Preventing Autism

Photo by Lance Neilson
A friend of mine recently started volunteering at a local kindergarten. As we enjoyed brunch last week, she described her typical day - chasing down the kids with behavioral issues like autism and ADHD while the teacher tries to keep the rest of the class from falling behind. She was exhausted and frustrated by the situation - a sentiment many of my friends who work in early education (or have school-age kids) share. These parents and educators wonder, "What can we do to stop this (or make it better)? And how did this happen?"

Traditional medicine struggles to address chronic conditions, from behavioral disorders like autism to the obesity and diabetes epidemics that are so rampant today. However, this is precisely the type of situation where an integrative approach really works. We look "upstream" and address the problem at its root. More and more research points to the preventability of illnesses like these - and much of that prevention occurs in the womb.

Science has identified a plethora of prenatal factors that can contribute to the development of autism:
  • Folate deficiency before & during pregnancy
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Stress during the prenatal period and maternal neurotransmitter health
  • Exposure to toxic metals like lead or the mercury used in dental amalgams
  • Maternal inflammation. Inflammation can stem from stress, toxins, lack of exercise, or an improper diet high in sugar, processed foods, oxidized fats, and unidentified (or ignored) food sensitivities
  • Older (35-40+) mother or father
  • Not enough time between sibling births (child-spacing less than 3 years apart)
  • Genetics - though these genes are influenced by environmental factors
So how do we use this information to help slow the spread of autism? Now that we have awareness, how do we take action? The first secret is not to become so overwhelmed that you don't do anything. Pick one of the above bulletpoints and make a couple of changes. You don't have to tackle it all at once. (And of course, a good prenatal nutritionist can help make this process much easier.).

Also, you may have noticed that some of these factors actually come into play before you conceive. Compared to the people of traditional cultures (who spent years eating special pre-pregnancy diets before conceiving), we do very little today to prime our bodies for pregnancy. But I'm aiming to change that with the upcoming launch of my online coaching program, Priming the Bump. This program is perfect for those of you who want to boost your fertility naturally and prepare your body to deliver a healthy baby. If this sounds like you, be sure to check out Priming the Bump - and bring your partner, friends or family.

Armed with the right tools, parents can regain control over these diseases by attending to diet and lifestyle - and that's exciting news for families who've felt helpless.

Hungry for more? 
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Keeping Juices Fresh: Is HPP (High Pressure Pasteurization) Safe?

Non-HPP juice from my fave Cape Cod spot
Originally written for Can Can Cleanse, 2013.

 Juice fast programs are quickly growing in popularity, so it is no surprise that cleanses are popping up on grocery store shelves nationwide. The extended shelf life of these grocery store juices is made possible by a new juicing pasteurization technique called High Pressure Processing (HPP).

Traditional pasteurization is a relatively new technique designed to kill bacteria and microorganisms in order to prevent food-borne illness. It became popular in the US in the 20th century, around the same time that urbanization, processed foods and mass food production became the norm. 

Until recently, pasteurization used heat, which decreased nutritional content. This made it unsuitable for juicing programs - after all, getting those nutrients is the whole point of embarking on a juice cleanse. With the new technique of HPP, however, bacteria are eliminated without altering nutritional content (for the most part).

HPP functions by applying high pressure to liquids. “During HPP, foods are subjected to pressures up to 100,000 psi. which destroy pathogenic microorganisms by interrupting their cellular functions,” according to High Pressure Dynamics, Inc. (a producer of HPP equipment).

So what’s the catch? Well, since it’s still a pretty new technology, there isn’t a ton of research on HPP processing or its potential side effects. But some studies show that when HPP kills the harmful bacteria in juice, it also deactivates beneficial bacteria and enzymes.

Unpasteurized, unprocessed, raw fruit juices (derived from a cold-pressing process) are a rich source of live enzymes. And these phytonutrients offer a plethora of health benefits, from aiding digestion and reducing inflammation to sinusitis relief and wound healing#. In other words, they’re a crucial component of any detox program - or healthy food.

So what’s the bottom line on this new juicing technology? Well, on the one hand, nutrient-rich juices can now be made available in places that might otherwise not have access to them. That’s a great thing! And HPP seems like an improvement over traditional pasteurization in that it preserves more nutrients.

On the other hand, it’s still a form of processing and pasteurization. If HPP kills bacteria by interrupting cellular processes, it’s doubtful that all of the juice’s holistic benefits can remain intact. There haven’t been enough credible scientific studies to unequivocally prove otherwise - that’s one of the risks of using new technology.

As a nutritionist, I tend to err on the side of caution. Better safe now than sorry later. So when I refer my clients to a juice fast program, I point them towards a cold-pressed local option whenever possible. 

Additional sources:
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