Category Archives: Diet
The Impact of Sugar On Autism Part I
Sugar is a commonly used substance. Whether its in coffee, tea, or the key ingredient in your favorite candy, sugar is something we, as humans consume everyday. Sugar also comes in many varieties, some claiming to be more healthy than the other, and being safe for consumption for those with Diabietes. Other sugar based substances, like High Fructose Corn Syrup are rumored to be very harmful to the body.
With all of these varieties of sugar; aspartame, splenda, saccharine, and high fructose corn syrup, which are really safe to consume? What is sugar anyway? What do these varieties contain and how are they made? And is it really more beneficial to avoid sugar altogether, or to consume it in moderation?
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to take a close look at sugar, what it is, what it means for Autism, and some alternatives that may be safer than Sugar.
First of all, let’s take a look at the basics:
What is Sugar?
A simple definition of sugar is : “a white crystalline carbohydrate used as a sweetener and preservative.” However, it’s much more complicated than that especially with its substitutes. When the word “sugar” is used, it usually refers to sucrose which is derived from sugar cane and sugar beet, a cultivated plant.
The problems with Sugar
The problem with sucrose is that it can contribute to tooth decay. Most experts believe that too much sugar does not in fact cause diabetes. However, excessive calories from sugar can contribute to obesity which then can heighten the risk of diabetes.
Other Sugar Varieties
Other sugar varieties, which are typically used in industrial food preparation are glucose, fructose, and high fructose corn syrup.
Glucose itself is stored mainly in the liver and is an essential, primary source of energy for the brain. When glucose…
The Effects of Chocolate and Autism
While it seems like rewarding your child with a peice of chocolate may be harmless, you may want to think twice. You may actually be doing more harm than good.
The Homotoxicology Process
Last week, we explored the basics of Homotoxicology. (You can catch up by reading last week’s post). The focus of homotoxicology is to rid the body of harmful toxins in order to promote self healing. The Homotoxicology method of treatment believes that the body possesses the innate self-healing mechanism and can treat and prevent illness, and that disease is the culmination of toxins in the body.
The Link Between Cow’s Milk And Autism
A dairy free diet is a health choice that many parents of Autism make. The studies surrounding wheat and dairy as causing adverse reactions in Autistic children are numerous and even those without Autism are hopping on the gluten and dairy free diet. A new study is claiming that cow’s milk is a cause of Autism and several other diseases and disorders.
Are You Really On the Gluten Free Diet?
Adopting a gluten and casein free diet is something that is commonly practiced amongst parents of autistic children. Parents instantly cut out the obvious foods like bread and milk, and foods that contain bread and/or milk. Is cutting out the obvious enough? What about products that contain hidden gluten? And we’re not just talking food.
Having a Healthy Body May Be The Key To Treating Autism
In any child, or person for that matter, it is important to keep the body healthy and balanced. We hear all of the time how the body has too much of some things and not enough of others and it causing havok on the body. With more and more research pointing to the theory that Autism is in fact a biochemical disorder, the benefits of maintaining a healthy body are becoming more documented and studied especially in Autistic children.
Some of the most commonly studied and practiced methods are diet modification, and vitamin and mineral therapy. Each method has its own purpose but aim for the same goal: maintaining a healthy autistic body to reach increased functioning and decreased symptoms.
Diet Modification
We’ve spoken before about the benefits of changing your childs diet. There have been plenty of studies surrounding the omission of Gluten (wheat, bread) products and Casein (dairy) products. In many children with Autism, there are issues with stomach and gut. The first thing that doctors typically suggest is the removal of gluten and casein from the child’s diet.
Some parents report that getting their children to stop eating wheat and dairy products is similar to trying to get an addict off of drugs. Their children seem to fiend for wheat and milk, and parents end up giving in because they finally feel they can give their child something that they need and want. Think again and maybe a little more literal into the “addict” comparison.
When digested, gluten and casein are broken down into peptides; glutenin and giladin respectively, attach themselves to opiate receptors of the child’s brain. This means that wheat and dairy products can act like narcotics and children can literally be addicted to them.
So, how do you get a child off of…
What Is DAN!?, What Can I Expect At My DAN! Appointment? and other Frequently Asked Questions
As a parent, making the decision to see a DAN! doctor is a difficult task. Surely, you will search the internet until the wee hours of the morning trying to figure out where you can find a DAN! doctor, what’s going to happen in your appointment, and the benefits of the DAN! protocol over currently mainstream Autism treatments. This week, we hope to shine a little light on the DAN! protocol, DAN! doctors, and what you can expect at your DAN! appointment.
The Link Between Autism and Food Allergies
Though it’s not completely proven, there have been studies that show a strong connection between food allergies and autism symptoms. One of the most frequently heard connections is that between Gluten (wheat) and Casein (milk) products. These food proteins are broken down into smaller proteins, also known as peptides. The two peptides, glutenin and gliadin, and leak into the gut and attach to the opitate receptors of the autistic child’s brain. This is very similar to the body being on a morphine drip. The peptides act as a Narcotic to the autistic body.
One of the primary steps in the Defeat Autism Now! (DAN) Protocol is that the autistic child be placed on a Gluten Free, Casein Free diet for at least three months. Many parents have been reporting a link between Autism and diet for years, but it’s now being found that children who consume gluten and casein regularly have more severe autism symptoms. Some of the research reports that claim to “disprove” this theory, also depend a lot on the idea that this is an allergic reaction that is being claimed to exist. Quite the contrary. In fact, it’s not due to an allergic reaction that the symptoms worsen. It’s because the autistic body cannot break down the proteins properly from gluten and casein. It’s not necessarily an allergy so much as an intolerance.
When parents make the move to take their children off of Gluten and Casein completely, they’re often worried. One of the main concerns is that their children love gluten and casein products. Many parents have a difficult time getting their children to not eat gluten and casein, as if they’re addicted to it. This is more than just an analogy. It could be completely true. Remember, when gluten and casein break down, they leak…
Studies Show The Benefits of Kangen Water In Alleviating Autism Symptoms
A few posts back, we took a look at the studies that were showing the benefits of using Ionized Water Filtration systems as a treatment for Autism. In addition to this method, there are also studies being done surrounding Kangen Water and it’s ability to treat Autism. The majority of these studies are being conducted in Japan, and some are still in experimental stages, however, just looking at some general connections between symptoms of Autism, and the proven benefits of Kangen water show that it seems to only make sense that the use of Kangen water would be a beneficial treatment option.
Kangen Water itself is an alkaline water that has many anti-oxidant properties. In order to produce Kangen Water, regular water ( H20) goes through the electrolysis process and separates into two different substances. One part is an acidic HO molecule, and the other as an alkaline OH- molecule. The Kangen Water creators bottle the OH molecule of the alkaline base for drinking purposes, and the acidic HO molecule is often used for sterilization, skin and plants. The word Kangen is Japanese for “return to the source” or “return to the origin” which explains the creation, philosophy and marketing of the product.
Kangen Water has a very small molecular structure. What does this mean? Traditional tap and bottled water have larger molecules, so they pass through the body quickly without reaching their destination cells. When water doesn’t reach cells, they suffer from cellular dehydration and either die, or do not function to their full efficiency. It is believed that Kangen Water has the ability to rehydrate these cells before they dry out and die.
What Does This Mean For Autism?
The benefits of Kangen Water are proving to be significant and have lead the Japanese researchers to take…
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