MyFoodMyHealth Diet for Autism
Help Autism Symptoms through a Diet for Autism and the MyFoodMyHealth Meal Planner
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I have been in practice working with kids and families on special diets for 10 years, and think your site is a great resource.
Judy Converse, MPH RD
NCPA is Nutrition Care Process For Autism ----------------------------------------------------------------
Diet for Autism
For many children with autism, nutrient deficiencies, imbalanced biochemistry, and digestive problems can play a significant role in their physical expression. Attention to dietary factors helps balance biochemistry and affect system healing.
Altering food choices may help improve behavioral and physical symptoms of autism. However, because every child is different, a diet that helps one child may not be appropriate for another. Each child has unique biochemistry, immune qualities, genes, environment assaults, and eating preferences. You should always consult a dietitian to help you to find the correct diet for your child.
Food Intolerance or Allergies and Autism
Many children with autism may exhibit low tolerance or allergies to certain foods or chemicals. For example, the response to certain foods such as gluten and casein can create an opiate or inflammatory reaction that can affect the brain. If this is the case, it is crucial to remove foods from the diet that contribute to inflammation, trigger immune response (food sensitivities), and increase toxicity.
Digestion, GI Health and Autism
For many children, the physiological and behavioral symptoms of autism may stem from, or are exacerbated by, impaired digestion and GI health. Some hypothesize that children with autism have a digestive condition known as "leaky gut" which may be caused by a yeast overgrowth. This overgrowth in yeast and inability to break down food can lead to mal-absorption of nutrients essential for proper brain function. This may contribute to behavioral and medical problems such as spaciness, confusion, hyperactivity, stomach problems, and fatigue. Detoxification can also be poor for people with autism. When detoxification is poor, toxins from food and the environment can build up and act like drugs on the brain. This can cause irritability, aggression, and brain/cellular damage.
MyFoodMyHealth Dietary Support for Autism
The MyFoodMyHealth Diet for Autism follows a program that is gluten free (the protein molecule in certain grains) and casein free (the protein molecule in dairy products). Since every autistic child is different, you may find that a Specific Carbohydrate Diet is more effective for your child. If this is the case, select the MyFoodMyHealth Diet for Candida and add fruit to the diet as your child can tolerate it. If you select the Candida Diet, you also may wish to remove dairy in your child's Profile Set Up.
Try This FREE Sample Recipe from the Autism Diet
Braised Chicken Breasts with Cranberries and Mustard
by Victoria Amory, adapted from a recipe in her book "Delicious!"
Food Additives and Ingredients to Avoid with Autism
No matter what diet you choose, remove artificial ingredients and junk food. Artificial ingredients are highly toxic and very difficult for the liver to breakdown. They are associated with hyperactivity, asthma, aggression, irritability, and sleep disturbances.
- Artificial colors: red #40, yellow #5
- Artificial flavors: vanillin
- Preservatives: BHA, BHT, TBHQ
- Monosodium glutamate: MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and other hydrolyzed items, autolyzed yeast, yeast extract
- Artificial sweeteners
- Trans fats. This is partially hydrogenated oil found in many commercial mayonnaise, margarine, and peanut butter products, fast foods and fried food, and baked goods.
Foods to Avoid with Autism
- Wheat (including semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn, durum and faro)
- Rye
- Barley
- Triticale
- Oat bran
- Wheat germ
- Bran
- Graham, gluten, or durum flour
- Farina
- Malt or malt flavoring (can be made from barley)
- Malt vinegar (made from barley)
- Breading, Coating mixes, Panko
- Broth, soup bases
- Brown rice syrup
- Candy - ex: licorice, some chocolates
- Croutons
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Anti-inflammatory Herbs and Spices to Eat for Autism
Delicious Foods to Eat in a Diet for Autism
If you are making dietary changes to help with the symptoms of autism, there are a bounty of tasty, healthy, whole foods you may enjoy. These include:
- Amaranth
- Arrowroot
- Balsamic vinegar
- Braggs amino acids
- Breads, cereals, crackers, and pasta made of corn, rice, potato, soy, arrowroot, tapioca, sago, flax, and hominy
- Buckwheat
- Corn
- Cornmeal (polenta and tortillas)
- Garfava
- Hominy
- Millet
- Montina®
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- Nut Flours
- Popcorn
- Potato
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sorghum
- Soy
- Tamari
- Tapioca
- Tef
- Wild rice
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What is Autism?
Autism is a brain development disorder which results in communication, socialization and development problems. With autism there is a developmental delay of many basic skills, most notably the ability to socialize or form relationships with others as well as the ability to communicate and to use imagination. People with autism may also exhibit various forms of repetitive or restricted behavior.
Autism is four times more common in boys than in girls and affects an estimated 10-20 of every 10,000 people. Unfortunately, autism is on the rise. Based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and other governmental agencies, autism is growing 10-17 percent per year. The Autism Society of America estimates that the prevalence of autism could reach 4 million Americans in the next decade.
Symptoms of Autism
Children typically display autism symptoms before they are 3 years old. Symptoms include:
- Lack of enjoyment in being cuddled or held
- Difficulty with verbal communication (including problems using and understanding language)
- Inability to participate in a conversation, even when the child can speak
- Difficulty with non-verbal communication (such as gestures and facial expressions)
- Difficulty with social interaction, including relating to people and to his or her surroundings
- Inability to make friends and a preference for playing alone
- Unusual ways of playing with toys and other objects, such as only lining them up a certain way
- Lack of imagination
- Difficulty adjusting to changes in routine or familiar surroundings, or an unreasonable insistence on following routines in detail
- Repetitive body movements, or patterns of behaviors, such as hand flicking, body twisting and head banging
- Preoccupation with unusual objects or parts of objects
- Little or no eye contact
Diagnosis of Autism
There are no medical tests for diagnosing autism. A diagnosis is generally made based on observation of the individual's communication, behavior, and developmental levels.
Causes of Autism
Currently there is no definitive cause for autism. Research has pointed to several possible factors including: genetics (heredity), certain types of infections, and problems occurring at birth. Studies of people with autism have found abnormalities in several regions of the brain, which suggest that autism results from a disruption of early brain development while still in utero. Other theories suggest autism may be caused when a child's immune system inappropriately produces antibodies that then attack their brain. Abnormalities in brain structures cause autistic behavior. Suspected links between measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism also have been suggested. Environmental toxins, such as mercury and pesticides, also have been linked to autism.
Treatment of Autism
Although there isn't a known cure for autism, there are treatment and education approaches that may reduce some of its challenges. These include: special education, behavior modification, and speech/physical/occupational therapy.
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