Autism Nutrition
Autism spectrum disorder or ASD is a complex developmental and neurological condition. . It affects the brain function, particularly in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. There is no cause for ASD, but both genetics and environment are believed to plays a roll.
Nutrition is challenging when you have a child with Autism.
As their parents we know well, many individuals with Autism have food aversions and sensitivities. Many children also have behavioural issues that make mealtime particularly challenging, for both the kid and mom.
Children with Autism is not just picky eaters.
Children with ASD often have restricted diets as well as difficulty sitting through meal times; they may not be getting all the nutrients they need, particularly calcium and protein.
Parents should worry about providing their children with healthy diets as this plays a big part in daily behaviour. Children on the Autism Spectrum often have repeat behaviours and have narrow obsessive interests.
Nutrition Therapy or just the right nutritional choices can really make a big difference to children with autism.
For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a nutritious, balanced eating plan with the correct nutrients can make a world of difference in their ability to learn, how they manage their emotions and how they process information.
Diet alone is not enough – kids with Autism need more than the minimum daily requirements. Supplementing their diet with nutritional supplements is of critically important in helping your child achieve optimal wellness.
Behaviour can affect eating habits and food choices, which can then lead to the following concerns.
- Limited food selection or strong food dislikes
- Not eating enough food
- Constipation
- Medication or Supplement Interactions
Other nutritional areas that is important:
- Balancing blood sugar
- Checking for brain-polluting heavy metals
- Excluding food additives, colourants, flavourings and GMO.
- Identifying food allergies & possible nutrient deficiencies
- Optimal intake of essential fats
- Optimal intake of vitamins, minerals and amino acids
- Hydration and water consumption
Children living with Autism Spectrum Disorder often avoid certain foods or have restrictions on what they eat, as well as difficulty sitting through mealtimes; they may not be getting all the nutrients they need. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder often may repeat behaviours or have restricted interests.
These types of behaviour can affect eating habits and food choices, which can lead to the following health concerns.
- Limited food selection or strong food dislikes.
– Children with autism may be sensitive to the taste, smell, colour and texture of foods.
– They may limit or totally avoid some foods and even whole food groups.
– Dislikes may include strong flavoured foods, fruits and vegetables or certain textures such as slippery or soft foods. - Not eating enough food.
– Kids with autism may have difficulty focusing on one task for an extended period of time.
– It may be hard for a child to sit down and eat a meal from start to finish.
– You might need to keep remind your child to finish their meal. - Constipation.
– This problem may be caused by a child’s limited food choices, low physical activity levels or medications.
– It typically can be remedied by gradually increasing sources of dietary fiber, such as bran cereals and fruits and vegetables, along with plenty of fluids and regular physical activity. - Medication interactions.
– Some stimulant medications used with autism can lower appetite. This can reduce the amount of food a child eats, which may affect growth.
– Other medications may increase appetite or affect the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals.
– If your child takes medication, ask your healthcare provider about possible side effects.
REMEMBER – WE ARE WHAT WE EAT!!!
Many children have severely disrupted digestion, so restoring balance in the gut is a key focus point all parents needs to look into. A nutritious balanced diet can make a world of difference in their ability to learn, how they manage their emotions and how they process information.
SPECIAL NEEDS NUTRITION & LIFESTYLE QUESTIONNAIRE
Start with a FREE Special Needs Nutrition & Lifestyle Questionnaire and discover natural solutions that can assist your family member living with Autism(ASD), ADHD, Behavioural Problems, Focus & Attention Difficulty, Learning Disabilities, Poor Language Skills, Sensory Problems or Nutrition Deficiency
There is no cause for ASD, but both genetics and environment are believed to plays a roll.
Daily Nutrition & Heavy Metals
We as parent have no doubt that dietary intervention, detoxification and supplement therapies can make a huge difference in the quality of life for our children living with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Even a moderate improvement in behaviour or speech is significant for many parents, and you many never know what your child is capable of unless you go “outside the box”.
None of these interventions can hurt your child, and they have helped many children become healthier and happier. Do your research as a parent and read and learn the natural methods you can assist your child with.
Nutritional Elements:
Nutrient elements have been well defined and are considered essential for many biological functions in the human body. These natural elements play key roles in the body’s metabolic processes such as muscular activity, endocrine function, reproduction, skeletal integrity, and overall development.
Toxic Elements:
They interference with the normal biochemical function of the body. They are commonly found in the environment and therefore are present to some degree, in all biological systems.
OOD. Unfortunately, unless we eat completely organic, most of our food also contains the following:
- Artificial sweeteners, residual pesticides, chemical colours, flavours, preservatives, GMO and hormones and antibiotics in animal products (milk, meat)
WATER. Our drinking water from the tap is not 100% pure as they clean the water with chlorine.
If possible use and drink Ozone water or water that you have purified. You can also pre-boil your water if you don’t have a water purifier.
AIR. We all know our air is no long fresh to breath in.
- What is in the air near you?
- Which factories are near enough for the wind to blow the toxic smoke to your house or school?
- Have you ever looked up in the sky and seen criss-cross contrails (aka chemtrails), or seen an airplane fly overhead?
- Did you know airplanes have to drop their jet fuel before landing?
It vaporizes in the air we breathe.
INSIDE POLLUTION – HOME/WORK/SCHOOL:
Pollutants can cause a wide range of short-term and long-term health problems.
- New carpet, flooring, walls may be off-gassing chemicals from glue, paint or finishes.
- Toxic mold can be a big problem for some homes.
- Electromagnetic frequencies from refrigerator, wifi, TV, other electrical devices can disrupt the human electromagnetic field (the heart and brain both emit electromagnetic waves).
- And as a reaction to EMFs, mold increases the amount of toxins it makes (think if there is mold in the body….).
BODY PRODUCTS.
Bath soap, conditioner, shampoo, cream & lotions, make-up, hair dye, body spray. sunscreen, dish soap, laundry detergent etc.
Do you ever read the label when buying skincare for your kids?
Look at the ingredient list for your products.
If you don’t know what the ingredient is, look it up and do research for yourself.
The Environmental Working Group has a great website listing toxins and the safety for lots of personal care products you may use.
Is Mercury Poisoning A Chief Contributing Factor in Autism Spectrum Disorders?
There is now a great deal of information available that tells us in no uncertain terms that heavy metal toxins and chemicals such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, insecticides and pesticides are a causative factor in many children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Heavy metal toxins and chemicals hanging on your body’s DNA and it must be removed so detox enzymes can be made. These detox enzyme are your body’s workhorses, they must be freed up to do the work required within your body.
Key minerals are important for helping the enzymes to work and also to let the body detoxify these heavy metal toxins and chemicals. Detoxification must work from inside the cells and outside the cells, as well as throughout the bones, tissues and systems of the body.
