Nutrition

When Preston or as we call him "Buzzy" was diagnosed with Autism, one of the first changes made was to eliminate gluten and dairy products from his diet.  The only true way to do that is to eliminate those products from the house.  For all of us, the was major change in our eating habits.  Until you make such a change you do not realize how many things gluten and diary are in.  Here is a short list of items that we no longer can eat:

• Pizza - contains gluten and diary (we have found ways to make a gluten and dairy free pizza, but it is not the same)
• Mac and Cheese - a favorite of all kids - contains gluten and diary
• Milk
• Cheese
• Pasta
• Breakfast cereals - contains gluten and in some cases dairy products
• Bread

We have learned to substitute.  For pasta we have found pastas made out of rice or other non-gluten products.  I have actually found these pastas to be very good and not taste any different.  We use Rice and Almond milk instead of real milk.  Additionally we have gone as organic as we can and we purchase our meet in bulk from local farmers that grass feed the beef and do not use any hormones or other drugs.  We also try to avoid GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) containing products.

What has been the end result?  We are all eating healthier.  Candace and I have lost weight.  We have lost weight but we have not been starving ourselves.  Eating healthier seems to make a different in weight.  I am at a weight now that I have not seen in over twenty years.  

In the case of Preston, if by some accident he consumes something with gluten, we see a change within a day if not sooner.  He tends to be more spacey and not able to focus as well.

Why does the change in diet make a difference? I am not sure of all of the biology and/or chemistry involved, but in general terms in has been theorized that when the body of most people process gluten and dairy, there are not really any issues, the body dumps the bi-products and that is that.  In the Autistic child (and maybe ADD, ADHD children) it seems the body is not eliminating the bi-products and those bi-products are finding their way into the bloodstream.  Once in the bloodstream they cause havoc with the brain.  One of the bi-products of gluten is a compound that is similar to various opiates.  Because the body does not get rid of the product, it gets into the blood stream and acts like a drug.  At first there probably is not much of issue, but over time there is a long term effect on the brain.  That long term effect in some cases I believe is Autism.  As stated in a previous post, I really feel that autism is a symptom.  A child just does not become autistic - something has to be happening that is causing the brain to react in that way.  I really think that autism is a reaction to adverse environmental conditions.  My wife has researched environmental issues extensively.  Since she reads my blogs, I will leave it to her to comment on any of this to add clarification.

As I have said in early posts, I feel it is time that extensive research needs to be done that studies the relationship between nutrition and autism.  There are too many people have seen positive results from gluten free dairy free diets to not have a comprehensive study.

Again as always - feel free to comment.  Let's learn from each other.  What nutritional changes have you made? What behavioral changes have you observed after you have made the nutritional changes?