Autism Made Easy Therapeutic Nutritional Strategies in the Autistic Spectrum of Disorders

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Autism Made Easy Therapeutic Nutritional Strategies in the Autistic Spectrum of Disorders Autism Made Easy Therapeutic Nutritional Strategies in the Autistic Spectrum of Disorders Peta Cohen, MS., RD. Star Academy Johannesburg, Nov 2011 www. PetaCohen .com Therapeutic Nutritional Strategies in ASD Defining the Problem • Autism is treatable, recovery is possible • Epigenetic Phenomenon (methylation) • Complex – Whole Body, Multi-System, Metabolic Disorder – Many targets for simultaneous treatments • Biological Heterogeneity • Chronic Dynamic Encephalopathy • Disorder that Affects the Brain www. PetaCohen .com 2 Autism- A Whole Body, Multi-System, Metabolic Disorder Systems Oxidative Stress Inflammation Methylation Transulfuration Mitochondrial Redoxstatus Function Biotransformation Excitation SNPs – Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms www. PetaCohen .com 3 Autism- A Whole Body, Multi-System, Metabolic Disorder Nervous System Gastro-Intestinal System Respiratory System Immune System Endocrine System Eco- System/Microbiome Cardiovascular System Oxidative Stress Impaired Methylation Inflammation Impaired Trans-Sulfuration Excitation Impaired Detoxification Mitochondrial Dysfunction Nutrient Insufficiencies/Excess pH Balance/Redox Status Cerebral Folate Deficiency SNP – Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, Epigenetics Genomics Proteomics Metabolomics www. PetaCohen .com 4 Autism- A Whole Body, Multi-System, Metabolic Disorder Stressors Function Feed Forward Dysfunction - Systemic & Metabolic genetics immunity GI biotransformation www. PetaCohen .com 5 Stress Multiple Routes of Exposure – Environmental – Metabolic • Chemical/Toxic • Nutritional – calories: • Infections Insufficient/excess/imbalance • Sensory d – Psychological • Oxidative stress • Perception/Experience • Chronic inflammation • Thoughts • Hypoxia/Impaired aerobic • Emotions energy metabolism – Physiological – Biological • Structural • Retention toxicity • Trauma • Biofilm • Pain • Excess exercise • Poor sleep www. PetaCohen .com 6 Dynamic Relationships Systems • GI – Immune – Nervous • GI – Endocrine – Immune • GI – Immune – Cardio • GI – Microbiome – Immune • GI – Immune – Respiratory • GI – Immune - Skin www. PetaCohen .com 7 Dynamic Relationships Metabolic • Oxidative stress – Inflammation – Excitation • Oxidative stress – methylation – transulfuration – redox status • Oxidative stress – methylation – transulfuration - detoxification • Oxidative stress – Inflammation – Excitation – Mitochondrial Uncoupling www. PetaCohen .com 8 Biomedical Approach to Healing, Health, and Vitality “The most fundamental defining characteristic of living organisms compared to machines is that living organisms have the ability to repair themselves.” Why We Age Steven Austad www. PetaCohen .com 9 Targeted Nutritional Strategies “Let Food Be Thy Medicine, And Medicine Be They Food” Hippocrates, 400 B.C. www. PetaCohen .com 10 Dietary Interventions – The Need for Change The “Right” Diet • Clean Diet • Glutamate/Aspartate • GFCF Reduced Diet • GFCFSF Corn Free • Low Copper • SCD • Allergy/Sensitivity • BED Elimination/Rotation Diet • GAPS • Low Phenol • Low Salicylate • Low Oxalate Individualize/Customize www. PetaCohen .com 11 Cleaning Up The Diet • Organic • Non-GMO • Free-range, hormone free, antibiotic free • Low-sugar • Avoid high fructose corn syrup • Avoid artificial sweeteners • Avoid hydrogenated/trans fats • Avoid artificial dyes, flavors, preservatives • Avoid sulfites and sulfite dioxide • Avoid nitrates • Avoid aluminum containing baking powder • Minimize the use of food as a reward www. PetaCohen .com 12 Cleaning Up The Kitchen • Avoid non-stick cookware • Avoid aluminum cookware • Do not wrap food in foil • Avoid copper cookware • Do not store hot food in plastic containers • Use BPA free plastics • Use stainless steel water bottles • Use cast-iron, enamel, stainless steel, glass cookware • Use only glass in a microwave • Wrap food in recycled parchment paper • Store food in glass containers www. PetaCohen .com 13 The “Right Diet” When it comes to diets and nutrition, One size does not fit everyone…. Customize & Individualize www. PetaCohen .com 14 Gluten/Casein/Soy &Corn Free Pros – Eliminates opioids Cons – Substitute/replacements are often highly processed and refined – Substitute grains are high oxalate – Repeat consumption of the same foods may lead to increased IgG response www. PetaCohen .com 15 Specific Carbohydrate Diet - SCD “Breaking The Vicious Cycle” by Elaine Gotchall • Grain free diet • Avoids all sucrose containing foods • SCD permits the intake of simple sugars (monosaccharides) found in honey, fruits and some vegetables • SCD prohibits the intake of double sugars (disaccharides), such as lactose, sucrose, maltose and isomaltose found in milk, buttermilk, commercial sour cream, commercial yogurt, molasses, corn syrup, maple syrup • SCD prohibits the intake of certain foods containing complex sugars and starches (polysaccharides) such as grains, certain legumes, potatoes, yams, parsnips, seaweed and cottonseed www. PetaCohen .com 16 Specific Carbohydrate Diet – SCD cont… Pros – Very healing to the GI – Improves dysbiosis – Improved skills Cons – High allergenic diet – High glutamate diet – High oxalate diet – Can lead to ketosis – Can lead to hyper-ammonemia – Permits dairy that is low lactose www. PetaCohen .com 17 Body Ecology Diet - BED “Body Ecology Diet” by Donna Gates • Relies on fermented/cultured foods • Uses the principles of expansion/contraction Pros – Healing to the GI – Improved skills – Improves dysbiosis Cons – Children don’t like the YCK and fermented vegetables – Children don’t like the meals – High oxalate – High glutamate www. PetaCohen .com 18 Gut And Psychology Syndrome – GAPS cont… Pros – Very healing to the GI – Improves dysbiosis – Improved skills Cons – High allergenic diet – High glutamate diet – High oxalate diet – Can lead to ketosis – Can lead to hyper-ammonemia – Permits dairy www. PetaCohen .com 19 Gut and Psychology Syndrome – GAPS Diet • “Gut And Psychology Syndrome” by Patricia McBride • Gluten and casein free • Corn free • Prohibits all grains • Prohibits phenol and salicylatecontaining food • Prohibits all starchy vegetables and any food produced from them: potato, yams, sweet potato, parsnip, swede, Jerusalem artichoke, cassava, arrowroot and taro • Prohibits sugar and sugar containing foods • Prohibits starchy beans and peas: soybean, mung beans, garbanzo beans, bean sprouts, chick peas and fava beans • Prohibits lactose and lactose containing foods: fluid or dried milk, commercially produced yogurt, buttermilk, and sour cream www. PetaCohen .com 20 Allergy/Sensitivity Elimination Diet • Eliminates all IgE mediated reactive foods • Eliminates or rotates IgG mediated sensitive foods Pros – Decreases the TH2 dominant nature of the immune system – Decreases the inflammatory response Cons – May lead to the frequent consumption of other foods • Ideal to create a 3 – 4 day Rotation Diet www. PetaCohen .com 21 Low Phenol Diet • Removes high phenol containing foods – In particular: apple, banana, red grape, tomato, orange, chocolate • Reduces the phenolic stress on the activity of the PST enzyme Pros • Decreased phenolic symptoms • Decreased hyperactivity • May improve function of the PST enzyme Cons • Removes popular fruits and vegetables www. PetaCohen .com 22 The Feingold Diet • Promoted to treat ADHD • Prohibits foods containing naturally occurring and synthetic forms of salicylates – Fruit • No berries, stone fruits, citrus fruits (except for lemon), certain apples – Nuts • No almonds – Vegetables • No cucumber, tomato, bell peppers • Prohibits foods containing artificial preservatives • No BHT, BHA • Prohibits foods containing artificial dyes – No yellow, red, blue, etc. www. PetaCohen .com 23 Low Salicylate Diet…The Feingold Diet cont… Pros • Improves ADHD symptoms • Eliminates the exposure to foods containing artificial dyes, flavors and preservatives Cons • Significantly reduces the choice of fruits www. PetaCohen .com 24 Glutamate/Aspartate Reduced Diet (G.A.R.D.) • Reduces consumption of high glutamate/aspartate foods • Based on veterinary research • Promoted to decrease clinical and subclinical seizure activity Pros • Reduces consumption of high glutamate foods • May help lower ammonia levels Cons • Low protein • Nut and legume free • Limited vegetable intake www. PetaCohen .com 25 Glutamate/Aspartate Restricted Diet (G.A.R.D.) Foods rich in glutamate and aspartate • Grains: Wheat, barley and oats • Dairy: All cheese. Casein is concentrated in cheese and is 20% glutamic acid by composition • Beans: Soy, pinto, lima, black, navy and lentils • Seeds: Sunflower, pumpkin, etc. • Nuts: Peanuts, cashews, pistachios and almonds • Meats: All meats are naturally high, however, rabbit and turkey are the highest, while lamb and eggs are the lowest. There are higher levels of glutamate in grain fed animals • MSG in prepared foods • Diet sodas www. PetaCohen .com 26 G.A.R.D. cont… Foods lower in glutamate and aspartate • Fruits, berries • Vegetables • Potatoes • Lamb and eggs • Tree nuts, such as, pecan, walnuts, macadamias www. PetaCohen .com 27 Low Oxalate Diet - LOD High Oxalate Foods to Avoid • Chocolate, cocoa powder, carob • Soy beans, black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, pinto beans • Sesame oil, tahini • Blackberries, currants, dates, figs, kiwi, lemon/lime/orange peel, oranges, persimmons, raspberries, star fruit • Buckwheat, durum wheat, wheat, millet, rye • Oregano, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric • Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pine nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts • Sesame seeds
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