Rules for Austim, Allergies Headaches ADD, ADHD and it's connection to the diet.
1. Change the diet, the behavior is better.
2. If you do ABA Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy you should keep doing that. If you do the therapy and the diet, the threrapy can work better for some kids. Kids may not be cured, but can improve. The therapy works better with the diet.
3. The Diet is not the same for everyone. I have identical twins.. Their diet is not the same. There are lots of diets to try biomedically.
Here's a list
Gluten Free Casein Free No Wheat Rye Oats and Barley
Elimination Diet-a rotation diet every three days of allergic foods. Keep a food diary as it takes that long to get a reaction
Specific Carbohydrate Diet-carbs are only fruits non starchy veggies and honey
Low Phenols Feingold Diet restrics high phenolic foods and artificials
Low Oxolate Diet-eliminating high oxalate foods
Feast without Yeast removal of fruits, fermented foods and sugars
Body Ecology Diet-also restricting sugar and fermented foods
From the Dan Conference April 2007 A lecture by Julie Mattthews. Her book is called Nourishing Hope. I haven't read it, but I did see her lecture and it confirms the other things I've read about Autism and the connection to diet.
4. Who is a good candidate for GFCF?.
a Basically, if your child has lots of allergies, they may have some undiagnosed food allergies as well.
b A rash that could be from an allergy
c Uncontrollable diahrrea or runny poop. If your child is past the age when they should be potty trained or seems unaware that they have soiled themselves. If it is from an allergy they probably can't help it.
d Chonic constipation can also be signs of an inflamation in the bowels. If you figure out the allergy it might help.
e. Gluten and Casein are the top two most allergic foods that's why it is the most recommended. There are many others.
f. If your kid has asthma or asthma caused by an allergy you would be a good candidate.
This is from a book called Healing the New Childhood Epidemics Autism, ADHD, Asthma and Allergies by Kenneth Bock M.D.and Cameron Stauth
This is the best book I've ever seen on this diet. I LOVE this book!
5. Why should you go GFCF?
a. First, this helps 65% of the people on the spectrum. It won't work for everyone. Some may just be gluten and some just casein. However, you need to give it a full trial completely gluten free for at least 6 months or longer. Try casein Free at least a month.
b. The book by Kenneith Bock MD says that allergies contribute to autistic symptoms and that gluten and casein are the top two allergies. There could be many many others. The top five in no particular order are gluten, casein, nuts, soy, and egg. Also try nightshades-tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.
c. Cause no harm- If won't hurt to try. Probably you more than them because it's expensive short term. If you are spending hundreds on therapies, try the therapies with the GFCF diet. They might focus more and get more out of the therapy. They might even do so well on the therapy that they need less. Long term, you save money.
6. What will happen?
a. This is an addiction. It wil be worse before it gets better. You need to be COMPLETELY gfcf for three weeks. This is the dotox period you nee to get past it and see if the diet is working.
b. I recommend keeping a food and behavior diary to make sure you are making progress. I'll write more on that later.
c. You'll spend a long time at the grocery store. You need to read every label every time. The ingredients change without warning even on thing you have been buying with no problem.
d. There willl be infractions. Keeping track of infractions is key. What did he eat in the last three days?
e. If you have a child mildly on the spectrum the reaction is less dramatic until he accidently eats something with gluten in it and stops talking.
f. After the three weeks, I've heard people say that their kid begins to talk, less stimming, they are more aware of their surroundings. It's different per child, so it makes sense to keep a record. What were they doing before? What are they doing now.
g. Keep a diary of good behavior too and record precious moments. "He said Iove you." "He looked at me, right in my eye." It lets you know you are on track.
Bette Hagman was a leader of her time in the GF community She was one of the first to create her own flour mixes. If you want to save money and make your own flour mix rather than buy from the store. This is one of her mixes.
Ideas for School
Here is the biggest link to Recipes that are Gluten and Casein Free. Click Here
Helpful Restaurant Tips-click here
If you would like a recipe for a chocolate banana milk shake, click here.
If you would like a recipe for Chicken Piccata, click here.
If you would like a list of hidden sources of MSG click here.
If you would like a GFCF (gluten free, casein free) recipe of the day click here
If you would like tips to order GFCF in restaurants click here
If you would like tips on how to connect with your autistic child. I am not a doctor, but these worked well for me. click here
If you would like to know the essential vitamins and oils needed to help repair a damaged intestine. Click Here
If the schools knew the impact of changing their lunch menu could have on the behavior of the students, click here
If you would like to see some videos about kids that have been cured from autism, the impact of vaccines, or manufacturer phone numbers to be sure their products are completely gluten free, click here.
If you would like to watch an excellent video about the research of autism from Bernard Rimland the Defeat Autism Now founder. click here.
If you would a quck reference guide to all the links I have posted, click here.
Here are some steps to help you begin:
Join a support group for gluten free casein free such as these yahoo groups.
2. Start with the websites listed above especially TACAnow because they are free and will give you general motivation to begin. and will tell you how to begin.
3. Many health food stores have brochures about what companies sell GFCF. They are also free if you ask.
4. Get the shopper's guide and go shopping. Go when you have time. It will take much longer to shop than what you've been accustomed because you need to read ever single label. Begin by removing and replacing old milk, cheese, butter, sour cream, cream cheese, buttermilk, whipped cream with new replacements. See the Casein free section.
5. Separate your pantry into acceptable and unacceptable food. Find a place where all food that is acceptable can go so that the person or people on the diet will find things that they can and will eat.
6. Check shampoo, soap, deodorant, body wash for artificial colors or flavors. Anything with a color and number is not acceptable. For example, Red#40.
7. Begin one meal at a time beginning with breakfast.Find replacements for what you or your child is already eating.
8. I differ from TACAnow in that dinner should be the next meal to focus because if you are busy and need to prepare lunches for your kids to eat at school it might be overwhelming because you need to see which foods your kids will eat, especially if you have picky eaters. Kids tend to be addicted to the foods that they can't have on this diet, so find the foods they will eat first at dinner. Once they are eating the dinner you've prepared and changed, you can give them leftovers for lunch. Keep your dinners simple. Meat, green vegetable, salad with an occasional rice or potato side.Make extra for lunch
I started this diet in December which is a bad time to start because nearly every day the teachers were making cookies or something at school,and I couldn't find any replacements, so for a while I did GFCF for breakfast, dinner and snack, and let them eat school lunch and school treats. I did keep a list of what the treats were that they were making at school and search for mixes or recipes to serve them next Christmas.
9. Snacks. Here are some great snacks I used these as stocking stuffers. Here are the best lollipops. I would eat these even if we weren't doing the diet because they are organic and delicious.
10. Lunch- Eat leftover dinner. Go to a camping store and buy one of those dishwasher safe, microwavable bowls and microwave your lunch right before the kids get on the bus.
The foods I have listed in the meal plan you can consider as plan B. Keep your freezer stocked in case your family eats all the dinner.
11. Remain on GFCF for at least 2 months before you begin the Feingold program. Give it a chance to work. Next, I have split the Feingold program into three parts instead of two because that's easier if you are already GFCF.
a. The first part Feingold Stage 1 split in half. I would call it Feingold part a which is to removing artificial colors, flavors, MSG, nitrates from your food. Any colors with FD&C be removed. Here is a list of hidden sources of MSG. I would avoid processed meat. Become a member of Feingold to find a list of acceptable foods. Their program will give you an acceptable food list.
B. Next, I call it Feingold Stage 1 part B. Begin the Feingold program with fruits and vegetables. Feingold has a list of fruits and vegetables to remove for 6 weeks to see if there is a salicitate, or phenol sensitivity
12 By this time,you will have been GFCF and Feingold stage 1 for about 3 months. You may now begin stage 2 of Feingold. After 6 weeks bring back each fruit and vegetable one a time and wait at least 3 days to see if there is a change. Keep a food diary if that helps so you can keep a list of foods that may be food triggers for you. I would call it a food sensitivity rather than an allergy because for some people small amounts of the offending food may be okay, and the reaction may also take several days. If you suspect that there is no changes with casein, then bring back some milk and again wait a few days, then bring back the gluten and wait a few days. Remember: Give the whole diet a full six month trial before you bring anything back, and wait a few days between bringing back the suspected food. Some people may bring back the same food a few different times to make sure.
It takes about a month for the casein to be completely removed from your system,and gluten for about six months. Feingold should show improvements sooner. You should have some idea by now based on behaviors, irritability, digestive issues, and personality which part or if all of the diet is working. If you suspect some part of this plan doesn't seem to change your autistic child and you have tried the whole diet for six months than bring it back. This is common sense and will affect each person differently. For my children, they have been so successful, I am almost afraid to bring back any of these foods even if food shopping has been expensive because they are doing so well.
Are you worried that the MMR Vaccine or the mercury preservative in vaccines are causing autism?
Good places to see
Find Gluten Free Restaurants, Hidden Sources of MSG, Tips to connect with your autistic child, Essential Oils to Heal the Gut from Celiac Disease and Autism, Campaign to Change School Lunches and Your Child's behavior at School
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If you or your child has autism, or Attention Deficity or Hyperactivity, I welcome you to write your story in my guestbook. It is the most positive way you can tell whether this diet is worth starting is by telling your story. Why did you do it? What changes did you or your child notice?
Please inspire us and write your story here:
