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Sara’s Diet – a general introduction
By Sandra and Max Desorgher
(c. World Community Autism Program 1997-2004)
Introduction
gathering information the word lutein did not pull up many hits on an internet search. Today lutein pulls up a tremendous number of hits on a web search. In the past six years, the medical community and health food industry have been more or less persuaded by the theory that this carotenoid pigment may be active in the prevention of macular degeneration (blindness, usually in old age). The research has not supported this conclusion. Research confirms fish oil as the most effective, well-researched prevention for AMD. We have provided consultations for more than 300 children whose parents are medical doctors and at least 3 parents of children with autism who are DAN (Defeat Autism Now) doctors.When we first began providing diet consultations for people with autism and
The most current edition of the DAN protocol authored by Dr. Sidney Baker and Dr. Jon Pangborn contains considerable and sometimes confusing information on dietary intervention, suggesting at times the need to remove gluten and casein and at other times the need for a wide variety of essential nutrients in the diet for growth of good flora which specifically lists the grains and does not exclude the gluten-containing grains. The document does not include information on the use of the lutein-free diet although many of the DAN doctors are fully aware of the success of the lutein-free diet. In our opinion the DAN protocol will provide physicians with information on testing which can show that something is indeed in need of medical evaluation and treatment and those treatments are often related to dietary changes, dietary restrictions, supplements and sometimes pharmaceuticals and particularly anti-fungal medications.
The use of the lutein-free diet is indeed controversial. The medical community refers to the diets of people with autism as ‘faddy’. We alternatively suggest the diets are self-protective. Trying to force foods which are likely the root cause of the problem is not sound advice. However difficult it is to accept that certain food substances may be at the root of the problem, it is more difficult to accept that recoveries, people with autism who reach symptom-free when avoiding specific carotenoids, occur when the ‘faddy’ or self-protective diet is respected and supported by adding the nutrients from foods and/or supplements which do not contain the problem food substances.
Carotenoids remain defined as ‘not essential to the human diet’ by Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease 7th edition. However we are not advocating a carotenoids-free diet generally. A carotenoids-free diet has been medically utilized for some conditions in recent history including Meniere’s disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Refsum’s disease and as treatment for canthaxanthine retinopathy. Specifically we recommend that the dietary intake of lutein be eliminated and that dietary beta-carotene be eliminated for a trial period of four months. This approach has resulted in numerous recoveries (10% of the initial trial group of 1000) and reports of significant and measurable improvements in 80% of those choosing to use this experimental diet.
This project began as a result of significant and measurable improvements reported by parents of autistic children. PR4A parent support group in Malaysia includes medical doctors and some of these medical doctors use the lutein-free diet for their own child(ren) with autism and reported their personal experiences at a large medical seminar in October 2002. Following that seminar, over 100 families in Malaysia chose to adopt the lutein-free diet, and their successes include recoveries within the first six months.
Media and health food industry investment in promoting lutein supplementation along with little knowledge of diet and nutrition in the general medical community could result in parents not being supported when they choose to implement a lutein-free diet for their child. FDA tolerance for allowing beta-carotene to be represented as vitamin A on packaging is a disturbing trend which confuses the general population and also most medical practitioners. We have been active also in providing information to Social Services in the United States and to Medical Research Council in the UK. We are confident a peer review research project will provide the medical evidence necessary to move the lutein-free diet from ‘experimental’ to ‘recognized’ treatment option. During the past nine years we have had no reports of worsening vision and we have had multiple reports of improved vision including delayed onset of visual maturity (a blind eye becomes a sighted eye) and also reports for reduced optical prescriptions, some going from as high as 9.75 initially to as low as 2.25 after six years on the lutein-free diet, and one report of a reversed diagnosis of kerataconis.
Myself, my husband and my adopted daughter Sarah have also been using the lutein-free diet for many years. We would not want to do anything to jeopardize our visual health either. The lutein reaction cannot be observed in a laboratory, and medical trials of a new dietary intervention method are not easy to obtain. Until there is documented proof, doctors have a problem in recommending a diet which is still considered ‘experimental’. Nevertheless, the internet is well used by many families who have experienced autism, and organisations such as the Autism Research Institute and others are quick to report on therapies, supplements and programs which these autism experts feel may be harmful. You will find no such warnings regarding the lutein-free diet by these autism watchdogs.
We have travelled and worked in many countries for and with people of all ages who have a diagnosis of autism, autism spectrum and autism with co-occurring conditions. We have worked with children diagnosed with ADHD, autism with challenging and/or self-injurious behavior. We have not limited our research to children or people with an autism diagnosis exclusive of other disease, disorders or conditions. All together we have provided private consultations to more than 2500 individual families around the world. Some of our findings include that in some locations as many as 70 percent of the individuals are from diverse ancestral backgrounds and 40 percent consistently have an immune compromised family history. This does not sound unusual to people who live in countries with massively diverse populations such as the USA and UK but in areas of the world where most of the local populations share common ancestral backgrounds the prevalence of autism is consistently higher in the ‘immigrant’ population. This finding is not new but it is not often illuminated.
Having a family history which indicates immune phenomena, immune compromised or auto-immune disorder does not seem all that rare either. However statistically the immune compromised human population varies from an estimated low of 9 percent in some populations to a high of 20 percent in the most affected populations. Therefore a percentage of forty percent of children with autism who have a family history which includes immune disease is at the higher end of the statistical picture. In our experience, when family history of immune disease and diverse ancestry overlap then the presentation of autism is generally more severe. No consistent genetic markers have yet been found to explain autism as an inheritable condition, and yet current estimates include as many as ten percent of those who have autism will have an additional family member or members with autism or noted autism characteristics. This is again consistent with our findings. Our research group in Malaysia includes five sibling pairs with autism and/or Asperger’s syndrome and two parents with Asperger’s syndrome.
Family History
Medical history and family history can provide information which can be used to justify further restrictions or accommodations to the diet. For example a family history of Parkinsonism or gout can be an indication of reduced tolerance for purine rich foods, even though these conditions may not manifest in the child. A family history of Celiac Disease especially with Irish ancestry can be a strong indication that a gluten-free diet will be indicated. Arthritis is recognized as a general population autoimmune response which has increased as a result of vaccination according to research in molecular biology. Other ‘general population’ autoimmune conditions which have increased in response to vaccination policy include diabetes and spontaneous abortion.
It is significant that there is very little overlap in the autism population with some common immune diseases, even where the parents, grandparents or siblings have these conditions. At one time, childhood rheumatoid arthritis was the number one childhood disease and yet there are no reports in the literature of autism and co-occurring arthritis. In the Medical Research Council Review of Autism (UK 2001), the experts noted the unusual finding that disease predisposition was not matched by disease presentation for subjects investigated for predisposition or who had testing which suggested they should present with a different clinical picture. This is not true for some allergic conditions such as allergic rhinitis and asthma, which are present in autism. We were participants in the MRC review. Throughout the course of our research we have found that individuals with autism and co-occurring conditions such as Down’s syndrome will often have a better clinical picture than a child with Down’s syndrome who does not have autism. There are less recorded cases of Down’s syndrome with autism with also heart condition, for example, although heart ailments are common in Down’s. It is our speculation that this evolution of the immune system in response to vaccination has resulted in some changes which may be an evolution towards survival of the species: children born with genetic predisposition to immune-related diseases from which they are protected by a mechanism which is autism related. This does little to comfort the family. The child won’t have arthritis but instead he has autism. Hardly a fair trade. However if autism is initiated by an immune response to a pigment from plant foods which the immune system selected, the substance which is directly associated with the naked chloroplast DNA in gelatin and plastid DNA in egg culture which is used in the preparation of vaccines and has been for nearly a century, then eliminating lutein from the diet can and does reduce and even alleviate the negative symptoms of autism and bring out the full potential of the individual. This can result in gains in IQ scores averaging and exceeding twenty five percent for some individuals.
Symptom versus behavior
The lutein-free diet is designed to treat a cause, possibly the most prevalent cause, of autism. Thalidomide exposure has been determined as also a probable causal factor in a very small number of cases. Like lutein, the response to thalidomide would be a natural killer response to a hapten substance (too small to produce an antibody response). Many hundreds of thousands of women were given thalidomide during pregnancy and still there have been less than 30 reported case histories of adults who developed autism who were from mothers who received the drug. Thalidomide has not been used in nearly four decades and has just been re-approved to treat leprosy. Currently research dollars are being sought to produce a primate model of autism using thalidomide. It is, in my opinion, a terrible waste of research dollars. How many monkeys would have to receive the drug before they produced offspring with autism? What behavioral or medical criteria could be used to confirm the diagnosis? Most thalidomide-exposed damaged babies presented with physical deformities, most people with autism do not present with physical deformities.
I do not advocate that dietary intervention is the only treatment option for autism. I do strongly suggest that other treatment options will generally fail to produce the desired or expected outcome for individuals with autism who have significant or for most even tiny amounts of lutein in their diets. Past reports of recoveries include the first IVIG recipient and he also was using B vitamin supplementation and a Feingold diet. The Feingold diet removes artificial food dyes and high salicylate foods (mainly colored fruits and vegetables). His diet restrictions have not generally been reported in the media surrounding IVIG. Talking to Annabel Stahli (The mother of Georgiana, the first autist to recover using AIT therapy), she acknowledges that Georgiana also had a self-selective diet when she received the AIT. Among the high functioning people with autism that we have met, most have self-selective diets. Many had difficult childhoods, but recovered as they enter adulthood and discovered the relationship between food choices and their condition.
Gluten and Casein intolerance are a common feature of the autism aetiology. Consistently the research findings include that as few as 12 percent and as many as twenty five percent of individuals with autism have elevated levels of antibodies to gluten and/or casein. This is not an uncommon finding in the human population. As many as ninety percent of the human population will have antibodies to peptides, the significant factor is in the extremely high antibody titers in the autistic subjects to these specific peptides. These figures might suggest that only twelve to twenty five percent of the autism population should respond favourably to a gluten and/or casein restricted diet, however the current research identifies that consistently forty percent of the study participants respond favourably and also that forty percent respond with worsening symptoms.
The research into morphine-like compounds (mu-opioids) in autism has been spearheaded by Dr. Kalle Reichelt from Norway and Paul Shattock of Sunderland University in the UK. In our earlier book and papers we present our perspective on these compounds, that they are indicators of immune system involvement in protecting the host through the manufacture of stress and pain-relieving substances. From that perspective, we can understand how removal of gluten/gliadin and casein can effect the individual in many ways, depending on individual variables. In many cases, removal of gluten and casein has been the starting point on journeys of recovery as dramatic and impressive as those that start out using the Sara’s Diet approach, but these results have to be put into the context that many or even most autists start to avoid or refuse certain foods from a very young age. The foods they are avoiding are not often the opioid-producing wheat and dairy, but the colored fruits and vegetables – the lutein-containing foods. It is not an easy task for a child to recognise every source of lutein, so that when we meet the children for the first time, one or two hidden sources remain, often orange juice and egg yolk.
Most children’s snacks and treats contain food dyes. When a GFCF diet is initiated, firstly a lot more is removed, both good and bad, than simply gluten and casein. The improvements in cognition and behavior are seen within the first few months, but also signs of additional sensitivities as the protective effects of the opioids begin to wear off. Some children will begin to refuse the remaining lutein foods in their diet as they become more aware of the lutein reaction. Many additive-filled snacks will be removed as the parents become more health-conscious. Additionally, well-informed parents will supplement with cod-liver oil, DMG, B-vitamins, molybdenum and a host of other supplements and medicines in the marketplace that are promoted as beneficial to this population. The next stage is treatment for candida and heavy metal toxicity, and although these treatments are often fraught with danger, many children make additional improvements.
Dietary Intervention as a treatment for autism is well on its way to becoming recognised as one of the most powerful tools, and yet even its most ardent supporters admit that it doesn’t always work, and that often the results are a worsening of behaviors, and often appears to lead to new problems such as recurrent yeast infections, allergic reactions to new foods, a loss of weight, and children who are nutrient deprived on very limited diets. There are several reasons why a gluten and/or casein-free diet result in a worsening in some with autism. In many cases, the nutrient intake is already very limited prior to diet. Often, wheat and dairy are the primary nutrient sources for children whose favorites are pasta, pizza and McDonalds. Dairy products contain many defensive substances such as lactoferrin, retinol and a good balance of essential amino acids. Whole wheat contains molybdenum and Vitamin E and many other essential nutrients. Foods used to replace the gluten and casein foods often contain soy protein, which contains the substance genistein, which may act as a neurotoxin in some, and buckwheat which contains lutein. So the GFCF diet has very mixed results.
I am a trained behavioral therapist with the greatest amount of education being towards teaching people to teach social skills to special needs children. My primary training was with juvenile delinquents, sex offenders and attachment disordered children. I am not oppositional to the ABA or Lovaas style ABA approaches as long as the child’s basic needs are met consistently and the program is delivered without use of aversives or punishment. I do feel the statistics were manipulated and currently there are eighteen programs in progress which are trying to replicate the original Lovaas study. In my work I have come across many families who were angry because their child did not make measurable progress during the first six months and the program was forcibly discontinued. The family could continue the program but without the support of the TEAM. I do not know what percentage of the programs are discontinued because the children do not make improvements. Is it five percent or ninety percent? No statistical information of this type is published. I do feel that trained therapists are generally among the best currently available resources for a child with autism. It does however depend a lot on the individual therapists and some are much better than others. It is also distressing that it can take as long as three years (or more) to get a diagnosis and for children diagnosed later they are past the early time frame recommended for implementing an early intervention program.
If I tell you that you and your family will receive an all-expenses-paid ten day trip to Disneyland and all you have to do is fly. Just simply lift your body off the ground without any mechanical device then you are going to get the reward. Sometimes our children with autism are facing unreasonable demands. The parent, the teacher, the therapist knows the child can perform the task because he has done it before. However, when he did it before maybe he didn’t just have orange juice and eggs for breakfast and broccoli for lunch and although he could do the task yesterday, today his immune system is reacting to lutein as a pathogen and his body is in a state of fight, flight and fright and he cannot do the task. Each time he cannot be successful at managing the task he is under stress and his inability to comply contributes to the development of coping skills which are used to avoid, refuse and deny. While he is receiving behavior modification he also is learning behavior modification skills. He knows what you, the parent and the therapist, do not like. Avoidance strategies can develop into a behavioral complex which are employed to avoid participation, compliance and failure. This behavioral complex can include threatening and violent behavioral aggression and is then labelled as challenging behavior. We hear many media reports from parents who can no longer cope with their teenage children or even young children with autism who have developed challenging behaviors.
Think of the baby rabbit facing a predator, the fox. Some rabbits will stand really still and try not to be seen, stiff and shaking. Another rabbit will run wildly in circles, panicked. A third rabbit might dive into the den safe but afraid to emerge. Now imagine your child is that baby rabbit and food is the predator. This is the immune response which is occurring in his body when the food pathogen enters. It begins with the eyes, the smell, the taste. One of the brain differences found in autism is the amygdala, a part of the brain which has neurochemical receptors to adrenal hormones. It is different in autism, not damaged, but different. This is the area of the brain which makes the switch from fight or flight (adrenal) to nurture (the molecules of emotion), the part of our brain which we need in order to develop emotional maturity, nurturing, bonding, love and communication. The brain research tells us that the amygdala cells are less well developed than in the general population. Development of the amygdala and its connections to the other organs of the Limbic (emotional, nurturing, language and learning) System of the brain happens as we learn and grow emotionally. This is switched off in autism as a response to an immune reaction that has been happening, not intermittently, but throughout life.
Trust develops in the infant as he receives nourishment from food, cuddles, is cleaned and kept safe and warm. Imagine how our children might experience these things differently: their food causes pain and discomfort, cuddles and care feel different. At first they receive breast milk, but Kanner’s research identified food and feeding difficulties in eight of the eleven first diagnosed cases. A Japanese study concluded that more children who were later diagnosed with autism were bottle rather than breast-milk fed. Their opinion was that bottle feeding contributed to autism but there was no reason provided as to why the children with autism were more likely to be bottle fed. Kanner’s work and my research findings include that often the infants who are later diagnosed with autism have difficulty in feeding right from the beginning. Formula is not always better than breast milk and often our children with autism are quicker to move to baby foods than recommended in the infant feeding schedule. Breast milk can be a source of lutein depending on the mother’s diet. Formula may or may not contain carotenoids. Cow’s milk is a source of lutein and some wheat is a source of lutein (durum wheat, semolina and spelt), so removing gluten and casein also removes two potential sources of lutein. I have met many children with autism not yet three years old who had managed to eliminate every source of lutein from their self-selective (self-protective) diets and they often were doing very well. Their diets looked at first glance to be little more than junk food diets but often they had managed to find sources for almost every essential nutrient within their favorite packaged foods. Many will not eat anything other than finger foods, foods which cannot possibly have anything hidden in them. I can tell you also that very often the children taking the least amount or no supplements are doing far better than those relying on supplements for nutritional support. When I prepare the diet recommendations they will be based on the information provided. I am just as likely to recommend for example supplemental vitamin C or removal of supplemental vitamin C depending on the information provided. The ascorbic acid and citric acid levels are the most consistently disordered levels on the OAT test for people who have autism.
Giving more of something we have a problem with is not always a good idea. Many children with autism have undiagnosed visual impairment. One child no matter how hard he tried could not tell the difference between a picture of a boy and a picture of the girl. Asked over and over to try and make the determination he still could not see the teaching tool. Children learn by success and repeated success. Take for example the full grown elephant who, as an infant, was chained by a heavy logging chain and cannot break free no matter how hard he tries. Later the full grown elephant does not even try to break free and can be held by little more than a shoe string. He has given up the fight. Another example of behavioral stress is found in Pavlov’s famous experiment, he reported that his dogs learned to salivate when the bell rang. They were given food, a bell rang and they produced saliva. Take away the food and ring the bell and the dogs still salivate. But how do we re-teach the dogs not to salivate when the bell rings? How do we help our children with autism develop a ‘can do’ attitude and overcome the conditioning of failure? First we have to identify the symptoms and see that these symptoms are treated. Food allergy and intolerance is treated with dietary changes, not behavioural intervention. There are also allergy treatments such as EPD (Enzyme Potentiated Desensitization) which can be used but the response to lutein will not respond to EPD – it is not a specific IgG or IgE response to a pathogen, but part of the innate/learned response system that is built into the immune system during fetal development. Digestive insufficiency can be treated with enzyme support, nutrient deficiency with diet, improved nutrient uptake in the gut, and supplements if warranted. Gut dysbiosis can be treated with a combination of pharmaceuticals, natural substances and diet, visual impairment with corrective lenses, behavioral optometry and adapted teaching tools, auditory disturbance with diet and AIT, tactile and sensory defensiveness with sensory integration, and so on. Treating a symptom as a behavior is not realistic. For example I had one client who spun in circles and this behavior went away when he was medically determined to be fructose intolerant and fruit sugar was removed from his diet. I thought it was an isolated incident but it happened a second time to a different child. Many children with autism and some adults will spin in circles and sometimes it may be a behavior but it could also be a symptom. Behavioral intervention is not going to be effective in addressing symptoms.
Symptoms
I do like to see the laboratory tests from clients when this is possible and
particularly the OAT (Organic Acid Test), stool,
immune and liver panels. I had four years training in laboratory science and a
training course from Great Smokies and also visited the MetaMatrix lab in
Atlanta. I like to look at the lab reports and compare them to reports I have
for other children of similar and different backgrounds. The families I have
consulted for are from many areas of the world and many are from areas where
internet access is a rare luxury. Only about five percent of the world
population actually have computers. Many of the families have been poor by any
standards, and budgets simply will not accommodate supplements or lab testing.
In one of the early studies in India the only supplement recommended was cod
liver oil and some of the more affluent families provided this to some of the
poorest families. The children in India and the Far East were among the
healthiest autists we have seen and those in the USA and UK have been some of
the most severe. The differences are mostly environmental – easy availability of
a wide range of fruits and vegetables, herbs, spices and grains, less stress
from pollution, noise, food processing and industry, and a healthy climate.
Maldigestion can be the result of many things and this includes interference
with the natural production of enzymes, stress at meal times, poor diet,
genetics, immunogenetics, environment, gut dysbiosis, leaky gut, malabsorption
and gut inflammation to name a few. Malabsorption can result from untreated
celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, maldigestion, a gut coated in casein (which is
like oil-based paint), gut dysbiosis and inflammation to name a few of the
causes. Overgrowth of bacteria can result from poor diet, poor quality water, an
immune system that fails to recognize pathogens, pathogens recognized as
friendly flora, disturbed gut pH, inability to colonize friendly flora and so
on. Heavy metal toxicity can result from excessive exposure, reduced enzyme
production, xanthinuria. In autism the research has shown disturbed metal
metabolism at birth (i.e. before vaccination). I do not advocate for vaccination
nor do I agree that thimerisol should ever have been used in the manufacture of
vaccines or given to mothers in labor through pitocin injections. There are many
other consistent biomedical findings in autism: Elevated GFAP (Glial Fibrilary
Acidic Protein – 100 percent), decreased PST-P (nearly 100 percent), elevated
levels of urinary neopterin (nearly 100 percent), elevated blood serotonin
(consistently 60 percent), metallothioneine enzyme deficiency (85+ percent)
which is likely to be part of the cause of the heavy metal toxicity
levels.Another factor is the immune reaction to foods containing the pigment
pathogen. The removal of the pigment pathogen and release of aldehyde could
inhibit the production of natural enzymes.
When a disease, disorder or condition has consistent biomedical findings, it
is usually hypothesized that there is also a common causal factor. Consistently
the immune panels are disordered but the findings are not consistent in the
immune disturbance. Some consistencies do present such as differences in IL12,
CD4 and CD8. Identical twins have been studied and there is a higher incidence
of both identical twins having a diagnosis of autism and significantly less
chance of both twins having autism when they are from different eggs (not
identical). The presentation in the identical twins is still very variable with
one potentially being severe and the other mild. Most experts would suggest that
identical twins with autism would have a common causal factor and yet a wide
variation of presentation is used as an argument for multiple causal factors. If
lutein is found to be the causal factor it can be shown that this immune
response would potentially result in each of these biomedical markers. More
importantly it affects each of us in a unique way, even identical twins,
resulting in and contributing to our development during embryogenesis. It
affects us at the immune-genetic level which is the area which distinguishes the
differences between even identical twins.
What to expect
For the child who has quite a lot of lutein sources in the diet you should see
changes very quickly as the lutein is removed. Usually within the first three to
twelve days we see a low grade intermittent fever which can best be treated with
pycnogenol or children’s dye-free pediaprophen. Not acetaminophen, as the
research from R. Waring (UK) has shown poor sulfation in people with autism and
it is unlikely that acetaminophen is effective. It is unlikely that treating the
fever is therapeutic or necessary. The fever might be accompanied by cold- or
flu-like symptoms. This is called herxheimer die-off reaction and will usually
last three days but can last three weeks. Often there is a mild rash, usually at
the back of the leg behind the knee but sometimes on the cheek of the face under
one eye, occasionally under the arm pit or on the top of one foot and rarely on
the genital area. On or about day twelve lutein-free the individual will likely
be agitated and irritable – this usually lasts about twelve hours. If the
individual is NOT lutein-intolerant or has experienced a self-limited diet
avoiding most lutein sources then there will be no signs or symptoms expected to
result in the first 12 days when removing lutein from the diet. Sometimes the
signs are very subtle and may be missed. The individual may already have been
avoiding lutein or had a naturally lutein-free diet. Sometimes no obvious
changes are seen for several weeks and up to 4 months.
The stool color and consistency will go through several changes. Often this
begins immediately but sometimes it happens at the 120 day point (rarely) and
lasts usually about five weeks. They will likely experience a difference at this
time in the way it feels to relieve themselves and may want to drink more water
and urinate much more frequently. Saliva production often increases, and they
may play with the saliva or spit because it is a new experience for them to
produce saliva. Most infants learn to deal with saliva at about age two and a
half to three. At age six there is more creativity.
It is a good idea to weigh the person before starting the diet and then
frequently as the diet progresses as some parents say that it looked like their
child deflated, and they are worried that there is weight loss, whereas in fact
there is not often weight loss. The deflation is caused by stored compounds in
the body breaking down and being eliminated, which can also result in gaseous odors which are unpleasant (smells like rotten eggs). This is not a
calorie-restricted diet and it is unlikely the individual will lose weight
although the first couple of weeks can be difficult, and in some cases the
children continue to refuse new foods.
I generally recommend a stool analysis after or near the 120-day point because
often the individuals have gut pathogens and yet they do not appear to
experience the symptoms which would be expected from these pathogens, such as
dehydration, vomiting, headaches, sore throats and diarrhea. Vomiting is not a
common occurrence for individuals with autism – some with co-occurring
conditions such as CP and GER are more prone to vomiting. During the cleansing
process, the immune system may change it’s relationship to the gut pathogens,
and suddenly recognize them as pathogens, leading to symptoms. The child could
experience symptoms and it is hoped that the physician will call in phenergan
suppository to stop the vomiting should this be needed. This would be a rare
occurrence. Medical doctors who have a child with autism will often choose
natural treatment recommendations over the pharmaceuticals, not always. You
would be amazed how many MDs use naturopathic medicine for their own children.
Yeast and particularly Candida albicans is active in the formation of nine
different heat shock proteins which the human body uses to naturally chelate
heavy metal toxins. It is not uncommon for candida levels to rise and signs of
metal detox can include a darkening of the plaque on the teeth, stool color as
gray briefly. Consistently the arabinose levels decrease to normal and signs and
symptoms of candida are usually gone by 120 days lutein free. In South Africa
there is a natural antifungal supplement called Warburgia. It is available
through House of Health, and is commonly used by people with HIV-AIDs who suffer
with candida overgrowth as a result of medication usage. I was concerned that
the source of the warburgia was an endangered species but the CEO, Stuart
Wilson, convinced me that the trees were well protected and the source was
adequate to accommodate supply and demand. To try this product contact Stuart
Wilson at
s.wilson@mweb.co.za
Reducing the intake of carotenoids will also help the body to overcome the
Candida. Carotenoids are actively incorporated into micelles and used as
protection by fungi such as Candida.
Essential nutrients
First and foremost is that they receive all the essential nutrients from foods
and/or supplements. When nutrients are supplied in the form of supplements then
the supplements can suppress natural food cravings. Vitamins work in random,
tandem and chaos. This means that supplements provide vitamins but some vitamin
activity is altered in the presence of others. The supplemental source can
cancel out vitamin availability. Some of the supplements being used are futile
when using a restrictive diet. For example a group of 47 individuals who were
using dairy-free diets had laboratory testing showing no growth of lactobacillus
acidophilus in the gut. When provided heavy amounts of pharmaceutical grade live
culture bacteria there was still no detectable levels of lactobacillus
acidophilus after four months. L.a. requires lactose in the diet, but L. bifidus
on the other hand can grow without dairy lactose. Humans use lactobacillus
acidophilus in the manufacture of some B vitamins, production of vitamin K
(clotting factor) and control of candida and fungi in the gut, but it is not
essential. There are many reasons to avoid dairy and/or gluten containing foods.
Wheat can cause calcium and protein flushing resulting in poor bone density and
increased craving for protein rich foods which places added stress on the
kidneys.
Milk processing
As many as eighty five percent of the world population is intolerant to some
dairy component, usually casein or lactose. The enormous consumption of dairy in
the West is not matched in most of Asia and Africa. The use of large quantities
of whole milk is a modern phenomenon linked to refrigeration. In the East,
sheep’s and goat’s milk are more common – these animals produce a milk that is
lower in casein or even casein-free – and yogurt consumption is more common. In
the West, before the modern age, milk was naturally and mechanically separated
and processed into cream, sour cream, cheese, yogurt, whey, butter, buttermilk,
soured milk, etc. etc. The casein content of the milk was much lower and the
vitamin-rich fat was higher. When yogurt is made, the friendly bacteria break
down the casein, and are beneficial to the human gut. Some of the longest-lived
populations are those of the mountains of Bulgaria where the staple diet is
yogurt and molasses. The bacteria used in yogurt making was traditionally
bifidus and bulgaricus, which are more natural to the human diet than
acidophilus. Milk was also separated, and the whey was drunk. Whey protein is
much easier to digest than casein, and has an amino acid profile similar to egg
white. The curds were made into cheese. Some cheese is higher in casein and
others higher in fat, so the choice is individual.
The natural diets of traditional peoples around the world developed over
thousands of years based on local availability of foods and folk wisdom. Modern
western food production methods are based on mass production, global
transportation and commodity prices. We have been taught to believe that people
in the West are healthier because they live longer, but long life is not a
measure of good health. There are more chronically ill people in the affluent
societies than ever before in history. Chronic ill health is a western
phenomenon, and it is directly linked to poor nutrition and the loss of
traditional wisdom. America has more hospitalised people as a percentage of the
population than any other nation on earth. A diet which follows the
recommendations of the food guide pyramid would result in consumption of protein
at three times the recommended intake. Removing dairy protein can significantly
reduce the protein intake to a much more therapeutic level. Additionally wheat
and dairy use up acetylcholine precursor foods in their detoxification.
Acetylcholine
The dietary acetylcholine precursors must always be included in the diet.
Acetylcholine is a brain chemical that is active in biological processes. It is
suggested that acetylcholine is active in verbal speech development in humans (Koelle).
It is a chemical that helps the other brain chemicals to do their jobs,
balancing the molecules of emotion and immune influence. We see and respond to
our environment with chemical reactions to words, music, noises, textures,
odours, tastes and colors. These responses are a combination of immune responses
and emotional responses – from ‘feels good and is good for me’ to ‘feels bad and
is not good for me’. Foods also contribute to the chemicals our bodies produce
which make us feel good or feel bad. The acetylcholine name is quite scientific
but it is just a word that describes the substance which is made from a
combination of foods. The substance itself is very important because if we do
not have all of the dietary foods needed to produce this acetylcholine then
things go wrong.
The acetylcholine substance relies on five primary dietary food substance
precursors. It helps me to think of it as a puzzle with a changing picture. You
can buy these as developmental toys in the form of six blocks. Each of the
blocks has six sides and when you put all of the blocks together correctly you
get a picture. Turn all the blocks to a different square and you get a different
picture using the same blocks. Acetylcholine can be pictured as the substance
which cleanses the toxin known as gliadin which mainly comes from wheat and rye.
In the past century wheat particularly has been altered by science and farming
practice and use of wheat has increased in our human diet. It comes in from
breads, cereals, cookies, biscuits, pasta and as additives in other foods. Some
forms of wheat also contain lutein i.e. durum wheat and spelt. Bread made with
yeast to make it rise is particularly addictive. If our foods are being used to
manufacture acetylcholine for cleansing gluten-gliadin wastes from an excessive
intake of wheat, then we are at greater risk of B vitamin deficiencies, fatty
acid deficiencies and digestive enzyme deficiencies. Avoiding foods which
contain wheat eliminates all those temptations which contain yeast, food dyes,
preservatives and which are often made into food stuff with little nutritional
value. In a population for which wheat was not historically a natural grain,
such as much of Asia, wheat intolerance and its associated chronic diseases is
increasing as these countries are flooded with commercial wheat products
originating in the West, which cause gut damage, mood changes and can result in
B vitamin deficiencies which can be irreversible. At the same time, the enormous
consumption of wheat in the West is contributing to chronic health patterns
which are increasing exponentially.
Acetylcholine can be pictured as the substance which is needed by the body to
produce the enzyme rennin which breaks down the milk protein casein. Casein can
also be broken down by Streptococcus bacteria. A diet deficient in acetylcholine
precursors appears to contribute to strep overgrowth. This overgrowth can also
be related to a heavy intake of casein. Dairy is a primary source of riboflavin,
a B vitamin, as well as Vitamin A (retinol) and other essential nutrients. Many
do well with dairy fat foods such as butter, ghee and cream or cream cheese, but
eliminating the casein content (hard cheese, whole and skimmed milk). In yogurt,
the casein is broken down already, and the yogurt supplies the enzymes and
bacteria that are beneficial.
Acetylcholine can be pictured as the substance called renin which is used to
make the enzyme which regulates blood pressure. In many families with autistic
children, there is a history of high or low blood pressure, often coupled with
diabetes. In a family where blood pressure irregularities exist, paying close
attention to the acetylcholine precursor foods can prevent the development of
problems and can reduce or alleviate existing problems.
Acetylcholine can be pictured as the substance used to produce enzymes in
saliva called sialic acid which kill bacteria and germs coming in through the
mouth and nose, also used to break down simple sugars before they reach the gut
so these do not feed gut pathogens such as candida albicans (yeast infections).
Acetylcholine is also a brain chemical acting and interacting with other brain chemicals which contribute to feelings of satisfaction, satiation (fullness after eating), elation, happiness, sadness, fear, anxiety.
Acetylcholine is
associated to the arachidonic acid cascade whereby waste matter is moved through
the gut by smooth muscle contraction.
If all of the acetylcholine precursors are not supplied in the diet then food
substances such as choline can be converted to betaine and the body must use
alternative detoxification methods – seen as profuse sweating and increased
thirst.
The dietary precursors of acetylcholine include:
If food sources of nutrients are
impossible to obtain, whether from self-limited (self-protective) diets,
restrictions due to food allergies or intolerances, then adequate
supplementation must be provided to meet nutritional requirements. If the diet
supplies the essential nutrients from foods and adequate digestion is taking
place then supplements are expensive waste products using not only monetary
resources but also taking up valuable detoxification pathways.
Looking at these food sources it is easy to see that the human diet naturally provides ample food sources for a normal metabolism. Most people ingest choline food sources regularly, most people’s bodies can produce lecithin from beans or lentils (dahl). Egg yolk is widely used in the human diet and many using a strict vegan diet use safflower oil (India). DMG was more prevalent in the human diet before wheat processing and worldwide distribution began to replace rice and yam (sweet potato), which was a staple root vegetable stored for year round use in many traditional diets. Use of honey has largely been replaced with processed sugar. The autistic metabolism creates additional problems – manufacture of lecithin from beans and lentils is less effective, and egg yolk has to be removed due to lutein content. DMG is sometimes better taken as a sub-lingual supplement to ensure adequate uptake. Yeast problems and phenol sensitivities lead to less choice of sugars, starches and fruits.
The dietary
consultation – an example
Every individual is different. Our first book contains a basic generic diet. The
following gives an example of a dietary consultation which requires no cultural
restrictions or specific to any special circumstances. It is not our intent to
change the beliefs of the reader. Some people will choose free range and organic
foods, some will avoid genetically modified foods. People will have come to
their own conclusions about processed sugar and food additives. Many who are
educated will avoid cooking in aluminum pots and drinking beverages from
aluminum cans. Some will only drink bottled or purified water. Some people will
begin with no knowledge of diet and prior to reading this may have included
every food and food-like substance in their diet.
There are many types of cultural and religious diet
restrictions possible. We are familiar with the vegetarian diet, removal of some
specific meats, elimination of sea foods and even cultural restrictions which
include use of no root vegetables. You must adapt the information to your
individual choices and budgets. We include some products which do contain corn
syrup, for example. I have contacted several product manufacturers and most
companies use clear corn syrup to protect the product color consistency. Still,
you might wish to make your own carbonated soda such as soda water flavored with
ginger root and sweetened with rice syrup for example. Convenience will be a
factor for some and use of prepared products will be their choice. There are
also some products which will contain yellow corn syrup, if you don’t know then
call and ask the company making the product in question. For every rule there is
an exception. MSG may be a problem for some or many people with autism. For
those with homocysteinuria it is wise to remove sources of MSG (monosodium
glutamate). People of Chinese ancestry have natural protection from
homocysteinuria and it is less likely that total avoidance of MSG is required
for people of Chinese ancestry. Your heritage and ancestral diet is often the
better choice than the monocultural diets overtaking the human population. Yes,
wheat tastes good and is readily available but if your ancestors did not have
wheat in their diet then there is a greater chance that your body cannot handle
wheat-derived products. Celiac disease has risen from estimates of 1 in 300,000
forty years ago to current estimates of 1 in 150 in the general population and
as high as 1 in 50 for people with autism in some studies.
The recommendations and information provided for your child will be
interpreted by you, the parents, and sometimes also the primary care physician.
If at any time you firmly disagree with a recommendation then use your best
judgment – you know your child better than anyone else. A lutein ingestion is
obviously not fatal, nor is the removal of lutein. Naturally there are diets in
populations which provide very little lutein. The traditional mainland Chinese
diet contains only a few natural sources of lutein: egg yolk, seasonal spinach,
watercress and boxthorn berry, historically it was naturally devoid of wheat and
dairy also. The traditional Eskimo diet provides almost no sources of lutein.
People have been placed on tube feedings and special nutrition formulas for long
periods which did not and do not contain lutein. There is no literature which
suggests a long term use of a lutein-free formula results in blindness or visual
impairment. The only long-term study of nutrition and eye health concluded that
fish oils are more protective than colored fruits and vegetables in maintaining
eye health. We work with many families from many areas of the world and budget
constraints mean that supplements and organic free range foods are not always an
option. People have also differing opinions on sugar, preservatives, food
additives, cultural restrictions and so on. It is not my desire to challenge
your belief system.
Diet recommendations
This is not a ‘cookie cutter’ diet, it can be prepared to accommodate cultural
and religious preference, remove foods which are displeasing or avoided by the
individual. Experience tells me that avoiding sugar can result in lowering
taurine levels. Some conditions which have a similarity to autism such as acute
intermittent porphyria have been treated during flare ups with glucose IV. If
there is no family history of diabetes then a wide variety of sugars
(carbohydrates) is important. I have met several individuals who deteriorated
with long term use of the ‘Strict Carbohydrate’ diet and most notable was muscle
weakness. The brain requires glucose every six hours and if the C (carbons) H (hydrogens)
and O (oxygens) have to be taken from protein or fat sources then amino acid
metabolism and fatty acid metabolism can be negatively affected.
Protein
Two to three ounces of whole meat protein daily. If a purine restricted diet is
recommended then protein from all sources as well as purine content from
non-protein foods will also need to be considered. A combination of lentils
(beans, dahl) and grains can provide all essential amino acids for those
choosing a vegetarian diet. Protein from nuts, dairy and egg white do not
generally have to be calculated as long as these sources are used in moderation.
Meat broth also contains all the essential amino acids. During a candida cleanse
avoid pork.
Meat and fish: Pork, lamb (the fats from pork and lamb do not contain
lutein). Beef, poultry – the fats from chicken particularly and also turkey and
beef contain lutein. Prepare turkey or chicken with skin and fat removed. Choose
lean cuts of beef. Organ meats can be used – Chicken liver is a good source of
folic acid, beef liver a good source of arachidonic acid. Rabbit and other wild
meats such as ostrich, buffalo and deer can be used. Unless there is an obvious
intolerance, most fish is okay such as sardines, pilchards, haddock, hake, cod,
fresh tuna or tuna packed in water or oil (not vegetable broth). Squid and
anchovy (unless purine restriction is indicated) are usually OK. Sea fish are
good source of many essential nutrients, especially trace elements, iodine,
magnesium, calcium, vitamin A and essential fatty acids and possibly some
essential elements that haven’t even been recognized. Sea vegetables such as sea
weed and sea cucumber are also very nutritious. It is true that sea mercury
levels have increased through toxic dumping, but once the detox systems of the
body are working effectively, the body should be able to handle a reasonable
amount of mercury exposure. The artificial injection of mercury into young
infants in vaccines is another matter. Other significant sources of toxins are
azo dyes (food dyes i.e. F D & C Red # 40 also called azura red, and Blue #1)
which contain as ingredients mercury, lead and arsenic.
AVOID: Shellfish and specifically red lobster, prawn and crab, for at
least four months. The red pigment is produced from the dietary pigment food
sources of these shell fish and the diets of their prey which include red algae.
Red algae are sources of red xanthophyllic pigment, luteins are in the
xanthophyll family of pigments.
Beans (lentils, legumes, dhal) – White Cannelli Kidney Bean, Chickpea, Mung
bean, Moong dahl, Pinto, Great Northern, Field pea (not green pea!), Navy, Red
kidney beans are also tolerated by most. Legumes are trypsin inhibitors and
supplementation with a digestive enzyme complex providing ‘chymotrypsin’ or
‘protease’ will support the body in breaking down and using the amino acids from
these foods. Some papadams – Indian bean flour crisp bread – are made with gram
flour which can contain chana dahl but a papadam made from only chick pea flour
is OK. Peanut (or ground nut) is a legume rather than a nut. Often peanut is not
tolerated initially, but peanut is a strong source of niacin. Niacin metabolism
is altered in the autists, making some crave peanuts and others allergic to it.
If a problem, try reintroducing four months after removing lutein from the diet.
AVOID: Soy bean protein, red bean paste, orange and dark green Indian dhal or
split pea (Chana dahl and thoor dahl). Avoid English green pea. Soy protein
contains genistein, a substance that forces the conversion of tryptophan to
kynurenine. Lab tests have been provided many times which show normal levels of
kynurenine on the OAT test prior to implementing a GF, CF or GFCF diet and the
levels rose to elevated and abnormal within thirty days for individuals whose
diets had replaced dairy and/or wheat with soy protein products.
Nuts: Macadamia, Hazelnut (filbert), Walnut, Brazil, Pecan, Almond
No: Pistachio, cashew.
Egg: Many test allergic to egg yolk and egg white. It is our experience
that the real problem is the egg yolk, and the test results indicating an IgG
response to egg white show an immune system association, as the egg albumin is
used as part of the detoxification system. Egg white can usually be returned to
the diet without any danger. (can be made yellow with a sprinkle of turmeric)
No: Egg Yolk.
Dairy
Tolerance to dairy is very individual. Some have true allergies, lactose
intolerance, etc. Some studies estimate as many as eighty five percent of the
world population is intolerant or allergic to some component of dairy products.
Some people can consume dairy with no adverse reaction. Some need to remove just
the casein (hard cheeses, milk) or just the lactose. Ghee does not contain dairy
protein. We usually suggest that most begin the lutein free diet and then in
five to eight weeks consider adding dairy fats as natural ghee and/or butter
first, followed by plain yogurt, kefir, goat's milk, cream, cream cheese, whey.
AVOID: Whole milk, skimmed milk, hard cheeses, dairy products which are
colored with beta-carotene, annatto and artificial colorants.
Grains At least one serving daily and up to three different grains.
Grains provide fiber, a wide variety of B vitamins and essential oils including
vitamin E. Historically grains have been used in all cultural diets with very
few exceptions. Unfortunately, these cultural grains have been largely replaced
by processed wheat products with little nutrient value. I advocate for the use
of three different grains, preferably whole grains, and in areas such as the
East this can be three different types of rice. In Europe there are now far
fewer choices of grains than in our grandparents day, whereas as many as seventy
five different varieties of rice are sold in the street markets of Borneo. I do
not always know if the child has had testing which shows elevated antibodies to
gluten. [NB: There is a high rate of carotenemia among people with celiac
disease.]
OK: Brown rice, white rice, sorghum, jowar flour, white corn, white
millet.
AVOID: Wheat (especially semolina), Spelt, Buckwheat, yellow corn,
amaranth, quinoa, yellow millet.
Your discretion: Barley, rye, oats (use dry oats as a remedy for
diarrhea, or one to two tablespoons in pear or apple sauce). These grains are
removed by people adopting a strict GFCF diet. You may remove them for 4 months
and then try reintroducing them. Some can also reintroduce a small amount of
wheat without any deleterious effects, but not more than 20% of total grain
intake.
Starch and simple sugar - at least one
serving daily.
Starch: Potato (peeled). Yam – preferably white yam (also called African
potato and Egyptian yam) can come in a brown or purple skin or be sold as yam
flour.
Roots: Peeled – Arrowroot, taro, turnip, kohl-rabi (spinach root),
radish, celery (root only), sago, cassava, malanga, jacaima, name, fennel, corn
starch, potato starch, rice starch. AVOID: Orange sweet potato (try adding after
four months have passed). Some types of potato does often contain lutein just
under the skin, so peel all potatoes. Potato is a good source of several
nutrients: Thiamin, calcium, vitamin C, zinc and also pre-melanin as well as a
valerian-like substance (naturally calming).
Sugars: Date sugar, coconut sugar, beetroot sugar, rice syrup, maple
syrup, unsulfured blackstrap molasses (high in iron so use in moderation, good
for menstruating females), manuka honey (healing for damaged gut linings),
clover honey.
Fruit: Up to three servings daily from combined sources. This can be for
example several different dried fruits served together but the amount given
equalling to a serving. It can be several glasses of juice but the amount of
juice or juice concentrate equating to one serving and then diluted to provide
as many servings as needed. Raw fruits can be a single selection or several
different fruits served for example as a fruit salad. The recommendation is to
limit to three servings daily and this can be three servings of dried fruits,
three servings of prepared fruits (jams or jellies), three servings of juice or
three servings of fresh raw fruits or any combination of these. A serving size
is dependant on age and weight. A serving for an infant might be one-half of a
small banana and for an adult two or three small bananas or one large banana.
During a candida cleanse avoid fruit juice and melons.
Prepared fruits: jams or jellies, the simplest jams are the best –
prepared with fruit, sugar and pectin only: blackcurrant, blueberry, raspberry,
blackberry, pineapple, ginger, white grape, cranberry.
Dried fruits: Date, fig, pineapple, banana chips, golden raisins,
cranberries, blue berries.
Fresh fruit (peeled): Apple, pear, Asian pear, banana, dragon fruit,
pummelo, litchee, rambutan, honeydew melon, watermelon, guava, winter melon (a Chinese
delicacy available in the east and at some Chinese restaurants elsewhere). Red
grapefruit (not to be used if any medications are in use – check with pharmacist
for possible reactions and naturopath or homeopath before including pink
grapefruit). In Asia there are many more choices, sometimes available only in
some locations.
Fruit juice: Cranberry, pear (sediment free such as baby brands),
blackcurrant, white grape, pineapple (best from frozen concentrate), guava,
lemon, tomato (in moderation – from glass container, not tinned.) NOT apple
unless convinced that the peel was not used in manufacture.
AVOID: Orange, tangerine, apricot, cherry, mango, papaya, peach,
nectarines, plums, prunes, purple grapes, dark raisins, redcurrant,
strawberries, avocado, kiwi, Jack fruit. Apple juice is best avoided as it often
contains the skin and is high in phenols. Until four months have passed avoid
also musk melon (cantaloupe), butternut squash and orange sweet potato. These
are the primary sources of beta-carotene which do not also contain lutein. They
may very well tolerate these foods or they may not tolerate these foods. Baby
white mango, white cherries and grapes will have a variety of different
carotenoids and levels of carotenoids. Some may tolerate these foods and others
will not tolerate these foods.
Raw Vegetable at least one daily, more is better (unlimited)
Raw Vegetable: Radish (peeled), iceberg lettuce or other white/light
green lettuce, cabbage, sauerkraut, tomato, cucumber (peeled), bok choy (stalk,
not leaves), water chestnut – these are only available canned in most countries
outside Asia, but you may be able to get fresh from a Chinese market, onion
(white is best but purple and yellow can be used), garlic, black olive,
mushrooms.
Cooked Vegetables at least two daily, more is OK
Cooked Vegetable: Onions, garlic, ginger, tomato, lotus (root and seed),
brinjal also called aubergine (peeled), courgette (white inside, peel removed),
cauliflower, cabbage (remove very dark outer leaves), purple cabbage (in
moderation), beetroot, parsnip (peeled), leeks (all), chives, dark red pepper
(variable levels of carotenoids during ripening), red chillies, black olive,
pickled beets, mushrooms, bamboo, heart of palm, artichokes (hearts or bottoms),
cassava (available also as flour).
NO: Celery leaf (celery root called celeriac is OK), Green asparagus
(white asparagus is OK), carrot (not a significant source of lutein which is
contained in the center yellow portion of the carrot which is primarily
beta-carotene), bean sprouts (not a source of lutein and these can be used as
cooked – they contain bacteria which is destroyed during cooking), green
peppers, rutabaga (suede), rhubarb, pumpkin, spinach, kale, broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, butternut squash (try after four months if desired), green olives,
green peppers. Avoid mushrooms during a candida cleanse.
Fats
Fats are essential, the brain is estimated at between sixty six percent to more
than eighty percent fat. In order to utilize dietary fats the body must first
remove the debris from the fat sources and this includes eliminating heavy
metals which are absorbed from the soil. The CSF is clear, but in many diseases
including MS, Down’s Syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis there appears in the brain
and imbedded in the spine amyloid deposits (small yellow inclusion bodies).
These are associated with transthyretin, which is a protein used to transport
fats and pigments. Current peer review literature identifies lutein as the
yellow pigment in some of these amyloid formations. Interestingly some
conditions which co-occur with autism such as Down’s syndrome have reports of
these yellow amyloid deposits, but there have been no reports of finding amyloid
deposits in people diagnosed with autism, suggesting that autism is an
evolutionary stage of development where the immune system has taken over in the
removal of these substances from the brain. Sometimes these amyloid deposits are
the most life threatening characteristic of a disease as these deposits grow and
cut off circulation in the brain, the spine and sinus area. We specifically do
not consume fats that contain carotenoid pigments, i.e. Corn oil and Red Palm
Oil.
Daily - Soy bean oil. Some vitamin E supplements are actually soybean oil, or you can use soybean oil for cooking. One-half teaspoon daily. More is OK. Treat as supplement. This oil provides lecithin, vitamin K and also vitamin E.
Daily - Cod liver oil, +/- 2500 IU (not flavored with orange oil, lime oil or thyme oil). Provides essential fat soluble vitamin A.
Arachidonic acid three days per week: As safflower oil one-half teaspoon, can be used in salad oil – it is also a source of vitamins E and K. OR Evening Primrose oil (EPO), 500 mg (EPO should be used cautiously by epileptics). Can skip safflower oil or EPO if beef liver is provided for a meal.
Olive oil. Light and clear to yellow in color (not green or dark green). Use as desired in cooking and for salad dressing. Provides omega 3, 6 and 9 and is a source of vitamins E and K.
MCT (Medium chain triglycerides) from coconut is the strongest natural anti-fungal. It is available as an oil and can be used as a cooking oil. It can be used as a supplement. Sometimes very fair individuals with autism do not tolerate coconut oil.
Other oils and fats which can be used by most: walnut oil, peanut oil, macadamia oil, hazelnut oil, cocoa butter, rice bran oil, ghee, butter, coconut milk and coconut cream. Sometimes tolerated: cottonseed, sunflower, sesame. Borage oil can be used but not for cooking.
DO NOT USE: Canola, Corn oil, dark green olive oil, red palm oil, Flax.
Seeds
Seeds are enzyme inhibitors, so use in
moderation.
OK: celery, sesame, pumpkin seed (white), sunflower, cocoa, poppy seed.
Chocolate contains nickel, a common allergen and many people cannot take cocoa or chocolate. Cocoa also provides zinc, calcium, manganese and magnesium. It is well tolerated by some. Cocoa is a seed and therefore it has enzyme inhibitor properties and is best used on a diet which also provides a digestive enzyme supplement or daily consumption of cooked and raw fruits and vegetables. Some commercial chocolates can be used. Make sure they are dark chocolate if dairy-free, and contain soy lecithin and vanilla (not vanillin).
Also OK for most: Ketchup (no added color), fat free mayonnaise (no egg yolk, no soy protein), all natural sherbet (raspberry and pineapple), sorbet raspberry and chocolate, coconut, coconut milk and coconut crème, white marshmallow.
Beverages
Darjeeling tea, Jasmine tea, Black pekoe, Chamomile tea, Pedialyte or electrolyte powder, usually available from chemist (should not contain aspartame), Ginger Ale, Lychee beverage. Juices: cranberry, white grape, pineapple, pear (no sediment), guava, ruby red pink grapefruit (diluted). Avoid apple juice, dark purple grape juice. You can flavour clear carbonated soda water with natural fruit juice. Snapple ‘Rain’ and Sobe ‘Raspberry’, Mystic ‘Pina Colada’. 100 plus, Coca-cola, Pepsi, Seven-Up, Sprite, Flavored clear sparkling water (eg. raspberry flavored). Ginger ale or carbonated water (4 ounces daily) should be used when urine has a heavy smell of ammonia. Milk substitutes: Dari-free potato milk (Vance’s), Rice milk, oat milk, almond milk, whey protein. Weight gainer formulas which provide protein from egg white or whey protein are often tolerated and these products will contain similar ingredients to those provided in baby formula.
DO NOT USE:
Aspartame (Nutrasweet, candarelle) should NOT be used under any circumstances. The global patent of this unnatural and potentially harmful substance is owned by Monsanto, a greedy multinational organisation that also controls the patents on genetically modified seeds, screwing profit out of third world farmers. The legalisation of Aspartame was forced through using lies and deceit despite the evidence that it is not safe for human consumption.
Herbs & Spices
Spices and flavorings: Black pepper (cook with small amount daily, source of vanadium which is essential in the manufacture of growth hormone), iodized sea salt (source of magnesium, iodine and lithium – naturally calming), garlic, ginger, turmeric, vanilla, anise, clove, peppermint. Indian spices such as Cumin, Coriander, Curry powder, and red chillies – use with caution.
Herbs: Basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, mint, rosemary and cinnamon: use with caution – these are very individual.
Vinegar: Use with caution. The safest is usually rice vinegar. The issue here is gut pH. (See below alkalising and acidifying foods section)
AVOID: Nutmeg, fenugreek, sage.
AVOID: Green tea, Earl grey tea, Comfrey, Chicory, Sheep Sorrel, Arabicca
coffee.
AVOID: Lime oil, thyme oil, orange oil, oregano oil, and pine oil and also cleaning products, Christmas decorations and air fresheners with these scents.
Supportive supplements
It appears some people are getting a significant amount of vegetable glycerin (can contribute to, cause or worsen nystagmus – eyes move rapidly from side to side) dyes and fillers in their supplemental products. However, the fragile biochemistry of people with autism renders some nutrients unavailable from foods as the immune system interferes with digestion and enzyme production. Supplements can make a difference and positive results can be seen when the right supplement is chosen at the right time, however trial and error is frustrating and expensive. Helping the body to naturally produce enzymes better and a reduced interference in digestive processes as the immune system loses its strangle hold will most probably result in a decreased need for supplements. I feel very strongly that some substances which are antifungal, antibacterial and anti-parasitic should not be used daily. These substances can also alter gut pH and be rendered as useless when they are most needed. Some individual substances and combination of substances work as broad spectrum antibiotics. Some natural herbal substances work powerfully as antibiotics.
Cod Liver Oil up to 5000 IU daily
Digestive Enzyme: Should contain Protease (chymotrypsin), amylase, lipase. Can contain bromelain, and betaine. Should generally not contain papain or hemicellulase. Many different products are available and finding one which is right for your child is worth the effort. Some of the most commonly used products are Super Enzyme Capsules by TwinLabs, Michaels Enzyme Complex, Enzymedica Products with good reports coming especially for the Lipo for those with disordered Fatty Acid Profiles, Kirkman’s Complete and for those who cannot swallow a capsule ‘Absorbaid’ from General Nutrition Center.
Folic acid. Generally I recommend at least 200 mcg with 5000 mcg being considered as safe (Braly, Food and Nutrition Revolution). Some should also be obtained from raw fruits and vegetables. Brown rice is another good source and chicken livers are the highest food source. Folic acid is one of the few supplements which consistently has produced positive results in studies (others being DMG and fish liver oil). Most common intake from diet and supplements combined is about 800 mcg daily.
Arachidonic acid from safflower oil or Evening Primrose oil. 500 mg x three days per week.
Soy bean oil (liquid lecithin) as vitamin E gel cap or cooking oil. [NB: for those with G6PD (inborn error of metabolism) the amount of vitamin K from food and supplement should be restricted and oils which provide vitamin K should not be used as cooking oils. For these, coconut oil may be a better choice of cooking oil.]
Pyridoxine (B6)
– Not to exceed 50 mg daily from combined supplemental sources. B6 can be
neurotoxic and the damage for those few who experience the toxic level can be
irreversible. Seen as jerking initially, dyskinesia. Carotenoids are B6 binding
and these are being greatly reduced in this diet recommendation. We most often
recommend Schiff’s Children’s Chewable vitamin and mineral complex or Amway
Children’s chewable vitamin and mineral complex as safe, simple and
child-friendly.
DMG (N,N, dimethylglycine): Studies began using 125 mg. Sometimes less is
better tolerated and sometimes more.
Molybdenum 125 to 250 mcg. daily (molybdenum is obtained in a ‘normal’
diet from wheat). I personally use Solgar or Carlson brands. Molybdenum is also
provided from Pork, lamb, tomato, cabbage and oats.
Herbals etc.
This is not a comprehensive list but it gives some of the most commonly used substances which get good reviews.
Calming:
Kava-Kava, Valerian, Passion Flower, Clove, Ginger, Dong Quai
Antiviral: Pau d’Arco, St. John’s Wort, Eucalyptus,
Lauricidin®
Antibacterial: Garlic, Golden seal, Uva Ursi,
Lauricidin®
Antiparasitic: Artemesia, turmeric
Broad spectrum antibiotic properties: Garlic, garlic oil
Antiseptic: Tea Tree Oil
Antifungal:
Warburgia, Aloe vera gel, MCT oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Lauricidin®,
burdock root, slippery elm
Fever reducing: Pycnogenol, Ginger
Antidepressant: SAMe (Nutrition Research Brand)
For mild cough: Guaffensin (dye free), mullein, lobelia, myrrh, yerba
santa.
c. WCAP 2004