1:88 Autism

1:88 and not an epidemic per the CDC?

That is because they would have a HUGE backlash if they acknowledged anything environmentally was contributing to this enormous spike in the autism diagnosis.

I love my daughter unconditionally ~ quirks and all ~ but the challenges she goes through is not normal... I am not talking nuero-diversity, I am talking the biological complications of autism.

I am not even saying that vaccines caused her autism, she isn't "directly" vaccinated.... but environmental toxins most certainly plays a part and I do have too many friends whose child was typical prior to specific vaccines....

Our government needs to eat crow and acknowledge the role big pharma, industrialized farming, food additives, petroleum tar-based dyes in our foods, approved household chemicals, industrialized birthing practices etc plays not in just autism, but all childhood disorders that are at an all time high... cancer, adhd, diabetes, ms, down syndrome, add, anxiety, ocd, sensory processing disorder, aggression, etc.

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GFCF Sugar Cookies

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Here is a Sugar Cookie Recipe that has had much trial and error in the test kitchen... This is so yummy that NO ONE will know they contain no wheat or dairy!! Enjoy!!

1 Cup Earth Balance Spread

1 1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

3 Cups Brown Rice Flour

2 teaspoons Xanthan Gum

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

3 Tablespoons Almond Milk - Original Flavor

Cream Earth Balance and sugar. Add eggs and whip on high. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk. Rotate adding the dry mix and almond milk until all is incorporated. Knead dough, then refrigerate for an hour in three balls. Dust work area with rice flour, roll out one ball 1/4 - 1/2 inch, cut and bake 12 minutes on 375 degrees. Repeat with remaining balls.

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My Opposition To The Ice Cream Truck

It wasn’t long after becoming a mother that I decided that the ice cream truck was something to be avoided. But of course, ten years ago my reasoning was different than the motivation of today.

Back then I couldn’t comprehend, (well, I still can’t comprehend this one) how it seemed to be a good idea to have a complete stranger driving through neighborhoods with tantalizing music trying to lure children to his truck with treats. This concept went against the very grain I try to teach my children.

We do not approach strangers.

We do not accept candy or treats from strangers.

We do not walk up to a vehicle of a stranger.

Just yesterday we were driving through a neighborhood and my oldest daughter said with contempt in her voice, “What is that?!?!” Her dad tried to explain that someone had taken their personal black van and put stickers on it, wired speakers to the roof, and was portraying himself as the ice cream truck. Her face expression was all we needed as a cue that she understood that this was not deemed appropriate.

Now of course, he did not have the window on the side of his van, but he left the sliding door open and was leaning out the door taking orders. I couldn’t believe parents were permitting their children to approach this vehicle! Now, I only remember one news story about child abduction and the ice cream truck, but I presume that is one story too many.

The music that permeates from these vehicles turn our children into screaming tyrants demonstrating the Pavlov wasn’t wrong about his theory of conditioning. However, I successfully convinced my first born that this was a music truck bringing us joy to our ears. I also was able to explain to her that it was never okay to approach strangers in this type of vehicle or any vehicle to that matter.

For six beautiful years, each and every summer she would inform me that the music truck was coming through the neighborhood. But, she didn’t go running to my purse, begging me for some unforeseen treat. Instead, we would sit on the couch and hum the familiar tune.

It was her sixth summer when a neighbor kid let the cat out of the bag. She wasn’t mad though, but curiosity did get the best of her… so we begrudgingly went on our first ice cream truck adventure. After a couple of bites, she retorted, “This doesn’t taste very good.”

YES!

She was saved by her own common sense. So we went through the next several years with no interest from the music turned ice cream truck.

That was until this past weekend when the mother next door came running over to our house to get her child. Then she, too, apparently conditioned by the Pavlovian “It’s A Small World After All…” music, went running down the street flagging this truck to stop in front of our house.

My husband just looked at me as I shrugged my shoulders… I decided in order to not look like the hysterical mother of the neighborhood to invite my children to meet the neighbor’s at the foot of our drive way. However, up until this moment my now youngest did not even give a notice to this truck.

After 5 minutes of rude grunts and groans from the woman and man in the back of the van (we were obviously taking too much of their precious time), the kids had decided— I cringed as my older daughter picked the multi-colored rainbow snow cone and her sister pointed to the ice cream sandwich.

Luckily, once the wrapper came of the over-priced ice cream sandwich, she looked at it, scrunched up her nose at the lifeless attempt of food, set it down, and retreated to the freezer to get some rice ice cream.

ANOTHER VICTORY!

But my other daughter ate the whole snow cone.

We decided to serve watermelon a little later, since watermelon is known to naturally contain high amounts of vitamin C and A as well as loads of natural carotenoid antioxidants. Antioxidants enter the body and attack free radicals, allowing the body to be cleansed.

Soon after she consumed the watermelon, she retreated to the back sun deck. I went out to see if she was okay. She looked pale, her eyes had dark circles under them, and she was clammy. I asked how she felt and she said “nauseous”.

I am sure we were seeing the body trying to rid toxic chemical levels from that snow cone that was drenched in artificial colors, dye, high fructose corn syrup and preservatives. Her body isn’t used to that non-food crap and was trying to purge it.

She never threw up, but did go to sleep and woke up feeling better. I suppose we learned that the choices of treats that mom puts in the freezer are much more compatible with the human body. Artificial crap is neither nutritious nor safe for the body!

In the future, we will resort to the freezer filled with the real food that our body’s desire and resist the conditioning of the music filling the summer air.

Lesson Learned.

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Artificial Dyes in Our Foods, Medications & Cosmetics...

I went to the grocery to purchase hot dogs for our first seasonal cookout… I was shocked when I read the label of a popular brand of dogs that read “Red #40”.

I put them down and went to the pasta aisle. My daughter had been begging me for some real Mac-n-cheese. (Now mind you, her definition and my definition of real differ quite a bit.) I thought this popular side dish would be an okay rare treat to go with the rare dogs, but…

Upon reading the label of the Mac-n-cheese I, also, found yellow dye #5 and #6, as well as monosodium glutamate (MSG) on the box. Having removed all foods containing artificial dyes some time ago from our diets, I just couldn’t do it. So, I left, knowing she was going to be heart-broken… no dogs or Mac-n-cheese!

I suppose that was a small price to pay for her health—Let me explain…

Our foods are laced with millions (yes, millions) of pounds of artificial coal-tar and petroleum based dyes (Red #3, Blue #1, Blue #2, Green #3, Yellow #5, Yellow #6, and Red #40).

Americans consume more than 17.8 million pounds of dyes through food, medication, and cosmetics each year. Your child is expected to consume between 1-3 pounds by the time he/she reaches the age of 13! I am perplexed that the average person doesn’t question some of the food practices we have in this country.

While some dyes are used to make the product look more appealing to the target consumer (blue and pink yogurt) others are used to cover up the beginning stage of spoilage of products such as meat. And yet, other dyes are being used as a procedure to make under-ripe foods look ready to eat as in apples and strawberries. We also have dyes in our pet food, pill coatings, cosmetics, shampoos, ice creams, and popsicles—really the list is endless.

According to Dr. Feingold dyes are toxins to the human body:

Red #3 – Linked to thyroid tumors and chromosomal damage – FDA tried and failed to ban it.

Red #40 – Linked to Lymphomas (lymph tumors) - Banned in European Economic Community (EEC)

Blue # 1 – Linked to chromosomal damage – Banned in France and Finland

Blue # 2 – Linked to Brain tumors – Banned in EEC

Green #3 Linked to Bladder tumors – Banned in EEC

Yellow #5 – Linked to allergies, thyroid tumors, lymphocytic lymphomas, chromosomal damage – Banned in Norway

Yellow # 6 – Linked to allergies, kidney tumors, chromosomal damage – Banned in Norway and Sweden

Isn’t this an awful large risk to take to change the natural color of the foods we eat?

Other findings I came across linked the use of artificial dyes to Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Is it not logical to look at what we are fueling our children with as a possible link to some of the violence, behavior, and developmental issues that are running ramped in today’s industrialized world? I urge everyone to read every label of food that crosses your lips, of products that touch your skin, and more.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest asked the FDA to ban the most common artificial dyes or at least put a warning label on the food packaging: "Warning: The artificial coloring in this food causes hyperactivity and behavioral problems in some children." Yet, the FDA maintains these additives are generally safe.

I cannot tell you what will or will not happen if your child (or you) consumes the globs of artificial dyes in our products, but I can say educate yourself! And If you are concerned with the use of petroleum and coal-tar additives in your foods, meds, and cosmetics here is a few suggestions on how to protect yourself:

1. Write your congressperson and senator and ask them to become more proactive in the government regulation of food safety.

2. Keep a food journal to see what reactions or behaviors your child exhibits after consuming foods laced with these ingredients (with any ingredients, really). Eliminate the foods of suspicion and see if behaviors change.

3. Avoid all foods containing artificial dyes and colors or U.S. Certified Colors.

4. Eat organic certified fruits and vegetables or shop at a local coop/farm.

5. Avoid cosmetics and toiletries containing these ingredients.

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Gluten Free Foods

A gluten free diet is promoted by many physicians as a treatment protocol for celiac disease, autism and ADHD. It has been reported in some cases that the gluten protein acts like an opiate in the body’s system. Some children that get on the gluten free diet exhibit better self control, less temper tantrums, and even an increase in speech articulation.

It takes up to six months for the gluten protein to be completely excreted from the body. So, even a tiny bit can cause up to six months worth of gluten reactions in the body. To truly see the benefit of a gluten free diet 100% of the gluten needs to be removed 100% of the time. This a difficult task to accomplish.

If a product is produced in a factory with Gluten containing foods there can be cross-contamination. Some factories use flour to coat conveyer belts. For instance, seemingly safe foods like raisins may be contaminated with gluten—as some manufacturers use wheat flour to prevent the raisins from sticking together.

Food additives, meats, ice cream, and candy often contain wheat. Guten can even be found in body care and hair care. Play dough even has wheat in it. This why you should get in the habit of calling manufacturers; get familiar with manufacturers and their practices.

There are many gluten free products on the market. You just need to have patience and a self control to proceed. This diet requires a lot of effort in the beginning, but once you begin recognizing which products you can consume, it becomes much easier. Watch this blog for weekly gluten free recipes.

Foods to AVOID on the diet

Wheat
Kamut
Spelt
Barley
Rye
Oats
Tritical


Foods ALLOWED on the diet

Corn
Potato
Rice
Rice Tapioca (derived from cassava)
Amaranth
Arrowroot
Millet
Montina
Lupine
Quinoa
Sorghum
Sweet Potato
Taro
Teff
Yam
Beans
Soybeans
Nut Flours
Buckwheat
Gram Flour (Chickpea)

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P.S. Why is my Child Agitated?

From an early age my oldest child seemed to have mood swings. We would nervously chuckle over our concern that she was like a mini Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde. She would be sweet as pie, then without warning she would be bouncing off of the walls. My husband and I were baffled as the agitation increased. Where could she be learning this behavior?

We found that we were asking the wrong question; it was not where she was learning the behavior as so much as what was causing the behavior. About 2 years ago we decided to look at food sensitivities as a source of this agitation. Food sensitivity is not an allergic reaction, but intolerance to a food substance.

We immediately thought of food dyes and sugar, but surprisingly their elimination did not affect this behavior. Someone suggested removing potassium sorbate from her diet. Belonging to the University of Google, I started there, and found little information supporting my friends theory.

At my ends wit, I decided I had nothing to lose by removing this preservative from her diet. Nothing that is, but the hardship of reading every label of food that crossed her lips. As we began eliminating it we realized she seemed calmer. Or was that wishful thinking?

After the first month we realized she had a complete personality make over. No longer crawling in her own skin, but peaceful. We decided to test the waters and let her have something containing Potassium Sorbate, and to our shock we realized this was indeed real!

We have since completely eliminated potassium sorbate from our diets. On rare occasions she will come home from school in “a mood”. All I have to do is ask, “Did you eat something mommy didn’t pack in your lunch?” and inevitably she will say, “yeah, so-n-so brought in pizza/cupcakes/yogurt”. And I know to have more patience with her that evening as her body works through the intolerance she is experiencing.

If your child has ADHD, autism, aggression or is prone to mood swings, try eliminating potassium sorbate to see if it makes the same difference for you. (Don’t forget that it could be effecting mom and dad, too.)

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