Salty Sweet White Chocolate bars

These bad boys are GFCFSF, egg-free, low oxalate and low salicylate!!

We made them on the saltier side, so I reduced the salt by half for this recipe, and if you like sweets, you may even want to increase the xylitol.  It was a unique flavor with the interesting balance of salt and white chocolate, like combining hot and sweet, a combination of flavors that seem to almost contradict each other, but in the end, prove to compliment each other nicely.



I imagine they would be really tasty with nut butter or sunflower seed butter too.

 

The face of pleasure!

Ingredients

• 2 rice cakes - crumbled
• 1 pear - peeled and shredded
• 1/3 C cocoa butter - melted gently
• 2 Tbs ground flaxseed
• 2 Tbs birch derived xylitol
• 1 Tbs sunflower lecithin
• 1 Tbs tapioca flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

In a small bowl, mix the crumbled rice cakes, shredded pear, ground flaxseed, xylitol and salt. 

In an even smaller bowl, whisk together the already melted cocoa butter, tapioca flour and lecithin.

Pour this mixture into the ingredients in the larger bowl and blend well so that all of the ingredients mingle evenly.

Press into a small casserole dish, size depending on how thick you want your bars to be.

Refrigerate until firm.  They will still be fairly soft and can fall apart, so I like the smaller square size which are better for kid size hands anyway.  =)

 Voila!

Evolutionary conundrum

Evolution.

 "Biological evolution is defined as any genetic change in a population that is inherited over several generations. These changes may be small or large, noticeable or not so noticeable.  

In order for an event to be considered an instance of evolution, changes have to occur on the genetic level of a population and be passed on from one generation to the next.  

This means that the genes, or more specifically, the alleles in the population change and are passed on. These changes are noticed in the phenotypes (expressed physical traits that can be seen) of the population.  

A change on the genetic level of a population is defined as a small-scale change and is called microevolution.  

Biological evolution also includes the idea that all of life is connected and can be traced back to one common ancestor. This is called macroevolution."   -Regina Bailey

Have you ever thought about autism and autoimmune disease as a form of evolution?

Our external environment, stress hormones, our thought process, whether we exercise or not, what we eat and and inject into ourselves all determines evolutionary changes at a genetic level known as epigenetics.  This is the melting point between those who theorize that genetics are the cause and those who believe that the environment is the reason for this increased generation of autism and the like.  Epigenetics prove that it's both!

Our bodies evolve, they know how to heal, they WANT to heal.  The body is designed to eliminate toxins, but with the increase in toxins, the process isn't quite as simple as it once was and with these drastic changes comes something we refer to as "symptoms".  Symptoms...it's been drilled into our heads by doctors using medications that we don't want symptoms!!  Ick, a symptom?  Eliminate it!!  We don't like the changes we see, rightfully so, but does this mean it's all bad?

I'm not suggesting we should live with autism and autoimmune disease, not at all, in fact quite the contrary....if we can learn why we are seeing these things, perhaps we can find a more effective way of working with the body to heal.  It's easier to paddle with the current, isn't it?  I'm not getting anywhere by paddling against it, are you?

Let me give you a more specific example, one that most likely hits home for most of my readers.

I learned a little bit about the symbiotic relationship between bacteria and yeast long ago, in fact you will find this information in blog entries I have written in the past...how yeast flares to control bacterial overgrowth.  The body has created this balance for a very good reason.  The role of yeast in our body is to elevate in an attempt to manage the bacterial overgrowth. You will notice that, if you try to fight yeast without balancing the bacterial load, you experience the "symptoms" of a bacterial flare. Anyone who has even dealt with the fragile clostridia and yeast balance knows this quite intimately, unfortunately.

Let's bring this full circle.  Why is the bacteria on the rise?  I recently saw a holistic doctor speak of the important role bacteria plays in our body. Bacteria  actually protects our cells from toxins, which explains and validates the association between heavy metals/toxins and pathogen overgrowth. There is a fine-tuned balance, a magical dance between the two.  Light bulb moment!!  The more toxins, the more bacteria there will be, as it tries to manage the toxins. As bacteria increases, so does yeast.  We have SO much still to learn.

Using this simple model of what could be going on with this generation opens my eyes to the many possibilities of healing.

As you dig deeper into any "symptom" you or your child is experiencing, think about the role this symptom may play and rather than trying to find a way to eliminate it, see if you can find a place where it strategically fits into the big picture.  I bet it has a purpose!  Then pose this question to yourself and others, how can you encourage the body to find an easier path to that same place?

Homeopathy is one of many energy healing modalities and while I do plan to write a more specific blog about energy healing in the future, I thought I would lay the groundwork for why we need to begin viewing illness and healing in this light first.  Homeopathy embraces the natural evolution of the body.  We must unlearn our deep rooted allopathic lessons in order to fully respect and trust the abilities homeopathy offers us.  

Homeopathy and Epigenetics

From the link above

"...it is possible that what we are exposed to in our lifetime can affect our genetic expression. This is already well-known in areas such as cancer research, where certain cancer-controlling genes may be activated by specific toxins for example. But not only that, once the epigenetic switch is flipped and the genetic expression is changed it can be passed on in this altered state for many generations, up to 40 in current animal research."

Many cultures have followed the lead of nature, with some retaining these worldly lessons, including current-day nomads.  "We" have chosen to tame nature, to suit our needs.  This comes with a price that we will only learn the consequences of in coming generations, and I believe what we are experiencing now is just the tip of the iceberg.

Resources

• http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/Epigenetic-Influences-and-Disease-895
• http://biology.about.com/od/evolution/a/aa110207a.htm

Turn of events, my new "face"

You may have noticed that my blog has recently taken a dramatic turn from past entries.  I have always spent a lot of time reading and learning, but nothing has made more sense to us until we embraced homeopathy 100%.  Not just taking a remedy here and there, but truly embracing all it has to offer, believing in it, and learning from those who have created this fascinating ancient medicine.

The little-known facts that supplementation renders the body lazy while introducing new and potentially dangerous toxins, and that much of what we have done in the past has literally been aimed at suppressing symptoms, rather than providing true healing, have put me on a new path.  I will never again think in terms of eliminating symptoms, even with herbs.  I will never again consider ignoring the signs of degeneration and/or healing put in front of me by the body.

Our new journey stems from the deep understanding of where homeopathy and healing meet.  There is nothing more natural or more effective.  We have seen it on every level and most recently, our children have come off of EVERY supplement they have ever taken.  They no longer need anti-microbials (even natural) to keep their gut in check.  They no longer require digestive enzymes to digest their food.  Amazingly, homeopathy and SBOs (soil based organisms) have encouraged their own bodies to take over healing.  They are flourishing and they are growing (finally)!

I'm not suggesting my life is peachy every day, because detox is ugly, even when it's happening from a natural place within the body, and emotional detox can be even uglier than physical detox, but man oh man, the progress is permanent and it's complete! 

So as we move forward, my journal will take new shape, one of true healing from within.  If you are a loyal reader, you have probably seen everything we have been through.  If you are a new reader, you are have started in the right place.  Our past is a story, it's our story, but our future is riding on today.  Welcome to our new path.

The dangers of suppression

What is suppression and more importantly, what are the consequences of suppression?  Once you understand, really understand (and respect), the health consequences of symptom suppression, it will change your life.  Well, it should anyway.  It did mine!

Homeopathy has not only changed our lives physically and emotionally, but I am learning things that I have never learned from any other forms of healing in the past 5 years of biomed.  My research has unearthed information that should be shouted from megaphones everywhere, because without these little tidbits of knowledge, we are and will continue to harm our potential to remain healthy!!  We are literally sabotaging our own health!

Suppression.
The Webster Dictionary says to suppress is "to restrain from a usual course or action "

The "usual course of action" in this case would be symptoms, which in actuality, are the natural course of action being taken by our bodies to HEAL!  A symptom is bothersome to many, it prevents them from going to work, hanging with friends, feeling good, so we want it gone, but let's think about this for a brief moment.  Let's use the example of a burn.  When you burn your finger, it turns red and swells up.  What is your instinct...to run cold water over it and STOP the swelling, right?  Is this really the best course of action to take?  And what would happen, if you never ran that cold water over it?  Do you even know?  The swelling is called inflammation and inflammation is actually the way your body attempts to repair the damage that was done.  The human body is designed to heal itself!  By running cold water over it, you are literally stopping the body from doing what it needs to do!  So what should you do instead?  Believe it or not, you want to ENCOURAGE the direction the body is trying to take that damage, run very warm water over the burn!!  Not as hot as the original burn, but warm enough to be uncomfortable.  Guess what happens?  Nothing!  That's right, no blistering, no pain, although if the burn is bad enough (as was in one case when I grabbed a very hot ceramic pot and lifted it) you might have some mild residual signs left over, in my case, my burned skin was left a bit rough. Other than that, I had no blisters and no discoloring, it didn't even hurt!  

Or how about this scenario which I am SURE all of us have experienced.  FEVERS!  Why do we fear fevers so much?  A fever is the RIGHT action taken by the body when a foreign invader has taken hold.  Fever kills pathogens.  So the body knows what to do as soon as it encounters these bugs, it turns up the heat high enough to kill them!  Out of fear, most people immediately run for the fever reducers/pain relievers.  I bet you didn't know that fevers are self-limiting?!  The highest most fevers will go is 105-106 and once your body has reached this temperature, you are no longer at risk of a febrile seizure.  Fevers are misunderstood and the sales and marketing of fever reducers are aimed at fear.  The one piece of good advice I got from our worst pediatrician was to let fevers be, and that they ARE in fact self-limiting to about 105.  When you stop the fever or even just reduce it slightly, you are inhibiting the body from successfully fighting the pathogen.  So guess what happens?  It survives.  Common sense?  And don't even get me started on the topic of doctors who tell patients to use fever reducers in their kids pre-vaccination.  Good God, there is no more destructive advice than this!!  

So let's now think about a simple cold.  What happens, your body begins to purge from every orifice...not a pretty sight or feeling: snots, ear drainage, secretions galore.  Raise your hand, if you were ever guilty of taking something to eliminate this nastiness.  But again, let's think about what the body is trying to do.  It's eliminating the pathogen!!  Colds start in the nasal cavities and ears.  Mucus is designed to purge pathogens.  And common sense would say that when you stop this from happening....need I go on?  I don't want to sound like a broken record here, but really think about how ludicrous this even sounds when you think of it rationally!  Why hasn't anyone ever taught us to think about our health in this fashion?  Well, because it would hurt pharmaceutical sales, of course!

The examples of suppression are endless and we are often partaking in this dangerous act daily.  Putting creams on eczema, treating acne with topical gels, giving anti-inflammatory, pain relievers, DRUGS!!  All of these products are designed to make your life more comfortable, they do not get at the root of the problem, they don't cure anything, they only suppress.  Why do you have chronic inflammation Miss Fibromyialgia, what is causing those skin lesions Mr. Eczema....people, you are not only ignoring how your body communicates and heals, but you are downright fighting it!  Your body reacts and tries to heal itself and then you say, "Oh no you don't, I have work to go to work...I have a date to go on....etc!" and you do/use everything possible in your arsenal to eliminate the "symptoms".  Well you have just effectively eliminated healing too. 

We need to trust the body in doing it's job.  It won't have an overnight fix and you might feel yucky for a while, but when you stop the body from doing it's job, the consequences are great.  And maybe part of mother nature's magnificent design is to SLOW. YOU. DOWN.  You may not even realize that subsequent illnesses or symptoms are related to the act of suppressing other conditions, but I assure you, it is all related.  Your body is a fine tuned machine with all the equipment necessary to run optimally.  Your future health depends heavily on what you choose to do today!  I am not suggesting you shouldn't do anything at all when things run a muck, I am just saying that HOW you choose to deal with these imbalances is critical and either facilitates health progression or degeneration.

I also want to add that just because a product is "natural" doesn't mean it isn't suppressing a symptom and shutting down your body.  Anything that stops a symptom, rather than addressing it's cause directly, is suppressing the body from healing.  It's that simple.  I learned this the hard way and as we use homeopathy, which encourages natural healing, we are witnessing the host of suppression(s) we took part in, as we retrace old symptoms.  How completely and utterly eye opening.

So what are the consequences?  If you aren't addressing the reason the symptom arose in the first place and you are prohibiting the natural healing action designed by mother nature, what do you THINK is happening?  You are not only allowing illness to prevail, you are encouraging it on some level.  Sure, some minor things are superficial, but every time you eliminate the body from doing it's job, you are also reducing it's ability to learn how to respond next time, and the time after that and well, eventually, your body is going to learn to stop responding to illness.  It may take some serious research and experimenting to truly understand the underlying cause of symptoms.  It's typically not simple or cut and dry, but if you want to know more about the stages of natural detox and what they look like when they are suppressed, check out these incredible videos from Mary Coyle:

Video one

Video two

Our body is designed to detox illness, pathogens, and toxins.  When we hinder our innate healing abilities, things begin to shut down and where does this land us?  Cancer anyone?  Autism on the rise much?  Autoimmune disease is a PRIME example of suppression and inability to detoxify naturally.  HELLOOOOOO!!  This, my friends, is suppression at it's finest.  

Next time you have a headache, or inflammation, or a fever, or anything that is uncomfortable for that matter, stop and think, "what is my body trying to do?".  Don't reach for that over the counter toxin to stop your body from working.  If you love your life and your future health, just don't.  Tough it out, learn the signs of your body and do something to support it rather than tearing it down.  Think of what you have to gain from trusting your body!

Let's remember too that suppression doesn't occur only on a physical level.  We can suppress emotions and feelings which will ultimately wreak havoc on our psyche, as well.  If you can't release these emotions through discussion, consider other spiritual forms of emotional detox such as yoga, meditation, quite time for yourself or some other form of spiritual release.  Even kids can be guided to partake in these activities.  =)

Autisms' bigger picture, who benefits?

When you are scanning ingredients to feed your ASD family safe and nutritious GFCFSF allergen-free, low oxalate, Failsafe, SCD, or GAPS meals, when you are injecting your child with his nightly MB12, and when you are traveling to and paying out of pocket for yet another "specialist" to consider more out of the ordinary treatment options to recover your sweet child, you don't give it a second thought.  This is second nature now, this is what our children need, so we do it for them.  We are going to recover our kids, period!

Unfortunately, not every ASD family is making these changes for their family. 

I don't even think we consider, for one minute, the sheer magnitude of our actions.  Think of throwing a rock in a lake, that ripple effect is much like recovering our ASD children.  I hear many families talk about the massive changes autism has encouraged their family to take on, changes regardless of how hard, they are incredibly grateful for, ironically.  Changes that may have even saved another family member's life!  I know that I am even more grateful than words can express, for the knowledge we have gained as a family, but it doesn't stop there.  The learning carries on when we influence other families in our large network.  We hold on tight to our ASD community families and we would do anything to help other families heal their children.  Of course, we want to see all of these children recover, that is certainly where my heart is, but each individual family makes up the bigger picture. 

But what if we DON'T carry this movement forward enough to grab a hold of the reigns on this frightening epidemic, what then?  Have you thought of that?  It won't be JUST the ASD families who are effected by the ever-growing rate of autism.

No one says it better than a fellow ASD mom, Florence Iwegbue, who is on a quest to change this movement.

"I come from a 3rd world country--Nigeria with MANY economical and social issues and like the NJ Senator mentioned during the hearing, a Nigerian Govt. official approached him about the rapid rise of Autism. Why? because, it is now a Global National Security issue; Possibly the worst epidemic in modern day medicine. At these rates, this country will not have men to go to war, marry, reproduce or support the economy of this nation. For all of us that are made to feel guilty when we use the word recovery, these are the problems we're worried about. For those who criticize, they have no idea the magnitude of the problem. When an official (probably even corrupt) from a 3rd world country like mine, with: waring tribes, abject poverty, astronomical rates of crime, perpetual recession and zero economic growth becomes worried about an Epidemic like Autism and flags down a U.S official to question him, be VERY FREAKING WORRIED and ya better be living and breathing RECOVERY & CURE. 
 
I come from a very proud and hard working tribe and my people are on the edges of their seats because they send their children to the West to make something of themselves and help out their fellow villagers back home by way of sending money to help educate the younger generation. When we stop sending money, because it is being spent on Whole Foods, ABA Programs, Supplements and Health care bills, more families back home get hungry, sick and kids are left on the streets without education. This is the consequence of my son's Autism. It is no longer just a disease that he has, it is a disease that many family members have inherited. So whenever anyone chastises you for seeking recovery for your child, send them my way so I can explain to them why it is a Global epidemic that needs to end NOW!"

Florence is a warrior mother.  She is fighting for the world and when she looks into her sweet boy's eyes, she knows that all of world is depending on his recovery.  His recovery matters to the world as much as it matter to her family.  The ripple effect.

Florence's family is so driven to help the world, in fact, that her husband has also developed an iPhone application to help parents help each other.  What's more impressive is that they are providing this app for free.  What could be more beneficial to the big picture?  

In their LiveWello social health app for iPhone (and iPad coming soon!), families are able to create a little village around the person they are caring for.  You can invite and label people with important roles, share medical records, videos, pictures, etc.   It's the ASD medical recovery ripple-effect in the making.  

Watch the ABC interview here. 

Let's embrace the fact that our children are going to change the world one way or another, do you want to be a part of that?  I sure do!!

Parasites. The root of ALL evil?

Bold statement, eh?  I know, I know...I've been gone for months at a time and now I come back and throw this at you.  I've spent these months researching and experimenting and I am here to tell you that yes, I believe the subject heading is one area to consider.  Perhaps one of the biggest ones, especially, if you are dealing with chronic anything.

So how did I come to this conclusion?  My children were a mixed bag of fluctuating concerns and the confirmation that their yeast and bacteria seemed to be under control, but so many other things were not, had me looking for more.  But then again, I am ALWAYS looking for more.  =)  There were two things, specifically, that really sent me on the hunt for what I was missing.  Grayson's PANDAS flare was getting worse rather than better and Gavin's mood swings, anger and violence appeared to be untouched.  Why parasites though?  I mean, I have treated for them bi-annually with Humaworm and heck, we even all used Alinia for over a month for Gavin's Dientamoeba Fragilis, right?  How could it STILL be parasites?


Let me just put it out there in black and white.  If you have a compromised immune system in any way, shape or form, you DO have a parasite issue.  I promise you!

Parasites are masters at survival, their SOLE purpose in life is to survive, that's it!  They complete their life cycle by changing the neurology of their hosts just enough to ensure survival, but usually they are also smart enough to not kill it, usually.  If they can adapt to their environment, which they can (give them access to a child with a faulty immune system due to heavy metal toxicity and reduced gut flora), they root themselves deeply in your system and continue their life cycle by making you crave the foods that feed them, creating the itchies where it counts for spreading eggs under the nails, they can even force you to be attracted to certain people and yes, this is documented!  In fact, MUCH of what I have found out about parasites is widely known by certain professionals, but don't ask why treatments aren't effective.  I don't even want to go there.  You are free to dig deeper, if you wish.  I'm satisfied with dealing with the details I can control from my own home base....treatment!

A few doctors to research, who have made waves in the medical community by successfully treating illnesses that result from parasitic infections, are:  Dr. Klinghardt, Dr. Simon Yu and Dr. Fry.  These men are pioneers in this field.  Dr. Klinghardt focuses on Lyme Disease, PANDAS and Autism, Dr. Yu has recovered people from major diseases like cancer, CFS and pancreatitis among others and Dr. Fry is a researcher who has even discovered a new malaria-like parasite that is responsible for diseases like MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis and perhaps Autism, among others.  Google any of these doctors and you will get more information than you know what to do with!!  Literally!  It can be overwhelming, because there are really so many directions you can go with treatment, but the one constant I am seeing here is that a periodic cleanse here and there just doesn't cut it for someone who is chronically infected.  Treatment NEEDS to be from 6 months to a year, STRAIGHT!  Seems harsh, but parasites are much smarter than we give them credit for, in fact, they may even be smarter than us.  They have certainly been around longer.

This blurb is from an article written by Dr. Simon Yu:
"In this modern age, do you think parasite problems are limited to third world countries and don’t exist in the United States, Canada or Europe? Think again! Who does the cooking and cleaning of dishes at restaurants? Food from all over the world comes with no strict regulations for pesticides, herbicides and potential parasite eggs embedded in the food.

I have seen patients from Germany, Canada, Australia and most of the United States. People from all over have parasite problems. I’ve written numerous articles on parasites and parasite related unusual medical symptoms. Some of the conditions responding to parasite medications include allergies, eczema, asthma, migraine headache, nightmare, bedwetting, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, arthralgia, multiple sclerosis, irritable bowel syndrome, seizure, mental illness and even cancer.
The idea of de-worming everybody seems a de-lovely concept and does not seem appealing but it is not a far out concept even in the United States. Americans are suffering from a silent epidemic of parasite related medical conditions. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends massive de-worming of populations especially in schools whenever over 20 percent of the population is suspected of parasite infestation."

Dr. Simon Yu has written a fascinating book called Accidental Cure.

From Dr. Klinghardt...I love this info, because I have always been intrigued by what drives us, what creates our "personality".  I've come to this conclusion myself recently, and Dr. Klinghardt has just confirmed it for me!

• We are all a composite of many personalities. Our consciousness is a composite of 90% microbes and 10% us. Our thinking, feeling, creativity, and expression are 90% from the microbes within us. Patients often think, crave, and behave as if they are the parasite. Our thinking is shaded by the microbes thinking through us. The food choices, behavioral choices, and who we like is the thinking of the microbes within us expressing themselves.
• Patients will reject all treatments that affect the issue that requires treating. Patients will not guide themselves to health when the microbes have taken over.
• Parasites induce changes in our system to make us a comfortable host.
• Mimosa pudica (Sensitive plant) powder is an Ayurvedic herb that is 30 times stronger than the best medical drug. Start with 1/2 teaspoon twice a day two days a week and work up to 1 teaspoon daily for 3 months.
• The endothelium is the largest organ in the body and is “bug heaven”.

Since Mimosa Pudica is so hard to find, here is a link for you to purchase it.  I have nothing to do with this company, I am just passing this on, because the search for a reputable product was very hard and I would like to make it easier on you!

An incredible overview of a conference called "A Deep Look Beyond Lyme" includes data from each of these famous doctors!  I HIGHLY recommend taking the time to read this one.  Lyme is not the only focus here.  Dr. Klninghardt even mentions PANDAS.

This is an interview with Dr. Fry about the parasite he discovered, it is phenomenal information about a marlia-like protozoa called Protomyxoa, which is Greek for “slime forming protozoan”.  In this interview he also discusses the diseases it's heavily linked to, biofilm, the herxheimer effect, how it is transmitted (tick bite is one of the vectors, and to think we aren't testing for this infection when we tell people they are clear of Lyme Disease), etc.  Remember, we can only find things we are effectively testing for. Dr. Fry also has a lab where various testing can be ordered.


The oxymoron between biomedicine and parasites
Here is where it gets interesting.  So we think we are doing the right thing by our kids, supplementing their nutritional deficiencies with hoards of vitamins and such.  But did we ever stop to think about WHY those deficiencies are there to begin with?  Ok so yes, heavy metals play a role and limited diets too, but why are ALL kids on the spectrum low in B vitamins, particularly B12 and why are ALL kids on the spectrum deficient in minerals like zinc and magnesium and why oh why is their benefitial gut flora so depeleted....the common denominator I have uncovered is that parasites THRIVE on this stuff.  Yup, every time you put another supplement down your child's throat, consider the possibility that you are FEEDING a parasite, possibly even big fat and very happy worms.  A thought you can't fathom....well you better get ready, because when you pick yourself back up off the floor after witnessing one of these fellas coming from your own child (or yourself), you have some major accepting to do, lol.  Use that fear to drive you forward.  So, if we are feeding these fookers with our children's cravings, the supplements we use and we certainly aren't using anything strong enough to kill them, what are you left with in the end, continued nutritional deficiencies in your kids (because they don't get much of the nutrients) and a fat case of parasites, resulting in symptoms you can't seem to gain control of.  Geez, it's a wonder we can't seem to get past chronic cases of pathogenic overgrowth!!

Oh, and one last note on yet another common thread here is that it has been documented that the Ascaris worm can and DOES cause gluten-intolerance.  Things that make you go hmmmmm.

PANDAS and PARASITES?
BIG connection here.  In fact, I wouldn't be surprised, if it was ultimately determined that the helminth is at the root of every chronic case.  So let's explore why doesn't PANDAS go away.  Well, the immune system is definitely definitely THE root of this problem, but because of the immune system, the parasites are a massive problem.  The helminth is a worm, not microscopic, a visible worm that can be visibly seen when you are successful at evacuating them.  A helminth houses (provides shelter) for the smaller guys like bacteria (strep), yeast and viruses.  Biofilm protects all of these guys from your immune system.  You can't kill off a bacteria that has a nice comfy home in your body.  When a worm dies, it releases all of the house guests inside and initiates a flare.  Worms don't die easily unless they have reached their life expectancy and that can be years for many of them, about 2-6 years on average, or you do something to kill them off, hence the die off.  One of the big players is the Ascaris Lumbricoides.  Through my extensive network of connections, I have personally seen what other autistic, ADHD, and PANDAS kids harbor and this is just one of the more common ones!  Symptoms that have been historically documented by professionals as being associated with this particular parasite are: asthma, eczema, bronchitis, rashes, dilated pupils, hyperactivity among others that effect the GI tract, as well.  The Ascaris releases amphetamines, hence the hyperactivity and dilated eyes, and perhaps very much related to the ADHD symptoms we are seeing so frequently.

How can you learn what infections you may be harboring...well, like Lyme, it's VERY hard to successfully test for parasites. Just because you have tested and either found none or perhaps a few, that does not mean it's accurate.  Find yourself a GOOD infectious disease doctor who knows about parasites, or you can go see one of the doctors listed above.  Surprisingly, the most accurate form of testing to date, appears to be energy testing!!  And of course, visual identification under a microscope, but remember, this will ONLY be effective if you are passing the parasites/eggs in your stool.  90% of parasites remain OUTSIDE of the GI tract most of the time, only returning during full and/or new moon phases to procreate.  If you are going to experiment with treatment options, this is the time to do it.  The first 15 days after a full moon is when a portion of the parasites will generally be in the GI tract.

Our personal story
When we finally bit the bullet and went strong on the parasites with multiple methods of treatment at once, we began to unveil the children under these infections.  Hindsight is a beautiful thing, but unfortunately it also means we can't piece together our current story until we navigate past the event.  We have always seen glimmers of what it could be like to have our children without all their "extras", but we have never had that for any length of time, some dark veil has always stolen those moments from us.  When PANDAS hit our house hard this past year, I was thrown for an incredible loop.  We were doing EVERYTHING right, we never strayed, we never cheated on diets, never slipped on our chosen treatments, yet we had these crazy inconsistencies that fit no rhyme or reason.  And Gavin, poor Gavin...he was living in an inconsistent world of pain and confusion.  He wasn't "classic" in any way, he didn't fit autism or PANDAS, but he wasn't right, he was a loose canon!  He did however fit every symptom in the book for Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD). I often felt like, if we weren't doing biomed with him practically from birth, he would have been much worse off.  But we still weren't getting to the root of the problem by treating him like a mirror image of Grayson.  Something was different.  I wasn't satisfied with the recommended, "maybe it's just his personality".  No, I was not willing to accept that a person could be born "normal" and be SO angry.  Something was wrong.

When I pondered our successes from the past, it seems as though treatments that overlapped with parasites have given us that glimmer of hope, just long enough to steal it away again.  Why?  Because parasites are masters at survival!!  And our treatments were never long or strong enough.  The icing on the cake was when I read that Dr. Klinghardt considers the helminth to be at the root of PANDAS.  Low and behold....we found our new angle!

What I am excited to tell you, confirms Dr. Klinghardt's statement about PANDAS and helminth parasites, Grayson's PANDAS symptoms have responded slow and steady to treatment and now that the symptoms are mainly under control (with only 3 months of treatment so far) we have witnessed a direct correlation between his PANDAS symptoms (tics, OCD and rages) and the passing of worms.  He has an instant increase in symptoms as his body is trying to filter out the toxins from killing off worms.  I have photos of these guys too, there is no denying what they are!!  One picture was taken in a glass jar with alcohol in it and you can see the entire intestinal tract of the worm.  It was 8 inches long.  If you think that's bad, consider the fact that we also got one that was 21 inches long from our 36 inch tall child!

We've seen glimmers of a reduction in oxalate issues.  This is HUGE for us, because prior to treatment, Gavin was increasingly dumping oxalates in enormous amounts through his urine.  Tablespoons of crystals at a time.  It had grown to become a weekly event.  He was having regular potty accidents, his urine was cloudy and thick with crystals.  It immediately came to a screeching halt!!  And how has Gavin been doing?  After going through a world of hurt with initial die off....I am AMAZED, truly and incredibly AMAZED by him.  I am falling deeply in love, all over again, with my baby boy.  I didn't even realize how the violence had driven an imaginary wedge between he and I, until it was gone.  The exhaustion of parenting such an explosive child is crippling.  Now, he is even more sweet, humorous and charming than I could have ever imagined!!  We've replaced the violence with hugs, kisses and frequent unprompted "I love you"s, we have replaced screaming confusion with sharp-as-a-tack cognitive function, we have replaced tantrums and meltdowns with rational cooperation....and there has been weight gain.  He was failure to thrive for so long, 27-30 pounds for years, literally.  He had lost the weight he gained with the camel milk when we stopped using it.  He has already gained 3 pounds back since reducing the parasite burden.  Grayson has done the same.  And if you are wondering whether I am lucky enough to share this infection with them, yes I do.  Parasites are incredibly contagious among family members and it's likely that I have had parasites all through my pregnancies, passing them on to my poor innocent children in utero.  There are too many connections I have learned in hindsight to list here.  It would take an entire book (hmmmm, there's that book idea again), but let me just say that I had NO idea these things were related.  So never say never!!

If you are doing everything possible and just feel like you aren't seeing the progress you think you should be seeing, I would encourage you to dig deeper, much deeper.  Parasites may be why.

UPDATE - if you are connecting with this blog entry from years ago, please also see my newer blog where I also address this topic, from a different perspective and with years more experience.

Is it enough to eat "healthy"?

What does eating healthy mean to you?  For most, it means avoiding too many sugars and refined foods, eating more home cooked meals, but does that always equate to healthier options?  We trust our grocery stores to provide us with high quality foods, but what is really lurking in your grocery isles will surprise you.  Check out this gruesome article from the Rodale Institute.

The 9 Nastiest Things in Your Supermarket Think pink slime is gross? Wait 'til you see what other unappetizing secrets lurk within your grocery store.

And while we are on the topic of eating healthy, I would love to share a fabulously simple and direct excerpt from Kerri Rivera's upcoming book, "Healing an Epidemic".  If you know anyone with a child even remotely on the spectrum (even ADHD), please share this with them.  It is probably one of the simplest, yet most thorough explanations of the GFCFSF diet I've seen. Kerri Rivera is a fabulous autism mom who is also the co-founder/director of a not-for-profit autism clinic in Mexico known as AutismO2. I can't speak highly enough of Kerri's knowledge and go-get-em attitude.  She dedicates all of her waking hours to healing kids on the spectrum. 

If I could choose the one part of my protocol that would be the single most important piece of the autism recovery puzzle it would be The diet. By The diet I am referring to the dietary plan that I recommend to all of the families that I work with. It is a combination of the classic Gluten Free, Casein Free, Soy Free, with the elimination of sugar, corn syrup, coloring, preservatives and other “harmful foods.” The diet is the basis to the rest of my protocol, similar to laying the foundation of a house that the rest of the structure will rest on. It is critical to the effectiveness of the rest of the protocol. When a family with a child recently diagnosed with autism comes to see me, the first thing they want to know is: What can I do to fix this? I always, always start with The diet. In fact, I send them away after that first meeting with hope that they will be able to recover their child, but only if they have the dedication to commit to the diet 100%. I explain to my families that they must think about food how their great grandparents thought about food. In generations past food was derived from the Earth, with little processing. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and meats were dietary staples for our great grandparents and they will be for our children as well. We must think whole foods, not processed foods. It is of little help to go from junk food to gluten free, casein free junk food.

After my first meeting with a family they leave with the list of permitted foods and I tell them to email me when they have a week straight with zero exceptions or “errors” on The diet. That is where the parents who are truly hungry for recovery are separated from those who are interested in having someone else recover their child for them.

One of two things generally happen during that first week. First scenario: I get an email from an ecstatic Mother or Father…”I can barely believe it, Johnny slept through the night for the first time in months, or Johnny had a normal bowel movement, or Johnny said 2 new words yesterday! “ That’s what I hope for, the second scenario is I never hear from the family again, there may have been tantrums, or an adjustment period related to the diet that proved too much for them, and they decide to pursue another avenue. That’s not to say that everyone sees a miracle, or there’s no middle ground, as some of the results are less obvious, such as more eye contact or less redness in face, but generally speaking, we see positive changes. But in reality, any change is a good sign. The diet is only the first piece of the puzzle. It is the welcome mat to autism recovery. We must continue from there. We don´t just do the diet. We do the diet and then keep adding and subtracting till we get the desired, end result.

That said, your child’s Dr may have not heard of the diet, of may be misinformed on it’s benefits. We will include a list of links to various studies and articles published on the benefits of The diet for children and adults on the Autism Spectrum. It is important to only consult with people who are familiar with autism and the recovery of autism. If your current physician is unfamiliar with autism recovery, it is important for the health of your child that you find someone who is. Surrounding ourselves with people who are immersed in biomed and healing children is of the utmost importance.

For starters, a researcher at the New Jersey Medical School’s Autism Center found that children with autism were more likely to have abnormal immune responses to milk, soy and wheat than typically-developing children, according to Cutting-Edge Therapies for Autism 2011-2012. Also, there is growing interest in the link between autism and gastrointestinal (GI) ailments. A study by the University of California Davis Health System found that children with autism born in the 1990s were more likely to have gastrointestinal problems, including constipation, diarrhea and vomiting, than children with autism who were born in the early 1980s.

Simply because your Dr is uninformed or tells you there is no evidence to prove that The diet will help your child, do the research for yourself, as only you are in charge of your child’s diet. Heck, do The diet. It doesn´t cost you any money and it just might save your child. Whether he eats Cheesey puffs or fruits and vegetables will ultimately come down to you. The only way to know for sure if your child is going to be one of the cases who recovers with diet, is to try. It can take gluten 6 months or more to be removed from the micro villi or “shag carpeting” of the small intestine. As I mentioned previously some children have monumental changes in 2-3 days, but even if your child’s evolution is taking a little longer than most, DO NOT GIVE UP! At the writing of this book I have worked with over 2,500 families of children with autism, and all of the recovered children as well as the children about to come through the door have used varied protocols depending on their symptoms. What is the one thing that they all unequivocally have in common? The diet.

In my opinion, it makes little difference what other interventions you apply to your child if you can’t manage The diet 24/7/365. Hyperbarics, chelation, music therapy, ABA, etc simply cannot have the desired effects if we are still feeding drugs to our children. Why drugs? Because that is what gluten and casein become in the bodies of our children on the spectrum. More specifically, gluteomorphin and casomorphin. Yes, similar to morphine. These substances are produced in the gut due to improper digestion of peptides (as we will explain more in detail later) and the existence of leaky gut syndrome allows them to cross the blood brain barrier where they act exactly like morphine or heroin. Would you purposely give your child heroin, or any other illicit drugs? NO! So now that you have read these words, and understand the severity of this issue, do not give your child another piece of pizza, Cheesy puffs, bread or flour tortillas. Tell your family and your child’s school that they can no longer give your child these items, and if they do it’s like giving them a dose of morphine. If it sounds drastic, that’s because it is. Researchers have found an abnormal amount of these undigested peptides in the urine of children with autism, therefore proving their existence in the body. Dr. Reichelt in Norway, Dr. Cade at the University of Florida, and others found that urine samples from people with autism, PDD, celiac disease, and schizophrenia contained high amounts of the casomorphin peptide in the urine, similarly Gliadorphin (gluteomorphin) has been verified by mass spectrometry techniques to be present in unusual quantities in urine samples of children with autism, (excerpted from gfcfdiet.com)

Do the diet! There are still plenty of food options that are permitted, I promise you your child won’t starve. There are some recipes that will be included later in the chapter to get you started. I truly mean when I say that The diet is absolutely the most important piece of the puzzle. If we can’t remove what is directly linked to brain and gut inflammation as well as immune allergic reactions to offending foods, it is nearly impossible to heal a child on the spectrum. I have personally never seen a family recover a child without dietary intervention, that’s not to say it hasn’t happened, but I can’t say I’ve seen it nor heard of it.

In the case of my own son, his acidic diarrhea and sleepless nights stopped the week we started The diet. From that moment I was hooked, not only on The diet but on Biomedical treatments for curing Autism, and I have never looked back. I strongly encourage you to experience the diet for your child and even as a family it is a good thing.

Some other tips include:

Keep a journal. What foods have you taken out? Are you adding something in? Reactions: rash, more/less hyper, more/less stimmy, sleep patterns, bowel movements: how many, consistency, tantrums, acceptance of new foods, eye contact, language, etc. Write it all down, then you know what’s going on, and when something is working for you, and when it’s not. Doing the ATEC at www.autism.com is an excellent way to see how you are doing. Everytime that you begin a new intervention it is a good idea to do and ATEC and then repeat every month or so and see how your child is evolving. Sometimes our children are recovering right before our very eyes and we don’t even know it.

Using the ATEC helps a great deal to measure improvements. Many of us are tired or burned out and don’t have as good as a memory as we would like to, so a formal questionnaire can help us to discern when an intervention is working or not.

Always read labels. Read the label on the back. Not just the one on the front that says “gluten free”. Many times they have sugar, yeast or other items that are not allowed. We must know what we are putting into our children’s bodies. If you can’t pronounce it, you don’t really want to put it into your child. Be careful of hidden offenders like malta, natural flavors, artificial flavors, whey, numbers (red 40), etc.

Have a support system. It doesn’t matter whether it is a friend, family member, rescue angel or neighbor. Have a shoulder to lean on, autism recovery is a marathon not a sprint, and no one should have to go it alone.

Take it one day at a time. Defeatist thinking will only harm your resolve to help your child. “I Can’t do this for the rest of Johnny’s life” or “How will I get through this year” are defeatist thoughts. Go hour by hour or minute by minute if you have to, and know there are victories every day in the world of autism, and we must draw strength from those victories, even when they aren’t our own. My website has a section called Milagros, which are real emails that I receive from parents describing the advances of their children on my protocol. Take some time to read them, and know that children are recovering every day and believe your child can be next.

So here it is…The Diet

Permitted Foods List

Proteins:

Beef
Pork
Chicken
Turkey
Fish: small not large
Eggs
Organic is better, but not required
No processed meats or cold cuts (hot dogs, bologna, etc)
No shellfish (full of toxins)

Fruit:

All fruit is acceptable
Homemade juice and fruit waters are acceptable
Frozen fruit without cream or sugar is acceptable
NO canned fruit
Be careful of dried fruit, as it may contain sugar

Note: Fruit should not be consumed after a meal as a dessert. Due to it’s rapid digestion, if it is eater after other slower foods (meat, grains, etc) it will ferment in the stomach, causing bloating, gas, or discomfort. Fruit is best eaten before a meal, or separate from meals.

Vegetables:

All Vegetables!!!
This includes french fries…however, not frozen fries nor fries from fast food chains, these are often coated in flour.

Nuts:

Cashews
Walnuts
Almond
Hazelnut
Coconut
All of them!

Grains:

Corn
Rice
Amaranth
Quinoa
Millet
Tapioca
Xanthan Gum
Sorghum
Buckwheat

Beans:

All beans – EXCEPT Soy
Garbanzo
Lentils
Navy
Peanuts
Cacao

Sweetners:

Xylitol
Stevia
Honey
Agave syrup
Maple syrup (without sugar added)
NO Piloncillo
NO Sugar


Prohibited Foods:

Corn Syrup
Sodas – Cokes, etc.
V8 Splash
Chocolate milk
Natural Flavoring
MSG
ADES
Soy sauce
Microwave popcorn
Pasta
Candies
Oatmeal
Sugar
Splenda
Cow’s milk in any form, even lactose free
Noodle soup
Ketchup
Mayonaise
Knorr suiza (boullion cubes)
Corn flakes
Soy milk
Processed meats (hotdogs, ham, sausage, cold cuts)
Play-doh (contains gluten)
Bread
Flour Tortillas
Coloring
Jell-o or gelatin
Preservatives
Margarine
Yeast
Carrageenan
Numbers (E260)
Preservatives
Coloring
Cane
Malt
Artificial flavoring


NO Cow’s Milk

NOT CASEIN FREE
NOT LACTOSE FREE
NOT ORGANIC
NOT EVAPORATED
NO NO NO COW’S MILK
ALL COW’S MILK, REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS REMOVED FROM IT, CAUSES MUCOUS AND INFLAMMATION. (which are responsible for maintaining pathogens)

Common Error:

The food allergy panel says he’s not allergic to gluten or casein…so my child can continue to eat those ingredients.

It doesn’t matter…if your child has autism or is on the spectrum he must avoid gluten, casein and soy. The network formerly known as DAN! Also says to observe your child carefully after adding a new food or a food he hasn’t eaten in a while. In one particular case, even though the child didn’t test positive for an orange allergy, he produces symptoms of an allergic reaction whenever he eats one. We must remember that the body is changing constantly and that any test is only good for a couple of months, if at all.

Some sample recipes:

Almond Milk

1.5 cups of almonds
3 cups of water
Honey to taste
Place all ingredients in a blender for 2-5 minutes and strain. Serve cold or warm. Almonds should soaked in hot water and then peeled beforehand. A Vitamix works best, but is not necessary.


Coconut Milk

The flesh of one coconut
Enough water to cover the coconut in the blender.
Honey to taste
Place all ingredients in a blender for 2-5 minutes and strain. Serve cold or warm.


Cookies

300 grams rice flour
300 grams corn flour
One egg yolk
200 grams agave syrup
250 grams coconut oil
Bake 20 minutes at approx 325 degrees

FAQ’s

Until we have this section organized, there is a very complete list of FAQ’s about the diet at

www.gfcfdiet.com

Nature vs nurture, focusing on epigenetics

I have a constant need for information, I guess you could say that is the gemini-nature in me.  In my incessant quest for information about how we can change the future of our health, I seem to keep bouncing back to something called epigenetics.  My family has had a never-ending dispute over nature vs. nurture.  What dictates our hair color, our tendency to suck our fingers as babies, and what illnesses we are predisposed to?  Well yes, it's our genes of course, but what about the possibility that you can CHANGE the way your DNA is expressed?

Science is now showing us that it is nature AND nurture that determines our future.  And knowing that you can use your diet, thoughts and environment to change the course of your health puts the ball right where it should be, in YOUR hands!!  I have always said that I believe our health is our responsibility.  We are the only ones who can control how we feel, we are the only ones who can change the course of our path.  In fact, my life as a biomed mother is just that, a quest to change nature.  I'm not willing to accept things as they are, I know there is a way to reverse the hand we were dealt.  Three and a half years ago I set out determined to find that path, and I am proud to say that we are on the right path.

My gut told me the way we are born isn't just IT....that we can change IT.  So yes, we have learned recently that our boys have the MTHFR gene mutations and that makes them predisposed to illnesses like autism, ADHD, Alzheimer's, cancer and early heart disease, among others.  MTHFR stands for methelenetetrahydrofolate reductase, it's an enzyme responsible for converting folate to it's bioactive form.  This causes our boys (and probably us parents too) to have a break in their methylation pathways, limiting their ability to detox.  I now KNOW they don't detox well and I now KNOW they are deficient in folate, as well as B12 due to this gene mutation, but I also now KNOW that I can bypass this gene mutation by supplying them with methylfolate (5-MTHF) and MB12 injections.  We can kick-start their methylation and begin to work around the mutation.  And how did this mutation come to be in the first place?  I certainly don't know that, but what I do know is that somewhere in the line of our families, a gene was mutated by it's environment, diet and/or thoughts....epigenetics.  If we can change them in the first place, common sense would reason that we can also reverse them!!

A friend, who is equally as interested in health, sent me Dr. Mercola's newsletter today and I just love the simple explanation given on epigentics.

Your Emotions Regulate Your Genetic Expression

As if genes changing expression in response to environmental factors such as nutrients wasn't enough, other researchers have demonstrated that this "environment" that your genes respond to also includes your conscious thoughts, emotions, and unconscious beliefs. Cellular biologist Bruce Lipton, PhD., is one of the leading authorities on how emotions can regulate genetic expression, which are explained in-depth in his excellent books The Biology of Belief, and Spontaneous Evolution.

Science has indeed taken us far beyond Newtonian physics, which says you live in a mechanical universe. According to this belief, your body is just a biological machine, so by modifying the parts of the machine, you can modify your health. Also, as a biological machine, your body is thought to respond to physical "things" like the active chemicals in drugs, and by adjusting the drugs that modify your machinery, doctors can modify and control health. However, with the advent of quantum physics, scientists have realized the flaws in Newtonian physics, as quantum physics shows us that the invisible, immaterial realm is actually far more important than the material realm. In fact, your thoughts may shape your environment far more than physical matter!

According to Dr. Lipton, the true secret to life does not lie within your DNA, but rather within the mechanisms of your cell membrane.

Each cell membrane has receptors that pick up various environmental signals, and this mechanism controls the "reading" of the genes inside your cells. Your cells can choose to read or not read the genetic blueprint depending on the signals being received from the environment. So having a "cancer program" in your DNA does not automatically mean you're destined to get cancer. Far from it. This genetic information does not ever have to be expressed...

What this all means is that you are not controlled by your genetic makeup. Instead, your genetic readout (which genes are turned "on" and which are turned "off") is primarily determined by your thoughts, attitudes, and perceptions!

The major problem with believing the myth that your genes control your life is that you become a victim of your heredity. Since you can't change your genes, it essentially means that your life is predetermined, and therefore you have very little control over your health. With any luck, modern medicine will find the gene responsible and be able to alter it, or devise some other form of drug to modify your body's chemistry, but aside from that, you're out of luck… The new science, however, reveals that your perceptions control your biology, and this places you in the driver's seat, because if you can change your perceptions, you can shape and direct your own genetic readout.

This new science also reveals that you are in fact an extension of your environment, which includes everything from your thoughts and belief systems, to toxic exposures and exposure to sunlight, exercise, and, of course, everything you choose to put onto and into your body. As Dr. Lipton is fond of saying, the new biology moves you out of victimhood and into Mastery—mastery over your own health.

It is a supreme confirmation of my favorite saying, "You Can Take Control of Your Health."

A Healthy Lifestyle Supports Healthy Genetic Expression

So the good news is that you are in control of your genes … You can alter them on a regular basis, depending on the foods you eat, the air you breathe, and the thoughts you think. It's your environment and lifestyle that dictates your tendency to express disease, and this new realization is set to make major waves in the future of disease prevention -- including one day educating people on how to fight disease at the epigenetic level. When a disease occurs, the solution, according to epigenetic therapy, is simply to "remind" your affected cells (change its environmental instructions) of its healthy function, so they can go back to being normal cells instead of diseased cells.

You can begin to do this on your own, long before you manifest a disease. By leading a healthy lifestyle, with high quality nutrition, exercise, limited exposure to toxins, and a positive mental attitude, you encourage your genes to express positive, disease-fighting behaviors.

This is what preventive medicine is all about. It's not about taking any one particular nutrient as a supplement to fix one specific "part" of your biological machinery... The more people become willing to embrace this simple truth, the healthier everyone will get.
It's also worth pointing out that epigenetic effects begin before birth.

Epigenetic research from 2009 showed that rat fetuses receiving poor nutrition in the womb become genetically primed for a nutrition-poor environment. As a result of this genetic adaptation, the rats tended to be smaller. They were also at higher risk for a host of health problems throughout their lives, such as diabetes, growth retardation, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and neurodevelopmental delays. Again, while some are tempted to blame such "predispositions" on bad genes, the KEY factor is nutrition, i.e. the cellular environment.

If you're ready to address your dietary choices, read through my comprehensive nutrition plan, which will give you tips and tools for eating healthy, dealing with stress, and living a lifestyle that will support your epigenetic health.

You can also turn your genes off and on with your emotions too. Many, if not most people carry emotional scars; traumas that can adversely affect health. Using techniques like energy psychology, you can go in and correct the trauma and help regulate your genetic expression. My favorite technique for this is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), but there are many others. Choose whichever one appeals to you, and if you don't sense any benefits, try another, until you find what works best for you.

Please, remember that 'You CAN Take Control of Your Health.'

You can find the rest of this article here.

I think what is important to take away from this lesson is that while we now know we can change our genes to our benefit, we can also change them detrimentally, and that is how we pass on the predisposition to diseases like autism, which is an epidemic of gargantuan proportion at 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys.  Our environment, the American diet and our thoughts have turned "on" these awful genes, let's please work on reversing this so that our children can pass on healthier genes to the next generation.

I wasn't very far off.....after all, "you are what you eat"!