Autism in Children increases by more than 50% in the last five years

by adminFebruary 10, 2014

Autism in Children increases by more than 50% in the last five years!

Did you know that, according to the Department of Education, Autism has increased by over 50% in the last five years? Did you know that almost all children with autism and learning difficulties are fussy eaters? According to Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride, author of GAPS (gut and psychology syndrome), every person she has seen with autism (and she has helped thousands of children and adults) have a compromised digestive system!

Becoming a GAPS practitioner and why I am so excited about it.

As a newly qualified Nutritional Therapist, I found that many of my clients, often young, were suffering with terrible digestive problems and were often in a great deal of pain. Some of the older ones I was seeing had been diagnosed, by their doctor, with inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s Disease. In trying to support these dear people, I exhausted every avenue that we had been taught at college. At this point, in desperation, I confided in a colleague. She mentioned that I look into the ‘Specific Carbohydrate’ (SCD) diet. I proceeded to devour my way through, ‘Breaking the Vicious Cycle’ by Elaine Gottschall, which was all about the SCD. It seemed I was being given a set of keys that might be able to help a number of my clients. The proof was going to be in the results we had!

With each of these individual clients, I went through the SCD recommendations, and using my coaching skills, I was able to support them in starting this new way of eating. The results were amazing and so exciting. One particular client was due to have surgery to remove part of her inflamed colon and we were able to bring her into remission so surgery has been unnecessary. I have seen many others since who have come to me as a last resort and we have been able to turn around their health and their lives.

What is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) and how does it work?

The SCD is a way of eating which removes certain carbohydrates that are difficult for our bodies to digest. Very simply, this way of eating is very close to how our ancestors ate. These specific carbohydrates are believed to feed harmful bacteria and yeast overgrowth in the digestive tract. An overgrowth of harmful bacteria and yeast are thought to be commonly present in people with compromised digestions and mental health issues. These can cause havoc within the body. Among other things they release harmful toxics which can damage the fragile wall of our digestive tract. The consequences can be vast from inflammatory bowel disease to mental health problems such as autism.

I have understood for a long time that one’s digestive system is as important to the body as the roots are to a tree. Can you expect a tree to flourish if it’s roots are damaged and it is surrounded by toxic soil? Of course not and the same is true for us. If our digestive system is compromised, and we are eating foods that are toxic to our bodies, we must expect to pay the consequences.

…more exciting news!

After the success with the SCD, I was in a meeting for other Nutritional Therapists, when one of my highly experienced colleagues, mentioned that all her life she had suffered with constipation. She had recently put herself on the ‘Paleo Diet’ and was thrilled that it relieved her lifelong symptoms. When I researched this way of eating, I realised that it was incredibly similar to the SCD.

How is SCD linked to GAPS?

The author of GAPS, Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride, many years ago, had a son who was born with severe autism. Being a GP, she initially sort the medical route by training as a Neurologist. Having not found the answers through medicine, she studied ‘human nutrition’ where she discovered the SCD. This was the basis of what helped her son overcome his autism. She has gone on to develop and fine-tune the SCD to specifically support GAPS children and adults. Over the last 25 years she has helped thousands of people overcome their health problems.

Why am I particularly passionate about helping GAPS patients?

Firstly, because I am one myself! From a very young age I suffered with asthma and hayfever. I also always struggled at school academically with dyslexic. Little did I know, until recently, that the two were linked! I have always been proud of my digestive system until, at college, I did a comprehensive digestive stool analysis (CDSA). To my horror I discovered, among other things, an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, yeast and I even discovered parasites! Could this explain the health struggles I had as a child? More recently, after a stressful period in my life, I developed debilitating migraines and insomnia. Through the information I learnt from SCD and GAPS, my health is so much better.

Secondly, I love children and am a qualified Montessori teacher. I see an urgency in the times we live in to help these dear children have the full life they deserve and I will commit my life to it.

And finally, I love the planet earth and it saddens me to see how we are destroying it and ourselves with the chemicals we are developing. The wonderful GAPS protocol is a very natural based way to eat and to live. For example, it encouraged us to eat homemade broths made from meat bones which butchers normally throw away. These contain some wonderful nutrients that are soothing and healing for our digestive tract.

So to conclude, I am training as a GAPS practitioner because I am passionate about helping people live their lives to their full potential.

What next…