By Julie Matthews, CNC THE ROLE OF TRADITIONAL FOODS IN HEALING AUTISM While much has been written about the most popular autism diets, there s been little investigation into the tenets of traditional diets in regard to autism. Throughout history and driven by the needs of survival and evolution, the varied human cultures of the world inherently learned which foods and ways of being supported their health. This led to clear commonalities in the traditional diets of our ancestors. From my extensive research and clinical experience, I find that the principles and practices of these traditional cultures can serve as a foundation of a healing diet for autism and bolster the effectiveness of any dietary intervention. Substantive science, research, and common sense also support the role of traditional foods in healing autism. Today, autism is known to be a whole body disorder not strictly a brain disorder, as was once believed and it is recognized that the brain is affected by the biochemistry of the body. What happens in the brain of the child with autism is directly impacted by what occurs in the other organs and systems, beginning with the digestive system. For many such children, physiological and behavioral symptoms may stem from, or be exacerbated by, impaired digestion. Studies have shown that children with autism tend to have leaky gut syndrome, low levels of beneficial flora, inflammation, and immune responses to food. These factors can be addressed by altering the diet so as to avoid problematic foods and add those rich in healing nutrients. DIGESTION When children have leaky gut, they do not effectively break down proteins into amino acids. Instead, long protein chains (peptides) enter the bloodstream, where the immune system marks them as an invader and creates an inflammatory response that can affect many areas of the body, including the brain. Additionally, when there is insufficient digestion of gluten and casein, opioid (opiate-like) compounds are produced that cause inattention, high pain tolerance, and foggy thinking, and are addictive. In an inflamed gut, foods are not broken down sufficiently and nutrients are not absorbed properly. IMMUNE FUNCTION When the immune system is weak, it cannot adequately fight off yeast or other fungal infections. Moreover, with low immunity, bacterial infections are more common and antibiotic use (while necessary in some cases) is more frequent but antibiotics kill the beneficial bacteria and contribute to yeast overgrowth. This adds fuel to the fire going on in the digestive system, creating further inflammation and exacerbating the problem of leaky gut. Inflammatory responses to foods (also known as food sensitivities) are also common. Moreover, yeast and other pathogens can create toxins that cause spaciness and other neurological symptoms.
DETOXIFICATION Detoxification functions are often diminished in children who have autism. Thus, these children may be more easily injured by toxins including heavy metals, plastics, industrial chemicals, and pesticides, many of which are carcinogenic or neurotoxic. Sulfation, a common detoxification pathway that processes salicylates, phenols, and amines, may be impaired. A deficiency of glutathione, an important detoxifying agent may also occur. Toxins from the digestive system including byproducts from yeast and other pathogenic microorganisms together with environmental toxins, can overwhelm the detoxification systems. These toxins can cross the blood-brain barrier and damage nerve cells, affect brain function, decrease cognitive function, and cause hyperactivity, aggression, irritability, and self-injurious behavior. When children s detoxification systems are overburdened, avoiding additional toxins from food is important. CELL METABOLISM Many biochemical pathways are found to be deficient in autism, including ones affecting cellular and mitochondrial function. In many cases, these pathways become damaged by toxins, diminished by nutrient deficiencies, and disabled from epigastric changes. Therapeutic doses of nutrients are sometimes needed to overcome these conditions. When biochemical imbalances are present, naturally occurring substances in food (such as phenols, salicylates, amines, oxalates, lectins, phytates, and glutamates) may cause difficulties. Special dietary intervention that eliminates these substances may be required. NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES Because of all the digestive and biochemical problems occurring, nutrient deficiencies are common among children with autism. Poor quality and self-limited diets exacerbate the situation. Specific nutrients are required for complex biochemical processes that support cellular and brain function, as well as that of all other systems. These nutrients often need to be converted to an active form, in a process requiring additional nutrients and functional biochemical pathways. Common nutrient deficiencies in children with autism include zinc, calcium, iron, B6, B12, folate, biotin, vitamin A, vitamin D, and essential fatty acids, among others. For example, vitamin D deficiency is common in the autism population, as it is in the general population. Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant mothers has been associated with autism in their children. In the developing fetus, vitamin D induces the expression of nerve growth factor and stimulates brain cell growth, and performs other critical functions. Maintaining a sufficient supply of nutrients requires both nutrient-dense foods and a properly functioning gut to digest and absorb the nutrition. Supporting digestion is important and can be accomplished by removing inflammatory foods, and supplying foods with beneficial bacteria and those that are easy to digest. The use of dietary supplements has also been shown to be supportive to children with autism. TRADITIONAL DIETS AND CULTURES Our modern world has much to learn from traditional cultures about how food choices can keep people healthy and robust from generation to generation. There were no processed foods with refined sugar, additives, preservatives, fillers, or MSG in traditional diets. The foods our ancestors ate and the cooking and farming practices they employed provided nutrient-dense diets that nourished the body. The beneficial qualities of some of these foods are discussed below. Fresh, Plant-Ripened, Local and Organic Produce Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber and nutrients, including phytonutrients found only in plants. They also contain live enzymes when raw or lightly cooked. Local, in-season produce tends to be fresher and higher in
nutrients than that which has been stored and transported great distances. When plants are picked ripe, they are much lower in problematic salicylates, as well as higher in nutrients. Organic food reduces pesticide exposure for children who can t detoxify well. Pastured Animals Animals that are pastured or grassfed are much more nutrient dense than their conventional counterparts. Fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, and K are much higher in pastured animal foods, as are essential fatty acids. Studies on eggs from pastured chickens have found ten times the omega-3 fatty acid content, four times the vitamin E, and twice the vitamin A, as well as higher amounts of folic acid and vitamin B12, than are present in eggs from conventionally raised chickens. Meat from grassfed animals has more omega-3 fatty acids than meat from grainfed ones, and studies show an increase in omega-3 fatty acids in humans who consume grassfed beef and lamb. Grassfed butter is higher in vitamin E, vitamin A, and beta-carotene, as well as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Traditional cultures also made use of the organs and bones, which are very nutrient rich. Liver contains high amounts of B12, folate, vitamin A, and iron nutrients in which children with autism are often deficient. Bone broth contains minerals in a form that is easy to absorb, as well as gelatin, a hydrophilic substance that is helpful for digestion. Broth is particularly important if the child is following a dairy-free diet, which can lead to low calcium levels. Some cultures also used unprocessed (raw) dairy products, but these should only be consumed if casein is tolerated. Lacto-fermented Foods For centuries, lacto-fermentation was an important method of storing and preparing food, and most of our ancestors frequently ate fermented foods. Various cultures had their own versions of fermentations, which could include dairy-based or non-dairy foods, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Fermented foods provide probiotics beneficial bacteria that support virtually every area of our health by: Regulating peristalsis and bowel movements Breaking down bacterial toxins Making or utilizing needed vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, A, and K Converting protein into amino acids Producing natural antibiotics and antifungals Helping break down sugar and oxalates Strengthening the immune system Balancing intestinal ph Protecting against environmental toxins These foods also provide billions of colony forming units (CFUs) of lactic acid bacteria, along with the food source on which they thrive. They also contain live enzymes, and their alkalizing properties improve the ph of the gut for a healthy internal terrain. For these reasons, some practitioners, such as myself, feel that these probiotics may colonize the gut more effectively than supplementation. Additionally, the beneficial bacteria serve to reduce the populations of candida and pathogenic organisms that are so prevalent in autism. The anti-inflammatory effects of probiotics are very beneficial for children who have bowel problems.
Soaked and Fermented Grains, Beans, and Seeds There are a number of substances in grains, beans, and seeds that are inflammatory and bind nutrients; these substances include oxalates, phytates, and lectins. Soaking these foods reduces oxalates. Phytates, which bind to calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron and can cause deficiency and inflammation, are also reduced by soaking. Lectins, inflammatory compounds found in grains and other foods, are broken down by fermentation. Soaking and fermenting makes grains, nuts/seeds, and beans more easily digested, better tolerated, and less inflammatory. HOW TRADITIONAL DIETS CAN HEAL AUTISM The following suggestions, based on the principles of traditional diets, can help children heal from autism. Boost nutrient levels: Consume grassfed and pastured meats, dairy (if tolerated), and eggs. Consume organ meats such as liver. Eat local, fresh, organic produce. Soak grains to increase digestibility and nutrient absorption. Increase vitamin D levels by getting more sun exposure and eating foods such as cod liver oil, grassfed dairy, liver, and egg yolk. (Because of lifestyle, soil depletion, and latitude, many children may require vitamin D supplementation as well.) Prepare vitamin- and mineral-rich bone broths. Improve digestion and heal the gut: Consume foods that supply beneficial bacteria (probiotics), such as yogurt (non-dairy if casein is not tolerated) and raw sauerkraut. Eat a high-fiber diet, to provide food for beneficial bacteria. Use bitter herbs and greens to stimulate secretion of bile and digestion of fats. Support digestion with bone broths, which are rich in gelatin. Make use of healthy fats. Coconut oil is a traditional fat containing medium-chain triglycerides that are easily absorbed. Ghee is high in butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid that is good for the gut. Fish oil has anti-inflammatory benefits. Add anti-inflammatory foods, such as those containing antioxidants or probiotics. Avoid inflammatory proteins, particularly gluten, casein, and soy protein. Address yeast overgrowth: Minimize consumption of refined sugar and baker s yeast, both of which feed candida. Consume lacto-fermented foods daily. Kefir, both dairy and non-dairy, has candida-killing effects. Drink kombucha, a fermented beverage that typically contains a strain of yeast called Saccharomyces boulardii that kills candida and clostridia (a pathogenic bacteria). Take cod liver oil, which supports the immune system and helps the body mount a proper attack against yeast. Use coconut oil, which contains caprylic acid, a fatty acid that kills candida. Improve detoxification: Select nontoxic cookware cast iron, enameled cast iron, and stainless steel. Eat organic food to reduce the burden on the liver. Consume eggs and cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli and cabbage) that are high in sulfur. Avoid artificial ingredients and additives that increase the toxic load. Include fermented foods in the diet.
Add liver (grassfed only) to the diet, for its supportive nutrients. Support immune function: Consume a source of omega-3 fats, such as fish oil (which has the highest content of EPA) or cod liver oil (which also contains vitamins A and D) to reduce the inflammatory response. Have vitamin D levels tested and consider taking supplemental vitamin D as appropriate. Avoid or rotate problematic foods to reduce exposure to inflammatory proteins. Remove refined sugars from the diet and reduce sugars of all sorts. Reduce salicylates, oxalates, phytates, and lectins: Eat fruits that have been ripened on the plant, as their salicylate levels are much lower. Consume fish oil, as its omega-3 content can help reduce sensitivity to salicylates. Avoid foods containing artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives that have to be processed by the sulfation pathway. Soak grains, nuts, beans, and seeds for at least eight hours, then drain and rinse before cooking. This reduces oxalates, as well as phytates. Ferment grains to reduce lectins. BEYOND TRADITIONAL DIETS Due to the toxic burden from our environment and the health concerns of children with autism, additional dietary intervention is often necessary. The autism community has adopted several effective diets and applied them to autism in particular, the Gluten-Free and Casein-Free (GFCF) diet, the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), and the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) diet. These diets have been very healing to children with autism, as they address digestion, immune function, detoxification, and metabolism. For some children, taking it a step further and following a low-oxalate diet (more information is available at www.nourishinghope.com) or a low-salicylate diet can be very helpful. CONCLUSION Children with autism are the canaries in the coal mine, warning us about an environment that is toxic and food that is unhealthy. They are telling us that we can t live this way anymore. To help heal our children today and best serve the next generation, we should consider the traditional diets and foods our ancestors thrived on for generations. What we have learned from these traditional cultures is that the way food is grown or raised, prepared, cooked, and processed affects both its nutritional status and human health. Proper nourishment is critical for every child with autism, and all autism diets should contain good nutritional principles. No matter which specific diet a child is following, it can be made healthier and more effective by incorporating the principles and practices learned from traditional cultures.