And the results are in....drumroll please?!

After just under one and a half months on the Body Biotics soil-based organism probiotics, see for yourself!

I know the new test is a little more difficult to read.  The orange bar in the center is the median range, but the actual range is much larger than that, and spans the entire distance to the black lines on either side of the orange bar.  If his results were considered high or low for a category, there would be a red H or L in the number column and the diamond would be outside of the normal range with a red diamond.

Those tests say more than anything I can write here!  HPHPA from 413 to 26?!?!  Yeast at normal levels?!?! Clostridia was a ***ch to fight, antibiotics never worked, natural antimicrobials kept things almost at bay, but we couldn't remove them without a significant backslide, and who wants their child on high doses of antimicrobials three times a day, indefinitely?   I can say, with certainty, that these probiotics are our saving grace.  They do everything they say they do!

We have Gavin's results too, but since it was our first OAT for him, we have nothing to compare to.  His 3-oxoglutaric was just slightly elevated, which means he had a little bit of a yeast overgrowth, but nothing else showed markers of dysbiosis and no bacteria issues, although his numbers were slightly higher than Grayson's.  I'm sure the results directly related to the dose of the probiotics, because Grayson was worked up to 6 capsules and Gavin was only at 3.  A friend's daughter who is the same age as Gavin, was also at 6 capsules and her numbers look almost exactly like Grayson's.  She had confirmed Clostridia with a level of 393 in December, plus a confirmed case of Candida Krusei.  Her results are clean for Candida Krusei and her HPHPA (clostridia) marker came down to 22!  Also in just under one and a half months!  We have also had two mainstream stool tests done on Gavin and both the bacteria and yeast testing came back completely clean, they were done more recently.  I don't normally put a lot of weight in these tests, but our friend's yeast testing resulted in two forms of yeast at one point, so I know they can pick things up, if they are there.  Regardless, the OAT and the stool testing are my confirmation that things are under control, with NO ANTIMICROBIALS OR ANTIBIOTICS!  What a breath of fresh air to say that!

If you want to know more about these probiotics, click here.

With the good news comes the bad...isn't that always the way?  When we ran our battery of tests on the boys, we have finally confirmed PANDAS (among other things, including a compound heterozygous gene mutation) for Grayson.  I have always suspected it, but never had the titers to prove it, well now I do.  He was in a flare and sure enough both titers came out over 400. My motto is and has always been....one day at a time.  My research continues!

Now we are focusing on the PANDAS, and hoping that the complimentary combination of the probiotics and homeoapthy will do the trick.  Stay tuned!

Why does camel milk work?

The answer to that question is so complex, but I would bet it has something to do with the nutritional deficiencies our children tend to have as part of the complex myriad of symptoms they experience.  They have problems with absorbing nutrients, because of the landscape of their compromised intestines, and it's those very nutrients the camel milk provides in a "food" source, making them more bio-available to our immune-compromised children.  And that brings me to the camel nanaoglobulins that mimic the human immune system, literally!  They are minuscule in size by comparison, but look exactly like ours, their size allows them to cross through cells so when you drink the milk, you are filling your blood (and intestines) with these nanoglobulins.  This is equivalent to an IVIG treatment!!  For those who dont't know what IVIG is, here is a brief description found online:

"Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) is a solution of highly purified immunoglobulin G, derived from large pools of human plasma that contain antibodies against a broad spectrum of bacterial and viral agents. This solution is delivered intravenously and is used primarily to treat three categories of illnesses: immunodeficiencies, autoimmune neuromuscular disorders, and certain rheumatologic conditions."

IVIG is VERY expensive and very rarely covered entirely by insurance.  I have heard that out of pocket quotes often exceed $5000 even for those who HAVE insurance coverage for some of it!  And most people require IVIG multiple times.  Sure makes the camel milk look cheap, doesn't it? 

Camel milk is anti-bacterial and anti-viral.  It's a wonder why we get such great results when you combine all these traits in one power packed serving!  It MUST be raw to get these benefits! 

Speaking of results....lets talk about my kids.  We've been on the camel milk for 24 days as of today.  We were originally only using half of the recommended dose with each child daily and seeing a wide variety of improvements.  I want to know it's full potential though, so we are increasing.  I started increasing two days ago and we are now on a pint and a half a day, between the two of them.  Two pints would be about the recommended dose, give or take a few ounces.  It certainly isn't hard to get in them, they love it!  Yeay for that!  I don't have to squirt it, pop it open, mix it or pour it into them!!  And they enjoy it, something I gain pleasure in!  Our kids are troopers, they take concoctions of the nastiest tasting stuff on earth without a flinch!  So a treatment they love?! Sign me up!!

I just can't get over the changes with Grayson!  If you read my earlier entries about his aggression, his tics, his negativity, his inconsistencies.....itching, head swattting, bloating, sleep disturbances, severely emotional outbursts, my goodness, life was never dull around here!!  He was so volatile I wouldn't even sign him up for activities.  I was literally afraid of his behaviors, would he tantrum and cry uncontrollably, because he doesn't want to do something; would he freak out from lack of confidence; would he just completely resist participation?  We tried a few things like soccer and ice skating.  He zoned out on the field in soccer and he refused participation with ice skating.  I gave up and I am not a giving up sort of mom, but he had my endurance beat, I just couldn't fight another fight, nor was it healthy.

Fast forward to today, these are the traits I see in Grayson on a CONSISTENT basis now and yes, this is SINCE the milk!!

• Amazing confidence!  He will try anything and although he hates failure (not a bad thing) he isnt' freaking out or hitting himself in the head over it.  He picks himself up (figruatively speaking) dusts himself off and moves on.
• We've signed him up for guitar lessons and I am so impressed with him!  He is learning very fast, he is willing to attempt anything we ask him to try, he doesn't fight me when I ask him to practice (although it's in short spurts, lol, hey whatever works).  He is willing to "perform" the things he learns without hesitation.
• He is happy every day, VERY happy and not the overly giddy kind of yeasty happiness, but a real genuine happiness. Coming from the deep, dark caves of anger that Clostridia brings, this is a HUGE and very welcome change.  There was nothing worse than watching our 5 year old wake up angry at the world, his pajamas too tight, clothes bothering him, shoes won't go on right, chair isn't even, everything was too something and the reaction was far beyond extreme, it was frightening.  I am so so so SO relieved to see this change so consistently!
• He's interested in playing with Gavin who has a very challenging personality, but he makes it work most days lately.  There is often a lot of fighting, because Grayson is so controlling, but he has been slowly opening up to listening to Gavin (when I request him to do so).  In the past, he would stomp off, crossing his arms, yelling that he wanted to "be alone".  Now he is listening to me calmly and trying whatever I suggest.  Wow!
• Compliance!!
• His flexibility is amazing.  We haven't had any issues with transition at all.
• Consistency - did I mention this AGAIN?  HAHAHA  In the past we have called him Jekyll and Hyde, because from one moment to the next, he would flip from happy to emotional, then angry, then giddy (too happy), it was an exhausting roller coaster ride to parent him.  He's consistent, he's happy, he's flexible and compliant.  This is what normal is all about!!

I am in heaven with these changes.  If I never saw another change in him for the rest of his life, I would be on cloud nine, diet and all.  It would be a bonus, if the camel milk can help with his sensitivities and leaky gut (which it is purported to do), but honestly, I don't know that I would be ready to give him gluten and casein back anytime soon anyway, but I would LOVE to be able to nix the low oxalate diet!!  And eggs, we would LOVE to get eggs back in the diet, especially, because his cholesterol was too low to begin with.  But this is dreaming and I am not a dreamer, I am a realist, I prefer to live in today.  Today deserves all of my attention.

Gavin is flourishing too, as you have probably read in previous entries about the camel milk.  He's just a fire cracker!  He's affectionate and powerful at once.  He's our little daredevil with control, loves to make people laugh, but is a lovey too.  He's kept all of his gains, but I notice that with him, when I increase the milk, we get a period of what resembles die-off.  His stools change, his temperament becomes less tolerant, and he becomes excessively hyper temporarily.  I am taking this to mean that he needs the increase and that we will need to continue to increase until this subsides.  Keep in mind that he has a virulent parasite and I am hoping the milk is doing something about that! I would expect some die-off with anything that could be working!

I can't wait to see what more camel milk brings!!  If anyone reading this has been on the fence about camel milk, I give you a resounding "TRY IT!"  Don't let this opportunity pass you by, you may never know what real healing is until you give it a shot!  My husband and I are even considering using it for ourselves, if we decide to stop it for the kids (as in done healing).  It's THAT phenomenal!

I get it now!

Andy Cutler has been quoted as saying that chelation makes you feel like you've been roto-rootered from the inside out.  I get it, I now know how my kids feel, why they don't want to eat sometimes, why they say their tummies hurt.

I've never had obvious problems with food (other than dairy which has been out of my diet for years now) before starting chelation.  And even on round I don't seem to have any issues, but now two days post-chelation I have been nauseous, light-headed when standing up fast and after eating, I am experiencing reflux and burping like a friggin truck driver!  This is something I have NEVER had other than during the later months in my pregnancies.  I don't know, if these new symptoms are in direct relation to chelation and redistribution or if I have suddenly developed new food sensitivities in the process. 

On a good note, we had visitors who had colds, which were passed on to the boys (of course, that isn't the good part) and I didn't catch it!  I started to feel a sore throat and swollen glands in my jaw for one day, so I upped the Vit D significantly and began taking oil of oregano every hour.  It never progressed!  In the past year, I've been catching everything they get, so this is a huge accomplishment, for me anyway!  Perhaps the Protandim I started before the dental revision is reducing oxidation enough to prevent me from getting sick!  The studies showed it to be 100% effective in reducing oxidation significantly.  I have read that people taking it weren't getting sick like they used to.  I wish I could give it to the kids, but it's ingredients are high oxalate.

Now with the boys getting sick barely one full week after having had the stomach bug, which was just one more of the illness, after illness trend we've been experiencing since November!  Yes, November!  They have been sick just about every other week since then, no joke!  I know school passes a lot of bugs around, but they shouldn't be catching every single illness they encounter, so we brought them to the DAN! doctor since insurance will cover a sick visit and we could use the opportunity to discuss why they are sick so often.  Of course, I know it is related to their immune system, but more importantly, is it something we can address?  Or is there some testing we should consider?  We already have two pages of blood work to have done on Grayson, for the viral titers and immune function testing, but our insurance company told us they needed "notes" from the doctor as to why we need it done otherwise they can't approve payment.  We spent a good portion of our visit addressing that little detail.  The doctor is going to call our insurance company to see what they need.  In the meantime, he suggested we start the boys on Thymucin which is a Thymus extract.  The Thymus sits below the thyroid and both are heavily effected by mercury, it tends to accumulate in the glands, causing problems with function.  The thymus is basically responsible for our immune function!  It educates the T-cells and taking thymus glandular has been extensively tested as regulating T-cell and suppressor cell balance. 

We will be doing two additional tests with each of the kids.  NutrEval from Genova Diagnostics is a nutritional evaluation which will look at so many things including dysbiosis, heavy metals, how the body is using nutrients, and many more things.  It provides a framework of core nutrients in 5 key areas: Antioxidants, B Vitamins, Digestive Support, Essential Fatty Acids, and Minerals.  We will also do another IgG food sensitivity test.  We've never done this with Gavin and I want to see, if it's involved with some of his mood swings lately, plus I'd like to get an update on Grayson.  We've changed a lot of the foods they eat, but I worry that they could be developing new sensitivities. 

As I am writing this, a light bulb went off about my own situation!!  Bloating, gas, indigestion, reflux and nausea are all signs of pathogenic overgrowth!!  I need to up my killers, PRONTO!  A friend also reminded me that H. Pylori symptoms are always GI related.  One round of chelation unleashed the H. Pylori in her, as well.  Oh goodness, this is going to be FUN!  I really do know how our kids feel now.  Please be patient with them when they don't want to eat or they are not themselves, they can't possibly understand why they feel so awful!

Stool testing

We've come full circle since our stool test break from the antimicrobials.  We increased slowly and secretly hoped we wouldn't need as much to keep them maintained....wishful thinking!  We were continuing to see the Jekyll and Hyde behaviors, good one minute, not so good the next.  As long as we don't see consistency with behavior, we know we need to increase their doses until we do see those nice smooth days again.  We are back where we started as mentioned in this post about Nutraceuticals for yeast, bacteria, viruses and parasites and things are running more smoothly now.

We did our stool tests through Direct Labs, since it means we don't need to take both boys to a doctor that isn't covered by insurance, just to pay for the tests ourselves anyway.  Our doctor is about 45 minutes away, so we would be spending the money on gas to drive there too.  Using Direct Labs allows us to order the tests online, the kit comes in the mail, we collect the samples and send it back using the enclosed Fed Ex envelopes!  Easy peasey lemon squeezy!  The test we chose is supposed to be 100% accurate and at Direct Labs it's called the "Microbial Ecology Profile -MM KIT".  It's retail price is over $1000, but they have it for $259!  

Here is Metametrix's overview of the test:


GI Effects is unlike any other stool analysis profile, going beyond the standard parameters for identifying gastrointestinal disorders.

The GI Effects Profile uses DNA analysis to identify microbiota including anaerobes, a previously immeasurable area of the gut environment. DNA assessment is specific and accurate, avoids the pitfalls of sample transport, reports results as specific numbers, and is more sensitive than classic laboratory methods.
Download the White Paper on documented limitations of culture based stool assessment.

Advantages of the GI Effects Stool Profile

• Greater Accuracy
  Microbial DNA analysis improves the accuracy of results and includes both aerobes and anaerobes. Anaerobes comprise over 95% of the bacteria in the gut and are difficult to detect with old culture methods.
• Antibiotic resistance genes
  DNA analysis detects organisms possessing genes that give rise to antibiotic resistance, offering clinicians a superior tool for effective patient management.
• Single Sample Collection
  Culture methods require multiple collections, whereas the GI Effects Stool Profile requires only one sample collection leading to improved patient compliance!
• Eliminates Errors in Transport
  Sample transport is a source of significant error in culture analysis due to the change in microbial balance from the time of collection. Using DNA analysis, the specimen is placed in a fixative tube that stops microbial growth and offers a highly accurate snapshot of the microbial balance in the gut.
• Increased Sensitivity
  GI Effects detects as few as 5 cells per gram - a 5000-fold increase in sensitivity over microscopy for parasite detection.
• A Better Value
  No reflex or add-on costs for additional testing!
  

Why Use Stool Analysis?

Gastrointestinal function is important for general health. The intestinal tract contains significant amounts of bacteria; some beneficial, some neutral, and some harmful. Balancing beneficial microbial flora in the gut is key to proper digestion, efficient nutrient usage, and ridding the body of waste and pathogens. Poor digestion and malabsorption can lead to immune dysfunction, nutritional insufficiencies, mental/emotional disorders, and autoimmune diseases.
Metametrix offers the Complete GI Effects profile for the most thorough look at the gut microbiome.

Biofilm

This is probably a new term for you so I will edu-ma-cate you first. Biofilm is a polyssacharide matrix that microbes develop to protect themselves. It allows them to survive in a less than optimal environment, AKA - a healthy body? These pests are smarter than us and always will be as long as we continue to use medical prescriptions to fight them. Biofilm is a sticky film that allows them to remain undetected by the body. So while we are doing all of our treatments trying to kill these little suckers, we see some progress, but then stopping the treatments proves to only result in yet another build up of the symptoms yet again.  So we know we probably have a biofilm issue at hand. Since the Flagyl antibiotics only addressed our bacteria issues for about two months, if even, both times we used it, we knew we had something more deep seated to deal with. This stuff has probably been setting up residency for a few years! We knew it was time for the BIG GUNS!! Hence, the biofilm protocol!

 The first step of this process is a few specific enzymes that poke holes in the biofilm by breaking down their cell walls which then allows the following treatments (natural antimicrobials/antivirals) to get in there and kill them while they think they are hiding. It's a process that takes time (months), but usually results in great long-lasting benefits....providing we are also removing the metals at play too! These things go hand in hand, microbes and metals protect and benefit each other.

Once we open the biofilm, we are essentially reactivating the body, because previous to this step, it was actually unaware of it's very well hidden intruders. This can result in a plethora of symptoms that can range from flu-like to stimmy and irritated. It's basically BIG die-off and the process requires a good mop-up step to usher out the toxins (like having a dead creature in your basement, eeeew, get it out, right? It's toxic), otherwise they will overwhelm the body (and the liver) and become neurotoxic in the process. So here is our daily routine now:

I am only doing the biofilm protocol once a day right now, but after 3-6 weeks, we will consider a second dosing schedule in the day. So essentially what I am doing is using the biofilm in the morning hours (getting the empty stomach is easier then) and then I continue with the dosing schedule we were using pre-biofilm in the later parts of the day, because, if we go more than 3 hours without dosing something, the yeast and bacteria start right back up. Then at bedtime we give hefty doses of probiotics to rebuild the good flora. More good crowds out the bad!

The "killers" as I like to call them (antimicrobials/antivirals) may be more than some kids can handle, but as I mentioned before, we get severe overgrowth pretty fast, otherwise. So while the biofilm is in place, I am hitting this stuff pretty hard and seeing results! Previously, if we went more than 6 weeks without Flagyl, we saw MAJOR bacterial symptoms (aggression, hitting, throwing, defiance, spacey interchanged with hyper, negative attitude all day, and a lot of emotions and crying).

We do a bit of rotation, because of leaky gut, so the food supplements along with anything that contains coconut (a #1 on his IgG panel) is rotated on a four day rotation.

1 - I keep the bottles of Klaire Labs Interfase (Important, NOT Interfase Plus, it has EDTA in it which is unsafe for mercury toxic people) and ViraStop (you could also use Lumbrokinase here which is GREAT for Lyme) with a cup of water on my nightstand since he comes to my room first thing when he wakes. This allows me to start the pre-food dosing asap. I give him 1 ViraStop and 2 Interfase caps on an empty stomach.

2 - When we get downstairs, I give him either his home made electrolyte solution or an apple cider vinegar drink made with warm water, baking soda and honey (depending on our rotation day). He drinks these right down on an empty stomach and looks forward to both of them!

3 - 30-45 min (I use the stove timer, lol) after the Interfase and ViraStop, I dose our "killers" (4-5 drops Bio-Alternatives OoO, 3 droppers full of NOW Foods OLE which is 300mg, 15-20mg Biotin, 3-4 drops GSE and/or Nystatin depending on yeast symptoms, and then we rotate either a full cap of Pharmax Caprylic Acid or a 1/3 of a cap of Natures Way Uva Ursi - this is a new add in for us so we are starting slow). We LOVE the Caprylic Acid and see a difference in him when using that on his rotation days.  A quick note about GSE here - In the two years since I've written this blog, we have learned that a few drops of GSE wasn't our ideal dose.  He is now on two Nutribiotic tablets (125mg each) PLUS 10 more drops.  I wish I tried this sooner, but working up slowly is also important for the sake of severe die off and liver tolerance.

4 - He takes digestion enzymes and two HCI (hydrochloric acid capsules), eats and has his supplements then I set the timer to an hour but anywhere between 1-2 hours is good.

5 - 1-2 hours after supplements and "killers", I give two PectaSol C by EcoNugenics to mop up. This is proven to also move metals. It's a Modified Citrus Pectin which interestingly our son does fine with considering all citrus was elevated on his IgG. You need a dr to order, but all I did was call and tell them that Dr. Woeller of AutismActionPlan.org (I am a member) suggested them and they let me order. It's expensive, $69 a bottle, but there are 270 capsules in a bottle. Everything we give seems to be expensive, ugh! I could be driving a brand new Mercedes, I tell ya!! Not even kidding...You can also use good old activated charcoal here though.

6 - I wait another 1-2 hours to start dosing our "killers" again and then we do that at 3 hour intervals so usually that works out to around noon or 1pm and again at 3-4pm. This is perfect for his school schedule this year, but I am seriously fretting about him in all day kindergarten next year.

7 - At dinner he has 4-6 ounces of kombucha (a fermented iced tea drink with enzymes, probiotics and B vitamins, it's the only way he tolerates the B vitamins!) and at bedtime, 3 Culturelle and 3 New Beginnings Probiotic Support which contains a good amount of Sacc B in addition to a broad spectrum (no-strep strain) dairy-free probiotic. We are doing well with these lately, I can tell by the way he wakes up the next morning. He is calm, happy and compliant.

So that is it, our routine, which now seems to be working pretty well. Sometimes we need to up our yeast protocol, especially when we are on a chelation round, but he responds well and quickly. We also do the epsom salt baths a few times a week, and I have recently added in a bentonite clay bath here and there to assist with the toxin die off. He gets various supplements three times a day as part of all of this, as well.

We had massive die off initially, probably for the first 5-7 days, but that seems to have leveled out, thankfully. I thought I would really lose it, but I stuck with the protocol, increased the PectaSol mop up a bit occasionally and sure enough, he has leveled out nicely, phew!! It's been a while since we have had a good constant without Flagyl. We still see some yeasty signs, as I mentioned, so we are working that out too. He's getting "bored" with school and I don't know, if that is related, but the teacher has been made aware so after the Holiday break, I hope he gets back into the swing of things. I have to say that this is the longest we have gone (8 full weeks) after ending the Flagyl, without major bacterial signs building back up!

I might also add that when I started this protocol with our 17 month old (who also shows signs of yeast and bacterial infections) we had the oddest BM and since he is still in diapers, I got a nice eyeful of a small compact ball of mucus and sticky green something-or-other, eeew! I have read that the biofilm is clear so I am not sure what the compact green stuff was, but it was all intertwined and weird, to say the least. Dr. Woeller suggested that it could just be a plug that was moved out by the protocol. It didn't even connect when I was changing the diaper, instead, at 5am the next morning my eyes popped open and I thought, "I KNOW WHAT THAT WAS..." AKA - biofilm response! Onward...

Bio medicine, just for the autistic?

I'd like to talk a little bit about bio medicine and something that tends to confuse many parents. Right now, much of the biomedical research being done is on the ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) community and the results achieved with biomedical treatments. Why is that? Probably because they are the most effected and we are reversing what was once considered a purely genetic and irreversible condition known as autism. But do I think these are the only people who would benefit from bio medicine? Absolutely not! We are seeing more and more research on bio medicine effecting those with autoimmune disorders like Lupus and Arthritis, Lyme Disease, and they are even reversing cancer! The rise of ASDs is an epidemic, so it's drawing attention and rightfully so. Twenty or so years ago, ASD afflicted 1 in 10,000 kids. Now? 1 in ONE HUNDRED at best! In the UK, it's 1 in 60!

So what is bio medicine, you ask? Well, let's dissect the word, it pretty much makes sense....bio, like biology and medicine, hmmm, ok so here is the medical definition:

bi·o·med·i·cine (bīˌō-mĕdˈĭ-sĭn)

noun

1. The branch of medical science that deals with the ability of humans to tolerate environmental stresses and variations, as in space travel.
2. The application of the principles of the natural sciences, especially biology and physiology, to clinical medicine.

So we are treating illnesses with nature, it's that simple. Anyone, wait no, EVERYONE can benefit from that.

Where we seem to get hung up, as parents, is hearing the term autism used in conjunction with this form of treatment. We conclude that, if we need to use bio medicine to help ourselves or our kids, it MUST mean they are autistic, right? WRONG! I think the only reason we see this connection is, because this disorder is single-handedly bringing bio medicine to the forefront of medicine. When we were first looking for natural ways to address what was going on with Grayson, I would see the word autism and turn around, change my path, just to come back to this dreaded word yet again. I kept saying, " but I don't get this, he's not autistic"....and no, he has never been diagnosed as being autistic, but why do I keep ending up here? Because it's working for kids of ALL degrees. Because it's basic biology people!! Remember, something as common as ADD is actually on the autism spectrum, and I repeat "spectrum".....there are all degrees of illness associated with this particular disorder. Label or no label, what it comes down to is there is a set of "symptoms" that come with the illness we are dealing with and whether they put your child on the spectrum or not is not what is important. What IS important is that you recognize these symptoms as something that needs attention. So is my child autistic? No, he's not. He's social beyond words, he's funny and he reads body language better than some adults I know, he is bright and very aware of his surroundings. Did he have symptoms of an autistic child? He sure did! He hand flapped, he started to loose eye contact at the worst of it (and still does when his health takes a turn for the worse), he has tantrums that aren't reasonable, he used to line up cars incessantly, he was and still sometimes is a sensory seeker (when his gut dysbiosis flares), he bounces off the walls and couches, he traces outlines of our cabinets with his hands, he has moments sometimes DAYS of being highly emotional....does any of this sound like it could be your kid? They sound like normal childhood behaviors, but what really is normal? Are we becoming accustomed to these behaviors over time, because they are more common and because the child isn't "autistic"? And when you clump all of these "behaviors" into one child, do they take on a different definition? Yes, they become symptoms of something that is very hard for parents to grasp. It's not necessarily autism, because what is going on inside of an autistic child's body can also go on inside of a neuro-typical child, which will then cause the very same symptoms that are often seen (to a more severe degree) in autistic children. I truly believe that the severely inflicted children who are at the far end of the autism spectrum are just the most fragile kids alive. Everyone handles things differently. Just think of how you handle a cold, your neighbor might have completely different symptoms with the same cold strain and allergies, you have one to mold and your cousin reacts to dogs, your child might react to milk!....These kids can't handle toxins, they cannot handle the pesticides, the heavy metals, the plastics, the cleaners and bleaches, the injections, the viruses, the EMFs, the radio frequencies, the chemicals in mattresses and fire retardant pajamas, the parabens in soaps and lotions and even TOOTHPASTES.....they are breathing, absorbing, eating....toxin after toxin and what is the one common thread they all have? More than 90% of these kids have low glutathione. This is a naturally occurring peptide in the body, a natural antioxidant. It drives our ability (or lack thereof) to detox these toxins that we encounter increasingly every day. You might be interested to know that Tylenol (our teething best friend at one point, right?) reduces glutathione. So a child who might have already been on the brink of low glutathione, give him or her Tylenol and you have just enabled his or her body to hold onto more toxins. Is it that simple, no it's not, there is a lot more that goes into this vast system, but this is one of the many things we are seeing more and more often with children these days. Do parents realize this when they reach for the Tylenol, because they just want their poor achy child to be comfy, no they don't! Do they realize that the reflux and ear infections are commonly from dairy allergies, probably not! Do they know that colic and loose stools often accompany gut dysbiosis and that their children probably need probiotics, I bet they don't!

So I am going on and on, and it's so easy to do once you get into the biology of it all, because it's all so connected, but my point is that every child could be effected to some degree. I see children in grocery stores and I think...."I wonder, if his parents know that those behaviors mean something more than "he's a boy". Having a child inflicted with a weak immune system that allowed him to accumulate more toxins than he can handle has made me hyper sensitive to those signs. They are universal and I believe that at some point, knowledge will expose the truth about our children's health. I honestly believe that we are at a state of emergency with our kids. If we don't start eating differently, cleaning our homes differently, reading the ingredients we put into our children's bodies, using water filters, washing produce, buying organic meats, we are going to see an incredible increase in autoimmune diseases in this generation and the generations to come. It is a documented fact that babies today are born with over 500 identifiable toxins already in their system, as tested in the umbilical cord fluids. So I encourage you, when you see a behavior that troubles you, or a rash that a doctor can't tie to an illness, or even a continuing sleep disturbance, consider this possibility. It's time to learn what we can do for our kids and their futures.

So now you are probably thinking, ok this is crazy, YOU Are crazy and what do we do about it anyway?! Well there are some really basic and simple things we can all start doing, like always washing your produce thoroughly, even thick skinned produce which will likely infect the protected inside when you slice through the dirty bacteria laden skins, you can shop organic as much as financially possible, you can clean with something as simple as vinegar and water, it's so safe you could drink it! And what about nutrients, get your kids tested for nutritional deficiencies, supplement with things like probiotics (always) and omega 3s. Switch to natural toothpastes without fluoride (you do NOT need fluoride for dental hygiene even though successful marketing schemes will have you believing that), replace your soaps, shampoos and lotions with natural and organic products to avoid the nasty chemicals our bodies don't know how to process (your skin is the largest organ of your body and you shouldn't apply anything to it that you wouldn't be able to eat), eat a healthy wholesome food diet and watch for reactions to foods (which isn't always easy since you can react up to FIVE days after ingesting a food), avoid ALL preservatives and colorings. If you can't pronounce an ingredient, avoid it! These things are simple, they take some time and thought, but the health of your child is a stake. If this doesn't fix the concerns you might have, keep searching for your answers. They don't call us Warrior Mothers for nothing!

Happy Holidays and all that jazz

We love the holidays, but this year being the first on Grayson's new and challenging diet makes things a bit harder to manage. We have to bring foods with us that he can eat, if there isn't something available. We try to mirror the foods we have for dinner so he doesn't feel completely different. Luckily by just removing the food before sauces are added, etc, he can usually just have the fresh and simply cooked foods, but it certainly does make it hard for whoever is cooking. He watches prepared dishes go by at the table while telling us he wants to try it. Of course, NOW he wants to try everything that passes him by, not before the diet, ha ha ha. That brings me to another topic, variety. I can't believe what a 180 he has done since removing the culprit foods. He used to limit himself (which, accompanied by other symptoms, can be a sure sign of food allergy) to breads, cereals, crackers, pretzels, pancakes, waffles, milk, cheese....all the highly allergenic foods he is reactive to. Since we have rid him of the foods he craves, he eats and ENJOYS an amazing variety of foods. How many three year olds ASK for salmon and brocolli for lunch?? Mine does! That is the full side of this half empty glass!

The hardest part of the holiday dinners is sweets. Every holiday dinner comes complete with an array of desserts that he can't even come near with a ten foot pole. He earnestly watches everyone enjoying their yummy treats while he eats whatever experimental dessert mommy can make and pack up for the night. He's a trooper though, he handles it like a champ! I think it hurts me more than it hurts him. Isn't that always the way?

We are struggling with trying to figure out the cause of his food allergies. Once we get that figured out and dealt with, there is a VERY good chance he could eat normal again. He progressed by leaps and bounds when we first took him off the allergenic foods, a HUGE leap forward. But now, we are seeing some other things that were probably masked by the effects of the foods in the first place. He continuously swats and rubs at his head, face, ears and nose. I noticed these habits since he was learning to walk, but thought he was just teething. Obviously he isn't teething anymore, but continues to do this. He tells me he is itchy. For many, this is a sign of yeast overgrowth so he could have chronic yeast and/or viral issues. Yeast doesn't have to be in the intestines either, it can be in organs and in the brain. So we will be experimenting with natural yeast treatments. A sure sign of this is an overactive immune system, sensory issues, sleep disturbances, an increase in symptoms when he has viral die off from being ill with a virus....like now. We found a wonderful product made by BioRay Inc. which has fabulous reports from other parents. It's all natural and completely safe. We will start by detoxing his liver and balancing his PH levels, if need be. It's safe enough for a breastfeeding mother to take and I personally am considering trying it, as well! Liver detoxification would benefit anyone who is effected by every day life.