, drinking, gambling, or drugs, either). Food is not a replacement for comfort or
for love that might be missing in your life. Try as you might, I promise you that the outcome will result only in stagnation-
leaving you heavier in body and spirit, and far less healthy in all regards.
Often, we fall into less than ideal
eating patterns simply out of habit, which can be addressed easily enough through behavioral modifications. However, if repetitious
emotional eating is the culprit behind the condition of the body you live in, you need to take the appropriate measures and
address it. First off, allow yourself the feelings! They have significant value and have helped shape many aspects of who
you are today. Have faith and know that they are part of your journey for a reason. If the task is just too daunting, then
by all means seek the help of someone who can guide you through it all. Often, we already have the answers within us. Again,
get to know yourself- it will be time very well spent.
Cues of emotional eating:
Feeling "hungry" shortly after
a full meal
Continuing to eat, to the point of inciting digestive distress
Wanting specific, highly-refined and sugary
foods
Experiencing a negative shift of mood after having eaten
Feeling out of control, guilty, or ashamed during or
after eating
There is an energy inherent to all things. Food is a great example of this as the energy it imparts is
obvious even to the most jaded among us. It is life- giving and containing. Try to eat with a respect for your own body,
realizing that it is a gift so that you might experience life. Possessing a sense of gratitude goes a long way toward changing
one's perspective, as it has the ability to induce humility. Consider the source of energy that went into your food. Planning,
preparation, cooking, and serving all factor into our consciousness and become part of us in subtle but very real ways. The
next time you are going to eat, say a blessing- it needed be elaborate or aloud to be effective. This is one feeling that
you might discover you would like to regularly incorporate into your daily eating habits!
Facets of Nourishment
If
we attempt to feed only the tummy, we cannot experience a "full" life!
The following are "nutrients" required by various
parts of our bodies:
EYES~ color, beauty
EARS~ music, nature
NOSE~ fragrance
HAND~ touch
HEART~ love
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