Study: Autism Linked to Industrial Food, Environment

Originally posted by SonOfTheLawOfOne
If autism spectrum disorder and the ADD spectrum disorder weren't caused by foods... then explain why there are countless cases of improvement by changing diet?

treatment and cause are different things - Aspirin does not cause headaches

There are a real lot of changes that have occurred in our foods in the last thirty years. You can't blame it all on HFCS. It's so extensive it is hard to comprehend. Since the government redid the upper management of the FDA it seems like there is finally some improvements happening. Our government doesn't actually need to prove food additives and practices are bad to remove them. They yanked these chemicals out of the food supplies in Europe till they could analyze the problems and required corporations to prove their safety. Lots of bad chemistry that originated by US corporations was banned. These countries were smart. The USA disregarded a lot of their concerns to investigate these things. I don't think if HFCS was banned in this European restructuring. The Europeans are trying to help their people.

Yes, our food is tainted and if a chemical is banned or gets a bad reputation in this country the companies make minor changes in it's chemistry and/or rename it. Our government allows this practice, believing the corporations above the scientists investigating it and the concerns of our citizens. Same ol, same ol song and dance..

Originally posted by Aloysius the Gaul


I have an autistic child, and both my father and I were diagnosed as "Aspergers" as adults after my son was.

none of us live in the USA nor have spent more than a few weeks there in our lives.

HFCS was first introduced to US markets in the mid 1970's, and production in the US took off in the late 1970's after sugar tariffs were increased.

HFCS production in the US has actually DECREASED since 2000.

The plural of anecdote is not data.

Your experience and the experience of people around you are anecdotal information. It has nothing to do with actual trends measured with data by social scientists and public health officials using large amounts of data.

So, no offense, but nothing you wrote in the above post is even remotely relevant to this discussion. Sorry.

Logic.

There is one guy I follow. Rich Van K Phd. He is a researcher that works with Chronic fatigue patients and Autism.

There are a number of things that he believes can contribute to autism. Genetics, Toxins, Heavy metals, Infections, Stress, and probably a few more. The core concept is one's glutathione level. You can read that in his words if interested in the links below

Diet can contribute for sure, especially stomach/liver health. Many times people follow a gluten free/casein free diet for autism. Stomach health is huge for us. The brain and stomach are totally connected.

I can make a few lifestyle suggestions, if anybody is interested.

First thing to do is maintain good stomach health. Avoid the drugs whenever possible. Sleeping pills, anti-depressants and crap is just a way for big pharma to make money and can do serious damage to ones stomach. Take my word on this, you may not realize it until the damage is done...Protect your stomach at all costs! You will regret it if you end up with gastritis or IBS from drugs. alcohol, and stomach abuse.

A few drugs can help, like anti-biotics or antivirals sometimes. Need to be careful going down this road though. I would absolutely go the vitamin route if possible.

Steer clear of the psychology balony. It's a farce and a way for TPTB to avoid responsibility... Autism is a physical illness, not some mental problem.

Next biggy is to eat good. Avoid the corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, and hydorgenated oils if possible.

Drink good water, not tap water. Best thing to do is fill up at the local reverse osmosis water dispenser once every week or so for $.35 a gallon. Tap water often has flouride andand other stuff that is difficult to detox for us with bad genes.

Caffine can make some of us spacy. Avoid it and alcohol. Consider green tea, or avoid all together to avoid highs and lows.

Develop a support system for your family if possible. Joining a support group can be a huge help for getting good advice. One can learn alot from other patients.

Good luck.
Jim


I've included RichVanK's hypothesis and treatment protocol in the links below. Please be easy on this guy if you sign up to the forum, he is very busy.



Simplified methylation Protocol treatment



Glutahione depletion Hypothesis

I had an autistic diagnosis at 16. I think I'm pretty clear with most foods, but I've noticed that one which sets me off more than any other, is certain kinds of whole wheat bread. It can render me almost unconscious; my head feels as though it is full of cotton wool.

I think there is something about supermarkets, as well; I don't know what it is, maybe the lights or the detergents. I've noticed when I go in there though, that my mind goes blank and it can be really difficult to mentally keep track of what I want to buy. I don't like going into the bigger ones much.

Originally posted by Bakatono
reply to post by Forevever

 

Good on you. I am not a big fan of meds either. I think most of them are worse than the "disease".

I hear that - I don't even like to take aspirin - if I have to choose between being sick to my stomach (from the aspirin) or having a headache, I'll just drink lots of water and take a nap - that usually helps without any OTC's whereas the aspirin just leads me to wanting to take more OTC's like pepto.

In a really bad migraine situation I might break down and take a tylenol, but thats kind of pointless too since most people who suffer migraines know, once its full blown, anything you take is getting vomited up anyway.

reply to post by Jameela


Good poInt there. I wonder what the "odds" are with all these new variables. Autism is very real, it just seems to be exploding in how common it is lately.

Originally posted by Leftist
So, no offense, but nothing you wrote in the above post is even remotely relevant to this discussion. Sorry.

Logic.

Although it actually isn't rational either way, personally I'm a lot more likely to trust individual anecdotes, than I am supposed lab research. The simple reason why is lack of integrity in a big lab. You don't get honesty from scientists who need corporate funding, to continue their research. They say whatever is going to ensure that they continue to get money.

The other problem is the appeal to authority fallacy, which is enormously prevalent as far as the "science is a closed priesthood, and only said closed priesthood have the right to say anything," meme is concerned. Said meme is based, despite what some think, on emotion rather than logic. People are taught to derive a sense of security from centralised, institutionalised science.

There is no inherent logical relationship, between a person's credentials, and the validity of what they are saying.

reply to post by SilentThundersGF


So now they blame Autism on Linked to Industrial Food, Environment? i thought they blamed it on second hand smoking?

reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul

Aspirin does not cause headaches

Yes it does at least some of the Aspirin pills not all though.

Originally posted by Germanicus
I find the autism statistics hard to believe. There is such a spectrum to the thing that it is hard to define.

Its like the ADD thing. I think we can blame the Doctors for the rise in statistic's more than anything.

So you would rather believe some pet notion conjured out of thin air than an actual study? The US is known to have a particuarly high rate of autism. Garbage in = garbage out. It's time we stopped blaming others and took responsibility for our own health..

Originally posted by petrus4
Although it actually isn't rational either way, personally I'm a lot more likely to trust individual anecdotes, than I am supposed lab research.

So if I tell you that I haven't been ill for years and this is due to standing on my head in the bath at exactly 3pm each day (but only there is an 'r' in the month), you will believe this over peer reviewed research?
Heuston we have a problem

Originally posted by starchild10

Originally posted by Germanicus
I find the autism statistics hard to believe. There is such a spectrum to the thing that it is hard to define.

Its like the ADD thing. I think we can blame the Doctors for the rise in statistic's more than anything.

So you would rather believe some pet notion conjured out of thin air than an actual study? The US is known to have a particuarly high rate of autism. Garbage in = garbage out. It's time we stopped blaming others and took responsibility for our own health..

I am pretty sure I have covered that in my other posts. And yes I am not one to just blindly believe an 'actual study'.
And its no pet notion. I cant be bothered but Im sure someone has done an 'actual study' proving that autism is over diagnosed. Facts shmacks.

5 secondswww.medicalnewstoday.com...

let me know if this 'actual study' is not to your liking. Sure I can find one you like hey

Originally posted by starchild10

Originally posted by petrus4
Although it actually isn't rational either way, personally I'm a lot more likely to trust individual anecdotes, than I am supposed lab research.

So if I tell you that I haven't been ill for years and this is due to standing on my head in the bath at exactly 3pm each day (but only there is an 'r' in the month), you will believe this over peer reviewed research?
Heuston we have a problem

It's correct that I don't put much faith in the concept of "peer reviewed research," at all, yes. You can also laugh at me as much as you want.

The "scientific community," is corrupt, and always has been.

People with the sort of attitude that you are demonstrating here, don't have anything other than ridicule, contempt, and aggression towards those who don't think the same way they do. Arrogance and laughing contempt not logic. The two are completely different things.

reply to post by petrus4


I don't think you are autistic based on what I've seen of you on this board, anyway.

You strike me as too perceptive of human relations to be Autistic.

Originally posted by Leftist
reply to post by petrus4

 

I don't think you are autistic based on what I've seen of you on this board, anyway.

You strike me as too perceptive of human relations to be Autistic.

Talk about painting people with a wide brush....

There is high-functioning autism, that is why they call it a spectrum disorder, because the symptoms vary.

I wouldn't be so fast to pass judgment on others.

~Namaste

Originally posted by Aloysius the Gaul

Originally posted by SonOfTheLawOfOne
If autism spectrum disorder and the ADD spectrum disorder weren't caused by foods... then explain why there are countless cases of improvement by changing diet?

treatment and cause are different things - Aspirin does not cause headaches

While I agree that treatment and cause are different, your logic is heavily flawed and I think it's silly to base your conclusions on such logic.

Cause and effect friend....

Cause: I believe food is making my child unresponsive, hyper or not able to function.

Effect: I remove foods from his diet until he becomes responsive, calm or able to function.

Conclusion: Food is causing the problem.

How it got there in the first place is still open to debate, but even doctors are recommending changes in diet because they have seen medical evidence that certain foods and food allergies/sensitivities MAY be related and could be the cause. There is a lot of evidence pointing to genetically modified foods, anecdotal or not.

If I belong to a group of parents that all have autistic children, and I see huge changes in one of the children, I'm going to ask the parent what they did. Regardless if they tried it based on a doctor or their own conclusions, if it doesn't hurt the child, other parents are going to try the same thing and if it helps all of those children, it isn't just anecdotal just because it isn't backed by scientific study. It works, and that's all a parent of a disabled child cares about (and not doing harm to their child).

Anecdotal evidence, when there is enough of it, is what prompts study into certain treatments. It's when doctors hear that certain patients respond to something that they decide to ask for money to study it, not usually before.

You should re-think your position because it would seem as though you don't have disabled children.

~Namaste

Originally posted by petrus4
I had an autistic diagnosis at 16. I think I'm pretty clear with most foods, but I've noticed that one which sets me off more than any other, is certain kinds of whole wheat bread. It can render me almost unconscious; my head feels as though it is full of cotton wool.

I think there is something about supermarkets, as well; I don't know what it is, maybe the lights or the detergents. I've noticed when I go in there though, that my mind goes blank and it can be really difficult to mentally keep track of what I want to buy. I don't like going into the bigger ones much.

I'm no doctor, but based on my own experiences and knowledge, it sounds like you may have Celiac disease and should be tested for that or at the very least, a sensitivity to gluten. It is common these days and the symptoms are extremely similar to what you mentioned.

~Namaste

reply to post by petrus4


The reason that flour was bleached in the first place is because the English noticed that some people had a reaction to something in the whole wheat. I can't remember what was actually the cause, it's enough for me to understand my wife's dislike of whole wheat bread. There are also problems with a chemical released from a red fungus that sometimes grows on Rye in many people.

In the USA they enrich bread. They add the B vitamins. This isn't right either. Breads are taken apart by a different system than stomach acid and they actually somehow lessen the secretion of acids to be digested properly. So what does the government do? They add Niacin to the bread which stimulates the production of stomach acid. The policies that people initiate to promote health sometimes backfire because people don't think things through.

There are so many problems with people's perception of what is good for people that it almost seems like a comedy show. If you are allergic to something that hurts the brain, the brain shuts down bloodflow to certain sections till the liver can detox it. This is a normal bodily function. If blood flow is reduced the brain tries to adjust and the result can either dampen the intellect in certain ways or cause brain chemistry to be formed to give a person a histamine reaction or rash. From a slight cough to anaphylactic shock can be a symptom. Any kind of rash or itching under the skin. Many people don't get rash created on the inside, they get itches. Their skin has the ability through genetic adaption to shun this rash but the infection or irritation is still beneath the skin and eats the hooks that connect the skin to the flesh. It causes the skin to get loose and easily pushed around. A diet containing a little bit of elastins and glucosamine helps to give nutrition to help restore these hooks. I'de rather do it naturally by eating jello and french fried pork rinds. Or better yet make some chicken soup containing a tough old whole chicken or beef soup made with a soupbone. Deer meat is good for this too.

Prepared food uses antihistamines to keep us from having a reaction to it. There are a lot of foods that naturally contain these immune system blockers and there are many food combinations that naturally suppress these systems. We use them every day in the recipes we use. The trouble is that if processed foods stop our reactions to them they can be toxic to us. If the brain doesn't restrict blood flow than it can be poisoned. If it restricts bloodflow it dumbs us down. I don't care who you are or how good you're genetics or what you eat, you are not immune to all the foods out there. You just don't know it because your brain has never reached it's true potential. I keep getting carried away. What's a mouse to do.

Don't eat whole wheat bread if it effects you and don't let anyone make you feel that you are inferior because you cannot eat it. Others are always doing that but they just haven't discovered that things they just don't like may be toxic to them. Most of the time things we don't like have a reason for us not liking them, they conflict with our body chemistry. Other times we hide behind these foods so we are not always thinking and worrying. Everyone has to choose who they want to be, food is a way to do it.

Originally posted by Leftist

Originally posted by Aloysius the Gaul


HFCS production in the US has actually DECREASED since 2000.

So, no offense, but nothing you wrote in the above post is even remotely relevant to this discussion. Sorry.

Logic.

Actually the data I did present is that the amount of HFCS cionsumption has decreased since 2000 - how is that not data?

And yes, the rest of it was anecdotal, but I thik that sometimes people in het USA seem to forget that they are not actually the centre of the universe!