Aug 14, 2019
My guest this week is Julie
Matthews a Certified Nutrition Consultant and published nutrition
researcher specializing in complex neurological conditions,
particularly autism spectrum disorders. She is the author of the
award-winning book,
Nourishing Hope for
Autism, and co-author of
a study proving the efficacy of nutrition and dietary intervention
for autism published in the peer-reviewed journal,
Nutrients.
Julie’s approach is based on the
BioIndividual Nutrition® needs of each person and stems from her 17
years of work with autism. Using autism as a model for complex
chronic disease, her approach and methodology have helped
practitioners specializing in varied disorders aid in the
improvement of the health and healing of their clients through
strategic BioIndividual Nutrition and dietary
intervention. Julie has
a private nutrition practice in San Francisco, California, and
supports families and clinicians from around the world with her
nutrition learning tools and professional training
courses.
In this episode, Julie and I
discuss and demystify many popular special diets for children with
autism and neurodevelopmental needs. Julie shares her expertise on
a variety of diets such as gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free,
low-oxalate, paleo, & GAPS diets. Children struggling on the Autism
spectrum and those with neurodevelopmental needs can greatly
benefit from specialized nutritional and dietary interventions that
aim to target their specific needs for optimal results. To learn
more about Julie click
here.
Episode Highlights
Research On Special Diets for
Autism & Neurodevelopmental Needs
- Research shows that kids with Autism have more
gastrointestinal issues
- Study published in Nutrients
based on a multivitamin mineral
formula, digestive enzymes, carnitine, epsom salt baths, and a
healthy gluten-free, casein-free and soy-free
diet
-
- After
one year:
-
- an
almost 7 point improvement in non-verbal IQ
- 4.5
times developmental age improvement
- Improvements in anxiety, depression,
irritability, language and more!
- Gluten and dairy are two of the most difficult
inflammatory foods for the digestive system
Soy-Free Diet & Why Any Diet
Must Be “Healthy”
- Soy,
is similar to gluten and casein in that it can be difficult to
break down and cause inflammation
- Why a
“healthy” diet is important
-
- There
are countless food products that are labeled and technically free
of dairy, gluten, and soy but this does not constitute them as
being healthy
- Many
foods contain artificial dyes and flavors which can cause
hyperactivity in any child
- The
more organic, the better
-
- Avoiding GMOs and pesticides (known
neurotoxins)
- Any
time the diet can be healthier, you are going to find a happier and
healthier result!
Low-Oxalate, Paleo, & GAPS
Diets
- Low-
Oxalate Diets (LOD)
-
- Reduced consumption of high oxalate foods such
as certain greens (ex:spinach), beans, legumes, nuts and nut flours
(ex: almond flour)
- Can
help reduce inflammatory symptoms
- Paleo
Diet
-
- Grain-free diet which cuts beans, refined
sugars, and dairy
- Gut
and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Diet
-
- Grain-free diet which cuts refined carbs,
dairy, starchy vegetables and mucilaginous fibers
- For
more information on ‘Why Diet Matters’ click here.
What Is The Right Diet For My
Kid?
- A
step-by-step process is best
-
- Do
your research
- Evaluate the symptoms
- Take
your time through the process
- Jumping in to anyone diet without the right
steps and you may find yourself or child with other symptoms and
issues
- There
is no one right answer or diagnosis for everyone
Taking The First Step
- Avoid
junk food, artificial colors, preservatives, and sugars
- Start
with cleaning up the diet you currently have
- Evaluate what you are feeding you and your
child now and see what the differences are before you start a
specific diet
Where to learn more about Julie
Matthews...
Connect with Dr. Nicole Beurkens
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