AutismFileMagazine_ScienceOfTraditionalDiets

8/7/2019 AutismFileMagazine_ScienceOfTraditionalDiets

1/8REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION THE AUTISM FILE72 THE AUTISM FILE GLOBAL ISSUE 39

W

hile much has been written about

the most popular and eective

autism diets, GFCF and SCD/GAPS,theres been little investigation o the tenets

o traditional diets. Throughout histor and

driven b survival and evolution, the varied

human cultures o the world inherentl learned

which oods and was o being supported their

health. And, there are clear commonalities in

the respective traditional diets o our ancestors.

Do the oods that nourished cultures or

centuries nourish children toda? Are there

healing aspects and lessons to be learned?

With our modern industrialized world and the

epidemic o autism acing our children, one

might wonder i this traditional wa o eating

is still applicable and appropriate, and i the

science is supportive.From m extensive research and clinical

experience, I sa es. I routinel nd that the

principles and practices o traditional cultures

and traditional diets serve as a oundation o a

healing diet or autism, bolster the eectiveness

o an dietar intervention, and aid healing or

children.

Substantive science, research, and common

sense support the role o traditional oods

in healing autism. Lets look at the science

o autism and the role o traditional oods in

healing.

The Scienceand Healing oTraditional Diets

or AutismBy Julie Matthews, CNC

Julie Matthews, CNC, is a leading

biomedical autism diet expert. She

works with parents rom around

the world to help children recover

rom the symptoms o autism

through diet intervention. Julie

presents at the leading autism

conerences in the US and abroad,

including the Deeat Autism Now

(DAN!) Conerence.

Julie has created two helpul

autism diet intervention tools or

parents. Her book, Nourishing

Hope for Autism, and her autism

nutrition education and cooking

DVD, Cooking to Heal, are

available at Julies website

www.nourihigHop.com .

di or Auim:

Do the foods that nourished cultures for centuries nourishchildren today? Are there healing aspects and lessons to be

learned? With our modern industrialized world and theepidemic of autism facing our children, one might wonder if

this traditional way of eating is still applicable andappropriate, and if the science is supportive.


2/8REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION THE AUTISM FILEwww.autismle.com THE AUTISM FILE GLOBAL ISSUE 39

PeRSPeCTIVe OF AUTISM

The antiquated view o autism is that

its a msterious pschiatric disorder

beginning and ending in the brain th

results in certain observed behaviors, a

little can be done to impact its eects.

Through the breakthrough work o the

Autism Research Institute (ounded in

1967), a more appropriate whole bod

disorder the brain is aected b the

biochemistr generated in the bod

perspective o autism has emerged.

Phsicians and parents have been

sharing data or ears, observing and

documenting an arra o common

phsical smptoms o autism. Harvard

proessor Martha Herbert M.D., Ph.D.,

was among the rst to describe the

brain as downstream rom the bods

unctioning; explaining that what

happens in the brain o the child with

autism is literall impacted b what

occurs in their bods organs andbiochemistr, beginning with the

digestive sstem.

When seen as a whole bod disorder

parents and phsicians are more likel

to identi the phsical smptoms

o autism that oten get overlooked,

including diarrhea, constipation,

bloating and GI pain, inammation, and

requent inections.1 With this broader

comprehension it becomes apparent th

there is a great deal that can be done to

address these challenges.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND AuTISM

Th Cas or Ditar Itrvtio

Step one is to take charge o diet.

Certain ood substances, such as gluten

(wheat) and casein (milk) are known

to be problematic or man children

with autism2 and should be avoided.

Other oods rich in healing nutrients ar

benecial when added to childrens die

Attention to these actors is intended

to help balance biochemistr, aectsstemic healing, and provide relie o

autism smptoms.

For man children with autism,

nutrient deciencies, chemicals in ood

imbalanced biochemistr, and digestiv

problems pla a signicant role in their

phsical conditions. Their phsiological

and behavioral smptoms ma stem

rom, or be exacerbated b, impaired

digestion and GI health. Altering ood

choices positivel aects these process

and helps improve smptoms.

similarii o traiioal di1. All groups studied consumed minerals and at-soluble vitamins rom high vitamin

butter or rom sea oods, cod liver or seal oil, or animal organs with their at.

2. Foods were grown on soil which was naturally high in minerals, and no chemical

ertilizers or pesticides were used.

3. All ood was eaten liberally in the natural

season in which it grew.

4. Sweets (even good, natural sweets) were

used rarely or sparingly, only or occasions o

ritual, celebration, or special easting.

5. In each diet there was some daily source o raw,

unaltered protein rom sources such as meats, sea

oods, nuts, cheeses, eggs, milk, or high quality sprouted

seeds. (Foods containing essential amino acids must be

included in the ood choices or each meal, or it will be impossible to assimilate

the total values o the incomplete proteins. It is important to balance the amino

acid patterns when vegetable proteins are eaten.) Some sort o sea plant or

mineral was a part o most diets. Inland sea deposits were treasured and used

thritily.

6. Methods o ood preservation and storage were used which altered the

nutrients very little: earth storage, drying, reezing in the cold climates, or

making nutrients more available by culturing, pickling, ermenting, or sprouting.

7. Each liestyle was such that people engaged in vigorous physical exercise on a

regular basis, either in work, play, dances, games, sports, or hunting and ood-

gathering.

8. All had access to pure air and sunlight. Even in the 1930s, Dr. Weston A. Price

perceived the problems o air pollution and lack o sufcient radiant energy rom

the sun due to pollution already present at that time. The situation is ar worse

today, and that has aected the deterioration o our ood quality and our health

as well.

9. Each group observed periods o partial abstinence rom ood or regulated

periods o under-eating. For some, this came about as a natural result o summer

crops being in short supply beore the new crops were harvested. For others,

certain rituals began or ended with days o asting. Still others taught the value

o periodic under-eating by taboos or other means.

10. Some diets contained some orm o erments. This would include milk cultures,

pickling, and other methods o ermenting. Dr. Francis Pottenger recommended

using some o these oods or both children and adults to aid in maintaining

good gastric acidity.

11. They all breast-ed their young. Most o them ed special protective oods to

their young o child-bearing age in preparation or conception, pregnancy, andlactation. Most o them had some means o spacing the children at least three

years apart, to protect the health o the newborns and their mothers.

12. All ate whole oods, not ractionalized parts o oods. They did not remove the

ber content o their natural oods by rening them. Most oods were eaten raw

or very gently and lightly cooked.

13. Last but not least, the primitives were able to instruct their young in these

important principles, thereby protecting their genetic heritage. They ate the

foods of their ancestors.

From Price-Pottenger Foundation website (hp://www.pp.org)



Poor digestion can stem romenvironmental actors (as well as genetic

susceptibilit), lack o benecial bacteria,

inammation, and immune sstem

response to certain oods. Studies have

shown children with autism to have

leak gut,3 low levels o benecial ora,4

inammation, and immune responses to

ood.5,6 Particularl, gluten and casein can

create an opiate or inammator reaction

that negativel impacts brain unction.

Understanding that the gut and brain

are connected helps explain WHy autismand overall health are improved through

a diet that supports digestion/GI health.

A Canadian stud identied this gut-brain

connection in autism.7 Hippocrates, the

ather o modern medicine proclaimed,

All disease begins in the gut.

When ood comes in contact with the

gastrointestinal tract, it aects the entire

bod. One research stud concluded

that unrecognized gastrointestinal

disordersma contribute to the

behavioral problems o the non-verbal

autistic patients.8 Food can be helpul orharmul, nourishing or inammator.

MAJOR SySTEMS AFFECTED

In children with autism, the ollowing

sstems are commonl aected:

digestion, immune unction/

inammation, detoxication, and

metabolic/cellular.

Distio

When children have problems with

digestion, the do not break down theirproteins into amino acids. Instead, the

long protein chains (peptides) in a child

with leak gut absorb into the blood

stream where the immune sstem marks

them as an invader and creates an

immune/inammator response. This

inammation can aect man areas o the

bod, including the brain. Additionall,

opioid (opiate-like) compounds are

produced when there is insufcient

digestion o gluten and casein. The

peptides in this case orm opiates that

cause inattention, high pain tolerance,ogg thinking, and addiction to opiates

(gluten and casein). In an inamed gut,

oods are not broken down sufcientl

and nutrients (macro and micro-nutrients)

do not absorb properl.

Immu uctio

When the immune sstem is weak, it

cannot adequatel ght o a ungal/east

inection. With a weak sstem, bacterial

inections are more common and

antibiotic use (while necessar in somecases) more requent antibiotics kill the

good bacteria and contribute to east

overgrowth. This adds uel to the re

going on in the digestive sstem, creating

urther inammation and leak gut. The

immune sstem handles inammation as

well. Brain inammation has been ound

to be a actor in autism. Inammation to

oods (also known as ood sensitivities)

is common because o this overreaction

o the immune sstem. yeast and other

pathogens can create toxins that cause

spaciness and other neurologicalsmptoms.

Dtoxifcatio

Detoxication is oten diminished or

children that have autism. The are

requentl the children who become

injured b toxins including heav

metals, plastics, industrial chemicals,

and pesticides. In addition to oten

being carcinogenic and overwhelming

detoxication as a whole, these toxins

are oten neurotoxic toxic to nerveand brain cells. Sulation, a common

detoxication pathwa that processes

saliclates, phenols, and amines has

been ound b Dr. Rosemar Warning to

be decient in children with autism.9,10

Dr. Jill James ound a decienc in

glutathione, an important detoxiing

agent, in children with autism.11 Toxins

rom the digestive sstem, including the

toxic bproducts rom east and other

pathogenic microorganisms, as well as

environmental toxins overwhelm this

MInI BIOCHeMISTRy LeSSOn

Jill James and Rosemary Waring,

Ph.D.s, have ound transsuluration

and sulation biochemical imbalances

in patients with autism. As such,

children with autism are oten

decient in glutathione and sulate,

nutrients or detoxication, antioxidant

status, intestinal integrity, and

proper immune response to oods

among hundreds o other unctions.

These imbalances can create ood

intolerances and reactions to

salicylates, phenols, and more.

According to studies conducted

by Rosemary Waring, Ph.D., children

with autism have low sulate and low

PST (Phenol-SuloTranserase), the

enzyme that breaks down phenols

and amines in ood.12 When children

consume salicylates they can develop

a wide range o symptoms includinghyperactivity, atigue, diarrhea, other

negative gut symptoms, sleeping

challenges, aggression, and irritability.

For children with transsuluration

and sulation challenges, avoiding or

reducing salicylates, phenols, amines,

and glutamates is important while

working on boosting up the pathways.

Another researcher, Susan Owens,

has been studying sulation, oxalate

problems, and hyperoxaluria in

children with autism. While studying

the work o Rosemary Waring and

others on sulation, Owens realized

that when sulate is decient, oxalate

can be shuttled into the cell, sharing

the same transport mechanism

into the cell. These oxalates gum

up the works, creating cellular and

mitochondrial dysunction. In the

ace o leaky gut and dysbiosis (and

most likely a genetic predisposition),

oxalates are absorbed into the

bloodstream where they can

aect cellular unction and createinfammation wherever they are

lodged. For children with oxalate

problems, signicantly reducing

oxalates is important.

Additionally, other infammatory

substances and anti-nutrients such

as lectins and phytates are best to be

avoided or reduced in autism, as they

can add to gut infammation and bind

important minerals rendering them

useless.

Studies have shown children with autism to have leaky

gut, low levels o benecial fora, infammation, and

immune responses to ood. Particularly, gluten and casein

can create an opiate or infammatory reaction that

negatively impacts brain unction.



delicatel unctioning detoxication

sstem. These toxins can directl damage

nerve cells, aect brain unction, decrease

cognitive unction, cause hperactivit,

and man other smptoms associated

with autism.

Mtabolic/Cllular

There are man biochemical

pathwas ound to be decient

in autism: transsuluration, sulur

metabolism/sulation, methlation,

oxalate metabolism, and cellular and

mitochondrial unction. In man cases,

these pathwas become damaged

b toxins, diminished rom nutrient

deciencies, and disabled rom

epigenetic (genetic) changes. For these

children, therapeutic doses o nutrients

are sometimes needed to bpass a

block in the biochemical jam.

When these biochemical imbalances

are present, naturall occurringsubstances in ood (such as phenols,

saliclates, amines, oxalates, lectins,

phtates, and glutamates) ma cause a

challenge in the diet. To some extent,

these biochemical imbalances are

not traditional and require special

dietar intervention (such as Feingold,

Failsae, or low oxalate diet). However,

in the next section well talk about how

traditional diets have lower levels o these

compounds naturall.

nutrit DfcicisWith all o the digestive problems and

biochemical blocks occurring, nutrient

deciencies are common among children

with autism.13,14,15 Poor qualit and limited

diets exacerbate these problems. Specic

nutrients are required or complex

biochemical processes that support

cellular and brain unction, as well as all

other sstems. And those nutrients oten

need to be converted to an active orm

(again requiring nutrients and working

biochemical pathwas), another bumpin the road or these children to get

needed nutrients. With all o this, its not

reall surprising that most are decient

in nutrients. In act, it is unusual to see a

child with autism that does not have an

decienc.

Digestion and a health GI tract

are essential or proper nutrient

levels. Nutrients can onl be digested

and absorbed through ood and

supplementation when the GI tract is

unctioning well. Supporting digestion

is important and can be accomplished

b removing inammator oods, andsuppling oods with benecial bacteria

and those eas to digest. Having a

sufcient suppl o nutrients requires

both consumption o nutrient-dense

oods AND a properl unctioning gut to

digest and absorb the nutrition.

Nutrient deciencies in children with

autism include: zinc, calcium, iron, B6,

B12, olate, biotin, vitamin A, vitamin D,

essential att acids, and more.

Man o these nutrients are required or

other biochemical pathwas to work. For

example, B12, olate, and B6 are essentialor the transsuluration pathwa to

unction optimall.

Vitamin D decienc is common or

the general population and its true or

the autism population as well. Vitamin

D decienc in pregnant mothers has

been associated with autism.16 In the

developing etus, vitamin D induces the

expression o nerve growth actor and

stimulates brain cell growth. It appears

Vitamin D decienc ma pla a role

in the occurrence or exacerbation ohperoxaluria (high oxalates in urine).17

Supplementation has shown to be

supportive to children with autism18,19

and a nutrient dense diet can suppl

needed nutrients rom vitamins and

minerals to phtonutrients.

Traditioal Dits ad Culturs

Our modern world has a lot to learn

rom traditional cultures about how ood

choices keep people health and robust

rom generation to generation.

The oods the ate and the cooking

and arming practices the emploed

provided a nutrient dense diet that

nourished the bod. Traditional diets

around the world have a number o

consistencies (see sidebar). B todas

standard, traditional oods are

those raised and grown as the were

generations ago. Traditional oods

include:

Produce, grown on small

biodiverse arms resh,

plant-ripened, local, organic,

and in-season produce

Grass-ed or pastured animal oods

including use o the organs and

bones

Lacto-ermented oods

Soaked and ermented grains,

beans, and seeds

Unprocessed (raw) dair

(consumed i casein is tolerated)

And o course there were no

processed oods with rened

sugar, additives, preservatives,

llers, or MSG in traditional oods

Frsh, Plat-Ripd, Local, ad

Oraic Produc

Fruits and vegetables are high in

ber and nutrients, as well as special

phtonutrients onl ound in plants.The contain live enzmes when raw o

lightl cooked. Local, in-season, produc

is resher and higher in nutrients. When

ood is picked ripe, it is much lower in

problematic saliclates and higher in

nutrients. Being organic means reduc

pesticide exposure or the children who

cant detoxi well. Eating plant oods

supplies ber that is ermented b the

benecial bacteria into short-chained

att acids, providing uel or gut cells. F

this reason alone, ruits and vegetables

are ver important to consume.

Pasturd aimals

Animals that are pastured or grass-ed

(depending on their actual diet) are

much more nutrient dense than their

conventional counterparts. Fat-soluble

vitamins A, E, D, and K are much higher

in pastured animal oods, as are essenti

att acids.

Studies on eggs rom pastured chicke

have ound ten times the omega-3 att



acids, our times the vitamin E, and two

times the vitamin A,20 as well as higher

amounts o olic acid and vitamin B12,21

than eggs rom conventionall raised

chickens.22

Meat rom grass-ed animals has higher

omega-3 att acids than meat rom

grain-ed animals, and studies show an

increase in omega-3 PUFA in humans that

consumed grass-ed bee and lamb.23

Grass-ed butter is higher in vitamin E,

vitamin A, and beta-carotene,24 as well as

CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). Fat-soluble

vitamins, essential att acids, olate, and

B12 are common deciencies in autism,

and the nutrient densit in these animal

oods is unsurpassed.

Traditional cultures also consumed

the organs and bone. Organs store a

great amount o nutrients so the are

ver nutrient-rich. Liver contains high

amounts o B12, olate, vitamin A, and

iron nutrients in which children withautism are oten decient. Bones contain

ionic minerals that are eas to absorb and

gelatin which is helpul or digestion.

Lacto-rmtd oods

Lacto-ermented oods have been around

or centuries. In act, it was essential

or storing and preparing ood, and

so our ancestors ate ermented oods

virtuall dail. Ever culture has its own

versions o ermentations some are

dair-based, others non-dair oods, as

well as beverages (alcoholic and non).Additionall, grains can be ermented

(although I will include them in the

section on soaked and ermented grains

as the are not consumed as live bacteria

but instead used as was o processing

and breaking down and making things

like bread easier to digest).

Fermented oods provide probiotics

good bacteria that support virtuall ever

area o our health b:

Regulating peristalsis and bowel

movements

Breaking down bacterial toxins

Making and utilizing needed

vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, A,

and K

Digesting protein into amino acids

(or use b the bod)

Producing antibiotics and

antiungals

Helping breakdown sugars,

lactose, and oxalates

Supporting immune sstem andincrease number o immune cells

Balancing intestinal pH

Protecting against environmental

toxins: mercur, pesticides,

pollution

Fermented oods provide billions o

cus (colon orming units),25 and are

growing and thriving on their own ood

source. The contain live enzmes, and

their alkalizing properties improve the pHo the gut or a health internal terrain.

Some practitioners, such as msel,

eel that because o these reasons, its

possible these probiotics ma colonize

better than supplementation.

Additionall, the good bacteria

crowd out and provide competition or

candida and pathogenic organisms that

are so prevalent in autism. The anti-

inammator eects o probiotics are

ver benecial or children who have

bowel problems.

Fermented oods are a wonderulsource o good bacteria and nutrients

that are ver healing or the gut. The can

be made great tasting and are excellent

or children with autism.

Soakd ad rmtd rais, bas,

ad sds

There are a number o substances in

seeds that are inammator and bind

nutrients, such as oxalates, phtates, and

lectins. Soaking grains, beans, and seeds

reduces oxalates. While all oxalate is a

problem, soluble oxalate is unbound and

more likel to leak into the bloodstream

and cause a problem. Soaking seeds

reduces soluble oxalate (make sure

to drain and rinse seeds). Phtates,

which bind to calcium, magnesium,

zinc, and iron and can cause decienc

and inammation, are also reduced

b soaking. Lectins, inammator

compounds ound in grains and other

oods, are broken down b ermentation.

Soaking and ermenting makes grains,

nuts/seeds, and beans more easil

digested, better tolerated, and less

inammator.

HOW TRADITIONAL DIETS

HEAL AuTISM

Boosti nutrit Lvls

Nutrient deciencies are common in

autism. Eating nutrient-dense oods

that will enhance the digestion andabsorption o other oods is important.

To bolster absorption o nutrients, oods

need to be easil digestible. Here are

some ideas and lessons rom traditional

diets to help children with autism

improve nutritional status:

Consume grass-ed and pastured

meats, dair (i tolerated), and

eggs. Animal oods are rich in

at-soluble vitamins and essential

att acids, as well as minerals.

Consume organ meats such as

liver, which are high in vitamin A,

iron, B12, and olate.

Eat local, resh, organic produce.

Soak grains to increase digestibilit

and nutrient absorption.

Vitamin D Traditional cultures

got more sunshine that we do.

Getting more sun exposure is

a start. Consuming oods withvitamin D such as cod liver oil,

grass-ed dair or ghee, liver, and

egg olk is another good idea.

Because o liestle, depletion,

and latitude, man o us require

vitamin D supplementation as

well.

Bone broths are rich in minerals

and nutrients including calcium,

which is oten inadequate with a

dair-ree diet.



Improvi Distio ad

Hali th gut

Improving digestion, reducing

inammation, and healing the gut are

important steps in overall health and

healing. Children with autism benet

rom these traditional culture insights:

Add oods that heal the gut and are

anti-inammator such as antioxidant

and probiotic rich oods.

Consume oods that suppl benecial

bacteria (probiotics) such as non-

dair ogurt and raw sauerkraut.

Bitter herbs and greens stimulate bile

and the digestion o ats.

Eat a high ber diet. Fiber is ood or

the bacteria (prebiotics) rom which

the make short chain att acids that

uel the intestinal cells.

Bone broths are rich in gelatin, ahdrophilic substance that draws

water and supports digestion.

Coconut oil is a traditional at rich in

MCTs that are easil absorbed.

Ghee is high in butric acid, a short-

chain att acid thats good or the

gut.

Fish oil has anti-inammator

benets.

Remove inammator proteins,

particularl gluten, casein, and so.

Addrssi yast Ovrrowth

yeast is a harmul organism that can

aect energ level, clarit o thought,

and intestinal health. yeast overgrowth

is oten triggered b heav antibiotic

use common in children with autism

with poor bacteria-ghting abilit. yeast

overgrowth creates gut inammation and

decreases gut unction. Traditional diets

emplo the ollowing east preventing/

reducing strategies:

Low consumption o rened

sugar and bakers east, two

ingredients that eed east (ver

benecial or children with autism

most current candida diets

limit sugars).

Consume lacto-ermented oods

dail.

Drinking kombucha, a ermented

beverage that tpicall

contains a strain o east called

saccharomces boulardii that

kills candida and clostridia (a

pathogenic bacteria).

Consuming ker, both dair and

non-dair erments, have candida

killing eects.

Cod liver oil contains vitamins A

and D which are benecial or the

immune sstem and the abilitor the bod to mount a proper

attack against east.

Using coconut oil that contains

caprlic acid, which kills candida.

Improvi Dtoxifcatio

When childrens detoxication sstems

are not working optimall or are

overburdened b pre-existing toxins,

avoiding additional toxins rom ood

is important. Food based chemicals

can cross the blood brain barrier andaect the brain, creating hperactivit,

aggression, irritabilit, and sel-injurious

behavior. Traditional diets are naturall

devoid o these additives. Some areas to

address or autism are:

The use o traditional (non-toxic)

cookware cast-iron, enameled cast-

iron, and stainless steel.

Eating organic ood to reduce burden

o the liver or better detoxication

unction. Consuming eggs and crucierous

vegetables (like broccoli and

cabbage) that are high in sulur

support the livers detoxication

unction.

Avoiding articial ingredients and

additives that would not be present

in traditional diets.

Including ermented oods in the

diet, as the contain probiotics that

help in detoxication.

Adding liver (grass-ed onl) to ou

diet. The nutrients it contains are

ver supportive to our liver and

detoxication.

Supporti Immu Fuctio

An immune sstem that can ght

pathogens and properl mount an

inammator response (as well as turn

it o) is crucial or the health o children

with autism. Autisms lessons rom

traditional cultures include:

Consume health ats like cod

liver oil and especiall EPA

(highest in sh oil vs. cod liver

oil) or reducing inammator

response.

Avoid or rotate oods to reduce

exposure to inammator ood

proteins.

To eradicate east, bacterial, and

other pathogenic inections,consider a diet that starves the

bad bugs such as SCD/GAPS.

Eat according to traditional diets

b removing rened sugars and

reducing sugars o all sorts.

Add cod liver oil, high in vitamins

A and D, good or immune

unction and ghting inections.

Consider adding supplemental

vitamin D.

BALAnCIng BIOCHeMISTRy

Poor Mthlatio ad

Sulatio Biochmistr

Methlation, transsuluration, and

sulation are just one set o biochemica

pathwas that do not unction optimal

or man children with autism. These

pathwas can be supported b avoidin

certain substances that are processed b

those pathwas, and suppling nutrien

that are needed (and oten in low supp

For children or whom oxalates are anissue, lowering oxalates in oods can be

benecial. Traditional ood preparation

such as soaking seeds can help reduce

oxalate, particularl the more problema

soluble oxalate. For some children, takin

it a step urther and ollowing the low

oxalate diet is ver helpul (more availa

at nourishigHope.com).

Lectins and phtates are two other

substances that can create inammatio

and problems or children with autism.

Suggestions or addressing this include



Eat plant-ripened ruits (the wa the

have been consumed traditionall).

When ruit is ripened on the plant,

saliclate levels are much lower.

Consume sh oil (vs. cod liver oil) that

can reduce sensitivit to saliclates.26

Soak grains, nuts, beans, and seeds or

at least 8 hours, then throw out the

water and rinse beore cooking. This

reduces oxalates, as well as phtates.

Ferment grains to help reduce lectins

and the inammator reaction o

oods.

Avoid oods containing articial

colors, avors, or preservatives that

have to be processed b the sulation

pathwa. Traditional oods do not

include these substances.

TRADITIOnAL DIeTS AnD BeyOnD

There are man health-promoting oodand nutrition principles traditional cultures

can teach us in the autism communit.

There are also valuable things the autism

communit can teach everone else.

With the toxic burden in our

environment and the health concerns o

children with autism, additional dietar

intervention is o ten necessar. As such,

the autism communit has adopted

several eective diets and applied them

to autism, in particular, the Gluten-

Free and Casein-Free (GFCF) diet, the

Specic Carbohdrate Diet, and Gut andPscholog Sndrome diet (SCD and

GAPS) (as well as the low oxalate diet and

low saliclate diets).

These diets have been ver healing

to children with autism, as the address

the our buckets (digestion, immune,

detoxication, metabolic). Interestingl,

these diets also have some traditional

principles but have certain modern rules

to address specic imbalances and health

concerns that take traditional diets and

add a modern twist.

gFCF Dit

Removing gluten and casein rom the

diet is one o the most valuable dietar

interventions or children with autism.

The gluten-ree and casein-ree diet

removes both gluten containing grains

(wheat, re, barle, and more) and dair

(casein protein). The removal o these

inammator proteins and opiate-like

compounds rom the diet serve man

children greatl.

Boy efc o Brai

While most children with autism needto avoid gluten or grains as a whole, some

can tolerate them with traditional cooking

preparations o soaking and ermenting.

Similarl, while man children with autism

need to avoid casein, regardless o the

source, some children can handle more

traditional orms o dair such as raw

dair or goat and A2 dair. M clinical

experience is that a small percentage o

children with autism who cannot tolerate

pasteurized milk can tolerate raw milk,

and others can tolerate goat milk.

Another problem with modern wheatand dair products that makes them ver

dierent than their traditional versions

is that processed wheat and dair

oods oten contain propionic acid, a

preservative that has been associated with

autism.7

SCD/gAPS

The Specic Carbohdrate and Gut and

Pscholog Sndrome diets remove all

starches, and disaccharides that means

no grains, potatoes, corn, lactose, or sugaro an kind except monosaccharides

such as ruit and vegetable sugar and

hone. For children lacking carbohdrate

digesting enzmes and with an

overgrowth o intestinal pathogens (both

common in autism), this diet can be ver

helpul or starving out the bad bugs

and reducing diarrhea and digestive

inammation.

Interestingl, both o these diets limit

grains in one orm or another. Traditional

diets placed much less emphasis on

grains and man cultures did not usegrains at all. During the Paleolithic era,

grains, as well as beans and dair, were

not consumed. Later on, in traditional

cultures soaking and ermenting methods

were essential or the digestibilit and

nutritional value o grains. These soaking

and ermenting methods helped those

people to eat them without a problem

while providing nutritional benet.

Coclusio

Children with autism are the canaries

in the coal mine, warning us about anenvironment that is toxic and ood that

is unhealth. The are telling us that we

cant live this wa an more.

What weve learned rom traditional

culture is that the wa ood is grown or

raised, prepared and cooked, processed

or not processed, all aect nutritional

status and human health.

To help heal our children toda and

best serve the next generation, we

should take a strong look back in time

and consider the traditional diets andoods our ancestors thrived on or

generations. No matter which autism

diet a child is ollowing, it can be

made healthier and more eective b

incorporating the principles and practices

outlined here.

Ever child with autism needs

nourishment and all autism diets should

contain good nutritional principles. As

we can see rom the science, traditional

diets are a wonderul wa to nourish our

children.


8/8

N u t r i t i o n a l E x c e l l e n c e

Symptoms may include one or more of the following:

CONSTIPATION STOMACH PAINS INDIGESTION GASEOUSNESS OR BLOATING DIARRHOEA

DISCOLOURED STOOLS REFLUX OR VOMITING NIGHT TIME WAKENING IRRITABILITY

The Autism Clinic www.theautismclinic.com recommends supplements

as a nutritional support to good health. Jonathan Tommey advocates the use of supplements

to optimise health.We have a team of highly qualified nutritionists ready

to advise you on any areas relating to nutritional support,

free of charge. Simply phone 0870 066 4478.

To qualify for your 10% discount, please

phone freephone 0800 458 4747 and ask

for a copy of our latest catalogue, quoting

Autism File or order online at

www.highernature.co.uk/autismfile

10%OFF

TOREADERS

OF

THEAUTISMFILEDoes your child have gastro-intestinal problems?

Special diets and supplementary nutrition may help

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References

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