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Autism Awareness vs. Autism Action

April 1st means the start of autism awareness month.

I love the idea of more people being aware of autism spectrum disorders. But what I would like even more is for people to understand what is happening in our world right now.

When my son was born, the rates of autism were 1 in 150.

The year he was diagnosed it was 1 in 88.

Now the rates are 1 in 44.

The rates of all neurological disorders bring the numbers to a staggering 1 in 6.

Let that sink in, 1 in 6 children today have some sort of neurological disability.

So if you are not already aware of the drastic rise in children who have issues with speech, language, attention, focus, self-regulation, likely you will be soon.

The current conversation focuses on genetics, if you are an autism parent, I encourage you to look for a physician or practitioner skilled in assessing and treating the often co-morbid and underlying biomedical issues. Because the body and brain are intricately connected, when you support and optimize one, you also support and optimize the other.

That means that looking at things like toxin exposures, diet, gut health, microbial overgrowth, inflammation, food allergies, chemical sensitivities, etc. can result in improvements in sleep, language, behavior, sensory sensitivities, GI issues, mood, and even school performance.

Whether your child has a diagnosis of autism, ADHD, eczema, psoriasis, learning disabilities, speech delays, or no diagnosis at all, reducing the number of toxins they are exposed to, making dietary choices based on their bioindividual need, working with a knowledgeable physician or practitioner who understands gut health and functional medicine can do wonders for not just them but also your whole family.

We are watching an epidemic right now. And soon we will be facing a tsunami of children who need more supports than our schools and system can provide. It is time to look around and consider all of the ways we’ve poisoned our world at the detriment of our children. 10 years later and I am still sounding this alarm. The next time someone you love gets a diagnosis or just knows their child is struggling to speak, learn, pay attention, sleep, handle sensory input, or behave, consider what I have shared.

Parents are putting these things into practice and seeing profound improvements in their children. We have to turn this tide, for the sake of our children.

So when you see the promotion of autism awareness, please consider the message of autism action as well.

And if you are a parent of a child with autism and want to learn more, please check out my resources page. There are ways you can get started today on getting the information you need to support your child biomedically in addition to physically and emotionally.

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The End of an IEP Era

When we started this process just before my son’s 3rd birthday, I couldn’t possibly imagine this day. His final IEP meeting.

It was an emotional day for sure.

The team discussed ways they could most effectively support him until his graduation in a few months. This was status quo of what we experienced walking in the doors of his high school 4 years ago.

From a homeschooled child needing a partial day to now a confident high school senior, this team has given him exactly what he has needed to be successful.

We also found out his case manager is retiring after this year, what a loss for our school because she has been so influential in addressing any issue that has come up, so lovingly hand-selected his teachers based on his personality and that of the teacher, looking for a good fit. She is who we all went to when we needed a shift or additional support.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve heard many, many (many) stories of other parents. I know how lucky we’ve been and I have some tips for new parents looking back now.

As an autism mom, I felt like I was constantly reminded about what my son was not able to do, how far behind he was, and the goals he was not meeting. And to an extent, that is just a part of the territory. But, coming from the perspective of the ways our children can be supported to be successful, to feel successful, is critical.

There were IEP meetings where I wanted to cry. I wondered what his future was going to look like. But then I realized that I needed to take control of my son’s educational future and see the members of our educational team as just that, my team. Their job was to assess and determine ways he could be successful in school. Some years that was harder than others.

Some accommodations to consider (of course based on age/ability):

  • Sensory breaks
  • Functional tools for success including pencil grips, wiggle seats, weighted vests, or even communication devices for nonverbal students
  • Longer time to work on assignments and tests
  • Reading instructions aloud
  • Testing in quiet environment
  • Reduction in number of questions on tests
  • Quiz correction opportunities
  • 1:1 support
  • Reduced class load or length of day
  • Having access to notes during tests

One of my most important pieces of advice is to know that at the end of the day, you are the team leader. As such, the responsibility is with you to manage your child’s team. There have been times when I have had to “fire” team members who discounted what my son was capable of, spoke down to, excluded, or discriminated against him. It was critical for me to have those around him who saw his potential and were committed to helping him realize it. Anything less is unacceptable. Don’t be afraid to advocate for what your child needs.

Our children are amazing and have such gifts, and the people who love and support them in becoming their richest, fullest potential are angels on this earth.

We concluded the IEP for the final time and took a moment to soak in how far he has come. From a non-verbal, sensory overwhelmed preschooler to a confident, competent young man who is ready for the next step in his educational journey, college.

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Healthier Halloween

Happy Halloween!

We started the morning with Paleo Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pancakes. Yum!

But, I am going to let you in on a little secret, they are lower in sugar than traditional pancakes and I am going to share my top tips for keeping sugar low and nutrients higher.

For those new to my blog, my son is considered recovered from autism and a large part of his healing journey was improving his gut. He had dysbiosis and craved sugar, carbs, and basically a lot of unhealthy stuff.

Along the way, I realized the more pure and healthy I could keep his diet, the better his gut functioned and also his mood, sleep, and behavior. It was a win-win.

But that doesn’t mean you have to miss out.

In fact, I did a whole blog on Halloween options if you are a food allergy family like ours or just want a Halloween experience that doesn’t leave your child bouncing off the walls or in meltdown mode for the next week. You can read that here.

So let’s get back to this year…..

Disclosure: I am an Amazon affiliate and as such, the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

This morning I used Birch Bender’s Paleo Pancake Mix. I love this stuff. In fact, when we travel, I usually have a few bags with me. Then, no matter what I can find locally, I have something that just needs water, that’s it! I can also turn this into a makeshift bread if I have to. It is great.

This morning I added organic pumpkin in addition to pumpkin spice seasoning in addition to the water. I adjusted the water accordingly because of the pumpkin.

Then, I added some allergen -free chocolate chips, my favorite brand is Enjoy Life and they have mini-chips, regular chips, and mega chunks! To make this even lower sugar, you can use something Like Lily’s Brand which uses stevia to sweeten. They also carry candy bars which are great as sweet treats but without traditional sweeteners.

Next, I topped it with Lakanto Syrup which is a keto-friendly option that uses monk fruit to sweeten. Before the birth of Lakanto and when yeast was very high and I was trying to reduce sugar as much as possible, I used to melt organic coconut oil and use stevia as a “syrup”. Lakanto looks, smells, and tastes just like syrup to me and is a nice option.

These are “special occasion” options. I would not use these as daily staples, I feel like we need to sometimes break ourselves out of the constant need for sweets and for kids with severe gut issues, breaking that cycle can be so healing. But, I love holidays and it is important to not lose sight of enjoying the journey, which is why I appreciate options for these instances.

Check out my full Halloween blog for additional tips on healthier Halloween options so that your holiday is filled with more treats than tricks when it comes to your health!

I am wishing you all a healthy and happy Halloween!

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Paleo Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

We live in an interesting growing area. At high elevation, we can get frost and freezes that destroy our gardens if we are not careful. In fact, that actually happened to our tomato plants at the start of the season.

We’ve also gotten a lot of rain this year, like torrential rain. While the streets and flood zones from the fires did not necessarily appreciate that, my garden sure did.

As such, we have 1 zucchini plant that is producing prolifically. In fact, it seems each time we go out and look, we have another huge zucchini ready to be picked!

That means zucchini-everything around here.

I wanted to make zucchini bread although I don’t like to make breads as much as I like to make muffins.

Muffins are easier to cook (less time baking) and I feel like they are more moist as a result of the reduced baking time. And, these are perfect portion sizes where with breads, I am more likely to keep nibbling and not pay attention to exactly how much I am eating.

So if your garden runneth over with zucchini, this can be a great way to get it into even your most veggie-resistant child. Note, these are not necessarily low sugar. You can play with alternatives like maple syrup or swapping out some of the sugar for stevia. You could also use Lily’s Stevia Sweetened Chocolate Chips which are also allergen friendly as a way to cut down the sugar.

Disclosure: I am an Amazon affiliate and as such, the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

You will need:

2 eggs (preferably at room temperature)

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups almond flour

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit .

Line your muffin pans with parchment liners.

Grate 2 cups of zucchini then pour onto a clean kitchen towel, roll up and squeeze the excess moisture out. Unroll the towel and allow the zucchini to dry out further on the counter while you begin making the batter.

In your stand mixer, mix on low eggs, almond butter, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and vanilla

In a another bowl, combine the dry ingredients: almond flour, tapioca flour or arrowroot, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix on low until combined. The zucchini adds a lot of moisture so don’t worry that your batter looks thick at this point.

Add your shredded zucchini and chocolate chips, mix until well blended.

For ease and precision, I use an ice cream scoop, to fill muffin tins. But you can use a spoon or spatula to fill them 3/4 of the way. I got 16 muffins out of this recipe.

Bake in your preheated oven for 22-25 minutes or a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool and enjoy!

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Eagle Scout Court of Honor

We celebrated something really big last weekend.

I wrote previously about how my son achieved his Eagle Scout award last year, amidst a pandemic. This year, we came together to celebrate that achievement.

I’ve been largely MIA from social media, blogging, and any email communication because of the planning, prep, time, and effort needed to get everything done.

We had family and friends begin arriving a few days prior to the big day.

Having a house full of people is always so fun and fulfilling as I really enjoy spending time with those we don’t see very often. It was nice to completely disconnect from social media and just be present, to soak in the moments.

As I sat down to write my parent reflections for the ceremony, I couldn’t help but think this really was a culmination of sorts, a true celebration of how far my son has come and what a huge achievement this was.

In fact, it gave me time to reflect on his scouting years and how they coincided with our journey of autism treatment and recovery.

I remember those early years where he was overwhelmed by his surroundings and how many activities were harder for him than his peers.

I remember worrying when they went off for camp that first year, I was sure I would be called to go get him, despite his dad being there at camp with him. Not because I didn’t have faith in the abilities of either of them. But, things were much harder for my son back then. These experiences were stretching him, pushing him, often past his comfort zone.

But, the young man who came home to me that summer was taller, wiser, and more competent than the one who left. As I said those words when it was my time to speak, I saw him break down into tears for the first time during the ceremony.

But it was true and I don’t think many people truly understand how things that come so easy to others can be exponentially more challenging for individuals with autism.

Activities and skills often took Matthew more time or effort but he persevered. He kept going, even when it was hard. And having a stellar support system helped him do that.

Between the scout leaders, other scouts, his family, teachers, therapists, physicians, and professionals, we all were working towards the common goal of seeing him reach his potential.

I felt this celebration should honor all of that and everyone who participated in his journey, scouting or otherwise.

The attendees reflected that diverse collection and it was pure joy to celebrate my son amongst those that worked right along side me to support him through these years.

One special attendee was Julie Matthews. She is the leading nutritionist in the autism community and we met 12+ years ago when Matthew’s biomedical physician recommended we do a consultation with her to determine the right nutritional intervention given his specific needs and biochemistry.

Over the years Julie and I have become very good friends as well as colleagues and I have the joy of working with her professionally now.

I thought back and remembered Matthew as that little boy who was such a picky eater, had so many food allergies, craved nothing but wheat and dairy, and had sensory issues that made many textures impossible to eat. Here he was, now taller than us both, so strong, healthy, in part because of her help so many years ago.

Seeing my son now is a true testament to the power of hope and I am so proud of the young man he is.

Seeing him honored and celebrated and to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve been on the last decade was both exhilarating and incredibly emotional. Hearing his speeches as he gave out mentor pins filled me with pride.

I could not be prouder to be this young man’s mom.

Stay tuned, I will be blogging on the technical aspects of organizing a court of honor, including crafting, decorating, and the food involved.

But for now, I will bask a little longer in the joy of the week and take in the strange silence of the house with our visitors gone.

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Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Peach Dump Cake

Have you ever made a dump cake? I will be honest, I had never even heard of a dump cake!

But, when I found myself hosting impromptu guests for dinner, I wanted to have a delicious dessert to end our meal.

That’s when I found out about dump cakes.

They are notoriously easy to make, you do just what the name implies, dump everything into a baking dish. Seriously.

And what is better in summer than something with peaches?!?

You will need:

45 – 60 oz peaches (canned, fresh, or frozen)

1 tbsp organic cornstarch

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup coconut oil (hardened)

1/2 c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 gluten-free flour blend – don’t have one you love? Here is my recipe that I use.

1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly grease a 9×13 pan with coconut oil.

Place peaches into the greased pan. Toss with cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well mixed. Sprinkle over the top of the peaches evenly. Sprinkle brown sugar on top.

Use a cheese grater or 2 knives to roughly grate the hardened coconut oil. Sprinkle grated oil over the top of the cake mix layer.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until golden.

Helpful Tips:

You can use fresh, frozen, or canned peaches. I used organic canned peaches in pure juice. Syrup will provide additional sugar content to the recipe so beware. You can rinse off canned peaches that have been canned in syrup for better results.

I drained some of the cans I used but I didn’t drain them all. I found that the liquid helped make the cake not so dry.

If you are using frozen peaches, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior.

The nature of dump cakes make it hard to spread the flour mixture evenly. If you have high spots, they may not mix with liquids and remain raw. I used the back of a spoon so smooth out the high spots and make the cake even. That’s where the juice from the peaches came in handy. If you notice dry spots while baking, use a spoon to flatten it out so it can absorb some liquids. 

The great thing about this recipe is that you can swap the fruit for ones that work for your needs / allergens / intolerances. Just be mindful of the liquid content and plan / adapt accordingly. I made this with pineapple also and it worked great. Berries would probably work as well but you may find you need to add more liquid.

I hope you enjoy!

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My Favorite Gluten-Free Flour Blend

If you cook or bake gluten-free then you know the importance of a great flour blend.

When I look at recipes, I focus on what we want to eat and convert the recipes as needed.

Eating gluten-free or dairy-free shouldn’t hamper what you can or can’t eat.

Now, this is coming from a person who is down the road on a gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free diet for over 15 years, it wasn’t always so.

I used to eat based on what was available for my son. It took years to have the confidence to recreate family favorites or new recipes I wanted to try.

Which is exactly why I am sharing this information with you. I want others to have an easier time of it than I did.

So, here is my blend for a terrific 1:1 flour mix that has worked great for me for many years.

Recipe:

Gluten-free Flour Blend

You will need:

1 c rice flour

3/4 c tapioca starch

1/4 c sorghum flour

1 tsp xantham gum

Mix all together and store in an airtight container in a cool place. Use as you would any flour for recipes.

Enjoy and if you use this blend in your cooking or baking, I’d love to hear how it goes for you so please post in the comments below.

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Catch Me on Unlocking ADHD & Autism With Personalized Nutrition – Starts Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is day one of Julie Matthew’s latest summit, ADHD & Autism With Personalized Nutrition. I am so thrilled to be a part of it!

Monday is my interview with Julie on why diet matters. We cover the role of personalized nutrition and why it makes a difference especially for individuals with ADHD and autism. It is a great introduction into the real science behind nutritional intervention. You will learn more on how the gut and brain are connected and how autism and ADHD are really “whole body” disorders. You will also learn about methylation and genes.

Tuesday is all about picky eaters. I had the opportunity to interview Julie and share some of my own experiences with an uber picky eater. Between sensory issues, food intolerances, and leaky gut, my son would only eat a few foods. I am thrilled to say that today he has a wide and varied diet and is no longer a picky eater! I know parents of picky eaters will get tips and ideas on Day 2 that can help in your own family! You will also learn about how a Paleo diet may be beneficial and even about the healing properties of Camel’s milk!

Here’s a photo from our interview (this was recorded a few years ago). We always have so much fun together!

Wednesday features talks on supplements, methylation, sulfate, and the mom’s recovery panel! Hear from 4 moms (me included) about our journey of healing our children! This day is full of information and inspiration.

Thursday is focused on addressing anxiety and challenging behaviors and how things like food intolerances can be a factor in ADHD. You will also learn about using essential oils for ADHD and anxiety!

Friday is all about FOOD! Whether you want to learn about a ketogenic diet, learning about oxalates and the inflammasome, using food to calm and soothe the brain, it is the day to really dive into diet! Julie discusses the role of personalized nutrition to benefit your child with ADHD and autism.

Saturday features some of my favorite docs and topics! Whether you hear Dr. Woeller’s experiences from his 20+ years in treating kids just like mine or Dr. Song discuss autism as a neuro-immune disorder, you can also learn about the microbiome with two informative talks and then how gluten can play in to autoimmunity.

Sunday, the final day, covers the co-morbid conditions and co-infections that can be common in the autism and ADHD communities. Whether it is mold, histamine, or mast cells, or Lyme disease, PANDAS, or even how our food supply can play a role, this is a day to dive into some of the other important pieces to consider when healing your child.

Register Now

I hope you join us next week, this information was so critical for me when I was on the autism recovery journey and the topic of personalized nutrition is applicable for everyone!

I personally am still always fine-tuning our nutrition depending on what we specifically need. These experts will share such valuable information, no matter what your goals.

Be well,

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Wellness Tracking for Autism Parents

The last year and a half has given me an opportunity to focus on my own health and wellness in a deeper way.

As an autism mom, I spent a fair number of years not taking care of myself, often placing my self at the very bottom of the list.

Over the years, I have learned tools that I sure wish I had all those years ago. Especially during those really tough years when my son had a lot of behavioral issues, was non-verbal, and didn’t sleep much more than a few hours per night, meaning I didn’t sleep either.

It has taken a while to begin giving my body what it needs to heal, just like my son’s. This process of biomedical treatment was not just for him. It has impacted our whole family.

As such, this last year has been an opportunity to focus even more on what I can do to be the healthiest I can be at this age and stage.

So, I created this document and wanted to share for anyone else who may benefit!

Weekly-Wellness-WorksheetDownload

Thanks to a talk by Dr. Jill Christa at a recent Great Plains Laboratory training, I started “eating a rainbow.” While this is not a new concept to me, it was a message that came at just the right time for me to dive in and try and do just that.

Since making a concerted effort to eat a rainbow daily, I have noticed more color in my cheeks and a slight increase in energy. I also included ideas on how to eat a rainbow if you want to try it to!

Between monitoring my nutrition, exercise, water intake, and mindfulness, I wanted to create an easy sheet to help me stay on track week after week.

My workouts are pretty easy to keep track of, we are still loving MBF and MBFA through Beachbody on Demand. If you want to learn more or get a free trial, let me know.

But I wanted one spot to track everything. I can keep this on my fridge or on my desk and track everything week to week.

If you want to share how you are focusing on self-care, I’d love to hear it.

And up next, I created a delicious gluten, dairy, and soy free peach dump cake – because balance 🙂 . I am in the process of writing up the recipe and will share as soon as it is done.

Be well,

Affiliate Disclaimer – I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for endorsement, recommendation, and/or link to any products or services from this site. Please note that I only ever endorse products that are in alignment with my ideals and that I believe are valuable. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to amazon.com.

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Join Me for the Unlocking ADHD and Autism with Personalized Nutrition Summit!

It’s Autism Awareness Month! While I don’t “celebrate” the struggles many of our children with autism have, I do celebrate knowledge and empowerment in families understanding what they can do to support their children.

I wanted you to be the first to know…..

If you have been with me for a while now, you know Julie Matthews and I are good friends, like really good friends. In fact, I consider her one of my best friends.

And we met because of this journey of autism recovery from my son.

Can you relate? Do you have friends who you’ve met through this journey who just “get” you, no judgement about special diets or the way life has to be to make the world a safer place for your child(ren)?

It is a gift for sure.

Not only is Julie a great friend but we have become colleagues over the years and when Real Food Mum closed their doors last year, I came on to consult for Nourishing Hope and BioIndividual Nutrition Institute, how cool is that? Well, something exciting is happening! We are launching the all new Unlocking ADHD and Autism with Personalized Nutrition summit soon!

The lineup is amazing, insightful interviews from experts in the field of ADHD and Autism with a wide range of topics, including all new interviews and free gifts just for registering.

I am honored to be included in the lineup! You will see me on Day 1 where I interview Julie on why food matters for ADHD and Autism. Day 2 I also interview Julie on picky eating (my son was a super picky eater and I am sure many of you can relate!) And then Day 3, catch me and 3 other amazing moms as we talk autism treatment and recovery and share our own stories of how food has helped our children heal and why it is one of the most impactful interventions.

It starts May 31st and goes through June 6th with an encore weekend June 12 – 13.

Despite one-in-54 children being affected by autism today, most parents don’t know that nutrition can turn things around — from despair to hope, from struggle to improved behavior.

Those who do report improvements in behavioral issues/meltdowns, sleeping, tummy problems like constipation/diarrhea, food issues, language and development and more. And this is supported by decades of serious science and proven results that show using personalized food and nutrition can help.

Are you wondering what dietary interventions may be right for your child?

Are you looking for solutions for improving symptoms?

Join us and the communities around the world who are celebrating and recognizing those with autism and their families at this important event.

—>>Access resources when you register early for Unlocking ADHD & Autism with Personalized Nutrition!

When you do, you’ll learn strategic diet and nutrient changes you can make to positively influence your child’s health and behavior, with an approach that is personalized just for them.

You’ll gain early access to the following expert interviews:
+ Using Personalized Nutrition to Improve ADHD and Autism, Julie Matthews, NC
+ Calming Anxiety, Aggression and OCD with Amino Acids & Food, Trudy Scott, CN
+ Using Food to Calm, Soothe and Repair the Brain, Terry Wahls, MD

And when you register, you’ll also unlock the following resources from Julie Matthews:
+ Practical Nutrition Steps to Better Health, Learning & Behavior eGuide
+ 30 Recipes and Food Lists for 12 Therapeutic Diets eBook
+ Guide to Food Intolerances, Therapeutic Diets and Personalized Nutrition

We invite you to share this information widely and join us at this transformative event that will educate, inspire and empower you with the principles of using personalized nutrition to support your child.

Be sure to mark your calendar for May 31 – June 6, 2021!

Be well,

P.S. When you register for Unlocking ADHD & Autism with Personalized Nutrition, you’ll also receive early access to interviews, complimentary guides and helpful eBooks about the science and practice of personalized diet and nutrition for children with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and more!

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