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Improving Autism Spectrum Disorder Through Diet & Nutrition

A personalized, healthy diet can help somone who has Autism Spectrum Disorder.

April is World Autism Month. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. People with ASD share some common symptoms, but they also can have unique strengths and differences. ASD occurs in all races and ethnicities and in both males and females. It is diagnosed in one out of every 44 children in the United States.

Behavioral issues are often the first signs of ASD. These may include excessive shyness, not wanting to be around people, unusual habits like flapping hands or spinning around, or problems with sleep, eating or toileting. Children with ASD may have trouble communicating with others.

Many children with ASD also have difficulty understanding other people’s emotions or reacting appropriately to them. For example, they may laugh at a sad story or become upset when someone is angry. This makes it hard for them to connect with others socially.

People with ASD sometimes engage in repetitive movements or sensory stimulations like rocking back and forth, spinning around or flapping their hands. These behaviors provide a sense of comfort for people with ASD and are called “self-stimulatory behaviors,” or “stims” for short.

Diagnosing Autism

Because there are many different signs and symptoms of autism, it can be difficult to diagnose accurately. Some doctors may not even know how to diagnose autism properly. Therefore, it is very important for people who think they or their child may have autism to seek out experts. Taking an individualized, whole-body approach is essential, as there is no one-size-fits all solution.

Underlying Health Issues

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder often have a variety of underlying health issues that impact their mental and physical health. For example, it is common to see gastrointestinal symptoms, leaky gut, yeast overgrowth, dysbiosis, food sensitivities, metal dysregulation, inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, nutrient and biochemical imbalances, and methylation impairment. Working with a skilled healthcare professional can help to ensure that the many contributing factors impacting one’s health are identified and addressed. 

Specialty Lab Testing

Lab testing can be a very helpful tool in identifying key biochemical imbalances commonly seen in autism spectrum disorder. Based on the research and lab data from nutrition psychiatry expert, Dr. William Walsh, autistic children tend to exhibit distinctive chemical imbalances not present in the general population. For example, autistic individuals often have zinc deficiency, copper overload, vitamin B-6 deficiency, elevated toxic metals, a high degree of oxidative stress, and more than 90% are undermethylated. Village Green’s Brain Chemistry Panel includes biomarkers that can help identify biochemical imbalances, which be addressed using targeted precision nutrient therapy.

A Personalized Approach Through Diet & Nutrition

Research shows that tailored therapeutic diets and targeted nutrients can improve cognitive ability, digestive problems, speech, eye contact, and aggression in individuals with ASD. Practitioners such as respected nutrition expert, Julie Matthews, CNC, and revered physician, Dr. Albert Mensah, are examples of health professionals committed to changing lives through personalized diet and nutrition protocols. They have both dedicated their clinical practices to addressing the many possible physiologic, genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors that affect each patient’s well-being. And, on a larger scale, they are on a mission of spreading hope that recovery from autism is possible.  

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