Due to soil depletion and farming practices, many of the crops grown today (even organic) are missing essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that they used to have decades ago. Major nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6 and vitamin E are lacking in our soils.

To get the most nutritional benefits from our fruits and vegetables, it is advisable to buy local and organic. However, it is important to make sure that your child is getting all of their essential nutrients, so it’s best to supplement on a daily basis.

If your child has nutritional deficiencies, your child’s doctor may recommend supplementing individually based on your child’s test results. However, there are certain maintenance supplements that should be considered for everyday consumption as an adjunct to your child’s nutritional protocol because every child needs nutritional protection.

Vitamins

Vitamins are very important and essential to your child’s growing body and developing brain. They are the micronutrients that regulate metabolism and assist in the biochemical processes that releases energy from digested food.

When buying vitamins for your child, choose those extracted from natural food sources because they are protein-bonded and this means that the vitamins are absorbed, utilized and retained much better in the tissue. Some important vitamins to consider are:

Vitamin C

The body uses vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, to fight infection. Use ester-C or buffered C if your child’s pH levels are more acidic.

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 is crucial in immune system function and has the ability to fight inflammation, which is especially important for children with autism. Be sure not to use vitamin D2, as it is synthetic.

B Vitamin Complex

It’s best to take the active B vitamin complex because this form of the B vitamins delivers the metabolically active form which is much quicker and more efficiently metabolized in the body. B vitamins reduce anxiety and stress, which is especially important for children with neurodevelopmental and mood disorders.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals and oxidative stress that damage the cells, impair the immune system and cause inflammation and infection in the body and brain, which could eventually lead to degenerating  and neurodegenerative diseases.

Antioxidants are essential nutrients for children because they create energy in the cells and keep the body and immune system healthy. Antioxidants can be found in foods and also given as supplements for prevention and to control inflammation.

Coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinol)

This supplement plays a critical role in the production of energy in every cell in the body (mitochondria). CoQ10 helps metabolize fats and carbohydrates and maintain flexibility of the cell membrane.

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) and R-Lipoic Acid (RLA)

These antioxidants are known as metabolic antioxidants because they help produce energy in the cells. ALA is commonly known for its properties to help detoxify the liver of heavy metals and other toxins.

Glutathione

Glutathione is the master antioxidant in the body. It plays a crucial role in the methylation process of excreting toxicity from the body.

If there is a defect in the methylation process such as a MTHFR genetic defect, then glutathione levels remain low and does not effectively detox the body. Ninety-eight percent of children with autism have a MTHFR genetic mutation, low glutathione and impaired detoxification abilities.

Enzymes

Enzymes are often referred to as the “spark of life” because they play a role in almost all of the biochemical activities in the body. Digestive enzymes help break down food in the gastrointestinal tract, allowing the nutrients to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Metabolic enzymes break down the carbohydrates, fats and proteins and aid in the detoxification within the cells; common metablolic enzymes are:

• DPP-IV enzyme helps break down gluten and casein
• Lipase breaks down fats
• Amylase breaks down carbohydrates into sugars
• Phenol enzyme breaks down phenols
• Legumase breaks down beans

Betaine Hydrochloric Acid

Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is released in the gastrointestinal tract during the digestion process. Taking HCl with betaine with meals helps with the process of food digestion in the event that there is not enough zinc to create hydrochloric acid in the gastrointestinal tract.

Proteolytic Enzymes

These special enzymes break down protein, fight inflammation and help to break down biofilm.

CoEnzyme A

This metabolic enzyme strengthens the immune system, metabolizes fats, stabilizes blood sugar levels, energizes the cells and improves the mitochondrial function.

Minerals

Minerals are important for every living organism on the planet! All enzyme activity requires minerals and minerals are necessary for the proper utilization of vitamins and other nutrients.

Minerals regulate muscle tone, maintain a healthy nervous system, ground the body, improve bone mass and are needed for the formation of blood and body fluids.

Trace Minerals and Electrolytes

Trace minerals are a combination of many different types of minerals in trace amounts that are essential for:

• Muscle
• Bone
• Grounding energy
• Toilet training (improves muscle tone in the bladder)
• Constipation (improves muscle tone in the bowels)

Electrolytes such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium are important for kidney functioning and hydration in the cells. Electrolytes, fats and water hydrate cells both extracellular and intracellular.

Magnesium

Magnesium is the mineral that most people are deficient in. It is helpful for reducing anxiety and stress, promoting sleep, relaxing muscles and relieving constipation. Magnesium comes in many different forms; consult your practitioner to discover which form is best for your child. It can be taken orally as well as transdermally. Epsom salts and Dead Sea salts contain different forms and are wonderful inclusions to foot and full-body baths.

Zinc

Zinc is one of the most essential minerals because it regulates the immune system, gastrointestinal and hormonal systems. In children with neurodevelopmental and mood disorders, it is important to monitor zinc levels so that copper levels are not elevated. Zinc is also important for taste, smell, growth and development, hair loss and vision.

Selenium

Selenium is another extremely important mineral because it:

• Aids in detoxification
• Regulates the effects of the thyroid hormone on fat metabolism
• May prevent tumors
• Protects the immune system from free radicals

Superfoods

Super foods protect the immune system, support the adrenals, alkalize the body, increase metabolic energy and have lots of antioxidant properties. Many superfoods are exotic fruits and vegetables, seaweeds and potent grains from all over the world found in powders and capsules.

Organic Greens

Organic greens such as spirulina, chlorella, and blue-green algae are all very mineralizing and alkalizing to the body.

Sulforaphane

Sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts aids in the detoxification process because of the sulfur component. It also assists with decreasing allergic reactions and sensitivities because of the sulforaphane.

Mangostein

This is a combination of exotic fruits and vegetables that has great anti inflammatory properties, antioxidants and polyphenol compounds which protect the immune system.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

Essential fatty acids are basic building blocks which both the body and brain need. EFAs can improve hair in the case of hair loss and skin in the case of psoriasis or eczema. Fats are extremely important for brain functioning and protect the brain against seizures.

Children who take EFAs have been found to:

• Improve cognitive functioning and learning
• Calm down hyperactivity
• Stop facial tics
• Balance hormonal functioning
• Reduce aggressive behaviors
• Regulate body processes

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

DHA is an omega 3 fatty acid found in breast milk that is important for brain functioning. DHA comes from cod live oil but to get better anti inflammatory effects of DHA, it is better to use the DHA neuromins that comes from microalgae. DHA also assists in supporting the methylation process.

Other Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Other omega 3 fatty acids such as flax oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil, krill oil, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), walnut and alpha-linolenic acid are all anti inflammatory, reduce hyperactivity in children, promote learning and are essential to developmental growth.

Omega 6 Fatty Acids

Omega 6 fatty acids such as those from corn and vegetable oils are unhealthy and inflammatory; however, not all omega 6’s are unhealthy. Omega 6’s from sources such as oils such as black currant, and grapeseed oils are anti-inflammatory, improve hormones and can reduce symptoms of ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and autism.

Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks that make proteins; proteins are vital to every living cell in the body. They also support vitamins and minerals so they are absorbed and assimilated in the body appropriately. Most importantly, amino acids are what feed neurotransmitters, the special chemical messengers that send messages to the neurons and brain cells.

Deficiencies in amino acids can result in neurological problems, allergies, autoimmune disorders, low muscle tone and other symptoms.

GABA

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and amino acid that is calming to the central nervous system. It is important for:

• Improving speech
• Brain metabolism
• Proper brain functioning
• Reducing anxiety
• Reducing aggression
• Reducing seizures
• Aiding in sleep

L-Carnitine

This amino acid helps provide energy mainly in the mitochondria of the body’s cells. It is particularly known to increase muscle tone and transport long chain fatty acids. Acetyl-l-carnitine helps improve functioning of the right and left hemispheres of the brain improving memory, attention and language.

Do not use l-carnitine if your child has seizures or is epileptic.

L-Taurine

This amino acid has a protective effect on the brain and can be used to reduce symptoms of:

• Seizures
• Anxiety
• Epilepsy
• Hyperactivity
• Poor brain function

Taurine also decreases glutamates in the brain to reduce excitotoxicity by increasing the GAD enzyme to create more GABA in the brain to help with speech.

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