I recommend the Omega 8006 Nutrition Center - Single Auger Juicer found at http://www.discountjuicers.com/omega8006.html . By using a juicer families can help with the digesting and breakdown of foods, which is a big issue for children with Autism. This is explained on http://benefitsofjuicing.wordpress.com/2007/08/26/raw-food-enzymes-and-juices%E2%80%A6/. The benefits of raw foods and raw juices focus around the intake of living enzymes. When eating raw the living enzymes and a larger amount of nutrients remain in the food since the chemical make up of the food is not changed in the cooking process. "Possibly the most common thing we think about when we hear the word enzyme, is digestive enzymes. Most of us would be aware that these are essential for the proper breakdown and absorption of the food we eat."
"However, there is a whole ‘secret’ enzyme life that perhaps some people would rather you did not know about… That is the great benefit that can come from the living enzymes available in raw food and fresh juices."
"Enzymes are catalysts which means they trigger biochemical reactions within our bodies; that is providing they are still active and not destroyed by cooking or oxidization.
It is the action of these living or active enzymes that are credited with some of the wonderful health benefits that come from consuming raw foods and raw juices." This would all be extremely helpful for children with gastrointestinal problems as a result of their autism.
Another appliance to have in the household that will allow a family to eat gluten free, casein free and raw foods in an easier manner is a food mandolin. This website http://www.nextag.com/mandolin-slicer/products-html lists a variety of food mandolins at various prices. This tool can be used to make thinly sliced vegetables that can be eaten as vegetable "pasta" or used for raw vegetable "lasagna". It seems farfetched but it is extremely tasty and even more nutritious.
It is not as scary as it seems or as expensive as it seems to eat in a healthier manner. If you are dehydrating your own food and making pasta from vegetables instead of "gluten free" pasta products you can save a lot of money. Those "gluten free" products can be overly expensive.
A well known Raw Chef is Natalia Ross. Her books go over the benefits of eating raw and are extremely helpful in starting out the raw process. Also Amazon.com has various gluten free books and books specifically for ADHD and Autistic children.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Working Gluten Free and Casein Free into the household
Some people get extremely overwhelmed with the idea of changing their diet to a GFCF-diet. A lot of people do no know where to start. Some appliances to have in the household that I find to be helpful are a dehydrator, a mandolin, a juicer and a food processor or blender.
It is extemely easy to change ice cream snacks into frozen fruit smoothie snacks. Another snack item that can be useful is trail mix, it has a good amount of protein and can easily be GFCF as long as you do not add yogurt covered items. A person can make their own trail mix by dehydrating their fruit in a dehydrator such as the Excalibur 2900 Economy Series 9 Tray Food Dehydrator on Amazon.com for 179.95. This appliance can be used to dehydrate almost anything. Energiseforlife.com states that "The dehydration process retains almost 100% of the nutritional content of the food, retains the alkalinity of fresh produce and actually inhibits the growth of microforms such as bacteria." By using a dehydrater not only will the nutritional content of the food be retained but also a family will be able to eat organic produce year round and not just during the seasonal peroiod.
Another great appliance to have in a GFCF-diet household or a household with a child with Autism is a Juicer. I recommend the
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Families Post: Cleaning Products
Phenol, also carbolic acid, can occur naturally or be manufactured. This chemical is used in many cleaning products used today.
The website http://www.newautismcure.com/the-dangers-of-toxic-cleaning-products/513/#more-513 links an intolerance to this chemical with autism and hyperactivity.
"Autism and Phenol
An intolerance to phenol in food, as gallic acid, has been linked to attention problems and hyperactivity and a malvin intolerance has been linked to autism, MS and epilepsy. High levels of phenol in the diet (and in the environment) are thought to really affect children with autism and problems tolerating foods containing phenol and salicylates are thought to cause the following symptoms:-
Hyperactivity
Diarrhoea
Difficulty sleeping
Red face and ears
Seizures
Headaches
Bedwetting
Inappropriate laughter
Impulsive or aggressive behavior
Self-injurious behavior
Speech problems
Stomach ache
Hives
Dark circles under the eyes
High phenol foods include bananas, apples and grapes, and it may be that just avoiding these foods will help autism symptoms. However, some children may need to follow a low phenol diet and also cut environmental exposure to phenol."
Most websites not only list that a GFCF-diet is beneficial to children with Autism, but also mention that using less toxic cleaning supplies also make a large difference in the child's symptoms of Autism.
Dr. Feingold has developed a diet that supposedly has very positive affects on many different disorders, allergies and dissabilities. The diet pretty much is a non-preservative (BHA,BHT,TBHQ), no artificial flavoring or coloring, low to no food with salicylates (which he lists in his handbook that is not offered online), and no Aspartame. This is all pretty well known information, atleast to me; except for the salicylates information which I have just recently been introduced to after doing my research for this blog. His website is
http://www.feingold.org/pg-overview.html .
As for cleaning supplies many websites list recipes for making your own 'green' cleaning supplies, many others are on the market. Be wary however; many of the websites say that 'green' labeled cleaning supplies are still not toxic free enough for children with Autism. Make sure you check the label for phenol, and bleach is also not recommended.
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/publicat/wqwm/he368_2.html This website suggests using multi-purpose cleaners in order to lessen the amount of cleaners you have in the home. They also list recipes for safe cleaners that you can make yourself.
The website first mentioned in this blog suggests to keep the air in your home clean, simply by airing it out regularly. Also they suggest using HEPA filters on your vacuum
http://www.prlog.org/10014828-toxic-cleaners-include-chlorine-phenol-ammonia-and-formaldehyde-that-are-found-on-product-labels.html This article from Pennsylvania lists the toxic chemicals in cleaning products as not just Phenol, but also: Chlorine, Ammonia and Formaldehyde.
I believe that I would make my own cleaing products, because I probably will be doing that anyways; however, a parent should atleast look out for these ingredients on the label before buying something that is used all over their home.
The website http://www.newautismcure.com/the-dangers-of-toxic-cleaning-products/513/#more-513 links an intolerance to this chemical with autism and hyperactivity.
"Autism and Phenol
An intolerance to phenol in food, as gallic acid, has been linked to attention problems and hyperactivity and a malvin intolerance has been linked to autism, MS and epilepsy. High levels of phenol in the diet (and in the environment) are thought to really affect children with autism and problems tolerating foods containing phenol and salicylates are thought to cause the following symptoms:-
Hyperactivity
Diarrhoea
Difficulty sleeping
Red face and ears
Seizures
Headaches
Bedwetting
Inappropriate laughter
Impulsive or aggressive behavior
Self-injurious behavior
Speech problems
Stomach ache
Hives
Dark circles under the eyes
High phenol foods include bananas, apples and grapes, and it may be that just avoiding these foods will help autism symptoms. However, some children may need to follow a low phenol diet and also cut environmental exposure to phenol."
Most websites not only list that a GFCF-diet is beneficial to children with Autism, but also mention that using less toxic cleaning supplies also make a large difference in the child's symptoms of Autism.
Dr. Feingold has developed a diet that supposedly has very positive affects on many different disorders, allergies and dissabilities. The diet pretty much is a non-preservative (BHA,BHT,TBHQ), no artificial flavoring or coloring, low to no food with salicylates (which he lists in his handbook that is not offered online), and no Aspartame. This is all pretty well known information, atleast to me; except for the salicylates information which I have just recently been introduced to after doing my research for this blog. His website is
http://www.feingold.org/pg-overview.html .
As for cleaning supplies many websites list recipes for making your own 'green' cleaning supplies, many others are on the market. Be wary however; many of the websites say that 'green' labeled cleaning supplies are still not toxic free enough for children with Autism. Make sure you check the label for phenol, and bleach is also not recommended.
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/publicat/wqwm/he368_2.html This website suggests using multi-purpose cleaners in order to lessen the amount of cleaners you have in the home. They also list recipes for safe cleaners that you can make yourself.
The website first mentioned in this blog suggests to keep the air in your home clean, simply by airing it out regularly. Also they suggest using HEPA filters on your vacuum
http://www.prlog.org/10014828-toxic-cleaners-include-chlorine-phenol-ammonia-and-formaldehyde-that-are-found-on-product-labels.html This article from Pennsylvania lists the toxic chemicals in cleaning products as not just Phenol, but also: Chlorine, Ammonia and Formaldehyde.
I believe that I would make my own cleaing products, because I probably will be doing that anyways; however, a parent should atleast look out for these ingredients on the label before buying something that is used all over their home.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Bridget had mentioned the link http://www.carmelclinic.com/Autism-Biomedical.htm in one of her comments. This link talks about the gastrointestinal issues that arise, in many people, but are overly prone to individuals with Autism or PDD. The doctor running this website and practice is Dr. Stacie Macari. She practices functional medicine, which is described below:
"The functional medicine approach looks deeper into the problem by looking deeper into the patient. You may say that functional medicine is patient centered rather than disease centered like conventional medicine. The science and strength of functional medicine begins with blood and urine laboratory panels designed to objectively measure your body's internal physiological pathways of tissue repair, immune function, energy production, detoxification, and metabolic signaling. By beginning at the cellular level and working our way up through each pathway we can identify what is not functioning and how to cure the problem at the precise level of dysfunction."
I mentioned in my previous blog that urine testing can be done in order to find out specific allergies that a child might have, which are similar to those associated with individuals on the autistic spectrum. I believe that the functional medecine and urinal testing approach is an extremely useful tool for parents and guardians of children with autism since it helps narrow down certain areas that are not functioning regularly. Since the autism spectrum is such a varied range it seems that narrowing down causes in the body would also be varied and difficult. If we can use this broad urine testing to narrow down areas in the body which can then be addressed and have a positive effect on a child's functioning ability, whether it be behaviorally or gastrointestinally, then I believe that is an extremely useful and beneficial tool.
The next blog will start looking into different products. On most of the websites I have found that the main diet for children with Autism, that is most beneficial is the GFCF-diet. Therefore I will be specifically posting information about those typese of products. I will also be posting information for raw food diets, since that diet easily fits into the GFCF-diet. There are many cookbooks availiable for families such as, The Kid Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet by Pamela Compart and Dana Laake. There are certain appliances that a household may want to invest in to become more gluten free, such as a Mandolin Vegetable Slicer, in order to make vegetable pasta and vegtable lasagna. Another beneficial lifestyle change is using less toxic cleaning supplies and looking into digestive promoting enzymes.
A website that breaks down the need and usefulness for dietary change for children with autism is http://evolvingwellness.com/posts/200/a-possible-cure-for-autism-in-children-their-diet/ .
"The functional medicine approach looks deeper into the problem by looking deeper into the patient. You may say that functional medicine is patient centered rather than disease centered like conventional medicine. The science and strength of functional medicine begins with blood and urine laboratory panels designed to objectively measure your body's internal physiological pathways of tissue repair, immune function, energy production, detoxification, and metabolic signaling. By beginning at the cellular level and working our way up through each pathway we can identify what is not functioning and how to cure the problem at the precise level of dysfunction."
I mentioned in my previous blog that urine testing can be done in order to find out specific allergies that a child might have, which are similar to those associated with individuals on the autistic spectrum. I believe that the functional medecine and urinal testing approach is an extremely useful tool for parents and guardians of children with autism since it helps narrow down certain areas that are not functioning regularly. Since the autism spectrum is such a varied range it seems that narrowing down causes in the body would also be varied and difficult. If we can use this broad urine testing to narrow down areas in the body which can then be addressed and have a positive effect on a child's functioning ability, whether it be behaviorally or gastrointestinally, then I believe that is an extremely useful and beneficial tool.
The next blog will start looking into different products. On most of the websites I have found that the main diet for children with Autism, that is most beneficial is the GFCF-diet. Therefore I will be specifically posting information about those typese of products. I will also be posting information for raw food diets, since that diet easily fits into the GFCF-diet. There are many cookbooks availiable for families such as, The Kid Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet by Pamela Compart and Dana Laake. There are certain appliances that a household may want to invest in to become more gluten free, such as a Mandolin Vegetable Slicer, in order to make vegetable pasta and vegtable lasagna. Another beneficial lifestyle change is using less toxic cleaning supplies and looking into digestive promoting enzymes.
A website that breaks down the need and usefulness for dietary change for children with autism is http://evolvingwellness.com/posts/200/a-possible-cure-for-autism-in-children-their-diet/ .
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Families Post #2
So I realized as I started researching how broad my topic was. I have narrowed down my research to the support and dietary changes that benefit children with Autsim or dissabilities surrounding Autism (such as Asperger's and Pervasive Developmental Disorder). I have found that many people with Autism react in a positive manner, and have less symptomatic behaviors and digestive problems after changing their diet to a GFCF-diet. This information was found on http://www.autismweb.com/diet.htm. This diet is a gluten free/casein free diet.
Gluten is the protein found in many grains and wheats. Some examples of food which contain gluten or gluten-like proteins that were listed listed on the website mentioned above are: "oats, rye, barley, bulgar, durum, kamut and spelt, and foods made from those grains. They are also found in food starches, semolina, couscous, malt, some vinegars, soy sauce, flavorings, artificial colors and hydrolyzed vegetable proteins.”
Casein is a protein found in milk products or products made from milk. Unfortunately it is also at times added to non-milk products, one example is cheese snacks like pirates booty or some nacho cheese tortilla chips (my mother is allergic to this protein so I am farmiliar with the products that contain it). It can be found in some margerines also. The autismweb.com also says that it may be found in "soy cheeses or hotdogs in the form of casienate".
Eating a GFCF-diet has had a positive affect on some individuals with Autism, Asperger's (the information about Asperger's was received from Nancy Sullivan who's son has Asperger's) and PDD. One theory listed on this website suggests that "some people with autism and PDD cannot properly digest gluten and casein, which form peptides, or substances that act like opiates in their bodies. The peptides then alter the person's behavior, perceptions, and responses to his environment. Some scientists now believe that peptides trigger an unusual immune system response in certain people. Research in the U.S. and Europe has found peptides in the urine of a significant number of children with autism."
A study done at the University of California Davis Health focused on the link between autism and gastrointestinal problems. They found "that children with autism born in the 1990s were more likely to have gastrointestinal problems". The GFCF-diet is used by many for this reason to relieve the symptoms of the austism specifically surrounding the gastrointestinal problems.
Some people have also found a sensitivity to foods with Salicylate which is "found in some fruits like apples and other foods". Not everyone has had benefitial or any affects from the GFCF-diet. One way to find out if your child may have some of these specific allergies that have a correlation with those of children on the Autistic spectrum is by having one's child tested for them. The autismweb.com has a link to DAN which is a group called Defeat Autism Now. physicians and pediatiricians in DAN will can order these allergy tests before an individual chooses to begin a specific diet. The link on the autismweb.com site lists all the physicians and pediatricians in DAN which will do these tests. This way parents or guardians can find a medical supporter to service them in this journey in their area of resitance.
In my next blogs I will be going into different support websites I have found, more indepth look on behavioral effects from this diet and different ways a family can build a home that is following the GFCF-diet.
P.s. I will also be looking further into the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act and how they affect and protect the dietary changes and needs of children with dissabilites while they are at school.
Gluten is the protein found in many grains and wheats. Some examples of food which contain gluten or gluten-like proteins that were listed listed on the website mentioned above are: "oats, rye, barley, bulgar, durum, kamut and spelt, and foods made from those grains. They are also found in food starches, semolina, couscous, malt, some vinegars, soy sauce, flavorings, artificial colors and hydrolyzed vegetable proteins.”
Casein is a protein found in milk products or products made from milk. Unfortunately it is also at times added to non-milk products, one example is cheese snacks like pirates booty or some nacho cheese tortilla chips (my mother is allergic to this protein so I am farmiliar with the products that contain it). It can be found in some margerines also. The autismweb.com also says that it may be found in "soy cheeses or hotdogs in the form of casienate".
Eating a GFCF-diet has had a positive affect on some individuals with Autism, Asperger's (the information about Asperger's was received from Nancy Sullivan who's son has Asperger's) and PDD. One theory listed on this website suggests that "some people with autism and PDD cannot properly digest gluten and casein, which form peptides, or substances that act like opiates in their bodies. The peptides then alter the person's behavior, perceptions, and responses to his environment. Some scientists now believe that peptides trigger an unusual immune system response in certain people. Research in the U.S. and Europe has found peptides in the urine of a significant number of children with autism."
A study done at the University of California Davis Health focused on the link between autism and gastrointestinal problems. They found "that children with autism born in the 1990s were more likely to have gastrointestinal problems". The GFCF-diet is used by many for this reason to relieve the symptoms of the austism specifically surrounding the gastrointestinal problems.
Some people have also found a sensitivity to foods with Salicylate which is "found in some fruits like apples and other foods". Not everyone has had benefitial or any affects from the GFCF-diet. One way to find out if your child may have some of these specific allergies that have a correlation with those of children on the Autistic spectrum is by having one's child tested for them. The autismweb.com has a link to DAN which is a group called Defeat Autism Now. physicians and pediatiricians in DAN will can order these allergy tests before an individual chooses to begin a specific diet. The link on the autismweb.com site lists all the physicians and pediatricians in DAN which will do these tests. This way parents or guardians can find a medical supporter to service them in this journey in their area of resitance.
In my next blogs I will be going into different support websites I have found, more indepth look on behavioral effects from this diet and different ways a family can build a home that is following the GFCF-diet.
P.s. I will also be looking further into the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act and how they affect and protect the dietary changes and needs of children with dissabilites while they are at school.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
ESCE Blog 1: Inquiry questions
What kind of changes in a family's lifestyle can be made and must be made to support a child with a dissability(ies)? What kind of changes in the household could be made? What kind of changes in a child's nutrition could be made in order to better support their health and development, based on their disability? What kind of financial and emotional stress could these changes have on a family? What kind of support systems are available to help and inform parents of children with a disability(ies) about these lifestyle and nutritional changes?
Blackle
I noticed that we are advised to use google in order to search for extra info, particularly on blogging. I wanted to let everyone know that there is a site, blackle.com, which is exactly like google but better. It is an energy conserving search engine. It is actually run by google. Instead of having text on a bright white background it has white text on a black background. This way of presenting the text allows a large amount of energy to be saved! WOOO! There is information describing the process in detail on the site. The site also shows how many wats have been saved, up to the point of you using the site. It is an exciting and easy way to help out our environment a bit. So please while you are searching for various information for this class and others, or for any general purpose, please use blackle.com. (p.s. Unfortunately you cannot search for pictures hehe)
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