7 foods farmers won't eat!

As a follow up to the article I just posted, here is more info on some things to avoid. Remember, Eden Foods carries a line of BPA free cans and that includes tomatoes! I prefer to make my own spaghetti sauce and just about died when I found out about BPA. So there is an alternative if you can find Eden Foods tomatoes.

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www.planetgreen.com
7 Foods So Unsafe Even Farmers Won't Eat Them
Grocery stores may sell them, but experts won't touch them; what you should know about your food.
By Laurel House | Mon Jan 25, 2010 17:55

Dick Luria/Getty Images


READ MORE ABOUT:
Green Home | Pollution | Vegan | Vegetarian | Water

Smoking was proven to be cancer-causing, tanning beds were shown to be on par with arsenic, but what about canned tomatoes, corn-fed beef, conventionally grown potatoes? What would it take to convince you to clean out your pantry and change your eating habits? Scientists, doctors, even simple farmers were asked what foods they refuse to eat. The responses had nothing to do with things like donuts due to fat content, or white bread because of the concentration of empty carbs. We're talking seemingly healthy things like tomatoes, beef, popcorn, potatoes, salmon, milk, and apples. For them, it's all about how they are produced and packaged.

7 experts in fields pertaining to both food and the environment answered one simple question: "What foods do you avoid?." Their answers, published in an article entitled "7 Foods the Experts Won't Eat" on Yahoo! Shine, will make you re-think food. When it comes to food and its affect on your health and the health of this planet, this is what they answered:


1. Canned Tomatoes


The Expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A.
The Reason: Tin cans are lined with a resin that contains the synthetic estrogen bisphenol-A, which has been linked to a slew of health problems including heart disease, diabetes, reproductive problems, and obesity. But that's not the biggest problem. The acid in tomatoes breaks down that bisphenol-A, leaching it into the food, and not just in insignificant amounts. According to the article, Saal comments that "you can get 50 mcg of BCA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young." That's why he's not touching the stuff.
The Solution: If you lo0ve the taste of "canned" tomatoes but prefer to skip the bisphenol-A, select glass bottles instead.


2. Corn-Fed Beef


The Expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming.
The Reason: Cattle are naturally grass eaters... not grain eaters. In order to fatten the animals (and profit margins), farmers feed them corn and soybeans. And while the farmers are beefing up their earnings, they are minimizing the nutritional benefits. The article mentions the findings from a recent USDA-conducted study comparing corn-fed beef and grass-fed beef showing that grass-fed beef is "higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease."
The Solution: Pretty straight forward: Opt for grass-fed beef instead.

WATCH VIDEO: Why Grass-Fed Beef? Emeril Answers


3.Microwave Popcorn


The Expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group.
The Reason: It's not the popcorn itself, but the chemically-saturated lining of the bag including a compound called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that, according to a recent study from UCLA, may be linked to infertility. Microwaving vaporizes the chemicals as they move from coating the bag to lining the popcorn. But it's not like this fact is un-acknowledged. In fact the article points out that DuPont, as well as other manufacturers, have "promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then."
The Solution: Pop your own popcorn the way they did it in the olden days--in a pot.


4. Conventionally Grown (Not Organic) Potatoes


The Expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board.
The Reason: Herbicides and pesticides may not be sprayed directly on root vegetables (since they're underground), but they absorb the chemicals through the soil and water. Because potatoes are considered the nation's most popular vegetable, producing a healthy crop is essential to keep up with demand. In order to maintain their health, the article exposes the scary fact that "they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting." But here's the scary thing, Moyer says that he's talked to potato growers "who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals."
The Solution: Another no-brainer— Only buy organic potatoes.


5. Farmed Salmon


The Expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.
The Reason: When salmon is crammed into pens, fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers (obviously an unnatural environment for the up-stream swimmers), they're levels of healthy vitamin D lowers as the contaminants increases. Those contaminants include carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides (like DDT). The article points out that DDT has been linked to both diabetes and obesity, quoting Carpenter in saying that "You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer... It's that bad."
The Solution: Avoid farmed salmon and instead select wild-caught Alaskan salmon. But make sure the packaging reads "wild." If it just says "fresh Atlantic," according to the article, "it's farmed."


6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones


The Expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society.
The Reason: Unlike in the olden days when fresh milk was some of the purest nutrients you could get, dairy cows today are fed growth hormones like rBGH and rBST to increase milk production. Problem is, while they may be making more milk, they are also increasing their chances of udder infections (which can lead to pus in the milk). More than that, the article points out that high levels of IGF-1 from the rBGH may play a role in the development of breast, prostate, and colon cancers... which is why North says that "it's banned in most industrialized countries."
The Solution: Read the labels and be sure that your milk doesn't contain rBGH or rBST and that it is labeled organic or "produced without artificial hormones."


7. Conventional Apples


The Expert: Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and co-director of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods
The Reason: Apples are the recipient of the most pesticides of all Fall fruits. Chemical producers swear that the residue is not harmful for human consumption, but the Yahoo! Article goes on to quote Kastel in saying that "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers."
The Solution: Buy organic apples where available or at least thoroughly wash and peel apples before eating them.

Related Content on Eco-Friendly Food:
Trust Stella McCartney: Meat-Free Mondays are Hip, not Hippie!
The EPA, Keeping Chemicals Secret Since 1976
The Eco-Friendly Fisherman

Chemicals in our world

It seems like a chemical kind of week. Everywhere I turn there seem to be articles out there talking about really nasty chemicals that are polluting our world and our bodies. After my first DAN! conference, my head was spinning after the "Defending your child from a toxic world" talk that Dr. Stuart Freedenfeld gave. Bleak was how I felt but then I got mobilized. From dumping the teflon pans to re-packaging my meat from those disgusting foam filled trays to looking at water filters for my home, my conscious mind was now on ways to protect my family.

The DAN! conference also showed me (in a very elaborate, organic chemistry sort of way) the detox pathways that we are born with and just how broken they have become in our kiddos with Autism (and probably a great many others without it). I also heard the stats of what hazardous toxins are found each day in the cord blood of newborn babies. It seems un-avoidable. We all are exposed to toxins. When I walk through the lush grass of our HOA I know I am picking up fertilizers and pesticides, another reason why I don't let my kids lay on the common area grass or wear shoes inside. I know the schools use pesticides and herbicides, as do all the malls, stores, etc. We cannot live in a bubble, but what I always encourage is for people to make the biggest impact where they get the most exposure.

For most of us that is in our food supply and what we use to clean our homes. We can make a BIG impact just eating organic with the "dirty dozen", for example strawberries have some of the highest residue amounts so always go organic on the strawberries. Things with thick peels are ok not to get organic. Peel your veggies and fruit unless it is organic. Small steps do add up to big changes in our exposure. Dump the bleach. One byproduct of bleach is dioxin, one of the most hazardous chemicals out there. You can have a clean house without bleach, I promise.

I used to think it was just the hippie freakos who were afraid of stuff like BPA. Now maybe I am one of those hippie freakos. If so, I embrace it because I do know (and have the lab tests to prove it!) that we are healthier than before. I applaud Feinstein's efforts to ban BPA, it should NOT be lining our canned goods, baby bottles and other plastics. If you are eating anything out of a can then you are ingesting BPA, unless you are eating out of a can from Eden Foods. They are committed to providing non-GMO products and spend a great deal of money to provide a BPA-free can. I support them as much as possible. I am sorry, I just don't have time in the day to make my own refried beans right now (especially since I am the main one that eats them). So, a little convenience is always appreciated and Eden Foods' refried beans are yummy and BPA free! There's my plug for them.

So read below a great article from Care2's website on possible changes this government is making. I sure would love to see some actual regulations on what chemicals are allowed into our foods, used on the crops and injected into the animals we eat. We need to continue to put pressure on regulation of these chemicals and how they can be used. And we all need to be educated in what really goes on. We do need to take charge of our health and the health of our families and that means learning about the bad stuff so we can make changes as much as possible. And of course all of these chemicals are impacting our rates of cancer, DUH! But, one word about that, an alkaline environment is not cancer friendly. Learning about the PH of the body and eating and drinking things that promote alkalinity as opposed to acidity will greatly benefit you when it comes to disease, especially cancer! More on alkalinity at a later date.

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www.care@.com
For everyone who thought BPA-paranoid moms were just control freaks, and the people scrubbing their bathrooms with homemade cleaning solutions were just silly tree huggers, brace yourselves. Because the President's Cancer Panel just joined forces with those hippies.

The Panel, established in 1971 and consisting of three medical experts who report directly to the president, released a report today warning that lax chemical regulations could be negatively affecting our health -- especially when it comes to cancer.

Chemicals have crept into almost every aspect of our lives -- from water and food, to even the air we breathe. Chemicals like BPA, which California Senator Dianne Feinstein is pushing to ban, and those found in household products like cleaning supplies and cosmetics have been getting some attention recently through legislation like Feinstein's, and movements like the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Hexane, a carcinogenic neurotoxin, was recently discovered in veggie burgers. The report recognizes there is a regulatory (and cultural) presumption that chemicals are safe, and this helps keep possibly dangerous products in the mainstream. Most people will swipe on that paraben-laden eyeshadow without ever batting an...eye.

The Panel blames this assumption that chemicals are safe, as well as weak laws, derelict enforcement, and disunited authority, for the lack of chemical regulation. According to the report, only a few hundred of the more than 80,000 chemicals used in America have been tested for safety, and a number of suspected or even known carcinogens remain unregulated.

The report is especially important because of an increase in cancers, particularly among children, which experts suspect could be due to environmental factors. Stomach cancer in young white adults is also on the rise. Pregnant mothers should be exceptionally cautious about chemicals: 300 contaminants have been found in the cord blood of newborn babies, suggesting that children are being born 'pre-polluted.'

To help reduce your chemical exposure, the Panel gives suggestions such as filtering your drinking water, checking radon levels in your home, choosing pesticide-, chemical fertilzer-, and growth-hormone-free foods, and using databases to research the safety of common household products and cosmetics.

You can also sign this petition to Strengthen America's Toxic Chemical Standards.

And read up on what our friends over at Healthy & Green Living have to say about the report, too!

Read more: cancer, safety, chemicals, cosmetics, BPA, health policy, presidents cancer panel

Pesticides and ADHD and cross post about Azure Standard

I have blogged before about pesticides and the "dirty dozen" list of products that you should always buy organic. As I read yet another story about the link between these neurotoxins we use to kill the crickets and roaches around our house and neuro-developmental disorders, I was also checking on my co-op order from Azure Standard. I always, always, ALWAYS get organic strawberries. I buy them frozen, in bulk from Azure Standard. They are frequently used for smoothies and popsicles in this house. So, I reviewed my order to see what actually shipped and will be arriving tomorrow and was shocked to see I ordered NON organic strawberries. It always happens that way. I read about something bad and find out that it was exactly what I just ordered a boat load of. We often take a break from the co-op during the summer months because so many people go out of town. You guessed it, I ordered a 3 month supply of non organic strawberries. Eeeek! OK so I grab the phone and call them to ask about the growing practices. I give them the item number and ask "I'd like to know about the pesticide use of the grower of this product". I get a kind of stunned answer "It is none or we would not be carrying it". SAY WHAT? So I reiterate "so even though these are not organic strawberries, you require little or no pesticide use or you don't carry their product". "Yes, we require that of our growers". WOW!! As if this company did not already have enough gold stars from me, add another one. If you don't know about Azure Standard, you should. Their customer service is bar none and they truly CARE about the products they stock. They are not just another wholesale distributor getting their cut. They investigate the products they carry. Now, I still advocate reading labels and all, what may be important to one person may not be important to another. But, I am so shocked to hear about standards like Azure Standard has. So, please support them, check out if there is a drop point near you! Once a month they truck down your shipment, good prices, wide variety of products, and great customer service. So there is my cross-post about pesticides and Azure Standard. So check out their website HERE.

Click HERE to read the full story on the link between pesticide use and ADHD. It will give you yet another reason to start your own garden or look for more organic produce while shopping. We get so focused on keeping those nasty bugs out, that we have lost sight of what we are using to get rid of those critters. Our little ones are often running around barefoot, putting toys in their mouths that have been laying on the ground and we have to be conscious of what we spray around that our kids are crawling and walking through. And, this is a good reason to leave shoes at the door. Not only are these hazardous chemicals tracked in on our shoes but if we don't remove our shoes, they are tracked onto the carpets that our kids roll around on. I hate bugs just as much as the next person, weeds too, but speaking from experience, I hate trying to heal my child's neurological problems more. And given that our kiddos with Autism already have impaired detox mechanisms, getting this crap out of their systems is even harder. So, hopefully this story will make you look for alternative ways to kill bugs and weeds. Vinegar is a great alternative for weeds, I have blogged on that before as well. It also makes a great cleaner/disinfectant in lieu of the toxic chemical cleaners. And beware the "all natural" label, it means very little these days.

More information on the dangers of soy

Once you mention that you or your family member does not eat or drink any dairy, the next thing that people say is "oh, so you use soy milk instead.". Or, I hear other people who say that they cannot drink dairy but instead use soy (which then makes me want to ask them if they still suffer from some of the same problems since many people find soy problematic because of their similar protein structures). We have avoided soy for a long time, I knew first hand what a thyroid dysrupter it could be when my friend (and own personal food guru) suffered thyroid issues as a result of soy intake. It can be especially problematic for children, and when you add the fact that most soy is genetically modified (GMO), it adds to the overall ICK factor I have with soy. If you don't know by now, genetically modified ingredients add to inflammation in the body. Inflammation is prevalent in many, many disorders we see today. Auto-immunity and inflammation are what I believe to be the heart of MOST disorders, including Autism as we have seen for my son. So, reducing inflammation and auto-immunity is key for us, and what I promote to friends and family suffering from things like diabetes, arthritis, etc. So when my Facebook friend Anne shared this link, I had to blog about it. Here is another article discussing yet another reason to avoid soy. Processing soy using a Hexane bath would not be my first inclination. We try and keep toxins out of our bodies, especially for my kiddo on the spectrum who has problems detoxing the way we are meant to. The link is below and you can scroll to the bottom and either read the full report or the summary, your choice. But, it highlights other soy products out (including the ever popular veggie burgers) that are processed with this chemical. And this reinforces my encouragement to all of you, to be sure about what you are eating, MAKE YOUR OWN FOOD! There are some fabulous veggie burger recipes on the web. They are chock full of protein, taste great and are SOY FREE! And if you can, start your own garden, no matter how small. Not only will you gain satisfaction out of it, you will know exactly where your food comes from and what (or what NOT) was used on the plants. And the Town of Gilbert will give you a free compost bin. So, now you can reduce your trash waste, give back to the environment and make your own nutrients to help nourish that garden. But in the meantime, you may want to check those labels again and just educate yourself on soy and how it may be processed!

Click HERE

Homemade popsicles

Do you want to give your kids some cool treats this summer but none of the guilt? So many premade (and I daresay even the ones marked "all natural") popsicles and treats have lots of sugar or corn syrup, colors and preservatives that many of us want to keep out of our kids' diets. There is an easier way! Fruit smoothies are a great way to get veggies and fruits into your kids without them knowing! These are kid tested (and mom approved).

In a blender combine:

8 ounces of water
1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries
1 handful spinach (optional but your kids will not know it is in there!)
3 scoops of KAL brand stevia (use the tiny scooper they provide in the container - add more or less depending on how sweet you want it)

Blend then pour into popsicle molds and freeze.

Your kids will be getting whole fruit, and if you add spinach, veggies too and the best part? They will LOVE it. My kids beg for these, yes even my 12 year old step-daughter who has had commercial popsicles before. She wanted to take the recipe back home with her after the first summer I made these. I get flak from people who say "sure, you get your kids to eat healthy because that's all they know, it is harder when they have eaten the other stuff with corn syrup, etc.". Yes it CAN be more challenging but eating healthy does NOT have to taste bad. Many of the raw food desserts and snacks I make are devoured by my step-daughter who is not used to raw foods at all. It can be done, with a little imagination anyone can eat healthier and like it. And this recipe can be modified to fit your tastes by switching the fruits. Spinach is so mild tasting raw that it makes a good addition. A few summers ago I used the green super foods powder, almond or coconut milk and a frozen banana and strawberries and called it "shrek ice cream" because it was green from the green super foods powder. The texture of the frozen banana is similar to ice cream and the kids LOVED it. And, I could feed my kids "ice cream" in the morning with NO guilt. What kind of cool mom was I??? :) So as the heat approaches, you can find cool ways to feed your kids healthy!! So go ahead, let your kids eat ice cream or popsicles for breakfast, because with these recipes, you know they are getting whole food nutrition at the same time, and YOU get major brownie points!

Tylenol and Autism, is there a connection?

Sorry blog followers, it has been a busy month so far and I have not had much time for blogging. But, I got to see my rockstar, kick butt friend (and former therapist) Dawn Winkelmann last night when she spoke at the ABC meeting. She touched on a topic about guilt. She says when she speaks she usually sees at least one parent crying at the discovery of an issue that may be a biggie for their child, and could be impeding their ability to speak and/or eat. She says that you can't have guilt over what you didn't know. Guilt, guilt, guilt.....it is what I struggle with as well. I daresay most Autism moms and dads face this too. From the dawn of this disorder it seems we are intent on placing blame, many times on us moms. First it was the refridgerator mom theory, we are cold, unloving people and therefore our children do not know how to relate to others. Then it was old eggs, yeah that's it. Or living in toxic environments, old homes, new homes, etc. It becomes hard to keep up. So I just read a new article discussing the possible link between Tylenol use and Autism. My son was fussy, and I mean colicky fussy, we never knew what was pain and what wasn't and no parent wants to see their child in pain, even though I also did not like giving pain medications, we were told Tylenol was safe. We were also told by our doctor to give Tylenol before immunizations, so we did. I look back now and see how many little bottles of infant Tylenol we went through because I thought it was "safe". I didn't know then what I do now. I didn't know how Tylenol is certainly not good for ANYONE with sulfation issues (all you arthritis sufferes out there, drop that Tylenol bottle!). So I gave my son Tylenol, and lots of it (now we only give ibuprofen and very sparingly!). So although I want to share this article, because I do think it is important to raise awareness and maybe share with our fellow mommies so they can skip the Tylenol, especially if they choose to immunize their children, I want everyone to leave the guilt at the door. It is a good reminder anyways, we do the best we can with the information we have today. If we learn something new, we apply it asap, but no guilt about the past, it is done, all we can do is keep moving forward. And if you see me out and about, remind me of this too, I am just as "guilty" as most.....

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From Foodconsumer.org

Some observational evidence has suggested that use of Tylenol in pregnant women and young children may increase risk of pediatric autism.

One study of 83 children with autism and 80 children without the condition released in Jan 2009 in Autism showed that use of acetaminophen or Tylenol after measles-mumps-rubella vaccination was associated with much greater risk of autism.

Stephen Schultz and colleagues from the University of California San Diego found among children aged younger than 5 years, those who used Tylenol after MMR vaccination were 6 times as likely to develop autism as those who did not.

Among children with regression in development, those who used Tylenol were 4 times as likely to suffer autism as those without.

Among children who had post-vaccination sequelae, those who received Tylenol were 8 times as likely to have autism as those who did not.

On the other hand, the researchers found Ibuprofen use after MMR was not associated with autism.

They concluded that the preliminary study suggested that Tylenol after MMR was associated with autism.

Torres A. R from Utah State University in Logan Utah published an article in Sept 2003 in BMC Prediatrics saying that the etiology of autism involves infections of the pregnant mother or of a young child.

Infections often lead to fever for which Tylenol is often used.

Torres explained that use of Tylenol inhibits processes that evolved over millions of years to protect against microbial attack and interferes with normal immunological development in the brain leading to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.

David Liu

Barro's gluten free pizza!

So I have to tell you about our new ritual. We see our chiropractor in Queen Creek once a week and we drive by Barro's pizza on Power and Queen Creek on the way home. I have had the privilege to meet a member of the Barro's family and let me tell you, she is fabulous! And I know how committed they are to offering a gluten and dairy free pizza option. So, in many of their locations now, you can get a gluten and dairy free pizza. My son is gun shy after years of cheese substitutes so he just eats the regular gluten free crust with sauce. That version is GFCF. Their location at Power and Queen Creek also has a little kids area, about half the restaurant with a pretend kitchen, play food, tables and chairs for kids and a big flat screen with cartoons on. Too cool! There are booths and tables for parents and it makes a dinner out very, very enjoyable, especially since we ALL get to eat the same food! So if you are local, I would highly recommend Barro's pizza, they use the Gluten Free Creations crusts!

TACA real help now conference

What another great TACA event! This past weeked TACA held their Real Help Now conference in Foothill Ranch, Ca. It was very well attended and had phenomenal speakers. My husband was able to come with me which was so cool. We sat in on about 20 minutes of Dr. Kartzinel's talk and that was about it. My throat was so sore from talking and my feet beat from standing. I always love talking to other parents about Autism and their journey. Many of the parents were just starting biomed and so we got to share our story and our son's success with biomed. There were biomed "veterens" there too and I always come back with new knowledge from speaking with them. I wish I could have heard Dr. Usman's talk on biofilms. She stopped by our booth so I spoke with her about several things, including homeopathy which she uses in her practice. And as always it was SO great to see the TACA members, they are always so welcoming, so supportive and so awesome!! So, if you haven't been to a TACA event, check your local area for a group. Or if you live in Southern California, you must hook up with the chapters there. TACA's next even is their family picnic in June, I hear that is a blast.

Special mothers and how they are chosen

I just love my Facebook Autism "sisters". Many of you I only know from your profile, your postings and our common thread of raising a child with special needs. You are there for me, give me strength and understand me. You get my "bad" days and can relate to what I face on a daily basis. You also understand the immense joy I get from even the smallest gain and how just one new word, new food tried or new emotion expressed can bring me to tears of pride and love for my son. And you share SO much new information. I have spent years pouring over books, online resources and talking to other moms to learn all I can. With the advent of Facebook, my ability to research has exploded exponentially and I thank you all for sharing. Here is a post from this morning, thanks to Anne Hodapp for passing this beauty on, I HAD to repost. So here's to mothers of special needs kiddos, I am sure you will relate as you read it.

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The Special Mother
by Erma Bombeck



Most women becaome mothers by accident, some by choice, a
few by social pressure and a couple by habit.

This year nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of
handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of
handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his
instuments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As
He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant
ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth; son. Patron saint...give her Gerard. He's
used to profanity."

"Forrest, Marjotie; daughter. Patron saint, Cecelia."

"Rutledge, Carrie; twins. Patron saint, Matthew."

Finially He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a
handicapped child."

The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God, "Could I give a handicapped child to a
mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But she has patience?" asked the angel.

"I don't want her to have to much patience or she will drown in
a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment
wears off, she'll handle it."

"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and
independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You
see, the child I'm going to give her has his own world. She has
to make her live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles,
"No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect - she has just
enough selfishness." The angel gasps - "selfishness? is that a
virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't seperate herself from the child
occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom
I will bless with a child less perfect. She doesn't realize it yet,
but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a
'spoken word'". She will never consider a 'step' ordinary. When
her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at
a miricle, and will know it!"

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance,
cruelty, prejudice....and allow her to rise above them. She will
never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day
of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is
here by My side".

And what about her Patron saint? asked the angel, his pen
poised in mid-air.
God smiles, "A mirror will surfice."

TACA Real Help Now Conference May 1, 2010

If you are in the area, you do not want to miss this conference. I was at the one last fall and it was amazing. This one has even more speakers and you will never go wrong with the TACA parents! They are informed and are awesome resources! I will be at the conference on behalf of New Beginnings! So sign up today and don't forget to stop by the New Beginnings booth!

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TACA Real Help Now Conference for Autism in Orange County, CA
Listen, Learn & Take Action for Your Child at the Real Help Now Conference.
ORANGE COUNTY, CA
May 1, 2010

Featuring:
Martha Herbert, MD
Tim Buie, MD
Anju Usman, MD
Jerry Kartzinel, MD

Register HERE Now- Online Registration Closes on April 29!

Searching for and finding the right information to help your child can be overwhelming for families affected by autism. The Real Help Now Conference was developed to bring the latest information on medical, dietary and legal issues for children with autism, and most importantly, help parents through the often daunting process of determining how to organize and prioritize their intervention efforts.

The Real Help Now Conference will provide two important tools for translating the information gained from the speakers into action for your child:

1. Real Help Now Workbook with step-by-step processes to help you to determine appropriate interventions and timelines for taking action in the realms of medical and dietary intervention, education, finances and home life. (Sorry, this Workbook is only available at the conference.)

2. TACA parent mentors who have been there, done that. Our experienced mentors will be on hand to to work with you one-on-one to answer your questions and share what has worked for their child.

Whether you are just starting out on the autism journey or are an experienced parent, you will learn from nationally known experts about how you can help your child at the Real Help Now Conference.

TACA strives to ensure that the focus of our conference is education and support, and to provide a safe, supportive environment for our attendees. TACA reserves the right to refuse admittance to any individual.

Registration includes light breakfast AND lunch.

For more conference information please go to www.realhelpnowconference.com

Autism RECOVERY Awareness

It dawned on me yesterday after a phone call with the mother of one of my son's classmates. Maybe my best contribution to Autism Awareness month comes in the form of recovery information and hope to others. That is what I try and accomplish all year long. But, as my previous posts have stated, I worry that the message of Autism Awareness is being missed by those it really needs to target. But yet again, I had another parent who sees my child in the classroom environment on a weekly basis and who did not realize my son has a diagnosis of Autism. She asked me about the chart that gets filled out at the end of the day with him and marked how supportive the children are about it. When he earns all of his stickers for doing his tasks you always hear "Great job" and "Way to go" from the other kids. I want to cry when I hear it. There is so much love and compassion in that class, in that school. The children are always encouraged to support one another and think of the whole, not the individual. This mom said that she saw the sticker on my car, a National Autism Association Autism ribbon magnet. The fact that we have gotten to the point where the only way someone really knows we have been affected by Autism is by the sticker on my car is a pretty darn cool thing! I got to explain yet again how different life was just 3 short years ago when our wonderful school we attend was NOT an option. How he was non verbal, would not play, would not make eye contact. I did not hear the "I love yous" and the "Thanks mom, you're the best" like I do now. There was screaming and overstimulation in its place. Birthday parties were avoided and excuses made, knowing those environments were just too much. We still have our "days" and yet even neurotypical children do too. I know when my son is "on the verge" and we can divert those meltdowns much easier now. This past weekend was filled with school carnivals and trips to the zoo. We could never have done both in a single weekend, or stayed as long at either places. Huge steps that I consider major victories for my son. Maybe this is the better message. Yes Autism is rising but no it is not a life sentence. There ARE things you can do to change the course of Autism. I do not say every child will have the same success as my son. Some kids will respond better, some not as well. But isn't it worth the try? So I challenge those out there that Autism is not a hopeless diagnosis. I say that the journey takes you into a world you never knew existed. I have learned about healthy eating, supplements that support and nourish the body and eliminating the daily toxins that can negatively impact our health. Changing those things CAN change the course of Autism and I think that is what I really want people to know. Sometimes people don't wake up until they are immersed in our world. And with rates now 1 in 91, more people will be joining this club. So hopefully as they do, they realize they can make changes. I certainly hope that people wake up earlier and we see a decline in Autism, but until that happens, at least maybe people can read our story and find hope in recovery.

Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s Interview by Dr. Mercola on His MMR Study

Here is a wonderful opportunity to hear Dr. Wakefield speak about his side of the MMR controversy and the Lancet retraction. He has repeatedly offered to debate this subject even with Paul Offit (I heard this challenge myself at the 2008 DAN! conference). Hmmm, wonder why Paul Offit will not take him up on that challenge so we can hear both sides???? There are 10 videos in total but well worth the time to watch and hear both of these wonderful physicians.


Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s Interview on His MMR Study

What is Autism Awareness??

April is Autism Awareness month but for who? Is it really for others out there? I always wonder that. Those affected by Autism are aware, boy are we aware. And really I wonder if I would have listened when I was pregnant, when maybe I could have made changes that would have changed our trajectory? Would I have listened as a new parent? Now I look back and things are SO clear. A fussy baby who had a really hard time nursing (low tone) and who was very reactive to formula (dairy intolerance). I see the sensory issues that made trips to the grocery store excruciating (for him and me). I felt like a failure as a parent, the most important job I could imagine. I recognized how he "changed" after each immunization and my pediatrician replied that he had never heard that before. The child who had started to sleep a full night immediately STOPPED sleeping on the night of his 4 months shots. It would take months for the effects of immunizations to fade and then we were due for the next ones. I remember how my son's eyes would go to my hairline rather than my eyes at 3 months of age. What could I say to a new parent to make them "aware"? I wonder what Autism Awareness is really about? How many people are really listening that aren't already impacted by Autism? I see our food supply in sad, sad shape. I see us pushing even more immunizations than we ever had (did you hear about the new Yeast infection vaccine, I AM SERIOUS HERE), I see more toxins in our world than EVER before. Everything is antibacterial, everything is made with bleach or chemicals. There are no real ingredients everywhere. Most people subsist off fast food or pre-packaged meals. Those in the Autism community make old fashioned bone broth, fermented foods, give probiotics nightly and supplements like cod liver oil. We have gone "back to basics" to heal our children. Many are finding relief from their physical ailments and ironically enough, their Autism symptoms are also fading. It never fails, when I tell M's story I usually get one person who says "so he really didn't have Autism then if he doesn't have it now". I have to chuckle inside. If I could give you a snapshot of my life 3 years ago......the lengths we went to to keep our son safe and us sane. No sleep, sensory seeking, food craving (mainly wheat and dairy *ding, ding, ding*), meltdowns (from food intolerances, yeast and bacterial imbalances), mouthing EVERYTHING, not playing with kids, no eye contact, no language, etc. Many cannot conceive of it watching him today, playing with kids, talking to excess, making friends, telling me he loves me. At the rate Autism is growing, more families will go down the same path. I educate many on this path to what biomed is from a family's perspective. But what if real awareness is getting to prospective moms and dads? I am sad to say I would have probably said "oh that won't happen to MY child". The problem is, no one thinks it will happen to their child and yet Autism is now 1 in 91. So who's child will it be next?

Autism 24/7 by Cathy Jameson

I saw this Age of Autism post on Facebook and as I read it aloud to my husband, we both wondered if this was my life I had written about. So many similarities but I guess that is what we find when we did deeper into the Autism community. I also blog about this journey, speak to other parents about our journey, what has worked, what a biomed approach is from a parents perspective and try and help as many people as I can. That means blogging, sending and receiving emails and sometimes too many "please go out and play so I can finish this" statements. I too have neurotypical children that struggle with so much attention and focus on Autism, and the guilt that goes along with it. I thought Cathy's piece below was very well written. As we move through April which is Autism Awareness Month, I too wish the people making decisions on our state and federal budgets would truly be more aware. I have a child with Autism, I am aware. But so many are not. They don't know what helps these kids and what they have said "works" actually DOESN'T work for my child. We never did ABA, we did Floortime. I don't do medications to modify behaviors. Come on people, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS. And there is no judgement here, people do the best they can at any given time. But, those options are not for me or my son. But, what we have tried, Methyl B-12, Respen-A, LDN, other supplements, along with traditional therapies have been VERY successful in bringing him to a wonderful place of healing and progress, we are blessed and thankful EVERYDAY for that. So here is Cathy's piece, beautifully written, grab your tissues and get ready.

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Autism Awareness Month: From A 24/7 Autism Mom
By Cathy Jameson

I was in the kitchen one afternoon searching through my emails when my oldest daughter walked in. She had just been outside on a gloriously sunny day with instructions to play until I come and get you. ‘Get back out there,’ I said while keeping my eyes locked on the internet. I needed the outside playtime to last hoping it would buy me some time to veg out, get some computer “work” done and to have a moment of silence from our constantly-busy schedule. ‘I have to use the bathroom,’ Fiona said while hurrying away.

Shaking my head at myself and the ever-growing list of things I needed to get done, I craned my neck and went back to searching for whatever it was I was looking for. I wanted to reply to an email before I was pulled in another direction. It’s nearly impossible for me to complete a full task in one sitting but I was determined to get this one done. Scratch that chance.

Fiona walked back by the kitchen as I had my hands hovering ready to type. “Mom,” she started. Ugh. Can’t I have any peace and quiet around here?! “Yes,” I answered as sweetly as I could. “Mom, when are you going to be done with all this autism stuff?”

Stabbed. Stabbed with guilt. My heart broken and my head hanging even lower, I raised it to look Fiona square in the eye and asked, “Why?” Fiona had her hand on the doorknob already and was about to jet back into the backyard. I didn’t want to be gruff or give her a long-winded, over her head answer so I asked her a question back. “Do you want me to stop reading about it?” Fiona looked at me with wide eyes, “NO!” she said emphatically. I went on, “Do you want me to stop writing about it?” “No, Mom. I just wanted to know when it’s going to be all done.” Fiona is eight. She’s only known her brother Ronan to be who he is with all his behaviors. She lives through the hours of therapy, the miles of driving, the pages of books, magazine and websites I read. She is very aware of the many things we do to make Ronan’s life easier so all of our lives are manageable. Fiona needed a quick, pat you on the back answer that promised only good things.

I took a breath and replied, “Oh, I guess I’ll be done when things get better for us, for Ronan and for other kids like him. It stinks that I have to do all this and I’m sorry it takes so much time. “Okay,” Fiona said. “Can you come outside? You said you would.” More stabbing pain in my heart. “I’ll be right there.”

This month is autism awareness month. I haven’t looked it up yet but I wonder who came up with a whole month to celebrate being aware of autism. Why are we celebrating being aware? Why can’t the whole month be dedicated to promoting the therapies that provide scientifically proven strategies to help those on the spectrum? Why can’t at least one day be dedicated to offering free or reduced rates for therapy trials? Why can’t one week be set aside for politicians who voted against insurance coverage for effective but unbelievably expensive therapies that work but are so financially out of reach to come live with a family with multiple children on the spectrum? Their vote could save a child, their lifetime, their parents’ marriage.

Wait! Even better…what if for one full week we had a program that would help the world understand how aware some of us already are? What if we opened our homes to a complete stranger, better yet, the politician who had the chance to open more doors for families but didn’t, or a lobbyist who stuffed big pharma into the pockets of said politicians, or a clueless celebrity who fronts for a group that promotes harmful-to-kids science, or a high-power news commentator who contemptuously condemns us parents? Let’s throw in that pesky neighbor too who thinks the only cure for our child is better discipline. That person would be morphed into a child or young adult on the spectrum for a week. Each morphed person would exemplify one of the negative associations of autism, the ones that are all but forgotten on the awareness campaign. The morphed person would experience a 24-hour glimpse of the 365-day “awareness” we already live.

Here’s a line up of what they might expect:

Monday is Poop Smearing Day. Everyone don your rubber gloves, your surgical jumpsuits and your clothes pins to hold your nose! Come to the toxic dump that is the child’s bedroom and witness the rainbow of stench that can be pooped out of a seven-year olds’ bum. Seven is way too old to be in diapers but add sensory issues, medical maladies and lack of awareness when a stinky poo comes out and you’ve got the makings of a Crapisode. Don’t forget to air out the place when you leave for the day.

Tuesday is Non-Verbal Try to Communicate Day. You have a voice but only vowel sounds are emitted. The person you are talking to can hear you but has no clue what you are saying since you sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher. See if you can order a hamburger and a shake. You will surely get the deer in the headlights look all day long. Your behaviors, negative ones, will increase as the day goes which will add to your frustration and your caretakers’ stress level. Good luck with making friends.

Wednesday is Over-Stimulation Day. Mom’s got to get some shopping done. Problem is, she can’t find someone to watch you. Your issues are too intense for the neighborhood teenage babysitter and the government agency that used to help has no more money to offer respite. You get to tagalong to the local vision-exploding, ear-piercing, can’t breathe without gasping for air sensory overload experience. Mom settles for more catalog shopping while hoisting you over her shoulder and scurrying out of the mall before she’s asked to leave because you freaked out in the tiny changing room with the flickering fluorescent lights. Mom looks like a dumpy dump in her too-large catalog shirts that she can barely afford but at least you’re safe at home with her from now on.

Thursday is Total Tantrum Day. You want to watch ‘Elmo’s World’ again but the DVD is scratched and your movie is worthless. You might as well use it as a coaster. Dad can’t find a replacement movie so you’re left to deal with the disappointment. The only way you know how to deal is to throw a tantrum. Mom is crying in the corner while Dad looks on eBay for the special edition DVD. It’s going to cost just as much as one speech therapy session since it’s the only one left on the planet and it’s a boxed edition signed by every character on Sesame Street. Dad enters his credit card number hoping he gets a raise at the end of the year to pay off the debt. You still tantrum even though the movie is purchased. It won’t be delivered until next week. Mom quietly puts her ear plugs in and wipes a constant flow of tears from her eyes.

Friday is Find Me Day. You ran out of the house when no one was looking. Mom was in the shower when you slipped away. The house was too quiet as she got her robe on—she knew you were gone and ran out of the house with the cell phone, 9-1-1 already dialed. Thankfully you were only 2 streets away in your own neighborhood. A retired man who was walking his dog spotted you in your dirty diaper and waited with you until the police arrived. Mom grabs you in a full hug and can’t speak. She sobs heavily while you try to push her away. It’s too hot for you to be hugged, that’s why you were only wearing your diaper when you left.

Saturday is So You Think You Can Swim Day. I won’t even go into details about the events of that day since it sends shivers across the autism community parents to think about the ‘what ifs’ when there is a body of water near their child. Half-emerged, fully clothed bodies are not a pretty picture.

Sunday is Sit and Wiggle Day. You thought it was a day of rest but your family once again attempts to make it to Sunday services. Dad manhandles you to sit still while kids a few pews back stare at you wondering what the heck is wrong with you. Mom keeps her eyes on the altar wishing you could just for once, sit at church without causing a scene. The pastor keeps preaching but can’t help but stare at you every few outbursts. He silently prays for you and your dedicated parents.

I would imagine more “awareness” would help those perfect strangers if they could live for just a few moments in our children’s world. It may actually convince them to do something. These people need to learn how and where the autism community lives so they can offer real help that works. We’re not asking for everything to be perfect. We’re not asking for our children to be the center of their attention, their only priority. We’re asking for action. We’re asking for help. We’re asking for hope. We’re asking for it now.

Back in my own house, Fiona ran to the swing set to play. I had a brief moment of letting everything go. I almost quit advocating. I almost retired my keyboard from all the writing I do. I almost took off my ‘Special Needs Mom’ hat to put on a ‘Just a Mommy’ hat. In the blink of an eye I could have ended a calling in this community. Fiona only wanted an answer and happily, was satisfied with the one I offered. She said I should keep writing because she loves to hear that my stories are being read by other people.

That afternoon, I closed the laptop. I went outside to enjoy my children, watching them crawl all over the playground my husband built. It has slides, swings, monkey bars. It has the potential for a whole lot of fun. I shouldn’t just peek out the window at my children while they play but most days I do. I stay too long on the computer or call other warrior parents. I’m afraid of where my son’s future may be if I don’t do something now which means a lot of networking and asking questions. If I don’t learn now how to navigate an antiquated system not ready to handle the large population of children like Ronan, how will he survive as an adult?

But, before I let my own four walls cave in, I have to also remember that I have typical children that need their fun-loving, still-swinging, barely-fitting down the slide while galloping over to the trampoline to jump till my thighs burn Mommy.

I got out that day to be with my children. There’s enough autism action going on over here in my home. Can you do the same for someone in your community? Do you have time to advocate or volunteer with a local group that supports families in need? Do you have a chance to donate services or assistance to make a child more successful now? If you can imagine that cleaning up poop parties are bad when made by a seven-year old, add ten years to that with an almost-grown man and his poop. Get out and adopt a family that you can help now. Autism awareness is so old hat. Look around your community and learn what local families need. You will not be disappointed in how far your acts of kindness and commitment will go.

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Cathy Jameson is a Contributing Editor to Age of Autism. She also runs the AoA FaceBook fanpage.

April is Autism Awareness Month

So April is Autism Awareness Month. It is always Autism Awareness Month in our house. And this reality will be more and more common for other families too, I am sad to say. Autism is the leading childhood disorder and the numbers continue to rise. The frustrating thing for many is that there are things you can do to dramatically help your child both medically and behaviorally. We support a biomedical approach 100% because it has worked for our child. The notion of putting healthy foods without fillers, preservatives, dyes, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, soy, and allergenic foods was not such a stretch for us to understand and agree to. It made sense once I learned more about true health and wellness. Food is our foundation, period. Then supplements can fill in the gaps and provide additional support. Understanding the underlying medical issues my son faces really helped in his recovery. Addressing yeast overgrowth, bacterial overgrowth, auto-immunity and inflammation all helped him "recover" and be able to communicate more effectively and reduced many of his Autistic symptoms. Treatments like Methyl B-12 injections, Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and Respen-A have really been "wow" therapies for our son. As a result of what we have learned, our whole family is healthier and for that I am grateful. Autism is a journey, not just for the child affected but for the whole family. Each family approaches their response to Autism differently and I respect that. Here are some of the things we've learned along the way:

* Once you know one child with Autism, you know one child with Autism. Each are so different, in their challenges, strengths and weaknesses. Please do not lump them all together.
* It can bring you to places emotionally you never though possible, for the better and worse.
* It requires a lot of passion and a lot of humor to deal with some of the stuff you will inevitably deal with.
* I am a better person, parent and spouse because of it, or in spite of it.
* Always expect the unexpected and BE PREPARED. Snacks, changes of clothes, a weighted blanket and a brush for the Wilbarger Brushing Protocol were staples in our car for a looooong time.
* Don't question yourself when it comes to your child. Parent's intuition is real and many times, you ARE the only person who knows the ins and outs of your child. Believe in yourself.
* Don't let ANYONE push you around when it comes to your child. Don't take mediocre doctors, therapists or teachers. Your child deserves to be treated with respect and caring, period.
* Behaviors aren't just behavioral. Sometimes medical issues and sensory issues can be the root cause of many behavioral issues. Address those things and you can resolve the behaviors.
* Trust your child. Even nonverbal children will give you signs of a "bad fit" for therapists, etc. It can be scary trusting your child to a host of people who are supposed to be "helping". Look for cues and act on instincts. Our children are more susceptible to abuse because many cannot communicate well.
* Do what works for your family, period. Try things and see if your child responds.
* Never stop learning, questioning, fighting, your child is worth it!
* RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE, MY SON IS PROOF.

So welcome April, welcome another month to make more people aware of Autism and my son's incredible journey with and recovery from Autism.