Dopamine is dope!

Dopamine is dope- not an illegal drug- at the right amount!

This neurotransmitter is produced in the gut and the brain and has many functions such as regulating mood, learning, concentration, pleasure, and body movements.

Many kids with ADD, ADHD, and ASD have levels that may be too low or high leading to behaviors, mood disorders, language deficits, and trouble focusing.

There is testing for circulating dopamine in the urine but it won't tell you the level in the brain.

Often, a trial is given to see if there's improvement by either increasing dopamine levels either naturally with supplements like tyrosine or prescriptions like Ritalin or lowering dopamine with supplements like the mineral lithium or prescriptions like Clonidine.

It's a matter of stepping on the gas or the brake to balance your dopamine.

Look into root causes leading to dopamine imbalance such as infections, inflammation, gut dysbiosis, stress, and toxins first, since treating these should correct the dopamine imbalance leading to improvement in focus, language, and behavior- what many of us are seeking for our kids.

#ADD

#Autism

#ADHD

#Dopamine

Germs Are Abounding!

What could we do to help prevent and eradicate these infections- colds, flu, covid, etc?

Kids with ASD are more susceptible due to chronic inflammation from whatever is triggering their autism reducing their resiliency to infections.

Anti-inflammatory diet, exercise, abundant sleep, and reducing stress will support the immune system.

Supplements like vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, echinacea, elderberry and NAC can be beneficial.

The immune system is a major topic in our Autism Healing Program, since neuroinflammation is at the root of ASD.

When we remove the factors causing the inflammation and support health, we see less inflammation, fewer infections, and transformational results with our kids.

Today is the last day to take advantage of our 15% discount on the program.

Here's the link: https://www.myhopewellness.com/autism-healing

Back to School- Healthy Choices?

Hopefully, your kids are settling into school seamlessly.

Do you send them with breakfast or lunch to school or have them purchased at school?

Looking at the school menu, the lunch options are usually are pizza, pasta, a hot or cold sandwich, different salads, burgers, mac and cheese, chicken tenders, hot dogs.

Salads appear to be the healthiest choice.

Assorted fruits and vegetables are normally offered daily.

Most options are loaded with carbs which break down into sugar which is inflammatory and can affect your child’s attention and behavior.

Try and have them avoid the ultra-processed foods such as snacks – cookies, chips, candy and eliminate drinks such as soda, juice, and energy drinks containing high fructose corn syrup and excessive caffeine.

Special diets such as gluten free casein free are difficult to implement when purchased through school.

The other factor is food is typically cooked in vegetable oils or canola oil which are highly inflammatory.

Some students are also eating breakfast at school where the options are hot bagel sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, waffles, donut holes, pancake bites, sugary cereals, pop tarts, cinnamon rolls- loaded with refined carbs and sugar!

Most of our kids will not choose eggs or salads daily making purchasing healthy options from school quite a challenge.

I find shopping with the kids and having them help choose the healthy options will train the palate to eat real food to provide them with the nourishment so vital to optimizing their emotional and physical health.

Nutrition is a major area of focus of our Autism Healing Program where we see dramatic improvement.

We want to empower families with all the tools necessary to make sustainable gains towards achieving recovery.

Our back-to-school 15% discount is being extended through Sunday, September 17.

Here is a link to learn more about the program: https://www.myhopewellness.com/autism-healing.

Please contact me with any questions.

#autism #schoollunch

DAMN BIG HATS!

We wear DAMN BIG HATS parenting children with ASD.

When we figure out what the disturbances are, we can correct metabolic abnormalities that are leading to autism symptoms and regression.

The mnemonic, DAMN BIG HATS, I have used to help families with addressing root causes and triggers for Autism:

D: Diet

A: Allergies

M: Mitochondrial dysfunction, Microbiome disruption

N: Nutrient deficiencies

B: Brain chemistry imbalances

I: Inflammation, Infections

G: Genetics, Gut dysbiosis

H: Hormonal imbalances

A: Autoimmunity

T: Toxins

S: Stress, Sleep disturbances

I’ll be discussing these and empowering you to navigate an autism healing journey on Instagram live on Wednesday, 9/13 at 3 PM EST. My IG handle is @myhopewellness.

Looking forward to seeing you then!

#autism #autismhealing #autismhealthcoach

Could Allergies Be The Problem?

Are your kids struggling with behaviors?

Could be allergies.

Ragweed levels are very high which increase histamine levels in the body that can trigger not only the classic hay fever symptoms but also neurological symptoms such as irritability, agitation, and trouble with language.

We don't live in a bubble, so it's impossible to avoid this when you're outide.

There are supplements such as vitamin C, quercetin, bromelain, and nettle that can help along with a low histamine diet.

Conventional meds such as Claritin, Allegra, and Benadryl may help.

My son just started allergy shots since he wasn't responding to anything else and we're seeing improvement.

Think about allergies as a possible trigger for your child's behaviors.

Our Autism Healing Program not only discusses allergies but covers all topics pertinent to your child that are impacting their autism and what you can do to get them on the road to recovery..

Our Autism Healing Program back to school 15% discount is running through 9/15.

Schedule a free evaluation at https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session to discuss how this can work for you and your family.

You can sign up for the discounted program at https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/274940-autism-healing-program-back-to-school-special.

Join me live on IG on 9/13 at 3 PM EST discussing how to navigate your autism healing journey.

Looking forward to it!

#autism #allergies #histamine

Back To School Special

Hard to believe that the unofficial summer as coming to a close and the kids are heading back to school.

I like to reflect upon the accomplishments that my kids and clients have achieved over the summer and am excited to report the remarkable progress that many of the kids have made.

Since the Autism Healing Program was rolled out 5 months ago, many families have become empowered with what it takes to recover their children with some tremendous results.

Make no mistake about it- recovery is absolutely possible!

Families need to be equipped with the tools in order to recover their children.

Practitioners can offer advice and recommendations but it’s ultimately up to the families to implement those recommendations.

As a physician, I was able to make the recommendations but couldn’t provide the level of support and hand holding to patients that I currently can as a coach.

As much as physicians are well intentioned, the majority can’t follow the patients close enough because of the current medical paradigm overloading their schedules.

In the past 5 months, I have had the pleasure of working with families who are doing things on their own and others where I am collaborating with their practitioners to develop a roadmap to recovery.

Each program is personalized based upon the unique presentation of the child and provides the foundational understanding of why your child could have developed autism and what could be done to reverse this.

It’s never too late to get started and I provide a personalized approach to guide and support families in recovering their children.

With the kids returning to school, we are offering a 15% discount on our 12-session Autism Healing Program until 9/15: https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/274940-autism-healing-program-back-to-school-special.

You can schedule a free evaluation to discuss how we can empower you to recover your child @ https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session.

Now is a great time to get more support, especially with the additional stress on our kids and the families that the transition to school can trigger.

What Labs Should You Consider?

Many families ask about requesting lab testing for their kids and what to order.

First, we should consider implementing a healthy lifestyle consisting of a whole-foods organic diet minimizing sugar, refined carbs, and refined fats, getting our kids to exercise, enforcing abundant sleep, and removing any toxins from the home environment such as mold, plastics, and unhealthy household cleaners and personal care products.

But, what if you’re not seeing improvement and can’t figure out why your child is not doing well or not making progress?

See your practitioner to see if there’s something they can find such as an ear infection, a distended belly, abnormal tonsils, etc., since many of our kids can’t express their symptoms.

If the practitioner can’t figure it out based on history and physical exam, testing can be ordered, and you can discuss getting conventional testing done such as:

·        CBC- checking for anemia or infection.

·        CMP- evaluates kidneys, liver, and for electrolyte imbalances.

·        Thyroid panel (TSH, T3, T4)- thyroid hormonal imbalances can cause many physical and behavioral symptoms.

·        CRP- tests for inflammation in body although we may not know where it’s stemming from

·        Vitamins B12 and Folate- deficiencies can cause neurological symptoms.

·        Vitamin D- common deficiency that can affect immune system and cause neurological symptoms.

·        Cholesterol- in many cases, it’s low and we need cholesterol to support all of the cells in our body.

·        Iron- low levels can affect development.

·        Zinc and Copper- some of our kids have low zinc and high copper levels which can affect immune and neurologic systems.

·        RAST testing- looking for environmental and food allergies that could affect behavior.

Here are functional labs tests if you’re seeing a functional/MAPS practitioner that can be requested:

·        Urine organic acid test (OAT)- this tests for metabolic waste that is excreted from the body and evaluates for gut health, mitochondrial dysfunction, brain neurotransmitters, detox markers, and nutrient deficiencies.

·        GI Effects or GI-MAP- evaluates the gut which is abnormal in up to 80% of our kids.

·        Food IgG testing- tests for food sensitivities and intolerances which will cause leaky gut leading to inflammation.

·        Hair Elements- will for the most common heavy metals such as lead, mercury, aluminum, and cadmium which are all toxic to the nervous system.

·        MycoTox- will evaluate for mold toxins which can wreak havoc on our kids.

From my experience, these labs have yielded the most information, however each child is unique and there needs to be a personalized approach.

Lab work can help guide treatment for our kids, especially if we can’t figure out why they’re regressing or not making progress.

In our Autism Healing Program, we discuss labs and how to use them to get your child on a healing path.

You can schedule a free evaluation at https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session

Brain on Fire?

How many of us feel like our kids’ brains are on fire?

We as parents can feel this way as well.

Brain fog? Trouble focusing? Depressed? Easily agitated?

This brain on fire in medical terms is neuroinflammation.

Short term inflammation when the body is fighting something like an infection is necessary and good, but chronic inflammation is detrimental to our health.

This inflammatory process in the body can be triggered by many factors such as:

·        Stress

·        Unhealthy diet

·        Poor sleep

·        Leaky gut/GI disturbances

·        Allergies

·        Autoimmune reactions like PANS/PANDAS

·        Infections

·        Toxins

·        Brain chemistry imbalances

·        Nutrient deficiencies

This isn’t something that Motrin or Benadryl will cure but may act as a band-aid to reduce inflammation.

The key is to find the root cause(s) of this inflammation by starting with an in-depth history.

A leaky gut is very often a major contributor to inflammation, since 70% of the immune system resides in the GI tract.

With the gut and immune system being connected to the brain, the brain will subsequently become leaky leading to an array of symptoms such as inattentiveness, anger, irritability, anxiety, increased self-stimulatory behaviors, etc.

Investigating these root causes will help determine why our kids aren’t feeling well and the next steps towards healing.

In our Autism Healing Program, neuroinflammation is a major component that is addressed, and we see many kids make remarkable progress once we get to the root of the problem.

For more information, you can schedule a no obligation free evaluation at https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session.

Love Your Mitochondria

Remember the powerhouses in our cells that we learned about in high school biology.

Oh yes, our mitochondria!

They play such a vital role in our metabolic health by producing all of our ATP, the energy of life.

When they are under attack, they produce less energy and go into cell defense mode.

Many kids with ASD can have low muscle tone, weakness, headaches, constipation, and seizures due to weak mitochondria not producing enough ATP to power up organs such as the muscles, the gut, and the brain.

They operate like the engine in our car- we want to provide our engine with the best fuel, replace filters, and take care of them to allow our cars to perform at their peak and not break down.

Same with our mitochondria- we want to provide our “mitochondrial engines” with all of the proper inputs and remove all the problems that could impair them.

There are lab tests such as pyruvate, lactate, amino acids, and urine organic acids to help determine if there’s mitochondrial dysfunction.

Sone supplements that support the mitochondria are CoQ10, PQQ, Carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, creatine, astaxanthin, magnesium, and B vitamins.

Here are some other strategies for us and our kids to strengthen current mitochondria and increase the amount that we have:

1.      Get 20 minutes of sunlight in the morning to set circadian rhythm- the sun will provide infrared light which increases mitochondrial melatonin which is important for mitochondrial function.

2.      Reduce stress since this affects hormones and the immune system which can impair the mitochondria.

3.      Maintain a healthy gut microbiome by feeding our gut buddies fiber and polyphenols which are nutrients from vegetables, fruits, and spices – a healthy microbiome produces metabolites to stimulate our mitochondria.

4.      Avoid highly inflammatory foods weakening mitochondria such as ultra processed foods, sugar, refined carbs, high fructose corn syrup, trans-fats, and vegetable (seed) oils.

5.      Sleep at least 7 hours to strengthen our engines and reduce the combustion (oxidative stress) that occurs.

6.      Avoid mitochondrial toxins such as heavy metals, BPA, PFAS, phthalates, and pesticides.

7.      Hormetic stress is a good type of short-term stress that causes the body to make adaptations for the mitochondria to grow stronger- exercise and using infrared sauna are 2 good examples.

Message me on IG @ https://www.instagram.com/myhopewellness/?hl=en if you have any concerns about mitochondrial dysfunction affecting your child- this is a component of our Autism Healing Program.

Don’t Forget Genetics

Should you consider genetic testing?

You may have had genetic testing for Fragile X Syndrome when your child was first diagnosed with Autism.

It’s rare to have this syndrome, and typically there’s no other genetic testing considered.

There are studies now showing that approximately 35% of boys and 45% of girls have a genetic disorder associated with ASD.

We have approximately 20,000 genes. Over 800 genes have been identified with autism and dozens of genetic syndromes are associated with ASD such as Angelman and Rett Syndrome.

Studies have also shown that greater than 70% of children with a genetic disorder can be treated, although it’s uncertain how effective the treatment can be.

So, when should you consider testing?

I think nowadays it’s worth undergoing the testing once for any genetic condition since our genes do not change, especially in girls and kids that were born with neurodevelopmental delays or are non-responders to therapies.

In kids with regressive autism,  there’s more likely environmental causes but genetics can play a role.

The two tests that will look for genetic mutations and either chromosomal duplications or missing pieces are a whole exome sequence (WES) and chromosomal microarray (CMA).

These can be done by blood or a cheek swab.

There is also genomic testing for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) like you can get from companies like 23 and me, but this will tell if the genes coding for certain enzymes like MTHFR may be sluggish but won’t look for genic mutations like the WES and CMA.

Many practitioners focus so much on the epigenetic/environmental influences, which are certainly important, but don’t consider genetics, since they often don’t think there are possible treatments.

I felt similarly, but with new data showing the high percentage of kids with genetically associated ASD and the treatment options that are available, it behooves us to consider the testing.

You can schedule a free session to discuss genetics and epigenetic influences on your child @ https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session.

Are you taking care of your second brain?

Have you evaluated your child’s gut?

Up to 70% of kids with autism have GI problems which can be bloating, diarrhea, constipation, reflux, leaky gut, or colitis.

The gut is considered our second brain since its extensive nervous system is connected to the brain and the microbiome in our intestines produces vitamins and neurochemicals such as serotonin and dopamine that regulate critical brain functions such as attention, mood regulation, coordination, and movement.

Hippocrates said that all diseases begin in the gut, and I believe that this is a major contributing factor to many of our kids’ struggles.

I’ve seen many kids without GI symptoms that are exhibiting severe behaviors because they have abnormal gut bugs in their microbiome that are disrupting brain chemistry.

In fact, studies have been done showing that when a fecal microbial transplant (FMT) is done in children with autism to replace these abnormal germs with healthy flora, significant improvement occurred not only in GI symptoms but in many of autism symptoms, especially neurological.

FMT has not been approved for the treatment of autism, but clinical trials are being done so it may be an option in the future.

Assessing the gut and the microbiome is important for many chronic disorders such as autism.

I’ve had seen many kids recover once their gut has improved.

The gut can be disturbed by a poor diet of ultra-processed foods, food sensitivities such as gluten and casein, toxins such as heavy metals and glyphosate, infections, inflammation, medications such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, mitochondrial dysfunction, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, and inadequate sleep.

One of the most important factors is getting a good history from parents starting from pregnancy until current day to assess their gut and microbiome, the second brain, to heal our kids.

Testing through stool such as a GI Effects or GI-MAP and a urine organic acid test can help determine what’s happening inside of the gut.

Don’t ignore the gut!

In the Autism Healing Program, a major emphasis is placed on the gut-brain connection.

We’ve seen remarkable gains with this approach.

You can schedule a free evaluation at https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session to see how we can help your child.

What’s Causing Behaviors?

Many of our kids can’t communicate what they’re experiencing and can display many behaviors when they’re not feeling well or in distress.

So, how can we get to the bottom of what’s causing this?

There is often a medical cause, and we shouldn’t just chalk behaviors up to their autism.

What root causes are there?

·        Pain which can come from dental problems, an ear infection, abdominal issues, and headaches

·        Seizures

·        Gastrointestinal Distress from conditions like constipation, reflux, colitis, and dysbiosis

·        Infections like Lyme, Candida, and Strep Causing PANS/PANDAS

·        Vitamin/Mineral Deficiencies

·        Medications/Supplements

·        Hormonal Imbalances such as an adrenal and thyroid disturbances

·        Neurochemical disruption

·        Food Sensitivities such as gluten and casein

·        Anxiety/OCD

·        Low Blood Sugar/Low Cholesterol

·        Toxicity with Impaired Detox Pathways

Certainly, there is quite a bit to work through to figure out what’s causing your child’s agitation.

We as parents know our kids best and a change in behavior is usually how they express discomfort.

Obtaining a thorough history of what led to aggression can help determine the cause.

Testing may need to be done to find out if there’s a metabolic abnormality triggering this.

As part of the Autism Healing Program, we work through all of these possibilities to support and guide you to find these root causes and address them.

If you are concerned about your child’s behaviors, schedule a discovery session at https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session so we can discuss how to ascertain the underlying causes to get them feeling better.

Could Mold Be The Problem?

With the increased humidity along with the torrential rain, there is an increased risk for water damage to our homes which can lead to mold growth which produces mycotoxins.

The mold is a fungus which thrives under moist conditions and the mycotoxins are what it releases when it’s under stress.

This can be a major problem for many children with autism since our kids tend to have more difficulty with detoxification and mounting a strong immune response.

Mold can invade the sinuses, airways, and gut and activates mast cells and leads to immune system dysregulation which can cause Pediatric Autoimmune Neurological Syndrome (PANS).

Your child may present with various symptoms such as rashes, allergies, asthma, shortness of breath, brain fog, fatigue, leaky gut, insomnia, and behavioral changes.

Mycotoxins can cause damage to the nervous system, liver, kidneys, and immune system.

One of the first steps if you suspect mold is to evaluate your home for mold, since living in a moldy environment will likely enter the body.

ERMI testing can be done to evaluate the home’s dust for spores or air testing can be done.

There are certified inspectors and remediators to diagnose and remediate mold infestation.

If you cannot afford to remediate, invest in air purifiers in your main living space and bedrooms, and use an HVAC air filter with a MERV 13 rating.

Promoting good air flow by opening windows helps.

You can test your child for mycotoxins in the urine or in the blood.

Mold can be treated with prescription or herbal antifungals along with binders to help bind the mycotoxins being released, but eliminating the source is paramount, since the body will continue to be inundated from the exposure despite treatment.

As part of the Autism Healing Program, we address how to handle mold and mycotoxins.

Sign up for a free session at https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session to discuss if your child may have mold and how they can benefit from the program.

Who Wants More Speech?

I want my child to have more language!

This is one of the most common sentiments expressed by parents of children with autism.

So many families are told that it’s all due to autism and go for more OT, speech, and behavioral therapy.

There are adjunctive therapies such as Speech 2 Communicate, Facilitated Communication, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Although these can help, they are not addressing the underlying biological problems.

The key is trying to figure out the underlying root cause(s) in order to improve.

So, where do we start?

The most important factor is getting a strong history from mom and dad to find out everything from pregnancy to present to see what could be impairing speech.

Some of the most common causes are seizures, sleep apnea, cerebral folate deficiency, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, tongue-tie, retained primitive reflexes, brain chemistry imbalances, mitochondrial dysfunction, toxins, a leaky gut, and neuroinflammation.

When these metabolic abnormalities are addressed, we often see improvement in language.

Further testing may need to be done with your practitioner through brain imaging and labs to help determine the cause(s).

Many of our kids have vitamin deficiencies often due to gut malabsorption or poor diets.

How about supplements to increase speech?

Omega-3 fatty acids, methylB12, folinic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin D, magnesium, luteolin, phosphatidylcholine, sulforaphane, CoQ10, and tetrahydrobiopterin have helped many kids.

What diets can help?

Diets such as Gluten-Casein Free, Specific Carbohydrate, and Ketogenic have reduced inflammation and increased mitochondrial function to promote speech in some of our kids.

There are many options, so let’s figure out what can be affecting our kids, since each case is unique.

In the Autism Healing Program, we incorporate all of the factors that affect speech to work on improving it.

You can schedule a free discovery session to discuss how your child can improve speech at https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session.

Happy 4th!

Many of our kids are sensitive to visual or auditory overstimulation on the holiday which can make it challenging.

How can we make it as enjoyable and safe as possible if you are out at a party?

·        Be safe first! Wandering and accidents can happen with being at a party increasing the risk.

·        Make sure your child has some form of ID on them.

·        Take a picture of your child that day in case they get lost so they can be found more easily.

·        Be vigilant around pools since drowning is a leading cause of death with autism.

·        Take your child to an area to escape if they become sensory overloaded.

·        Bring headphones and other comforting items.

We’re on day 4 of 30 of our GFCF challenge- we can do it!

Here are some tips to avoid any infractions if you’re at a party:

·        If you’re at an event where you don’t know the food that’s being served, bring meals, snacks, and desserts with you.

·        The better you are prepared, the less likely for it to happen.

·        Remind people around your kids that they can’t have gluten and casein like having a peanut allergy- our friends sometimes like to give our kids treats without knowing about the diet

·        If there is an infraction, don’t sweat it.

Most importantly, enjoy the holiday with your family and DM me if you need any support!

Could This Be The One?

I heard a webinar this past weekend from The Brain Foundation about a new supplement, Neuromodin, that they are funding a clinical trial on for children from ages 5-12.

Over the past few years, the same pharmaceutical company that has been working on getting FDA approval for Suramin to treat autism has been slowly progressing through FDA trials.

Suramin works on a pathway that targets the cell danger response so that when a child’s body is placed under stress from whatever the cause, the mitochondria will not switch into this danger response which causes loss of ATP which is the currency of energy.

Neuromodin has emodin, a plant compound derived from Japanese knotweed, and working in a similar fashion as Suramin to modulate purinergic signaling to halt the cell danger response through different pathways.

This is very encouraging knowing that we could have something to address a potential root cause of autism- the cell danger response causing the mitochondrial to lose energy.

Without mitochondria producing energy due to being in defense mode, the brain cannot function at full capacity which can lead to ASD.

Since Neuromodin is a supplement, it isn’t required to undergo FDA trials like Suramin; however, its manufacture, Polomar Health, wants to test it before rolling it out to market which I think is judicious.

It’s always encouraging when there’s something new on the horizon.

We’ve been through this with many drugs like Secretin but often the drugs fell short of what was forecasted.

Let’s pray that this will provide some benefits to our community.

If you’re interested, here’s a link to the criteria to become enrolled in the trial: https://brainfoundation.org/neuromodin/.

We are empowering families to find root causes such as mitochondrial dysfunction in order to heal.

Find out how the Autism Healing Program can help your child by scheduling a free discovery session at https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session.

Follow us on IG @myhopewellness for the 30-day GFCF challenge starting to help improve your child’s health.

I’ll be live on IG at 2 PM on 6/30 to help guide you.

You can download your free GFCF guide at https://www.myhopewellness.com/gfcf-challenege.

Have You Attempted Going GFCF?

One of the first things that you hear about when entering the biomedical space of ASD is the gluten free casein free (GFCF) diet. With the many challenges that we parents are dealing with, it can seem overwhelming to take on a restrictive diet, especially with many of our kids being limited with what they are already eating which in many cases consists of gluten and casein.

Why are gluten (the protein in wheat) and casein (the protein in dairy) such problems for many of our kids?

·        They can affect folate metabolism, which is critical for brain development, detoxification, and making energy.

·        They can cause leaky gut leading to food and nutrients not being absorbed properly leading to metabolic imbalances and widespread inflammation.

·        Gluten and casein bind to opioid receptors in the brain which can have addictive effects on the brain and lead to many of the symptoms we see in autism.

·        They can cause a mast cell reaction similar to a food allergy which induces a systemic inflammatory response worsening a leaky gut which leads to a “leaky brain.”

·        Gluten and casein can glutamate levels increase which lead to more excitability which increases anxiety, chance for seizures and more stimmy behaviors.

The research supports a GFCF trial for our kids.

Who doesn’t want improvement in language, behaviors, energy, cognition, focus, allergies, and GI symptoms?

GFCF has been a game changer for many families, and we don’t have to worry about putting anything into our system that could cause side effects, however there can be mild “withdrawal symptoms” just like removing anything that the body has become accustomed to.

Anecdotally, approximately 2/3 of children with autism respond favorably to GFCF.

Some kids can have sensory defensiveness due to taste or texture of the new foods, so be prepared!

We don’t want our kids to become nutritionally deficient if they are not receptive to dietary changes, so take it one step at a time if you are meeting resistance- for example, remove casein first.

Make sure to get clearance from your practitioner, use organic GFCF products because glyphosate can cause leaky gut just like gluten and casein, and avoid ultra processed GFCF foods that contain ingredients you can’t pronounce.

There are many good reasons to consider implementing a GFCF diet.

We’ll be doing a 30-day GFCF challenge starting July 1, so follow me on Instagram @myhopewellness for pointers to help guide you through it and subscribe to our newsletter for up-to-date info on the challenge.

Check an Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) pre and post starting GFCF to measure effects.

Here’s a link to the ATEC: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bd0998ff8135a0c3bfefdc9/t/5bfc352b8985839163d1cb76/1543255339852/ATEC-AUTISM+Spectrum+Disorder++Checklist.pdf

Let’s do it!

School’s Out For Summer

With school being out for summer, it’s time to hit the beach, ride some waves, and jump into pools.

The vitamin D from the sun is certainly therapeutic for our kids, but we don’t want to overdo it.

Although keeping a shirt on and being under an umbrella will help while our kids are chillin’, they will want to be out there swimming in the ocean or pool, playing in the sand, and enjoying the beautiful weather while being exposed to the sun.

What can you use to protect against sun damage?

Sunscreens containing titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the safest.

The Environmental Working Group’s website provides a guide of safe sunscreens.

Avoid sunscreens that use chemicals like oxybenzone, octinoxate, or methylisotiazolinone which are toxic and are hormone disruptors.

These harmful chemicals stay in the body for an extended period of time and are difficult to detoxify.

Use lotions and refrain from the aerosolized containers to avoid inhalation.

You don’t need a sun protection factor (SPF) greater than 50.

How about chlorine?

Many of our kids cannot tolerate chlorine.

It can affect our children’s metabolism and cause regression.

Unless you have your own pool where you can use alternatives to chlorine, it will be hard to avoid in most cases.

What can we do to reduce the chlorine demand on the body after swimming in a chlorinated pool if it’s unavoidable?

Apply coconut oil before swimming as a barrier, bathe right after swimming with adding Epsom salt to help promote detox, and taurine can be taken as a supplement to help bind the chlorine.

Let’s enjoy the sun and water as safely as possible!

Our Autism Healing Program goes over all personal care products including sunscreens that could be adding to the toxic load of our children and how to eliminate them.

Hazy Plume

The air we breathe is vitally important.

The air quality has been so poor over these past couple of day due to the Canadian wildfires.

There’s no way to avoid it if you’re going outside- unsightly and noxious.

Hopefully, this will be abating over the weekend.

It made me realize how important our air quality is- not just outside but inside our homes.

We can’t control our outdoor environment, but we can work on purifying our indoor air or modifying our homes to mitigate health problems.

Many of our homes where we spend the majority of our time have poor air quality which could stem from allergens such as dust or pet dander or even germs such as mold.

There are studies linking air pollution to autism and how air filters may reduce the risk.

Many kids with autism have a decline in their condition when exposed to allergens or germs in the home that worsens air quality.

The inflammatory response impacts the brain leading to an exacerbation of symptoms- often behaviors and language.

How can we improve our air quality?

You can test the quality of the air in your home with a home or have a professional come out for evaluation.

Investing in an air purifier such as from Air Doctor in the main living area and bedrooms can filter out these air pollutants.

HEPA filters for HVAC systems tend to offer the best protection.

The air we breathe is as important as the water we drink and the food we eat.

The cleaner the air, the less potential neuroinflammation will occur to help our kids recover.

Does your kid have an MTHFR mutation colloquially known as the Mother F’er gene?

The MTHFR gene regulates the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase which is involved in methylation of B vitamins which are essential cofactors for many enzymatic pathways.

High levels of homocysteine and low levels of B vitamins such as B6, folate (B9) and B12 occur which can lead to many health issues such as cardiovascular disease, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, miscarriages, and pregnancies with neural tube defects.

Some reports have up to 98% of kids with autism having the mutation.

The two mutations seen that can lead to reduced MTHFR activity are C677T and A1298C.

Reduced activity of MTHFR leads to decreased formation of methylfolate and methyl B12 which are needed to form brain neurotransmitters- dopamine and serotonin- to regulate mood, attention, behaviors, communication, learning, and movement.

In addition, glutathione, one of the most potent antioxidants and detoxification molecules in the body, is reduced from an MTHFR mutation; therefore, detoxification can be impaired.

There’s genetic testing for MTHFR available through many companies such as 23andme.

Treatment typically is with methylfolate or folinic acid to provide the methylated form of folate since the body’s methylation’s ability is diminished.

With some kids, we see dramatic changes with folinic acid or methylfolate supplementation.

Support is sometimes also needed with methylB12 and glutathione.

In the Autism Healing Program, MTHFR is addressed since it is such a common finding amongst our kids.

You can schedule a complementary session at https://myhopewellness.satoriapp.com/offers/268129-discovery-session to review MTHFR and discuss other underlying factors that could be affecting your child and how the program can benefit them.