| Art therapy may be an ideal way to develop | | | | tract. The yeast grows fast and releases toxins in |
| social skills, but an autism diet may also be | | | | the bloodstream which has the potential to affect |
| another form of effective treatment. Art therapy | | | | brain functioning. |
| is a form of expressive therapy, and like | | | | In fact, aside from causing stomach distress, it is |
| expressive therapy, when it comes to food | | | | thought by some that a candida overgrowth can |
| control, there is more than one type of diet that | | | | cause a number of behavioural difficulties such as |
| can be used to treat autism. | | | | fatigue, confusion and hyperactivity. |
| Many health practitioners believe that an autism | | | | Candida can be controlled naturally through an |
| diet may be beneficial treatment. The reason is | | | | anti-candida (yeast) diet or with essential oils. In |
| because most autistics have distorted immune | | | | short, an anti-yeast diet involves cutting out all |
| response which causes their body to respond | | | | natural and artificial sugars, caffeine, most diary |
| abnormally to certain types of food, viruses and | | | | products, preservatives and, of course, yeast |
| toxins. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for many | | | | products (I.E. bread). |
| autistics to suffer from gastrointestinal | | | | Specific Carbohydrate Diet |
| inflammation and other intestinal disorders. It is | | | | This is a science based autism diet, and it involves |
| thought that these intestinal problems might | | | | the cessation of ingesting specific carbohydrates |
| decrease the body's ability to absorb specific | | | | (sugars and starches) that have been found to |
| essential nutrients. Thus, by following a diet and | | | | cause problems within the digestive tract. In |
| other alternative treatment methods, certain | | | | addition, carbohydrates are small enough that |
| abilities and overall health may be improved in an | | | | they can slip by the surface of the small intestine |
| autistic individual. | | | | into the blood stream, and can cause abnormal |
| The following are 4 autism diets you may want | | | | brain function. |
| to consider - | | | | This diet limits the amount of carbohydrates |
| Gluten and Casein Free Diet | | | | ingested and slowly adds them back once the |
| Gluten and Casein are both proteins found in | | | | intestinal tract has had time to heal. |
| many foods which some autistics have a hard | | | | Body Ecology Diet (BED) |
| time digesting. Gluten occurs in wheat, oat and | | | | This particular diet used to treat autism was |
| rye products, while casein is found in human milk, | | | | originally created to treat systemic fungal |
| cow milk and many other dairy products. Both of | | | | infections typically caused by Candida overgrowth. |
| these proteins are also in the ingredients of many | | | | It has been used to treat the inflammatory bowel |
| medications. | | | | diseases ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, as |
| Research has discovered that abnormally high | | | | well as a number of autoimmune diseases and |
| level of specific peptides related to gluten and | | | | AIDS. Like the other autism diets, the BED works |
| casein have been found in the urine of autistic | | | | to heal the gastrointestinal system and prevent |
| children. This could mean that these proteins are | | | | future infections. |
| not being effectively broken down into amino | | | | The BED diet involves eliminating gluten and casein |
| acids, and this over-absorption of peptide can | | | | from the diet as well as drastically limiting bad |
| actually affect brain function. Thus, by removing | | | | fats, carbohydrates and sugars. |
| gluten and casein from the autism diet, this will | | | | It is best to talk to your child's health care |
| prevent further gastrointestinal and neurological | | | | provider to find out which autism diet would be |
| damage from occurring. | | | | the best course of treatment. It is also important |
| Yeast- Free Diet | | | | to have your doctor monitor your child's condition |
| Some research is based on the belief that some | | | | while on a diet treatment. This way you can ask |
| autistics have high levels of candida albicans (a | | | | any questions or concerns you may have about |
| type of yeast that occurs naturally in the body) in | | | | the autism diets, and to ensure your child is |
| their intestinal tract. A candida overgrowth in the | | | | receiving the sufficient nutrients his/her body |
| intestines can cause "leaky gut" syndrome, a | | | | requires. |
| condition that causes tiny holes in the intestinal | | | | |