I am usually pretty disappointed when watching the news in regards to health, nutrition, etc. I was shocked to see the story of Dr. David Servan-Schreiber on Good Morning America last week. He has a book out called "AntiCancer". He talks about his own battle with cancer using both convention and more holistic treatments. He focuses a lot on diet which was what got me so excited. He also discussed the use of Turmeric, a supplement my son has been on for a while now and one that I refer to people all the time. Here is the link to the full story and an excerpt of his book.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Books/excerpt-anticancer-david-servan-schreiber/story?id=9502717&page=1
So why is this so exciting? Well, as he discusses in his book, many traditional doctors simply cannot feasibly keep up with ALL of the newest trends in medicine and therapy. There is just not that kind of time in the day. And many wait until there have been sufficient human clinical trials out before they will endorse a therapy, which I totally understand. But, lets say it is YOU with the cancer, and like in the case of Dr. Servan-Schreiber, you understand that our environment is even more influential on our health than our genes, wouldn't you be open to trying some simple changes?
It reminds me of our process of recovering our son from Autism. What we got from the pediatrician was "find a good occupational, speech and behavioral therapist". Period, end of discussion, that was it. Basically, hope for the best, good luck, oh and by the way it is genetics so don't even think there is much you can do. I think the same message is spread against cancer (and many of today's prevalent diseases) and I have blogged many times about this. Diet is HUGE, we are what we eat, let thy medicine be thy food and thy food be thy medicine, etc. You don't have to be Hippocrates to understand how important diet is on our health, or lack thereof. Food should be unadulterated, as raw as possible and without the use of pesticides, toxins or genetically modified. That doesn't ALWAYS mean it has to have an organic sticker on it. But that forces us to shop outside the box, literally, maybe NOT at the Wal-Mart and maybe means an extra trip to a local farmer's market, CSA, co-op, etc. to get organically grown produce, with or without the certification or starting your own garden! When we started making dietary changes with my son it made a huge impact, and our whole family has benefitted. Many foods produce an immune reaction which sets our bodies up for auto-immune disorders in the future (arthritis, diabetes, lupus, MS, etc). But eliminating those foods that cause that reaction can stop that process, and therefore halt the commencement of disease.
Our genes are our genes yet our environment tells those genes to turn on or off (like in the case of certain cancers). But what we are seeing today is that our children have heritable changes (changes in their DNA which can be passed on) without their parents having those changes. So, our environment is SO messed up that we are actually changing our children's DNA. That is powerful. But knowledge is even more powerful. The body is resilient and we've seen my son's gut, immune system and neurological system heal as we've made dietary changes and added in supplements. The supplements range from antioxidants which help destroy those free radicals which contribute to cancer and changes in cells. We've added in antinflammatories like Turmeric which have been shown to be helpful in my son with gut and brain inflammation along with inflammation caused by Arthritis in my mother in law and friend and hopefully soon my Uncle will be seeing greater relief with that as well! Many, many, many of the things we are doing for our son can be extended out for those with other disorders. Because at their root, many are all a product of inflammation and auto-immunity. They all manifest differently in each person, in one person that will be lupus, in another that will be diabetes, and for many children born today, that will be Autism.
That does not mean there is a "one size fits all" cure. Each person presents their own puzzle of symptoms and causes for their issues. The key is finding a physician who understands, doing the right testing and my motto is "If it won't hurt, TRY IT". I didn't wait until they did clinical trials on Turmeric to see if it worked. I didn't wait until there was a study on whether a gluten and casein free diet was effective, we tried it. I researched, understood the potential risks and tried things. It has worked for us. Even our Autism community is divided on treatment choices and the issue of vaccinations. My stance is, reducing toxic burden, helping detox pathways, supporting normal brain function, methylation, and sulfation, and adding in good nutrition and supplements has worked. We've seen tremendous changes and most people have no clue that my son was diagnosed with Autism. But that is what worked for us. And I have seen the logic in eating healthier. Removing things like high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and other preservatives and excitotoxins like MSG (in all 200 forms) and artificial sweeteners have made us all healthier.
I laugh at all the new ads about making fruit "easier" to eat. Really?!?! How hard is it to eat an apple? Do we really need to process it, pasteurize it (so that very little of the natural enzymes and nutrients are even left) and put it in a convenient bottle to get people to eat it? Fruit is one of the easiest things to eat on the go, along with some nuts for protein, you have a perfect snack or even lunch. No wonder cancers and disease run rampant through our society. We've taken the nutrition out of our food! If its not purple or glowing and comes in a neat wrapper or can be gotten through a drivethru we don't seem to want it. That's why I loved seeing this man's story and book on the news. Maybe we can focus more on the quality of our food, not scrimp on something most important to our health. Our food should not be what we cut corners on. I know in this economy we ALL have to cut back but I would suggest we find other ways and we skip the dollar menu. You can either pay more now for food or more later for doctors. So check out his book, I intend to.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Eczema treatments we are trying
Well after a call with Dr. Woeller, here is what Eric is doing:
Biotin, a sulphur containing B vitamin, helps metabolize fats & amino acids. Biotin deficiency can manifest as hair loss, dry scaley skin (even cradle cap in infants), dermatitis, even nausea. He is taking 5 - 10 mg per day
Zinc - 100 mg
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) daily in the form of Cod Liver Oil from Carlson's.
Probiotics nightly
And we are looking into a niacinimide cream as well. And our friend Tom suggested sulphur soap, we need to look into that as well. Given that Biotin is a sulphur containing B vitamin, it may not be a bad idea to hit it from the inside and outside. Eric is logging his supplements and taking pictures of his hands to document what is working. So right now it is just the supplements, no cream or soap and a STRICT adherence to a gluten free diet. 2 nights ago he ate a small piece of garlic bread, the next day his hands were once again cracking and bleeding.
These recommendations are for my husband, please do not use these as a standard and always consult your own doctor/practitioner before starting any new supplements (there's my disclaimer).
Biotin, a sulphur containing B vitamin, helps metabolize fats & amino acids. Biotin deficiency can manifest as hair loss, dry scaley skin (even cradle cap in infants), dermatitis, even nausea. He is taking 5 - 10 mg per day
Zinc - 100 mg
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) daily in the form of Cod Liver Oil from Carlson's.
Probiotics nightly
And we are looking into a niacinimide cream as well. And our friend Tom suggested sulphur soap, we need to look into that as well. Given that Biotin is a sulphur containing B vitamin, it may not be a bad idea to hit it from the inside and outside. Eric is logging his supplements and taking pictures of his hands to document what is working. So right now it is just the supplements, no cream or soap and a STRICT adherence to a gluten free diet. 2 nights ago he ate a small piece of garlic bread, the next day his hands were once again cracking and bleeding.
These recommendations are for my husband, please do not use these as a standard and always consult your own doctor/practitioner before starting any new supplements (there's my disclaimer).
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Eczema, not just skin deep
I am sure I have blogged about eczema and our family before. My husband, mother in law and daughter all struggle with this issue. At the last DAN! conference it became more clear to me that eczema is a sign of leaky gut and needs to be addressed just as my son's issues with leaky gut did. For my daughter that meant tackling food issues like wheat. As I found out at the DAN! conference, many, many, many people have problems with wheat and may not even know it (I dare say, including us). So we got with the program and our house is now completely GF. Viola, my daughter's eczema on her feet was gone. It started as a small patch on the bottom of her foot would eventually wrap around her whole foot and on to her toes and would itch to the point where she would scratch them until they bled. Yeah, I know, I NEEDED to get this under control. It killed me to see her little tiny feet looking like those of a 90 year old man, seriously! This meant sending in her snacks at school since school became her only exposure. Once we did that, poof, they were completely healed.
I was hoping for the same response with my husband's hands. His hands are horrible, seriously. They are cracked, bleeding, it hurts to do just about anything with them and even water burns them. The removal of wheat just wasn't cutting it. He has seen dermatologists, he has seen his naturopath (who eventually said "see a dermatologist") and all the dermatologist wants to do is write a prescription for a steroid cream. There has to be a CAUSE, lets not just bandaid this! I finally broke down and emailed Dr. Woeller for help with this. We have a consult today. But, in the week since I made that appointment I told my husband to start taking a probiotic (duh, one of the cornerstone supplements we ALL should be taking) and wouldn't you know it, they are getting better. We have run an IgG food panel on my husband and wouldn't you know, very similar intolerances as my son but nothing really standing out in the way of unaddressed food issues (especially with the removal of wheat). My husband remarked the other night "It looks like they are healing from the inside out". Yes honey, that is what is supposed to happen.
What we take into (or onto) our bodies either helps us or hurts us. We cannot simply look at a chronic skin condition as just being skin deep. We have to understand that it is a manifestation of something deeper, probably in the gut. And did you know that the gut is referred to as the 2nd brain? Our gut, and what we feed it, is extremely important. It has a big impact on our brain functioning and all of the other processes in the body. When I told my 11 year old step-daughter that the purpose of food is to fuel the body she looked at me like I was crazy. And yet even she gets it that when you eat junk you are still hungry. Your body is looking for nourishment and when you feed it empty calories it is still hungry because it still needs the right kid of fuel.
So I think we are on the right track to healing my husband's hands and I will pass on what we learn from our call with Dr. Woeller today. But, I wanted to take a moment to highlight a very essential supplement EVERYONE should be on, a probiotic. A probiotic helps replenish you gut with the GOOD bacteria and GOOD yeast (in the case of Saccharomyces Boulardii) that your body needs to fight off the bad bugs. It helps support your immune system, which is primarily located in the gut, by that mechanism. You need good soldiers to fight off the invaders, think of it that way. New Beginnings has some great probiotics. And each variety can help with different things. Culturelle is great for clostridia, VSL #3 is good for high oxalates, like I said before certain yeast strains can help fight the pathogenic yeasts like candida, both of the kids are on Ther-biotic which does need a doctor's referral. You want to look for a good quality, multi-strain variety unless you are targeting something specific. So if you are looking to be healthier in 2010 and start adding in some vitamins and supplements to support health, look to a quality probiotic as something to add right away!
I was hoping for the same response with my husband's hands. His hands are horrible, seriously. They are cracked, bleeding, it hurts to do just about anything with them and even water burns them. The removal of wheat just wasn't cutting it. He has seen dermatologists, he has seen his naturopath (who eventually said "see a dermatologist") and all the dermatologist wants to do is write a prescription for a steroid cream. There has to be a CAUSE, lets not just bandaid this! I finally broke down and emailed Dr. Woeller for help with this. We have a consult today. But, in the week since I made that appointment I told my husband to start taking a probiotic (duh, one of the cornerstone supplements we ALL should be taking) and wouldn't you know it, they are getting better. We have run an IgG food panel on my husband and wouldn't you know, very similar intolerances as my son but nothing really standing out in the way of unaddressed food issues (especially with the removal of wheat). My husband remarked the other night "It looks like they are healing from the inside out". Yes honey, that is what is supposed to happen.
What we take into (or onto) our bodies either helps us or hurts us. We cannot simply look at a chronic skin condition as just being skin deep. We have to understand that it is a manifestation of something deeper, probably in the gut. And did you know that the gut is referred to as the 2nd brain? Our gut, and what we feed it, is extremely important. It has a big impact on our brain functioning and all of the other processes in the body. When I told my 11 year old step-daughter that the purpose of food is to fuel the body she looked at me like I was crazy. And yet even she gets it that when you eat junk you are still hungry. Your body is looking for nourishment and when you feed it empty calories it is still hungry because it still needs the right kid of fuel.
So I think we are on the right track to healing my husband's hands and I will pass on what we learn from our call with Dr. Woeller today. But, I wanted to take a moment to highlight a very essential supplement EVERYONE should be on, a probiotic. A probiotic helps replenish you gut with the GOOD bacteria and GOOD yeast (in the case of Saccharomyces Boulardii) that your body needs to fight off the bad bugs. It helps support your immune system, which is primarily located in the gut, by that mechanism. You need good soldiers to fight off the invaders, think of it that way. New Beginnings has some great probiotics. And each variety can help with different things. Culturelle is great for clostridia, VSL #3 is good for high oxalates, like I said before certain yeast strains can help fight the pathogenic yeasts like candida, both of the kids are on Ther-biotic which does need a doctor's referral. You want to look for a good quality, multi-strain variety unless you are targeting something specific. So if you are looking to be healthier in 2010 and start adding in some vitamins and supplements to support health, look to a quality probiotic as something to add right away!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Respen-A therapy in Autism
I mentioned on my blog before that we were interested in starting the new therapy called Respen A. Since we were actively fighting clostridia through the use of flagyl and also using diflucan to avoid a yeast flare as a result, I decided to wait for about a week until we were all done with flagyl and diflucan was going well and behavior was stabilized. We started on the first day of winter break, 2 weeks ago yesterday. I also wanted to try this over the break so that I could monitor any possible negative reactions instead of having him go through these at school/therapy/etc.
By day 2 we noticed increased affection and attention to members of our family.
By two weeks in, each day is filled with new concepts, new awareness and new emotions it seems. My son seems to be seeing things that literally have been right in front of his face for months (if not years) for the first time. He is reminding us about his supplements and even reminding us to mark things off on his daily chart of foods/supps/etc. Now mind you, we've done supplements and charting for years and never once has he reminded us about charting or dosing. My daughter was doing something funny and my husband and I were laughing about it yesterday, he came running from another part of the house to ask "what's so funny??". This was a first. A park outing last week with 6 kids (ages 3 - 12) was a good example as well. All 6 kids were playing "pirate" and running between a grassy area and the playground. There was my son right in the middle of things, playing along the whole time (about 2 hours). He wasn't wandering off, playing by himself or off talking to himself. I am anxious to hear what his teacher thinks when he goes back to school in a week. He was a child who really did compensate well socially given his challenges but these changes are huge. We have also seen less self talk. He will regularly ride bikes on our street with neighbors but even after they have walked/ridden away he would talk to them or himself. This has really diminished since starting Respen A.
What is Respen A? It is a little brown disc. It looks a lot like a pop dot if you are a crafter or a scrapbooker. It is round and raised, not flat like a smoker's patch and soft and mushy. It comes with pieces of paper stuck to both sides that you just peel off. Then you use medical tape to keep it in place in the middle of the back (or somewhere that they cannot get to to take it off). You put it on in the morning and give 2000 mg of calcium as it can deplete calcium. Then you take it off at bath/bedtime. Very simple, very easy. It is a homeopathic remedy but still requires a prescription. The pharmacy also cannot ship to AZ so you have to have someone else in another state (like CA) where they can ship to and then that person would have to ship it to you. But, in my estimation, well worth the effort!
So there is the update after 2 weeks. I hope to have even more to update in the future. Dr. Woeller says to try this therapy for at least 6 months. So far I am very happy with it and have not seen many side effects if any. The only possible side effect is trouble falling to sleep at night. We've reintroduced melatonin with very positive results. Other than that, we've not seen any negative behaviors.
By day 2 we noticed increased affection and attention to members of our family.
By two weeks in, each day is filled with new concepts, new awareness and new emotions it seems. My son seems to be seeing things that literally have been right in front of his face for months (if not years) for the first time. He is reminding us about his supplements and even reminding us to mark things off on his daily chart of foods/supps/etc. Now mind you, we've done supplements and charting for years and never once has he reminded us about charting or dosing. My daughter was doing something funny and my husband and I were laughing about it yesterday, he came running from another part of the house to ask "what's so funny??". This was a first. A park outing last week with 6 kids (ages 3 - 12) was a good example as well. All 6 kids were playing "pirate" and running between a grassy area and the playground. There was my son right in the middle of things, playing along the whole time (about 2 hours). He wasn't wandering off, playing by himself or off talking to himself. I am anxious to hear what his teacher thinks when he goes back to school in a week. He was a child who really did compensate well socially given his challenges but these changes are huge. We have also seen less self talk. He will regularly ride bikes on our street with neighbors but even after they have walked/ridden away he would talk to them or himself. This has really diminished since starting Respen A.
What is Respen A? It is a little brown disc. It looks a lot like a pop dot if you are a crafter or a scrapbooker. It is round and raised, not flat like a smoker's patch and soft and mushy. It comes with pieces of paper stuck to both sides that you just peel off. Then you use medical tape to keep it in place in the middle of the back (or somewhere that they cannot get to to take it off). You put it on in the morning and give 2000 mg of calcium as it can deplete calcium. Then you take it off at bath/bedtime. Very simple, very easy. It is a homeopathic remedy but still requires a prescription. The pharmacy also cannot ship to AZ so you have to have someone else in another state (like CA) where they can ship to and then that person would have to ship it to you. But, in my estimation, well worth the effort!
So there is the update after 2 weeks. I hope to have even more to update in the future. Dr. Woeller says to try this therapy for at least 6 months. So far I am very happy with it and have not seen many side effects if any. The only possible side effect is trouble falling to sleep at night. We've reintroduced melatonin with very positive results. Other than that, we've not seen any negative behaviors.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Twas the Night Before Christmas, Autism Style
So I meant to post this last night but ran out of time. This is a repeat, I copied and pasted it from my blog from last December. But, I am going to repost this for those who have not read it. For many of us affected by Autism, many of these things will ring true. So here's to each and every family out there affected by Autism. Wishing you the joys of watching your child experience this Christmas, peace in your heart and the every growing love you experience from parenting your very special kiddo!
Poem by Cindy Waeltermann of Pittsburgh, PA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house
All creatures were stirring
Yes, even the mouse
We tried the melatonin
We gave a hot bath
But the holiday jitters
They always distract
The children were finally
All nestled in bed
When a nightmare of terror
Ran through my own head
Did I get the right gift
The right color and style
Would there be a tantrum
Or just maybe, a smile ?
Our relatives we will see
But they don't understand
The pleasure he gets
From flapping his hands.
"He needs discipline" they'll say
"Just a much needed smack"
"You must learn to parent"
On goes the attack
We'll just smile and nod
Because we know deep inside
The argument is useless
Our anger we will try to hide
We know what it's like
To live with the spectrum
The struggles and triumphs
Achievements, and regressions.
But what they don't know
And what they don't see
Is the joy that we feel
Over simplicity
He said "hello"
He ate something green!
He told his first story !
He didn't cause a scene !
He peed in the potty
Who cares if he's ten
He stopped saying the same thing
Again and again.
Others just don't realize
Just how we learn to cope
How we barely hang on
To the end of our rope.
What they don't see
Is the joy we won't hide
When our child with autism
Make the tiniest stride.
We sometimes look at others
Without the problems we face
With jealousy, and envy
Longing and even distaste
But what they don't know
Nor sometimes do we
Is that a child with autism
Brings simplicity
We don't get excited
Over expensive things
But we jump for joy
With the progress hard work brings
A child with autism
Tries hard every day
That makes us proud
More than words can say
They work even harder
Than you or I
To achieve something small
To reach their star in the sky
So to those who don't get it
Who don't have a clue
Take a walk in my shoes
And I will assure you!
After ten minutes
Into your walk
You'll look at me
With respect, even shock
You will then realize
Daily what is it I go through
The next time you're tempted to judge
I can assure you
You won't say a thing
You'll be quiet and learn
Like the years that I did
When the tables were turned
Poem by Cindy Waeltermann of Pittsburgh, PA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house
All creatures were stirring
Yes, even the mouse
We tried the melatonin
We gave a hot bath
But the holiday jitters
They always distract
The children were finally
All nestled in bed
When a nightmare of terror
Ran through my own head
Did I get the right gift
The right color and style
Would there be a tantrum
Or just maybe, a smile ?
Our relatives we will see
But they don't understand
The pleasure he gets
From flapping his hands.
"He needs discipline" they'll say
"Just a much needed smack"
"You must learn to parent"
On goes the attack
We'll just smile and nod
Because we know deep inside
The argument is useless
Our anger we will try to hide
We know what it's like
To live with the spectrum
The struggles and triumphs
Achievements, and regressions.
But what they don't know
And what they don't see
Is the joy that we feel
Over simplicity
He said "hello"
He ate something green!
He told his first story !
He didn't cause a scene !
He peed in the potty
Who cares if he's ten
He stopped saying the same thing
Again and again.
Others just don't realize
Just how we learn to cope
How we barely hang on
To the end of our rope.
What they don't see
Is the joy we won't hide
When our child with autism
Make the tiniest stride.
We sometimes look at others
Without the problems we face
With jealousy, and envy
Longing and even distaste
But what they don't know
Nor sometimes do we
Is that a child with autism
Brings simplicity
We don't get excited
Over expensive things
But we jump for joy
With the progress hard work brings
A child with autism
Tries hard every day
That makes us proud
More than words can say
They work even harder
Than you or I
To achieve something small
To reach their star in the sky
So to those who don't get it
Who don't have a clue
Take a walk in my shoes
And I will assure you!
After ten minutes
Into your walk
You'll look at me
With respect, even shock
You will then realize
Daily what is it I go through
The next time you're tempted to judge
I can assure you
You won't say a thing
You'll be quiet and learn
Like the years that I did
When the tables were turned
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Here's to 2009.....
It is hard to believe that this could be one of the lasts posts for this year. I like to reflect on life during the holidays and appreciate how far we have come and what this past year has brought. This past year we've had the blessing of losing Matthew's school diagnosis and his entrance into a mainstream Kindergarten program with the love of a wonderful teacher. It has been an eventful year for sure. Lots of hard work and our fair share of challenges but I think we've grown as a family in our health, understanding of Autism and our love for each other and our journey on this earth. I have tried to make my blog something that everyone can get something out of, even if you do not have a child with Autism. Although I would never wish for my son to have to face what he has in his short life, I appreciate this journey for what it has given to my family as a whole. Had we not received an Autism diagnosis for our son, we would not have had to learn all we have about the immune system, the process of inflammation which is the underlying issue in just about all disease and the impact our diet has on our health, and so for that I am grateful for this journey.
I have also been blessed with many other Autism moms, dads, families in general as well as the practitioners in this fight against Autism whom I have come to call friends and partners in our family's process of healing our son. Thank you for your shoulder, your wisdom, your companionship in this process, it means the world to me. I look at what we did this year like attending our first parade as a family. Wow, such a small thing for many and yet for a family with a child with Autism this could have been disastrous. This was the first year where I was not concerned he would dart off into the traffic, wander off to be kidnapped, have a meltdown two minutes in, etc. Rather he sat in the front, right along the parade route waving, high fiving and catching the candy thrown (of course mom confiscated all but a candy cane or two!). But incredible progress for a boy who would have had to be carried to the car kicking and screaming years before at such an overwhelming sensory experience.
We've had our share of meltdowns over change, just last week as a matter of fact so I won't mislead you into thinking we are perfect, whatever that is. But, I must appreciate the fact that 3 short years ago my son was not speaking and now he is close to losing speech therapy because of his progress. We have much to be thankful for (as this is my Autism related blog I will not go into the full gamut of our family events for the year but suffice it to say the rest of the fam had a great year and is blossoming as well!). We can operate much like other families and that in itself is something to celebrate. The holidays can be so challenging for children with Autism, so many new things, routines disrupted, school activities, dietary challenges, visitors or taking trips to see others, the list goes on and on. Even for neurotypical children it can be taxing but for a child with Autism, it can be monumental and cause meltdowns and regression. I look at my son and I am so proud of how hard he works each day. The things that come easy to other kids his age take tremendous effort. I still see how hard it is for him to pay attention when his environment is loud or there are too many things going on. I can see his brain working and trying to take it all in and prioritize what needs to be listened to and what ignored (like the air conditioning sounds that used to completely envelope his focus back in preschool). Things that we can ignore as background noise used to become his whole focus. We must appreciate each small step our children make.
This club, Autism, is not one that many of us would choose to be in, but unfortunately our numbers are growing. Until we all wake up and realize our toxic world from food, cleaners, pesticides, over vaccination, etc. makes a huge impact on our bodies, this number will only continue to rise. It is now less than 1 in 100 children will be diagnosed with Autism, more than any other childhood disease. Trust your instincts as a mom, find a practitioner who can help you. Everyone knows by now I support Dr. Kurt Woeller and recommend him to anyone. He has helped my family more than I can ever say and I will always be in his debt. He has also offered me the opportunity to work for him in a small capacity this year which only continues to enrich my own knowledge base of health, Autism treatment, the immune and neurological systems so of course I jumped at that chance! And, find another mom who can help you. Autism is treatable and kids can get better. I am always happy to help other families getting started on a biomedical approach. It helps to have a mentor or a partner who has "been there, done that". Often no one can understand the overwhelming emotions that come from raising a child with Autism like another Autism parent. You are often left frustrated, angry that your child has to go through this, stressed, financially impacted, and grieving for the life you dreamed for your child and the fact that it may not be what you planned for at all, especially in the early years after diagnosis. But, there are many, many bright sides (and yes, it can take a few years to realize that so don't feel bad if you aren't there yet). Watching our children master a skill that seem impossible, hearing those beautiful first words, at ANY AGE, and YES potty training (it will happen, I promise), eating a new food, and the one I NEVER tire of, hearing your child say "I LOVE YOU MOM" without any prompting. Those are the things that keep us going when we don't feel we can and keep us striving to try new things.
So in the new year look for more informational posts through my, I still have much from the DAN! conference to post and have not yet had the time. And, hopefully I will have another endeavor to share with you all, a book which I am co-writing with someone near and dear to me. But, I am going to leave that a mystery until the time comes. But, you will love it, have to have it and it won't just apply to Autism (at least that is our hope!). So from our family to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and many blessing to you and your family during this holiday season!
I have also been blessed with many other Autism moms, dads, families in general as well as the practitioners in this fight against Autism whom I have come to call friends and partners in our family's process of healing our son. Thank you for your shoulder, your wisdom, your companionship in this process, it means the world to me. I look at what we did this year like attending our first parade as a family. Wow, such a small thing for many and yet for a family with a child with Autism this could have been disastrous. This was the first year where I was not concerned he would dart off into the traffic, wander off to be kidnapped, have a meltdown two minutes in, etc. Rather he sat in the front, right along the parade route waving, high fiving and catching the candy thrown (of course mom confiscated all but a candy cane or two!). But incredible progress for a boy who would have had to be carried to the car kicking and screaming years before at such an overwhelming sensory experience.
We've had our share of meltdowns over change, just last week as a matter of fact so I won't mislead you into thinking we are perfect, whatever that is. But, I must appreciate the fact that 3 short years ago my son was not speaking and now he is close to losing speech therapy because of his progress. We have much to be thankful for (as this is my Autism related blog I will not go into the full gamut of our family events for the year but suffice it to say the rest of the fam had a great year and is blossoming as well!). We can operate much like other families and that in itself is something to celebrate. The holidays can be so challenging for children with Autism, so many new things, routines disrupted, school activities, dietary challenges, visitors or taking trips to see others, the list goes on and on. Even for neurotypical children it can be taxing but for a child with Autism, it can be monumental and cause meltdowns and regression. I look at my son and I am so proud of how hard he works each day. The things that come easy to other kids his age take tremendous effort. I still see how hard it is for him to pay attention when his environment is loud or there are too many things going on. I can see his brain working and trying to take it all in and prioritize what needs to be listened to and what ignored (like the air conditioning sounds that used to completely envelope his focus back in preschool). Things that we can ignore as background noise used to become his whole focus. We must appreciate each small step our children make.
This club, Autism, is not one that many of us would choose to be in, but unfortunately our numbers are growing. Until we all wake up and realize our toxic world from food, cleaners, pesticides, over vaccination, etc. makes a huge impact on our bodies, this number will only continue to rise. It is now less than 1 in 100 children will be diagnosed with Autism, more than any other childhood disease. Trust your instincts as a mom, find a practitioner who can help you. Everyone knows by now I support Dr. Kurt Woeller and recommend him to anyone. He has helped my family more than I can ever say and I will always be in his debt. He has also offered me the opportunity to work for him in a small capacity this year which only continues to enrich my own knowledge base of health, Autism treatment, the immune and neurological systems so of course I jumped at that chance! And, find another mom who can help you. Autism is treatable and kids can get better. I am always happy to help other families getting started on a biomedical approach. It helps to have a mentor or a partner who has "been there, done that". Often no one can understand the overwhelming emotions that come from raising a child with Autism like another Autism parent. You are often left frustrated, angry that your child has to go through this, stressed, financially impacted, and grieving for the life you dreamed for your child and the fact that it may not be what you planned for at all, especially in the early years after diagnosis. But, there are many, many bright sides (and yes, it can take a few years to realize that so don't feel bad if you aren't there yet). Watching our children master a skill that seem impossible, hearing those beautiful first words, at ANY AGE, and YES potty training (it will happen, I promise), eating a new food, and the one I NEVER tire of, hearing your child say "I LOVE YOU MOM" without any prompting. Those are the things that keep us going when we don't feel we can and keep us striving to try new things.
So in the new year look for more informational posts through my, I still have much from the DAN! conference to post and have not yet had the time. And, hopefully I will have another endeavor to share with you all, a book which I am co-writing with someone near and dear to me. But, I am going to leave that a mystery until the time comes. But, you will love it, have to have it and it won't just apply to Autism (at least that is our hope!). So from our family to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and many blessing to you and your family during this holiday season!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
GFCF Gingerbread cookies
So, it is that time of year again, baking time! When my son's kindergarten teacher asked for volunteers to make the Gingerbread Men for their annual hunt for the Gingerbread man I immediately volunteered. I like for him to have what "everyone else is having" as much as possible. I don't like for him to always have his "special" treat. So whenever I can do something gluten, casein and soy free that I know everyone will love, I like to do that. This recipe, in my opinion, tastes just like traditional Gingerbread made from wheat. We used this last year and the kids loved it. This year was no exception, the kindergarteners loved them, so did the teacher and the other parent helper.
¾ cup Ghee
¼ cup molasses
1 cup brown sugar
3 cup gluten-free flour mix*
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup water
Rice flour for rolling
Cream margarine and sugar. Beat in molasses. Sift dry ingredients into separate bowl. Stir into creamed mixture alternately with water (I did not need all of the water, I just added until the dough started to pull away from the side in one big clumo). Mix thoroughly once everything has been added. Dough should be soft and will be sticky. Refrigerate dough for at least one hour. Using rice flour, roll portions of dough on parchment paper to about ¼. Cut and decorate as desired. Bake in 350F oven for 8-20 minutes depending on size. Cookies should just be getting browned. Bake longer for crispier cookies. Cool slightly on sheet before removing to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.
* the GFCF mix I used was:
6 cups rice flour
2 cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca starch
Monday, November 30, 2009
Vote for ACT! Today.
Help a great organization by voting for them in the Chase Community Giving Program. Sign into your Facebook page and search Chase giving. Become a fan and then search for ACT TODAY and vote for them. They provide grants for families who need financial help to do biomedical treatments for their children with Autism.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Research on the role of oxytocin in Autism
Susan Owens has been instrumental in pointing out the importance of sulfation chemistry which has been vital information for the Autism and Alzheimers communities. I have blogged before about the role of sulfation in oxytocin production and reading her account of her labor was like reading my own story. It showed me that my own sulfation chemistry was faulty, I did not go into labor on my own and had several issues all potentially stemming from lack of oxytocin production. Since I did not go into labor on my own, I was induced and had 20+ hours of pitocin. As I have met other Autism mommies and we've shared our birth stories, it has been pretty interesting to hear that many of them shared my story in many ways. Now there is research to show the similarities in the rise in pitocin use and the rise in Autism rates and the role that oxytocin plays in pair bonding (which would explain the social deficits our kiddos on the spectrum have). As we have supported suflation through epsom salts baths nightly and even epsom salt creams as needed, I have wondered how much that was helping. Now there is an therapy out there called Respen-A. It is homeopathic but does require a prescription. Dr. Woeller has said he will try this on a select group of his patients, namely ones with that social deficit. I have already emailed him to let him know our interest in having my son be one of those select patients, even though socially my son is indistinguishable from his peers! Then Dr. Shaw also posted on Autism Action Plan that the oxytocin receptors are not stable in children with low cholesterol. My son had low cholesterol until supplemented with Sonic Cholesterol from New Beginnings. Coincidentally, I too have had low cholesterol all of my life. So I think this is just exciting new discoveries into more ways we can help our kids. My son's progress is amazing and miraculous. The human body is so resilient and these kids can heal. My son's ability to function with most people unable to tell he has a diagnosis of Autism, when just a few short years ago it was very, very apparant. So click below to visit the website and read more about this interesting new therapy. You can click on Product Info and Science Overview for detailed info on the research behind this product. I will be sure to keep my blog updated once we begin this therapy.
http://www.neuro-med.net/respena.html
http://www.neuro-med.net/respena.html
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Metals found in kids/adults Halloween face paints
Here is an interesting article that may make you think twice about slathering on those face paints tonight before trick or treating. I know my son rec'd an actual chemical burn once from face paint applied at school for a performance. With our skin being our largest organ, absorption does occur with these types of products. Lead has been widely studied for its hazardous effects on developing brains. So, "Have a safe Halloween" takes on a new meaning with this report.
http://safecosmetics.org/downloads/PrettyScary_Oct2709.pdf
And as if you didn't have enough reasons to limit your child's candy consumption, read lower in the report where they talk about the FDA and the lead level limits for candy. Per this report, the FDA has set a level of .10 ppm in candy, not because that is the "safe" limit but because that is the lowest limit candy manufacturers can be reasonably expected to attain. Isn't that nice?! We aren't setting caps on toxins in our "food" (I use quotes because I don't really consider candy food but whatever) based on what the safety data is on these things but what is practical for the manufacturers to attain. Yet another reason to keep candy away from our kids, never mind the colors that are toxins as well, the sugar that jacks with their insulin production but we also have to worry about lead. No one really knows the long term effects of these metals in our kids' bodies. And most experts will at least agree that NO level of lead is safe.
http://safecosmetics.org/downloads/PrettyScary_Oct2709.pdf
And as if you didn't have enough reasons to limit your child's candy consumption, read lower in the report where they talk about the FDA and the lead level limits for candy. Per this report, the FDA has set a level of .10 ppm in candy, not because that is the "safe" limit but because that is the lowest limit candy manufacturers can be reasonably expected to attain. Isn't that nice?! We aren't setting caps on toxins in our "food" (I use quotes because I don't really consider candy food but whatever) based on what the safety data is on these things but what is practical for the manufacturers to attain. Yet another reason to keep candy away from our kids, never mind the colors that are toxins as well, the sugar that jacks with their insulin production but we also have to worry about lead. No one really knows the long term effects of these metals in our kids' bodies. And most experts will at least agree that NO level of lead is safe.
Friday, October 30, 2009
New study on potent effects of Curcumin (Turmeric)
Curcumin or Turmeric has been a supplement my son has been on for months now. We tried a prescription anti-inflammatory and he reacted in one of the various additives in the pill form. Because that prescription medication was still under patent, we could not get it compounded without all the additives. So we decided to stop it and instead, turn to therapeutic Curcumin. Since then, we've seen amazing changes in his digestive system which relates to calming of the inflammation and also cognitively which tells me that it is also helping with his brain inflammation. And, I have recommended this remedy to two people with success in treating their arthritis/inflammation. All it took was a few doses of just 1 pill a day (my son's full dose is 2 pills, twice a day) to relieve their chronic pain and reduce swelling. My mother in law was able to do without her Cellebrex while here and the single dose of Turmeric was able to stop the throbbing pain that would wake her at night (even while on Cellebrex). I feel that most people could benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of Curcumin and have started my husband on this remedy as well. So, I know first hand how potent Curcumin can be and am so excited to see research to validate what some of already know. Here's some research on the potential of Curcumin to kill cancer cells. Thank you Shari for sending me this!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Curry Spice 'Kills Cancer Cells
'related: Indian Curry 'Might Be Magic Cure-All'
October 28, 2009
BBC
An extract found in the bright yellow curry spice turmeric can kill off cancer cells, scientists have shown. The yellow spice gives curries their bright colour. The chemical - curcumin - has long been thought to have healing powers and is already being tested as a treatment for arthritis and even dementia. Now tests by a team at the Cork Cancer Research Centre show it can destroy gullet cancer cells in the lab. Cancer experts said the findings in the British Journal of Cancer could help doctors find new treatments. Dr Sharon McKenna and her team found that curcumin started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours.
'Natural' Remedy
The cells also began to digest themselves, after the curcumin triggered lethal cell death signals. Dr McKenna said: "Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells that have become cancerous and we suspected that curcumin might have therapeutic value. "Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is interesting research which opens up the possibility that natural chemicals found in turmeric could be developed into new treatments for oesophageal cancer. "Rates of oesophageal cancer have gone up by more than a half since the 70s and this is thought to be linked to rising rates of obesity, alcohol intake and reflux disease so finding ways to prevent this disease is important too. "Each year around 7,800 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the UK. It is the sixth most common cause of cancer death and accounts for around five percent of all UK cancer deaths.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Curry Spice 'Kills Cancer Cells
'related: Indian Curry 'Might Be Magic Cure-All'
October 28, 2009
BBC
An extract found in the bright yellow curry spice turmeric can kill off cancer cells, scientists have shown. The yellow spice gives curries their bright colour. The chemical - curcumin - has long been thought to have healing powers and is already being tested as a treatment for arthritis and even dementia. Now tests by a team at the Cork Cancer Research Centre show it can destroy gullet cancer cells in the lab. Cancer experts said the findings in the British Journal of Cancer could help doctors find new treatments. Dr Sharon McKenna and her team found that curcumin started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours.
'Natural' Remedy
The cells also began to digest themselves, after the curcumin triggered lethal cell death signals. Dr McKenna said: "Scientists have known for a long time that natural compounds have the potential to treat faulty cells that have become cancerous and we suspected that curcumin might have therapeutic value. "Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is interesting research which opens up the possibility that natural chemicals found in turmeric could be developed into new treatments for oesophageal cancer. "Rates of oesophageal cancer have gone up by more than a half since the 70s and this is thought to be linked to rising rates of obesity, alcohol intake and reflux disease so finding ways to prevent this disease is important too. "Each year around 7,800 people are diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in the UK. It is the sixth most common cause of cancer death and accounts for around five percent of all UK cancer deaths.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
FREE preview of Dr. Woeller's Autism Action Plan Saturday!
I have blogged many times about Dr. Kurt Woeller. He is my son's DAN! physician and the one who has lead us on the journey towards recovery from Autism with my son. He has a great website called Autism Action Plan where you get access to a DAN! doctor on the message boards, live video chats where you type in a question and he answers it live, and tons of educational info on the biomedical treatment of Autism. For the 1 year anniversary he is doing a free preview day. That means you get to access all of the educational materials, message boards and there will be 5 live video chats that day, including one featuring me! So join us for lots of information and fun and see just how valuable this site is if you are trying to help your child recover from Autism!
Here's the link: http://www.autismactionplan.org/members/autismactionplan/adminpages/freeopenhouse
Here's the link: http://www.autismactionplan.org/members/autismactionplan/adminpages/freeopenhouse
Monday, October 19, 2009
Immune response to wheat
Sorry to my awesome blog followers, I have not fallen off the face of the earth, it just seems like it!! The weekend of the 3rd I was in Costa Mesa, CA for the TACA Real Help Now conference. What an AWESOME bunch of parents there. Loved that group to pieces and they had a phenomenal line up of speakers including Dr. Jerry Kartzinel and Dr. Doris Rapp.
October 9th - 11th was the DAN! conference in Dallas, TX. That was amazing as always. And it will fuel many blog posts. Ever since the conference I have been trying to find time to blog about it and pass on the latest and greatest.
We finally made some family time during fall break with a trip to the mountains camping last weekend. So, that is why there has been such a lack of posts. Between traveling and fall break, it has been quite busy!!
So on to the good stuff. Dr. Alessio Fasano is a professor of pediatrics, medicine and physiology and director of the Mucosal Biology Research Center and the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He joined our New Beginnings dinner on Saturday night but I did not have the chance to speak with him there. What a pity because his talk on Sunday blew me away and changed how our family will eat from now on. He presented data on the immune response stimulated from wheat ingestion that leads to many common auto immune disorders we are seeing become more and more prevalent. I will skip the technical terms and put it this way, we were born eating nuts, seeds, fruits, veggies and some meats. People had to be nomadic because of that, moving to where they could get food. Once they discovered the secret of seeds, they learned to domesticate crops which allowed things like food storage and meant they could settle in one spot. Long, long before this was a recognizeable disorder, people were dying from this (more often small children). A Dutch Pediatrician named Willem-Karel Dicke noticed that a war-related shortage of bread in the Netherlands led to a significant drop in death rate amonth children affected by an immune response to gluten, from greater thank 35% to essentially zero! Once wheat was once again availabe, the numbers returned to previous levels.
So, how does gluten hurt us? When gluten is ingested, the body mobilizes an immune response, it thinks it is under attack. When the body is under attack, inflammation is generated at the site to aid in healing. When there isn't really an attack and there is prolonged exposure, you can see how this leads to chronic inflammation and bowel dysfunction so often seen in children on the spectrum along with people suffering from Celiac Disease (CD). The immune system harms healthy tissue in any attempt to destroy what they perceive to be an infectious agent. Why is this important? Eating this compound leads to impaired nutritional absorption. Poor iron absorption leads to anemia for example, poor folate uptake can lead to a variety of neurological problems. So, you can see how a person not acutely impacted i.e. without severe gastrointestinal problems like chronic diarrhea and persistant indigestion as a result of wheat exposure, can still be suffering from some form of CD, however slight. Many people DO have a strong response and suffer with chronic GI distress. The estimate is that 1% of the population has this immune response to wheat ingestion, 100 more times common than previously thought. The study that was done looked at 13,000 people and found 133 apparantly healthy subjects were affected! Many times the inflammation is mild and only a small segment of the intestines is dysfunctional. But, inflammation is inflammation and on a chronic basis = no good. We are seeing a dramatic rise in auto-immune related and inflammation related disorders. Here is a great study to pinpoint how impactful our diet is in our health or lack thereof. We all need to sit up and take notice.
After the DAN! conference my whole family when gluten free, not just my son with Autism. He's been GFCFSF for years, now it is time for the rest of us. Another doctor spoke about skin conditions like eczema being a key indicator for leaky gut. I know all too well about leaky gut, this chronically inflammed gut that has been compromised and lets larger peptides through that would not normally be allowed. It creates chaos and havoc for a body and especially a young, developing mind and body. My daughter (and husband and mother in law) all suffer from very bad eczema. Ding, ding, ding, the bells went off. After just a couple of days without gluten my daughter and husband were significantly better. I even noticed a HUGE difference in how I felt after a few days gluten free and then an infraction. I thought I was going to be sick, all that after just a couple of days GF and then eating gluten again! And, this really needs to be driven home to those with kids on the spectrum, EVEN ONE BITE CAN HURT!!! I am not even talking about behavioral reactions. I know there are enzymes out there that are wonderful. They may help break down the proteins for ease in digestion but that is NOT GETTING AROUND THE IMMUNE STIMULATION THAT IS OCCURRING. I have heard way too many people at conferences tell me that they give their kids their "pizza" enzymes or "ice cream" enzymes. I have to tell you, I cringe when I hear that. I am a huge proponent of enzymes but after hearing this new info, it shows me that this immune activation is still occurring. So, if you are really trying to heal your child's (or your own) gut, complete adherence is necessary. You are stoking those fires of inflammation which is just contributing to more damage and auto-immunity. But the good news is that when this is found out early and a strict Gluten Free diet is adhered, the structure of the gut almost always returns to normal or close to it and the gastrointestinal symptoms disappear.
So there you go. You will be getting more GF recipes from me as we make gluten free living a larger endeavor in our house. I urge you to look at your own families and see if this could be an issue for you as well.
This article was published in the August 2009 issue of Scientific America if you'd like to read the full version.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Smart Choices? Define "Smart"
I just got this email from Food Democracy Now. It isn't surprising that once again these designations are being bought to fool people to think their processed food choices are good for their kids or themselves. Read more:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Terri,
Ever get the feeling that multinational food corporations are just trying to sell you a bunch of junk in a pretty package? Well, the new Smart Choices® Program proves that hunch to be true.
Recently, an alliance of over a dozen giant food conglomerates and some industry “experts” came up with a new nutrition labeling program meant to help consumers make “smarter food and beverage choices.”1 You might be surprised what they define as a “Smart Choice”: products like Froot Loops®, Keebler Cookie Crunch® and Lucky Charms®.
Are they serious? In an age when childhood obesity and type II diabetes has become an epidemic, labeling sugar cereals as smart choices is unacceptable. Please join us in telling the FDA and USDA to investigate the Smart Choices® Program and put an end to deceptive labeling.
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/39?akid=23.1199._q4AcM&t=1
The new Smart Choices® label, a large, bright green checkmark, is starting to appear on packages of processed food across the country thanks to the help of major corporations like ConAgra, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Kraft, PepsiCo, Tyson Foods and Unilever.2 For only $100,000, a company can join the Smart Choices® program3 and “recommend” products that contain as much as 44% sugar to your children.4
This new label is a sign of everything that is wrong with food industry driven labeling programs.
According to Michael Jacobson, the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the criteria for the new “smarter food” label is so low that: “You could start out with some sawdust, add calcium or Vitamin A and meet the criteria.”5
Jacobson, who was on the original panel of experts that worked to create the nutritional standards for the Smart Choices® program, resigned last September in disgust because the results were so far in favor of the industry.
Thankfully, the FDA and USDA have taken notice. The agencies sent a joint letter saying they would “be concerned if any FOP (front of package) labeling systems…had the effect of encouraging consumers to choose highly processed foods…”6 The letter is a good start, but The FDA and USDA need to do more. The Smart Choices program will encourage bad food choices if it's allowed to proceed. And the FDA and USDA have the ability to stop it.
Please sign this petition now and tell the FDA and the USDA that Froot Loops® is NOT a Smart Choice for our children.
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/39?akid=23.1199._q4AcM&t=1
Thanks for all you do,
Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! Team
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't be fooled, read those labels, know what those ingredients are and what they do to a growing mind and body and leave them on the shelf. Remember, with cold and flu season upon us, sugar is a MAJOR immune depressant. Don't leave yourself open to infection by loading yourself or your kids up on sugar.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Terri,
Ever get the feeling that multinational food corporations are just trying to sell you a bunch of junk in a pretty package? Well, the new Smart Choices® Program proves that hunch to be true.
Recently, an alliance of over a dozen giant food conglomerates and some industry “experts” came up with a new nutrition labeling program meant to help consumers make “smarter food and beverage choices.”1 You might be surprised what they define as a “Smart Choice”: products like Froot Loops®, Keebler Cookie Crunch® and Lucky Charms®.
Are they serious? In an age when childhood obesity and type II diabetes has become an epidemic, labeling sugar cereals as smart choices is unacceptable. Please join us in telling the FDA and USDA to investigate the Smart Choices® Program and put an end to deceptive labeling.
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/39?akid=23.1199._q4AcM&t=1
The new Smart Choices® label, a large, bright green checkmark, is starting to appear on packages of processed food across the country thanks to the help of major corporations like ConAgra, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Kraft, PepsiCo, Tyson Foods and Unilever.2 For only $100,000, a company can join the Smart Choices® program3 and “recommend” products that contain as much as 44% sugar to your children.4
This new label is a sign of everything that is wrong with food industry driven labeling programs.
According to Michael Jacobson, the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the criteria for the new “smarter food” label is so low that: “You could start out with some sawdust, add calcium or Vitamin A and meet the criteria.”5
Jacobson, who was on the original panel of experts that worked to create the nutritional standards for the Smart Choices® program, resigned last September in disgust because the results were so far in favor of the industry.
Thankfully, the FDA and USDA have taken notice. The agencies sent a joint letter saying they would “be concerned if any FOP (front of package) labeling systems…had the effect of encouraging consumers to choose highly processed foods…”6 The letter is a good start, but The FDA and USDA need to do more. The Smart Choices program will encourage bad food choices if it's allowed to proceed. And the FDA and USDA have the ability to stop it.
Please sign this petition now and tell the FDA and the USDA that Froot Loops® is NOT a Smart Choice for our children.
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/39?akid=23.1199._q4AcM&t=1
Thanks for all you do,
Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! Team
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't be fooled, read those labels, know what those ingredients are and what they do to a growing mind and body and leave them on the shelf. Remember, with cold and flu season upon us, sugar is a MAJOR immune depressant. Don't leave yourself open to infection by loading yourself or your kids up on sugar.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Vitamin D3 and protection against swine flu!
Anyone concerned with health and worried about the flu/swine flu needs to click this link and watch all 4 of the videos with Dr. Mercola interviewing Dr. Blaylock.
They shed light on this big scare tactic about swine flu but they offer practical advice to protect yourself! Once bit of advice is to make sure you get your vitamin D and specifically D3. It will help you immune system and with the whole overblown issue about sunscreen, most people are now deficient in vitamin D. You need 15 minutes of strong sun exposure - without sunscreen - to get adequate amounts. So, if you are not getting that, you should look into a supplement, it will definitely boost your immune system.
And, Great Plains Labs just did a study on the effectiveness of Mycellized vitamin D versus emulsified vitamin D.
"A recent double blind study by The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc. showed Micellized D3 had approximately 5 times greater increase in serum 25(OH) Vitamin D levels versus emulsified vitamin D. Micellized D3 is far superior in reaching and maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D3
over other forms of Vitamin D. Studies have been conducted on micelle vitamin preparations to
determine the effectiveness of this new delivery system when compared with both standard oil forms and other emulsified forms. The studies were conducted with normal healthy individuals varying in sex and age. The data shows that these micellized forms of fat-soluble micronutrients increased plasma levels greater than the oil forms and emulsified forms."
over other forms of Vitamin D. Studies have been conducted on micelle vitamin preparations to
determine the effectiveness of this new delivery system when compared with both standard oil forms and other emulsified forms. The studies were conducted with normal healthy individuals varying in sex and age. The data shows that these micellized forms of fat-soluble micronutrients increased plasma levels greater than the oil forms and emulsified forms."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is also more info from Mayer Eisenstein MD, JD, MPH from his blog. This contains several emails from other doctors on their use and success of Vitamin D3 in preventing H1N1.
1:30 PM PST, Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Dear Dr. Cannell:
Thanks for your update about the hospital in Wisconsin. I have had similar anecdotal evidence from my medical practice here in Georgia. We are one of the 5 states with widespread H1N1 outbreaks.
I share an office with another family physician. I aggressively measure and replete vitamin D. He does not.He is seeing one to 10 cases per week of influenza-like illness.
In my practice-- I have had zero cases. My patients are universally on 2000-5000 IU to maintain serum levels 50-80 ng/ml.
I share an office with another family physician. I aggressively measure and replete vitamin D. He does not.He is seeing one to 10 cases per week of influenza-like illness.
In my practice-- I have had zero cases. My patients are universally on 2000-5000 IU to maintain serum levels 50-80 ng/ml.
Ellie Campbell, DO
Campbell Family Medicine
3925 Johns Creek Court Ste A
Suwannee GA 30024
Dear Dr. Campbell:
That's good news. Now, if we just had a way for the CDC and the NIH to pay attention. Critics say we should not recommend vitamin D to prevent influenza until it is proven to do so (It has not been). The critics are thus saying, although they seem not to know it, you should be vitamin D deficient this winter until science proves being vitamin D sufficient is better than being Vitamin D deficient. Such advice is clearly unethical and has never ever been the standard of care. This is not rocket science. If I am wrong, and Vitamin D does not prevent influenza, what is lost? A few dollars. If they are wrong, and it does prevent influenza, what is lost? So far, the CDC says 41 kids are dead from H1N1, and the flu season has not yet started. Please contact your senators and congresspersons. Ask them to have hearings on vitamin D and H1N1: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
John Cannell, MD
PresidentVitamin D Council
585 Leff Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93422
From Dr. John Cannell
September 16,2009
I'm writing to alert readers to a crucial email from a I'm I'm I'm writing to alert readers to a crucial email from a physician who has evidence vitamin D is protective against H1N1 and to ask you, the reader, to contact your representatives in Washington to help protect Americans, especially children, from H1N1 before winter comes. Dear Dr. Cannell: Your recent newsletters and video about Swine flu (H1N1) prompted me to convey our recent experience with an H1N1 outbreak at Central Wisconsin Center (CWC). Unfortunately, the state epidemiologist was not interested in studying it further so I pass it on to you since I think it is noteworthy. CWC is a long-term care facility for people with developmental disabilities, home for approx. 275 people with approx. 800 staff. Serum 25-OHD has been monitored in virtually all residents for several years and patients supplemented with vitamin D. In June, 2009, at the time of the well-publicized Wisconsin spike in H1N1 cases, two residents developed influenza-like illness (ILI) and had positive tests for H1N1: one was a long-term resident; the other, a child, was transferred to us with what was later proven to be H1N1. On the other hand, 60 staff members developed ILI or were documented to have H1N1: of 17 tested for ILI, eight were positive. An additional 43 staff members called in sick with ILI. (Approx. 11-12 staff developed ILI after working on the unit where the child was given care, several of whom had positive H1N1 tests.) So, it is rather remarkable that only two residents of 275 developed ILI, one of which did not develop it here, while 103 of 800 staff members had ILI. It appears that the spread of H1N1 was not from staff-to-resident but from resident-to-staff (most obvious in the imported case) and between staff, implying that staff were susceptible and our residents protected. Sincerely, Norris Glick, MDCentral Wisconsin CenterMadison, WI Dear Dr. Glick: This is the first hard data that I am aware of concerning H1N1 and vitamin D. It appears vitamin D is incredibly protective against H1N1.
Dr. Carlos Carmago at Mass General ran the numbers in an email to me. Even if one excludes 43 staff members who called in sick with influenza, 0.73% of residents were affected, as compared to 7.5% of staff. This 10-fold difference was statistically significant.
From Dr. John Cannell
September 16,2009
I'm writing to alert readers to a crucial email from a I'm I'm I'm writing to alert readers to a crucial email from a physician who has evidence vitamin D is protective against H1N1 and to ask you, the reader, to contact your representatives in Washington to help protect Americans, especially children, from H1N1 before winter comes. Dear Dr. Cannell: Your recent newsletters and video about Swine flu (H1N1) prompted me to convey our recent experience with an H1N1 outbreak at Central Wisconsin Center (CWC). Unfortunately, the state epidemiologist was not interested in studying it further so I pass it on to you since I think it is noteworthy. CWC is a long-term care facility for people with developmental disabilities, home for approx. 275 people with approx. 800 staff. Serum 25-OHD has been monitored in virtually all residents for several years and patients supplemented with vitamin D. In June, 2009, at the time of the well-publicized Wisconsin spike in H1N1 cases, two residents developed influenza-like illness (ILI) and had positive tests for H1N1: one was a long-term resident; the other, a child, was transferred to us with what was later proven to be H1N1. On the other hand, 60 staff members developed ILI or were documented to have H1N1: of 17 tested for ILI, eight were positive. An additional 43 staff members called in sick with ILI. (Approx. 11-12 staff developed ILI after working on the unit where the child was given care, several of whom had positive H1N1 tests.) So, it is rather remarkable that only two residents of 275 developed ILI, one of which did not develop it here, while 103 of 800 staff members had ILI. It appears that the spread of H1N1 was not from staff-to-resident but from resident-to-staff (most obvious in the imported case) and between staff, implying that staff were susceptible and our residents protected. Sincerely, Norris Glick, MDCentral Wisconsin CenterMadison, WI Dear Dr. Glick: This is the first hard data that I am aware of concerning H1N1 and vitamin D. It appears vitamin D is incredibly protective against H1N1.
Dr. Carlos Carmago at Mass General ran the numbers in an email to me. Even if one excludes 43 staff members who called in sick with influenza, 0.73% of residents were affected, as compared to 7.5% of staff. This 10-fold difference was statistically significant.
John Cannell, MD
PresidentVitamin D Council
585 Leff Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93422
Dr. Eisenstein's Comments:
No one knows what treatment will be effective against the H1N1 Flu. However, the data from Dr. Norris and now Dr. Campbell are very compelling, that Vitamin D will be protective for H1N1.
To lower your families incidence of colds and flu this winter and to lower your probability of Swine Flu, start by measuring their vitamin D levels, keep it above 50ng/ml and by giving the whole family daily probiotics and vitamin D.
Dr. Eisenstein's Comments:
No one knows what treatment will be effective against the H1N1 Flu. However, the data from Dr. Norris and now Dr. Campbell are very compelling, that Vitamin D will be protective for H1N1.
To lower your families incidence of colds and flu this winter and to lower your probability of Swine Flu, start by measuring their vitamin D levels, keep it above 50ng/ml and by giving the whole family daily probiotics and vitamin D.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New Beginnings carries mycellized vitamin D for $19.00 per bottle and a variety of probiotics. That is 600 ius per drop. Drs. Mercola and Blaylock recommend 2000 iu for kids and between 5000 & 10000 for adults.
Click the New Beginnings logo at the top of this page to order you vitamin D today!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)