Improving Gut Health in ASD Children

By Michelle Ibarra | March 10, 2019
Autism Spectrum Disorder affects 1 in every 68 children in the United States.  Although ASD primarily impacts the brain, children with autism are also highly affected by (GI) gastrointestinal issues that have a drastic effect on their emotions and mental health.

According to recent studies, 9 out of 10 autistic children suffer from gastrointestinal issues and intestinal permeability.  This condition affects children’s behavior, due to the presence of toxins and bacterias that “leak” through the intestinal wall into the blood-stream thus affecting brain functioning, mood, and behaviors.

Today we want to share a couple of nutritional tips and treatments that will help heal your child’s gut, making them feel better, learn faster, and achieve better health.

Gut Treatments For Autism

 1. Keto Diet

 In autistic children, food is key to their functioning and overall health. According to recent studies, ASD children, respond better to gluten-free, keto diets. In a pilot, 30 autistic children were placed on a ketogenic diet for 6 months, and only after a couple of weeks children presented an improvement in social behavior, interactions, speech, and even hyperactivity (which contributed significantly to their learning capacity).
To implement the keto diet successfully you must base your child’s nutrition on the following foods:

  • Meat: Red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, and turkey.
  • Fish: Such as salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel.
  • Eggs: Look for pastured whole eggs.
  • Butter and cream: Look for grass-fed when possible.
  • Cheese: Unprocessed cheese (cheddar, goat, cream, blue or mozzarella).
  • Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc.
  • Healthy oils: Primarily extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil.
  • Avocados: Whole avocados or freshly made guacamole.
  • Low-carb veggies: Most green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.
To enjoy all the benefits of the keto diet you must also cut all high-carb, sugary items from your pantry, including:

  • Sweets: Soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, candy, etc.
  • Grains or starches: Wheat-based products, rice, pasta, cereal, etc.
  • Fruits: All fruits, except small portions of berries like strawberries.
  • Beans or legumes: Peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
  • Root vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.
  • Low-fat or diet products: These are highly processed and often high in carbs.
Keto diet has been found highly effective and incredibly beneficial for ASD children, to learn more details, benefits, and facts regarding keto and autism, you can read our article Is Ketogenic Diet The New Autism Diet? 

2. Probiotics

Probiotics are the key to increasing the number of good bacterias in the gut and have been shown beneficial to leaky gut conditions, as well as other brain-related issues. 
Getting probiotics from supplements is possible, however, we recommend you to increase your child’s probiotic intake by consuming fermented foods such:

  • Yogurt. (Look for a grass-fed, sugar-free option).
  • Kefir.
  • Kombucha. 
  • Traditional Buttermilk.
  • Low-fat cheese (Gouda, Mozzarella, and Cottage).
3.-Stem Cells for Autistic Gut Health

Stem cells therapy has been found extremely helpful for several conditions for it utilizes the body’s own mechanisms to provide healing. In Autistic conditions it can transform children’s lives by improving/healing the following conditions:
  • Gut Health: In terms of the gut, stem cells can arrive at specific sites in the intestinal wall where permeability is an issue and help regenerate the gaps between each of the cells thus preventing the “leakage” of toxins and bacterias (which trigger inflammation) into the bloodstream.
  • Immune System: Stem cells can regulate the immune function by secreting specific cytokines (substances that allow cells to communicate with other cells) that regulate inflammatory processes and strengthen the immune system.
  • Brain Function: Inside the central nervous system, stem cells can help the brain regain capability by reconnecting specific clusters of neurons and facilitating the “installation” of new behaviors.
After only a couple of weeks after the therapy, most parents recall a significant improvement in their children’s mood, social and learning skills, and overall health. Don’t hesitate and give your child the opportunity to unleash his/her potential. You can find out all of the benefits of stem cell therapy for autistic conditions here. 

At WSCC, we offer support for autistic families and their children with stem cell therapy treatments that can transform autistic conditions by healing the gut, decreasing inflammation and improving brain function. We also created an autistic community on Facebook that is destined to offer support and companionship for ASD parents and their families on their journey.
 
Remember, you are not alone!

Posted in Uncategorized