By: Mark Smith D.C., D.A.B.C.N, F.A.C.F.N
At the Brain Balance Achievement Center, we are concerned about brain function and how to alleviate the symptoms of ADHD, Dyslexia, Learning Disorder, Asperger’s and Autism. As part of our program, each child has lab testing to look for food allergies. Read what some research scientists found out about foods and brain health and why Brain Balance looks into these matters with each and every student.
“Compounds produced in the digestive system have been linked to autistic-type behaviour in laboratory settings, potentially demonstrating that what autistic children eat can alter their brain function, say scientists from the University of Western Ontario. UWO researchers investigated the “gut-brain” connection after many parents of autistic children reported significant improvements in the behaviour of their autistic children when they modified their diet, eliminating dairy and wheat products.
Researchers were particularly interested in one dietary characteristic the autistic children seemed to exhibit, he said. “Certainly, a lot of these children had peculiar cravings for high-carbohydrate foods that caused their behaviours,” he said. “We were interested in finding a link between certain compounds that are produced by bacteria in the digestive system — particularly those occurring with early childhood infections.”
The bacteria produce propionic acid, a short chain fatty acid, which in addition to existing in the gut, is commonly found in bread and dairy products, MacFabe said. To test their hypothesis that diet plays a part in generating autistic behaviour, UWO scientists administered the compound to normal rats.
“They immediately engaged in bouts of repetitive behaviour, hyperactivity and impaired social behaviours which had close similarity to what parents are seeing with autism,” MacFabe said. When the rats’ brains were examined later, they were found to have inflammatory processes similar to those in the brains of autistic children, he said. “We found, looking at the rats’ brains under the microscope, changes that looked a lot like what’s occurred from autopsy cases of patients who had autism.”
Dr. Martha Herbert, assistant professor in neurology at Harvard Medical School, remarked that the study opens up a new way of thinking about the disorder. “Now we’re learning that the brain and body can influence each other,” she said. Treating a child’s health should be the first step in addressing autism, Herbert said, rather than solely focusing on behavioural therapy, currently a mainline approach. Parents should watch their children closely to determine what foods trigger reactions and to consider removing those triggers, she said. “If you have foods that child is sensitive to in their immune system, that can set up processes that can impact brain function, and it can do so in a negative way. And if you remove those foods, that negative impact can stop.”
Now that you know about this, you can understand why we at Brain Balance Achievement Center use an integrated approach to helping reduce these developmental disorders. Call now for more information at Brain Balance Achievement Center of Richmond: 804-977-2747
Mark Smith D.C.
D.A.B.C.N, F.A.C.F.N
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