nutrition Archives - Epidemic Answers

Nutrition Fundamentals for Autism

Mention the words nutrition and autism, and many people quickly but exclusively think of the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet. While this diet has certainly helped to improve the symptoms of autism for many children, there is far more about nutrition and its relationship to autism that every parent should know before embarking on the complex and often expensive journey into the world of biomedical therapies. Good nutrition is the cornerstone of growth and development for all children, healthy or ill. When nutritional status is compromised it will directly affect a child’s progress, and for a child with a chronic illness like autism, the lack of critical nutrients can have far-reaching effects. Children with autism often exhibit a frustrating mix of: Picky-eating behaviors Limited diets Bowel irregularities Food allergies or sensitivities Physical and behavioral signs of nutrient deficiencies A Vicious Cycle A vicious cycle is created which goes something like this: The poorly functioning digestive tract (whether from food allergies, lack…

Functional Nutrition for Anxiety with Andrea Nakayama

We interviewed Andrea Nakayama of the Functional Nutrition Alliance about the use of functional nutrition for anxiety. JAMA Pediatrics estimated in February 2019 that 7.7 million U.S. children (16.5%) have at least one mental health disorder. Anxiety is a large component of most mental health disorders. Although mainstream medicine may be quick to either say “it’s all in your head” or to prescribe an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication (which can be very dangerous to children), the truth about anxiety can be a far deeper issue. By looking at results of specialized testing for root causes of a disorder – known as functional medicine – a clearer picture may arrive as to the origins of anxiety. Research scientists are discovering that inflammation and nutritional deficiencies are key contributors to anxiety. Common nutritional deficiencies in a person with anxiety are: Magnesium Omega-3 fatty acids Vitamin D Lithium orotate (a naturally occurring mineral, not the pharmaceutical prescription) Vitamin C and other anti-oxidants B…

Feingold Diet

The Feingold diet can improve physical reactions and behavioral changes that happen after your child eats certain foods. Your child’s behavior and learning ability may be impaired by certain chemicals such as artificial colors, artificial flavors and preservatives in their daily diet. Food controls mood and behaviors and affects cognitive ability. Our gastrointestinal tract (gut) is the direct link to the brain. The gut is often called the “second brain” because most neurotransmitters that affect mood are made there. Sometimes parents of children with autism have their children on a gluten- and casein-free diet or the GAPS diet, but for many it is only after they add the Feingold Diet that they see some significant improvements. Parents of children with ADHD, learning disabilities or dyslexia may not realize how powerful the Feingold diet may be for their children. The Feingold diet may be the key to eradicating behaviors and improving cognitive functioning without relying on pharmaceutical medications. History of the…

Neurotransmitter Imbalances

Neurotransmitter imbalances are common in mood and behavior disorders such as: Bipolar disorder Depression Anxiety Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Pyrrole disorder Eating disorders Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) ADHD/ADD Schizophrenia Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) Addictive behaviors Many children, especially those on the autism spectrum, also experience: Mood swings Anxiety Self-stimulatory behaviors Aggression Depression Anger Irritability Self-injurious behaviors One way to really understand what is going on neurologically with your child is to test for different biochemical imbalances that which can help you determine where the issues are and how to nutritionally correct them. It is important to note that neurotransmitter imbalances often begin in the gut, both because intestinal microbes play a critical role in the production and metabolism of neurotransmitters, but also because nutritional precursors to neurotransmitters are derived from the gut. If your child is exhibiting mood or behavioral symptoms, the first place to look is the health of their gut and the composition of their diet. Below are…

Soft Signs of a Compromised Immune System

We interviewed Beth Lambert and Patricia Lemer about soft signs of a compromised immune system, which are red flags of your child’s health. Soft signs are symptoms that affect the immune system. Typical soft signs are: One or two red cheeks after eating Chronic runny nose or cough Chronic mouth breathing Recurrent ear infections Chronic or recurrent sinus infections Cradle cap Dark circles or bags surrounding the eyes Colic, excessive crying or irritability in babies Chronic constipation or diarrhea Food sensitivities, intolerances and/or allergies These soft signs indicate that the immune system is dysfunctional, which can happen for many reasons such as birthing practices, antibiotics, diet and toxicity. Soft signs often precede more complicated diagnoses such as: Autism ADHD Allergies Asthma Autoimmune disorders Developmental delays Dyspraxia and apraxia Failure to thrive Emotional, behavioral and mood symptoms Learning disabilities PANS/PANDAS Sensory Processing Disorder Speech and language issues Because these symptoms many times precede these diagnoses, it indicates that even neurodevelopmental disorders…

Nourishing Hope for Autism, ADHD, Asperger’s and Allergies

We interviewed Julie Matthews CNC about nourishing hope for autism, ADHD, Asperger’s and allergies with dietary changes to improve health, learning and behavior. Implementing a gut-healing diet, correcting nutritional deficiencies and eliminating food sensitivities are the foundation of recovering your child or yourself from a chronic health condition. If implemented correctly, such a diet can significantly improve the results of your child’s therapies. Julie believes that there is no one-size-fits-all dietary program for children with autism or other chronic health conditions; she calls this bioindividual nutrition. Each child is unique with individual biochemical needs and requires a unique bio-individual nutrition approach. In this webinar, we discussed healing diets such as: Elimination diet Gluten-free casein-free diet Specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) Gut And Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) diet Paleo diet Low oxalate diet Body Ecology Diet Failsafe diet Feingold diet Low-glutamate diet Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video….

The Importance of Water

We interviewed Jennifer Boyd PA of Boyd Wellness, also known as “The Green Diva”, about the importance of water for our health. About 70-75% of your body is water. Water is essential to our life and health, yet many people are chronically dehydrated. In addition, the quality of our water has deteriorated over many decades. Water is something that we take for granted, yet it’s so important to our health! In this webinar, Jennifer told us how water, or lack of it, affects our health. She also revealed how most water these days is of poor, even toxic, quality and how to correct that. Listen in to find out why we shouldn’t dismiss it or take it for granted. Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About Jennifer Boyd PA Jennifer Boyd is a licensed Physician Assistant certified in New York State and Connecticut and a…

The Importance of Preconception and Prenatal Care

We interviewed registered dietitian Vicki Kobliner about the importance of preconception and prenatal care in the age of chronic childhood diseases. Because Vicki works with many children with autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders, her passion is educating potential mothers about preparing their bodies for conception so that their children don’t end up as another statistic in the growing epidemic of chidren’s chronic diseases and disorders. Over 54% of American children have some form of chronic illness, whether it’s autism, ADHD, allergies, asthma, autoimmune disorders, mood disorders, diabetes or obesity. When that many kids are sick, it’s time to take a look at helping potential mothers understand that their toxicity, gut dysbiosis, nutritional deficiencies and stress responses can get passed onto their children. Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About Vicki Kobliner MS RDN Vicki Kobliner is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist with over 20 years of…

Environmental Medicine for Healing Children

We interviewed John Green MD about environmental medicine for healing children from chronic disorders such as autism and ADHD. Dr. Green has evaluated and treated more than 3,000 children with autism spectrum disorders from all over the world. In his work with autistic children, he looks at: Diet and nutrition Toxic load factors Allergies and sensitivities Hormones Psychological influences such as stress Find out the role that these factors play in your child’s autism or other chronic health disorder and what you can do about them by listening to this webinar. Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About John Green MD During the early years of his practice, Dr. Green trained in holistic medicine and environmental medicine, becoming a charter member of the American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA) and obtaining board certification in environmental medicine. Since the beginning of his practice in 1975, he has…

Help for a Picky Eater

Please join us in our interview with Kelly Dorfman, one of the world’s foremost nutrition detectives, about help for a picky eater. Children with the following conditions are often picky eaters: Autism ADHD Allergies Asthma Learning disabilities Developmental delays Sensory Processing Disorder PANS/PANDAS Mood and behavioral disorders Lyme disease Failure to thrive Autoimmune disorders Dyspraxia/apraxia Speech and language issues Picky eaters are the kids that will only eat “white” foods: cheese pizza, chicken nuggets, crackers, chips, yogurt and the like. It’s hard to get these kids to eat vegetables or whole foods. In our experience, MANY kids these days are picky eaters. In this webinar, Kelly Dorfman comes to the rescue of parents of picky eaters, giving us helpful ideas and hints. As she pointed out in the webinar, many of these children are zinc deficient. Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About Kelly Dorfman…