Relationship between Gut Health and Autism

 Autism affects not only the diagnosed child, but the entire family. It is a poorly understood disease and is associated with many possible causes. Even though a child with autism may be in physical pain and have communication problems, their pain is shared by the family. It's especially frustrating before you figure out what the problem is.

 

When CJ was young, I knew he was in pain and at first he felt helpless. Then my inner warrior kicked in and I learned all I could about autism and how to heal my son from the inside out. Autism used to be blamed on the mother and children were often kept out of sight at home or in an institution.

 

As more research sheds light on this complex disorder and more children are correctly diagnosed, more people are speaking out about the effects of autism on their children and families. Kelly Preston and John Travolta's son Jett has been diagnosed with autism. Recently, Kelly Preston was on the TV show The Doctors and shared her feelings about what contributed to her son Jett's autism and seizures. He believes several factors are involved. She had food poisoning during her pregnancy which felt like Jett was also affected. The difficult and rapid delivery led to the rupture of the placenta, which caused a high fever. Kelly was given antibiotics to fight the infection.

 

Kelly asked 3 doctors if it was safe to take medication and breastfeed at the same time. They all told him it was okay. Well, Jett got thrush, a yeast infection - Candida - that often leads to leaky gut syndrome and other intestinal problems. I can relate to how Kelly feels I believe that the main problem in the cause of autism is the gut. I had two bladder infections when I was pregnant with CJ and was given antibiotics each time. No one told me to take probiotics to replenish my good gut bacteria during and/or after meds. I believe that if I had taken probiotics after the first infection, I would not have gotten another one. I really believe it affected CJ because he was born with cradle cap - another type of yeast/Candida infection.

 

Many children with autism have leaky gut syndrome. Giving antibiotics to pregnant women without telling them the importance of supplementing their gut bacteria with probiotics is a real problem and the beginning of a major disaster ahead. An unbalanced gut is like an unhappy child Poor CJ had stomach problems in his youth. She was throwing up and crying the whole time. People told me she would grow out of it - that she was just having colic or a baby. I wish I knew then what I know now about the importance of probiotics. He won't suffer much longer until we start healing his intestines. CJ was miserable and sick for the first few years of his life until we discovered fermented and cultured foods. Once we started replenishing the good bacteria in his stomach, CJ gradually improved. This is important information for all women who are thinking about having a baby. The health of your gut can affect your baby's future overall health.

 

Research has linked a mother's gut flora to her child's gut flora. In fact, your gut flora changes every trimester to support your baby's growth during pregnancy. Babies who have a vaginal birth have a more diverse gut flora than babies born by caesarean section. Researchers believe this could lead to better health as they age. So if you eat healthy and keep your gut bacteria in balance, your baby will have a balanced gut. It seems simple, but how many OB/GYNs inform their patients about this? I was told to take my prenatal vitamins with folic acid, but I was never told about the importance of gut health. I know part of the problem is that gut bacteria has only recently gotten the attention it deserves, so maybe my doctors just don't know how important it is to have a balanced gut.

 

Seventeen years ago I wondered how many doctors recommend a balanced diet including fermented/cultured foods to balance gut bacteria? Or how about recommending a sugar-free diet? So if he has a yeast infection in his body, he won't feed and thrive on the added sugar? This is an easy place to start! There are many theories about the causes of autism I believe that there is not just one factor per child. However, I think many factors affect the likelihood of your child being diagnosed with autism. I also believe that the best way to reduce the odds is to keep your gut balanced before, during, and after pregnancy. No doctor knows everything about every possible cause of every disease. That's why it's so important to be your own fighter and do as much research as possible.

 

An imbalanced gut may be just one piece of the autism-related puzzle, but it's definitely worth the time and energy to explore. Additionally, a healthy gut helps to:

• ·         Improve digestive function
• ·         Improve bowel function
• ·         Improve liver function
• ·         Improve blood circulation function
• ·         Improve joint and muscle function
• ·         Improve sleep function
• ·         Improve immunity against allergies
• ·         Improving the absorption of vitamins
• ·         Development of lactose tolerance
• ·         Development of gluten tolerance
• ·         Improve appetite
• ·         Improve skin quality
• ·         Improve metabolism
• ·         Improves mental clarity (gut-brain connection)
• ·         Reduce your indigestion
• ·         Reduce your stomach problems
• ·         Reduce the incidence of heartburn
• ·         Reduce the incidence of constipation
• ·         Reduce the incidence of diarrhea
• ·         Reduce yeast infections
• ·         Reduce the incidence of oral infection
• ·         Reduces wrinkles  
• ·         Reduce gas and bloating
• ·         Increases the absorption of nutrients
• ·         Increases energy
• ·         Increases hydration

So who wouldn't want to replenish their good gut bacteria? Be your own fighter Doctors are ordinary people who have an extraordinary job of treating people. They don't know all the answers, nor do they know how to ask all the questions. Read and learn as much as you can about the importance of a healthy gut before you get pregnant. You'll get tons of advice from doctors, friends, family, and even strangers!

 

Don't take everything as the only truth, but at the same time don't ignore what anyone says. Not all "old wives' tales" are fantasy; most of them are passed down from generation to generation. Our ancestors knew the importance of fermented/cultured foods, but we are starting to push them to the back burner as processed and convenience foods flood our culture. Sometimes simple is better!

 

Is their proof that fermented foods work? People always ask me this question and I have three answers for them. First of all, YES! CJ is living/breathing proof of a healthy boy through probiotics. Second, history and our ancestors show the importance of fermented foods. We no longer do what they did and it shows the state of our health today.

 

Obesity and inflammation-related diseases are on the rise! Let's go back in time and eat simply and healthily! Third, don't believe me, all you have to do is go to your favorite web browser and type in benefits of fermented foods to read all about the research that proves the benefits of fermented/cultured probiotic foods. It's amazing how much money is spent on research that confirms what our ancestors knew many years ago! Remember, just EAT. So try some cultured/fermented foods. You'll be glad you did!