http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/07/generation-rescue-and-autism-one-join-forces-to-help-children.html Generation Rescue and Autism One Join Forces to Help Children Managing Editor's Note: Ed and Stan, you can decide who's Astaire and who's Rogers. I think GR and AO makes for a great dance. KS LOS ANGELES, C.A. Generation Rescue and Autism One are delighted to announce their partnership to better meet the needs of the autism community in order to help children and educate parents and medical professionals. Based on shared values and each organization’s expertise the alliance will provide creative and innovative solutions to many of the autism, ADHD and chronic illness community’s most pressing problems. Ed Arranga, executive director of AutismOne said “The possibilities are endless. We need a dream team to win and Generation Rescue’s crucial mix of education, analysis, outreach and inspiration immediately impacts the debate. Their commitment and passion provides the critical mass to help change everything.” Stan Kurtz, president of Generation Rescue, echoes the sentiment. “I have always admired AutismOne. We both advocate for child safety and share a common vision of care, treatment, recovery, and prevention. Together we will arm parents and professionals with the latest techniques on living a healthy lifestyle and educate how autism, ADHD and chronic illness are preventable and reversible.” Two initiatives from the combined efforts are an expanded AutismOne conference and a Stay at Home Moms March. “We know how difficult it is for moms to get involved in advocacy efforts,” says Teri Arranga, “so we’ve created a national neighborhood campaign that recognizes moms need to be at home but still want to be involved.” The Stay at Home Moms March realizes a mother’s role in the recovery process of a child and will be the largest autism advocacy initiative ever undertaken. “We are proud to be spearheading with AutismOne a game-changing event of this magnitude,” stated Candace McDonald of Generation Rescue. “It’s time we developed a national network that gives moms a voice and I believe the community is more than ready to be mobilized.” Look for the AutismOne/Generation Rescue conference to embrace greater concerns of the autism community and include world renowned professionals who are new to the cause. Cross pollination among individuals and disciplines is the “engine” of scientific progress. “Jenny McCarthy has played a vital part in the last two AutismOne conferences,” says Laura Rowley, associate director of AutismOne. “We could not be more thrilled to be working more closely with Generation Rescue. Personally, I can’t wait to get started.” Generation Rescue’s partnership with AutismOne accelerates the process forward. Over the coming weeks more details about the AutismOne/Generation Rescue conference, the Stay at Home Moms March, and other initiatives will be made available. Join us and be part of the generation that ends autism.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/07/23/Why-is-Wheat-Gluten-Disorder-on-the-Rise.aspx Why is Wheat Gluten Disorder on the Rise? A study using frozen blood samples taken from Air Force recruits 50 years ago has found that intolerance of wheat gluten, a debilitating digestive condition, is four times more common today than it was in the 1950’s. The findings contradict the conventional wisdom that the sharp increase in diagnoses of wheat gluten intolerance has come about because of greater awareness and detection. It now seems likely that dramatic changes in the American diet have played a role. The disease occurs in people whose bodies cannot digest gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. The undigested protein triggers the immune system to attack the lining of the small intestine, causing diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain. The researchers who conducted the study also found that the recruits who had the undiagnosed digestive disorder, called celiac disease, had a four-fold increase in their risk of death. According to statistics from the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, an average of one out of every 133 otherwise healthy people in the United States suffers from the digestive disease known as celiac disease (CD). Previous studies have found that this number may be as high as 1 in 33 in at-risk populations. Unfortunately, despite its rapidly increasing prevalence, it still takes an average of four years to reach a diagnosis if you’re symptomatic. This delay in proper diagnosis can dramatically increase your risk of developing other diseases such as autoimmune disorders, neurological problems, osteoporosis, and even cancer. For example, if you’re diagnosed with celiac disease after the age of 20, your chances of developing an autoimmune condition skyrocket from the average 3.5 percent to 34 percent. Additionally, according to this latest study, undiagnosed CD was associated with a nearly four-fold increased risk of premature death. What Causes Celiac Disease? Celiac disease, also more casually referred to as wheat- or gluten intolerance, occurs when your body cannot digest gluten, a protein most commonly found in wheat, rye and barley. However, it’s very important to realize that these are not the only culprits that can cause severe problems. Other grains such as oats and spelt also contain gluten, and gluten can be found in countless processed foods without being labeled as such. "Gluten" comes from the Greek word for glue, and its adhesive properties hold bread and cake together. But those same properties interfere with the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, including the nutrients from other foods in the same meal. The result is a glued-together constipating lump in your gut rather than a nutritious, easily digested meal. The undigested gluten then triggers your immune system to attack the lining of your small intestine, which can cause symptoms like diarrhea or constipation, nausea, and abdominal pain. In more recent years it’s been shown that the condition can also cause a much wider array of symptoms that are not gastrointestinal in nature, further complicating proper diagnosis. Over time, your small intestine becomes increasingly damaged and less able to absorb nutrients such as iron and calcium. This in turn can lead to anemia, osteoporosis and other health problems. The rapid increase in celiac disease and milder forms of gluten intolerance is no surprise considering the modern Western diet, which consists in large part of grain carbohydrates. Additionally, modern wheat is very different from the wheat your ancestors ate. The proportion of gluten protein in wheat has increased enormously as a result of hybridization. Until the 19th century, wheat was also usually mixed with other grains, beans and nuts; pure wheat flour has been milled into refined white flour only during the last 200 years. The resulting high-gluten, refined grain diet most of you have eaten since infancy was simply not part of the diet of previous generations. The Many Symptoms of Gluten-Intolerance In addition to nausea, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain, celiac disease may manifest clinically with an array of non-gastrointestinal symptoms, such as: Osteoporosis or osteopenia Tooth enamel defects Vitamin K deficiency Central and peripheral nervous system disease Dementia, and impairments in mental functioning that could cause or aggravate autism, Asperger’s syndrome, ADD or schizophrenia Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH), a skin condition that causes intense itching and blistering Anemia of various types Infertility, and earlier menopause Organ disorders Weight loss or gain Depression Fatigue How to Treat Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease The treatment for celiac disease or gluten intolerance is a gluten-free diet, which means abstaining from grains and any food that contains gluten. A blood test can verify whether or not you actually have the condition. Typically, avoiding gluten for a week or two is enough to see significant improvement. However, in my experience, about 75-80 percent of ALL people benefit from avoiding grains, even whole sprouted grains, whether you have a gluten intolerance or not. This is because, typically, grains rapidly break down to sugar, which causes rises in insulin that exacerbate health problems such as: Overweight High cholesterol High blood pressure Type 2 diabetes Cancer The only consistent exceptions would be those whose nutritional type is a carb type and you don’t suffer symptoms of intolerance. However, it’s still important to realize that there is a major difference between vegetable carbs and grain carbs, even though they’re both referenced as "carbs." Unlike vegetables, grains convert to sugar, which is not something anyone needs in their diet in high amounts. The rising prevalence of celiac disease is clear evidence that we’re simply not designed to consume such vast amounts of starch- and sugar-rich foods so many now indulge in. In short, most people are consuming far too much bread, cereal, pasta, corn (a grain, not a vegetable), rice, potatoes and Little Debbie snack cakes, with very grave health consequences. Yes, this even includes organic stone ground whole grains. Obviously these are healthier for you for a large number of reasons, but ultimately they cause the same problems through two mechanisms. Reaction to the protein gliadin in the wheat, and adverse impact on insulin metabolism. The fact is that two-thirds of the U.S. population is overweight or obese, and one in four Americans is diabetic or pre-diabetic. These are clear signs that our diets have strayed too far from the norm of what your body actually needs. Fortunately there are communities in the US where overweight people are the minority. I spent ten days in Aspen, Colorado in early July and my guess is that less than 5 percent of the population is overweight. Of course many European communities have levels this low, but it is very uncommon in the US. Hidden Sources of Gluten In order to combat gluten intolerance, it’s not enough to simply avoid grains. You must also pay attention to the quality of all the other foods you eat. Remember, 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is for processed foods. When you choose foods like this, not only are you bound to experience physical complications in one way or another, but if you have celiac disease it’s even more imperative you avoid processed foods due to hidden gluten. Unfortunately, food manufacturers are not required by law to identify all possible sources of gluten on their product labels, so reading the label may not be enough. Gluten may still be hiding in processed foods like ready-made soups, soy sauce, candies, cold cuts, and various low- and no-fat products, just to name a few, under labels such as: Malts Starches Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) Texturized vegetable protein (TVP) Natural flavoring Celiac.com has a long list of label ingredients that typically contain hidden gluten. For helpful tips and guidelines on how to approach food companies for more detailed information about their ingredients, see The Gluten Solution site. They also offer more detailed information about the current state of gluten-free labeling legislation. That said, your best bet is to stick to a diet of fresh, whole foods (preferably organic whenever possible). Not only will you keep your celiac disease under control, but you will also experience numerous other benefits such as increased energy, enhanced mood, and a lower risk of chronic illness. If you want more information about celiac disease, the following web sites are good places to start: www.celiaccenter.org www.celiac.com UK Web site for sufferers of celiac disease: www.coeliac.co.uk Sources: Minneapolis Star Tribune July 1, 2009 Gastroenterology July 2009; 137(1):88-93

Beckman Oral Motor Therapy: http://www..beckmanoralmotor.com/ Beckman Oral Motor - Apraxia Case: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3vGWpnhsig

http://www.takeflightforkids.com/ A Valley Medical Center Foundation Project In conjunction with Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 62 Saturday, August 8, 2009, San Jose, Reid Hillview Airport Take Flight for Kids is a very special community event festival at San Jose Reid Hillview Airport, on San Jose's East Side (near Eastridge Mall & Raging Waters). About 200 exhibitors show up and strut their stuff to 5000-ish festival attendees. Everything is FREE including free BBQ, free admission, free fun in the sun. RSVP for the 5000 person free fun FESTIVAL If you have a young person with a disability sign up here for a free flight (young people with disabilities only) Map to the airport 2500 Cunningham Ave, San Jose, California -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Preliminary Agenda (subject to change) 7am: Gates open for setup. 9am: Gates open to participants, First flight school starts. Ribbon Cutting and First Flight Flight schools & Flights: every 30 minutes. Static aircraft displays all day. Demos from nonprofit organizations and vendors all day. Live Entertainment Starts all day 11:30am: FREE BBQ starts 12 noon: Break for Speeches and Thank-yous Live Entertainment thru lunch 1:00pm: Flights continue Flight schools & Flights: every 30 minutes. Live entertainment continues 4:30pm: Last Flight 5:00pm: Gates close 6:00pm: Cleanup complete Kid's Flight Application | Volunteer Application | Pilots Application Vendors/Nonprofit Register | RSVP for the Festival | Donate

For those that may be interested and have not already read this, this was in the Sacramento Bee State Worker comments section. This looks very accurate. Forward to your friends. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The truth about state worker pay is: Here are the facts for those very few interested in the truth. State workers received the following wage increases since 1991: 1991-1992: 0% 1992-1993: 0% 1993-1994: 5% 1994-1995: 3% 1995-1996: 0% 1996-1997: 0% 1998-1999: 5.5% 1999-2000: 4% 2000-2001: 4% 2001-2002: 0% 2002-2003: 0% 2003-2004: 0% 2004-2005: 5% 2005-2006: 0% 2006-2007: 0% 2008-2009: -15% The net of all the pay raises over this 20 year span is 11.5%. Given that the CPI index (inflation) has increased 56.87% during the same time frame, the average state worker is now making 45.37% less in real income than the same worker made in 1991. State workers were paid at an equivalent rate as their federal counterparts 25 years ago. We now receive approximately 45% less than our federal counterparts. That is because their wages are adjusted for COLAs based on the CPI.

I have been reading here a lot of what is starting to sound like parents becoming so overwhelmed that if we are not careful we could be lost to depression as our children are lost to autism. HomeOur ClinicDepression Action PlanDepression - Natural AlternativesDepression - Natural Alternatives An extract from 'Food is better Medicine than Drugs' by Patrick Holford and Jerome Burne, published by Piatkus Books Ltd, 2006 Chapter 10 - Beating Depression 'Natural alternatives - A truly scientific approach There is a curious contradiction at the heart of the drug-based approach to depression. The treatment is based on correcting a biochemical imbalance in the brain. So you might think a scientific approach would be to check whether depressed patients actually had an imbalance and if so, exactly which neurotransmitters were low so they could be given a boost. But that is not what happens. Instead, the diagnosis of depression is based solely on a checklist of psychological symptoms, which doesn’t tell you anything about what is going on with brain or indeed body chemistry. In fact, it has taken a nutritionally minded doctor to take this obvious scientific step. Professor Tapan Audhya from New York University Medical Center in the US first showed that the level of serotonin found in platelets, which are tiny disc-like bodies in the blood, correlates with the level of these transmitters in the brain. Next he investigated whether people with depression do actually have abnormal levels of platelet serotonin by measuring platelet levels in 52 normal and 74 depressed volunteers. The difference was striking. In 73 per cent of depressed patients, serotonin levels were barely a fifth of those in the normal subjects. Knowing that this neurotransmitter is made directly from amino acids found in food, Audhya then gave his patients 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the amino acid that’s a direct precursor to serotonin, from which it is made. This corrected the deficiency and resulted in major and rapid relief from depression. When it comes to treating depression or any other chronic condition, nutrition is a real alternative as it is based on finding out what is actually going on in the patient’s system and then sorting out any specific imbalances. That makes a lot more sense, and is far more scientific, than giving millions of people precisely the same chemical regardless of what is actually wrong with them. At the Brain Bio Centre, filling in the Hamilton Rating Scale questionnaire is just the beginning. You will also be asked about your diet and other health symptoms and then given blood and urine tests to discover how well you are functioning in four key areas that can affect depression: • Serotonin levels – do they need boosting? • Your homocysteine level – is it too high? • Essential fats – are your levels high enough? • Blood sugar balance – is yours within the healthy range? Each of these can, if necessary, be improved with one or other of the top five natural anti-depressants, which include B vitamins, omega-3 fats and amino acids. Unlike drugs for related problems such as anxiety, depression and insomnia, which often interact with each other in damaging ways, the various elements of a nutritional approach all complement one another. As we saw in Chapter 5, to begin to cure any chronic disorder you need to be sure that the various biochemical elements involved are balanced in an optimum way. So what has to happen to lift depression? First, you’ll need the building blocks for the relevant neurotransmitters (see Figure 11). These are tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan, both amino acids found in protein foods. But they are no good without the catalysts that turn them into neurotransmitters, which are B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and something called trimethylglycine (or TMG for short). These nutrients will also keep levels of an amino acid known as homocysteine low in the blood, which is important for holding depression at bay. Omega-3 fats, especially one called EPA, are vital. Not only do they act as catalysts, but they are also needed to build the receptors – the docking ports in brain cells that serotonin and the other neurotransmitters attach themselves to. Finally, the whole system needs a constant and stable supply of energy, which is why blood sugar levels need to be maintained within healthy limits. Other element of the new medicine package for depression could include exercise and increased exposure to natural light, both of which raise serotonin, along with psychotherapy. But what is the evidence that each one of these elements not only works on its own but is more effective than anti-depressants? Just one of them may do the trick for you or you may benefit from several in combination. However, once you see how they all work together, it becomes clear just how limited the standard drug style clinical trials are for testing this sort of medicine. So what’s the evidence? 5-HTP We’ve now seen how serotonin is made in the body and brain from 5-HTP. In its turn, 5-HTP is made from another amino acid, tryptophan. Both can be found in food: many protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, beans and eggs contain tryptophan, while the richest source of 5-HTP is the African griffonia bean. Not getting enough tryptophan is likely to make you depressed: people fed food deficient in tryptophan became rapidly depressed within hours. Both have been shown to have an anti-depressant effect in clinical trials, although 5-HTP is more effective. There have been 27 studies, involving 990 people to date, most of which proved positive. So how do they compare with anti-depressants? Eleven of the 5-HTP trials were double-blind placebo controlled, and six of those measured depression using the HRS. The studies differed in design, so you cannot just add up the scores to get an average, but the improvement rated 13, 30, 34, 39, 40, 56 and 61 per cent. It doesn’t take a scientist to realise these results are a lot better than the average 15 per cent improvement reported for anti-depressants. In play-off studies between 5-HTP and SSRI anti-depressants, 5-HTP comes out slightly better. One double-blind trial headed by Dr W.P. Poldinger at the Basel University of Psychiatry gave 34 depressed volunteers either the SSRI fluvoxamine (Luvox) or 300mg of 5-HTP. At the end of the six weeks, both groups of patients had had a significant improvement in their depression. However, those taking 5-HTP had a slightly greater improvement, compared to those on the SSRI, in each of the four criteria assessed –depression, anxiety, insomnia, and physical symptoms – as well as their own self-assessment. Since in some sensitive people, anti-depressant drugs can induce an overload of serotonin called ‘serotonin syndrome’ – characterised by feeling overheated, high blood pressure, twitching, cramping, dizziness and disorientation – some concern has been expressed about the possibility of increasing the odds of serotonin syndrome with the combination of 5-HTP and an SSRI drug. However, a recent review on the safety of 5-HTP concludes that ‘serotonin syndrome has not been reported in humans in association with 5-HTP, either as monotherapy [on its own] or in combination with other medications.’ Are there any side effects with 5-HTP? Some people experience mild gastrointestinal disturbance on 5-HTP, which usually stops within a few days. Since there are serotonin receptors in the gut, which don’t normally expect to get the real thing so easily, they can overreact if the amount is too high, resulting in transient nausea. If this happens, just lower the dose. B vitamins and the homocysteine link People with either low blood levels of the B vitamin folic acid, or high blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine, are both more likely to be depressed and less likely to get a positive result from anti-depressant drugs. A study published in 2003 found that having a high level of homocysteine doubles the odds of a woman developing depression, for instance. Ensuring homocysteine stays low means that your brain will methylate well, keeping its chemistry ticking over and in balance. So one way of staving off depression is to keep your homocysteine levels in check. The ideal level is below 6, and the average level is 10-11. The risk of depression doubles with levels above 15. Normalising homocysteine levels is mainly down to getting enough vitamins B2, B6, B12, zinc, TMG – and folic acid. In fact, the higher your blood homocysteine level, the more likely folic acid will work for you. In a study from 2000, comparing the effects of giving an SSRI with either a placebo or with folic acid, 61 per cent of patients improved on the placebo combination but 93 per cent improved with the addition of folic acid. But how does folic acid, a cheap vitamin with no side effects, compare to anti-depressants? Three trials published in 2003 and involving 247 people addressed this question. Two, with 151 participants, assessed the use of folic acid in addition to other treatment, and found that adding folic acid reduced HRS scores on average by a further 2.65 points. That’s not as good as the results with 5-HTP but as good, if not better, than anti-depressants. These studies also show that more patients treated with folic acid experienced a 50 per cent greater reduction in their HRS after ten weeks, compared to those on anti-depressants. As for side effects, there are none, except a lower risk for heart disease, strokes, Alzheimer’s and improved energy and concentration. However, if you are vegan – which can potentially leave you B12 deficient – taking folic acid on its own can mask the symptoms, but the underlying nerve damage caused by B12 deficiency anaemia can persist. So don’t take folic acid without also supplementing vitamin B12. (Pregnant women should also ensure they take a recommended multivitamin if they are supplementing folic acid.) Omega-3s The richest dietary source of omega-3 essential fats is fish, specifically carnivorous coldwater fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring. As a 1998 Lancet article reveals, surveys have shown that the more fish the population of a country eats, the lower their incidence of depression. The omega-3 fat EPA seems to be the most potent natural anti-depressant. There have been six double-blind placebo-controlled trials to date, five of which show significant improvement in levels of depression. The first, by Dr Andrew Stoll from Harvard Medical School, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, gave 40 depressed patients either omega-3 supplements or a placebo, and found a highly significant improvement in those given the omega-3s. The next, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, tested the effects of giving 20 people suffering from severe depression and who were already on anti-depressants, but still depressed, a highly concentrated form of omega-3 fat called ethyl-EPA versus a placebo. By the third week, the depressed patients were showing major improvement in their mood, while those on placebo were not. A 2006 trial by Dr Sophia Frangou from the Institute of Psychiatry in London gave a concentrated form of EPA, versus a placebo, to 26 depressed people with bipolar disorder (otherwise known as manic depression) and again found a significant improvement. In these trials, which used the HRS, the average improvement in depression in those taking omega-3s over the placebo hovered around the 50 per cent mark. Again, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realise that these results are a quantum leap ahead of anti-depressant drugs – and without the side effects. This is because omega-3s help to build your brain’s neuronal connections as well as the receptor sites for neurotransmitters, so the more omega-3s in your blood, the more serotonin you are likely to make and the more responsive you become to its effects. Top fish for brain fats Amount of EPA in 100g (3oz) Mackerel 1,400mg Herring/kipper 1,000mg Sardines 1,000mg Tuna 900mg Anchovy 900mg Salmon 800mg Trout 500mg [chart ends] What about side effects? Participants in some earlier studies, who were consuming 14 fish oil capsules a day, experienced mild gastrointestinal discomfort – mainly loose bowels. However, nowadays you can buy more concentrated EPA-rich fish oils, so you get more omega-3 with less oil. Supplementing fish oils also reduces the risk for heart disease, alleviates arthritic pain and may improve memory and concentration. Balancing your blood sugar If you went to your doctor complaining of depression, you’d hardly expect them to say, ‘Eat less sugar.’ But they should, because there is a direct link between mood and blood sugar balance. As we’ve already seen, all carbohydrate foods are broken down into glucose and your brain runs on glucose. The more uneven your blood sugar supply, the more uneven your mood. Eating lots of sugar is going to give you sudden peaks and troughs in the amount of glucose in your blood. You will experience this as fatigue, irritability, dizziness, insomnia, excessive sweating (especially at night), poor concentration and forgetfulness, severe thirst, depression, crying spells, digestive disturbances and blurred vision. (For more details on blood-sugar problems, see Chapter 8.) Since the brain depends on an even supply of glucose, it is no surprise to find that sugar has been implicated in aggressive behaviour, anxiety, and depression, and fatigue, Lots of refined sugar and refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, rice and most processed foods) is also linked with depression because these foods not only supply very little in the way of nutrients, but also use up the mood-enhancing B vitamins because the body needs B vitamins to turn each teaspoon of sugar into energy. Sugar also diverts the supply of another nutrient we highlighted in our discussion of diabetes in Chapter 8 – chromium. This mineral is vital for keeping your blood sugar level stable because insulin, which clears glucose from the blood, can’t work properly without it. In fact, it turns out that just supplying proper levels of chromium to certain depressed patients can make a big difference. Chromium and ‘atypical’ depression ‘Atypical’ depression is called that because it differs markedly from so-called ‘classic’ depression, where sufferers have little appetite, don’t eat enough, lose weight and can’t sleep. Let’s look at some of the symptoms of atypical depression; if you answer yes to five or more of these questions, you might be suffering from it. • Do you crave sweets or other carbohydrates? • Do you tend to gain weight? • Are you tired for no obvious reason? • Do your arms or legs feel heavy? • Do you tend to feel sleepy or groggy much of the time? • Are your feelings easily hurt by the rejection of others? • Did your depression begin before the age of 30? Atypical depression is estimated to affect anywhere from 25 to 42 percent of the depressed population, and an even higher percentage among depressed women, so it’s actually extremely common (and misnamed). A chance discovery by Dr Malcolm McLeod, clinical professor of psychiatrist at the University of North Carolina in the US, suggested that people who suffer from it might benefit from chromium supplementation. In a small double-blind study published in 2003, McLeod gave ten patients suffering from atypical depression chromium supplements of 600mcg a day, and five others a placebo, for eight weeks. The results were dramatic. Seven out of the ten taking the supplements showed a big improvement, as opposed to none on the placebo. Their HRS dropped by an unheard-of 83 per cent: that is, from 29 – major depression – to 5, which is classed as not depressed. A larger trial at Cornell University in the US, involving 113 participants, confirmed the finding in 2005. After eight weeks, 65 per cent of the people taking chromium had had a major improvement, compared to 33 per cent on placebos. Side effects None, except more energy and better weight control. Chromium has no toxicity, even at amounts 100 times those used in the trials above. Light, exercise, air and friends Exercise is a key part of the new medicine model’s non-drug approach. It also turns out to be as effective as taking anti-depressants. A number of studies in which people exercised for 30 to 60 minutes 3 to 5 times a week found a drop of around 5 points in their HRS – more than double what you’d expect from anti-depressants alone. In an Australian study published in 2005, involving 60 adults over the age of 60, half took up high-intensity exercise three days a week, while the other half did low-intensity exercise. Of those doing high-intensity exercise, 61 per cent halved their HRS, while only 29 per cent of those doing low-intensity exercise halved their score. And if you exercise in bright light, you get a double dose of natural ‘anti-depressant’, as a number of studies using full-spectrum lighting (versus normal room lighting) have shown. Unlike normal ‘yellow’ lighting, sunlight is white and contains a stronger and fuller spectrum of light. Although more expensive, full-spectrum light bulbs are a worthwhile addition, especially if you are prone to the winter blues – known as SAD or seasonal-affective disorder. (See Resources for suppliers of full-spectrum lighting.) In one study published in 2004, a third of depressed volunteers who exercised in full-spectrum lighting experienced a major improvement in their depression (a 50 per cent or more decrease in their HRS). Other studies from 2005 have also found a definitive improvement, even among those not specifically prone to SAD. The effect could be due to the direct effect of light on raising serotonin. One other gadget, or lifestyle change, you might want to consider to beat the blues is an ionizer. These give off negative ions, which are naturally generated by turbulent water – think waterfalls and the seaside – and are thought to be good for you, while positive ions, produced especially by electronic equipment such as computers screens, air-conditioning and TV sets are not. In one controlled trial, depressed patients exposed to both full-spectrum lighting plus a high-intensity ionizer reported major improvements in their depression. By leaving an ionizer on overnight you might substantially improve mood (see Resources for the best ionizers). Counselling and psychotherapy Probably the biggest non-nutritional factor in recovering from depression is having someone to talk to about life’s inevitable problems and stresses. Much depression is linked to, or triggered by, stressful life events such as a death, the loss of a job, or the breakup of a relationship. Or you may have felt that your life was out of kilter and lacking in essential elements – a circle of supportive friends or relatives or good standing at work, for example – for some time, and feel that you’re tipping over from the blues into a real depression. Feeling bad about yourself and lacking someone supportive to listen to you can be a major cause of depression however good your diet might be. A problem shared is a problem halved. While good nutrition might give you more mental and emotional energy to solve your problems, it doesn’t take away the underlying issues that fuel depression. For this reason, we recommend counselling and psychotherapy as well as nutritional approaches. Food or drugs? The verdict The evidence suggests that the nutritional approach it not only more effective. It’s also practically free of serious negative side effects. So why not do it? Well, you could argue that there’s not enough research to conclusively prove all the benefits we’ve discussed here. You might be thinking that many of the trials are small, although well designed. That’s true to an extent, and it’s also unlikely to change: there’s little profit to be made from non-patentable nutrients such as omega-3, folic acid or 5-HTP. Psychiatrist Dr Erick Turne from the Mood Disorders Center in Portland, Oregon, who uses 5-HTP in his practice, says: ‘Unfortunately, because 5-HTP is a dietary supplement and not a prescription pharmaceutical, there is comparatively little financial incentive for extensive clinical research.’ Also, since no benefits for nutrients can be put on their packaging, and there's no army of reps or marketing budget, most people simply don’t know about these highly effective, and considerably safer nutritional options. But then there’s the other, now-familiar problem: most DOCTORs are also unfamiliar with food-based medicine. ‘A DOCTOR receives virtually no training in nutritional approaches to depression. It’s an obvious oversight, given the wealth of evidence,’ says André Tylee, professor of primary care mental health at the Institute of Psychiatry. But that is no reason why you shouldn’t try it yourself with the help of a trained clinical nutritionist. What works • Set up the building blocks. Most of the studies we’ve cited used 300mg of 5-HTP, but we recommend ideally testing to see whether you are low in serotonin with a platelet serotonin test (see Resources, page 406) and starting with 100mg, or 50mg, twice a day. Be aware that 5-HTP is best absorbed either on an empty stomach or with a carbohydrate snack such as a piece of fruit or an oatcake. Otherwise, make sure you eat enough protein from beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, fish, eggs and meat, which are all high in tryptophan. If your motivation is low, you could also supplement 1,000mg of tyrosine. • Put the catalysts in place. Test your homocysteine level, which can be done using a home test kit (see Resources, page 406). Theoretically your doctor can request this, but few do. If your level is above 9mmol/l, take a combined ‘homocysteine’ supplement of B2, B6, B12, folic acid, zinc, and TMG, providing at least 400mcg of folic acid, 250mcg of B12 and 20mg of B6. If your homocysteine score is above 15mmol/l, double this amount. Also eat whole foods rich in the B vitamins – whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Folic acid is particularly abundant in green vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, while B12 is only found in animal foods – meat, fish, eggs and dairy produce. • Take omega-3s. You need about 1,000mg of EPA a day for a mood-boosting effect. That means supplementing a concentrated omega-3 fish oil capsule providing 500mg twice a day, and eating a serving of either sardines, mackerel, herring, or wild or organic salmon, three times a week. Tuna steaks are also a good source but should be eaten only once a week because of possible mercury contamination, whereas tinned tuna has very little omega-3s because of the way it’s processed. Very little, perhaps 5%, of the omega 3 fats found in flax or pumpkin seeds convert into EPA, so while these are good to eat they don’t have the same anti-depressant effect. • Keep your fuel supply stable. Eating a diet that will stabilise your blood sugar (see page 143), and supplementing 600mcg of chromium, will help tremendously in keeping your moods stable. Chromium supplements generally come in 200mcg pills. Take two with breakfast and one with lunch. After a month, cut down to one with breakfast and one with lunch. Don’t take chromium in the evening, as it can have a stimulating effect. • Exercise for at least 15 minutes most days. Psychocolisthenics (see Resources, page 405) is especially good for balancing your mood. • Consider psychotherapy (see Resources, page 403, for help with referrals). Dig deeper by reading Optimum Nutrition for the Mind by Patrick Holford Working with your doctor Much of what we recommend you can either do for yourself or by seeking the guidance and support of a nutritional therapist. However, the process of weaning yourself off anti-depressants is something you must do with the support and guidance of your doctor. We recommend that 5-HTP not be taken in significant amounts, above 50mg, if you are on an anti-depressant – 5-HTP helps the body make serotonin while SSRI anti-depressants stop it being broken down. If your doctor is willing to wean you off anti-depressants it helps, at the same time, to wean you on to 5-HTP, gradually building the daily amount up to a maximum of 300mg, but no more than 100mg before you are completely off the anti-depressant. In our experience, this minimises and shortens the withdrawal effects that many people experience when coming off anti-depressants. All the other mood-boosting factors we’ve discussed – from omega 3s to exercise – can safely be added while you’re on medication and will probably help you reduce your need, them come off anti-depressants with less withdrawal effects.' End of Extract Finding help If you would like help overcoming depression with a nutritional approach, there are a number of clinics and nutritional therapists who can help you. Click here to find out more Dig deeper by reading these books: The New Optimum Nutrition for the Mind - Patrick Holford Food is Better Medicine than Drugs - Patrick Holford and Jerome Burne Search please sign in: Forgotten your login details? Free Mental Health E-News Click here to subscribe.. DO YOU NEED HELP? Come to the Brain Bio Centre, our outpatient clinic, specialising in the 'optimum nutrition' approach to mental health problems. Find out about nutrition for: ADHD/hyperactivity Autism Bipolar Disorder Dementia/Alzheimer’s Depression Dyslexia/Dyspraxia Schizophrenia DO YOU NEED HELP? Come to the Brain Bio Centre, our outpatient clinic, specialising in the 'optimum nutrition' approach to mental health problems.

http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/55830/ Researchers demonstrate a role for the brain's connective tissue in learning a new task The brain's white matter - generally thought to play second fiddle to the neurons that make up the grey matter - expands along with nearby grey matter when a person learns a new task, scientists at Oxford University report. MRI of a head Image: Wikipedia Commons Just as new neurons may be formed during learning, corresponding new cells in the white matter may be generated as well, said Jan Scholz, a student in the lab of Heidi Johansen-Berg at Oxford University, at a San Francisco meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping last month. "It's the first time that experience-related white matter changes have been seen," Scholz told The Scientist. White matter is often called the wiring of the brain because it connects individual neuron and groups of neurons together. Whether or not it plays a role in learning or cognition, though, is something of a mystery. The Oxford work built on a 2004 Nature paper that showed that cortical grey matter, which consists largely of neuronal cell bodies, expanded in people learning to juggle. In the present study, the Oxford team examined the effects of the same task on the brain's white matter, which comprises connective tissue such as myelin and axons. Scholz and Johansen-Berg, from Oxford's Centre for Functional Magnetic Imaging of the Brain (FMRIB), taught 24 healthy, right-handed volunteers to juggle. They scanned subjects' brains using diffusion MRI before the six weeks of training, directly after, and then again after four weeks of abstinence from juggling. Diffusion MRI measures how water diffuses within a brain structure, for instance showing how thick myelin in white matter might be. The researchers observed grey matter "changes in structure" in a part of the parietal lobe associated with spatial coordination -- a change which Scholz told The Scientist probably reflects neurogenesis. Myelin in that region also appeared thicker, which he similarly attributed to myelinogenesis. Those gains then eroded after four weeks of no juggling. This temporal and spatial correlation shows that the two tissue types are working in concert. "People have long thought of grey matter and white matter as independent structures, but they are clearly actually quite interdependent," said Adeline Vanderver, a neurologist and white matter expert at the National Children's Medical Center in Washington, DC, of the results. "What I think is really interesting is that clearly the cells are working together." She added, though, that whether or not neurogenesis and myelogenesis were at play was difficult to determine. "You can't say based on the functional imaging and fractional anisotropy what is going on at a cellular level." Silvia Bunge, a neuroscientist at University of California Berkeley, said that the demonstration of a link between white matter and grey matter is "hugely important" for the study of learning in humans, especially children. Indeed, her PhD student Kirstie Whitaker is looking at similar white matter development in school children. "White matter is important -- that has been shown over the last 5-10 years. But it is definitely a new area of investigation." Whitaker said. "It's exciting to see a training study where over the course of six weeks they can see changes [in white matter] and reverse those changes." Pinning down the role of white matter may help scientists understand brain networks. Elucidating the mechanism by which the tissue expands may also provide clues to treatments for diseases such as multiple sclerosis, which results from withering of myelin in the central nervous system. "It's one of these thing that now that you look back on it you say, 'Oh, that must be happening,' but no one had ever thought of it quite that way," said Vanderver of combined white/grey matter growth. "A better understanding of this interdependency will help us help people's brains." Related stories: Brain's neuronal nexus mapped [1st July 2008] Decoding the brain [July 2007]

As a mother of a child with autism and someone who has a Master of Public Health degree, I would like to leverage my experience (both personal and professional) back into a health care discipline. Since I live in Maine, this is where I am focusing my efforts. Any suggestions?

Hello Diana: Mark your calendar, you've been invited to an all new webinar. Date: Monday, July 27, 2009 Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 PM Pacific Coast Time (9PM Eastern) Topic: Asperger's Syndrome and Bullying Guest Speaker: Nick Dubin, M.Ed., Psy.S Save your spot here: http://www.momsfightingautism.com/conference <--- Click here Presentation Description: Asperger's Syndrome and Bullying Basedon Nick Dubin's book Asperger's Syndrome and Bullying (2007 JessicaKingsley Publishers), this webinar will explore the etiology ofbullying among the Asperger population while offering strategiesfor empowerment geared towards teachers, parents, schools andindividuals with Asperger's themselves. Statistically, the vastmajority of children with Asperger's Syndrome will experiencefrequent bullying. This seminar aims to provide real answers tohelp curb this destructive trend. Submit your questions here: http://www.momsfightingautism.com/conference <--- Click here Speaker Bio: Nick has been a passionate advocate on issues relating to theautism spectrum. Dr. Dubin has a Bachelors degree in communicationsfrom Oakland University, a Masters degree in special education fromthe University of Detroit Mercy and a Doctoral degree from theMichigan School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Dubin authoredthree books and produced three DVDs, all relating to the autismspectrum. Nick lives in the greater Detroit, Michigan area andcurrently works on his next book about ASD and depression.

Dehydration, Balanced hydration is crucial to a healthy body What is dehydration? Dehydration is simply a lack of enough water and electrolytes in the body. Causes of Dehydration It can be caused by water loss or by an inadequate water intake. Water loss can be due to excessive physical activity, sweating due to heat, vomiting, or even diarrhea. Dehydration can also occur due to alcohol consumption and caffeine consumption both of which cause water as well as vital nutrients and salts to be flushed from the system. Another cause of dehydration is due to some prescriptions.. When taking prescription medications, necessary care needs to be taken to make sure that this is prevented. Any sport or exercise that causes one to sweat can cause dehydration if it lasts long enough, is strenuous enough or is accompanied by either hot weather or too much clothing. Dehydration is even present when its cold out and you are involved in sport like skiing, snowboarding or running. Due to the cold you don't notice how much fluids your body is losing. Symptoms of Dehydration The usual first symptom on dehydration is thirst. When the body is dehydrated it can give the perception of hunger, when in fact, it is actually in need of hydration. As a person becomes more dehydrated - irrespective of the cause - symptoms include dry mouth, weakness, dry skin, nausea, headaches, dizziness and tiredness. Dehydration and Electolytes: What are electrolytes? Electrolytes are minerals, such as potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium. They are dissolved in the body's fluids Electrolytes affect the movement of substances between body fluids and cells and are crucial for normal function and metabolism. ...Electrolytes can also help regulate your body's acid-base balance Dehydration and Heat Exhaustion Heat exhaustion is the commonest form of dehydration. Heat exhaustion occurs when your body gets too hot. . Its symptoms are profuse sweating, dizziness and weakness, nausea and vomiting, rapid heartbeat, flushing of the skin, headaches, muscle cramps and extreme fatigue. An example of a warning sign is: when you have been working in your garden, stand up, are woozy and almost pass out. Another example is the "oh, I'm so tired, I just have to lie down and take a nap" feeling that comes over you after a morning on the Little League bleachers. It could be as subtle as a slight headache after a day at the beach. The problem with dehydration and heat exhaustion is caused by the depletion of fluid, salt, potassium and electrolytes in the body - the electrolytes. When you sweat, you're losing water, salt (sodium), potassium and other minerals from your body. Water & Electrolytes So what is "enough water"? You should be drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water a day, For example, if you weight 160 pounds, drink 80 ounces of water, or 10-8 oz. Glasses. The cells need to be hydrated and you need to drink water. If you want to drink an "energy" drink, then stay away from the drinks that are high in sugar content. There are some "better" energy drinks that can be found in your local health food store, but that's not a substitute for good water. Along with the water, you need to have, salt, potassium and cell salts. These are the components that are necessary to drive the water into the cells instead of straight into the toilet. Electrolyte drinks are useful in overcoming dehydration and is effective for body re-hydration after exercise. It helps promote a healthy lifestyle -- at any age. For a remedy that helps hydrate you body go to http://www.mcvitamins.com/BioTech/kool-off.htm The Difference Between Drugs and Nutrition Supplements for the treatment of Neuropathy - or any condition No matter what the cause of your neuropathy, a person has only a few choices about what to do about it.. The Drug Approach What a drug does is it forces the body to do something that it normally wouldn't do.. When it comes to a medication, the body reacts in certain ways to this medication and it is done in order to achieve a desirable effect. For instance, in order to balance itself and handle the effects of a drug, the body has to lower its blood pressure. If this is what you want to happen because its a blood pressure medication, it's a good thing. However, there are also various other ways the body can react to the drug and sometimes this is not such a good thing - this is called a "side effect". It is the reason someone can wind up on 4 blood pressure medications. Each drug is given in an attempt to balance another drug so as not to create the various side effects of the other drugs. It is a balancing act. The Natural Approach What a nutritional supplement does is give the body the actual tools it needs to fix the body. In the case of neuropathy, it is the nerve cell that is damaged. The body needs certain tools (nutritional factors) to do this repair. Drugs don't repair anything; they treat the symptom, not the cause of the problem. As with our example of blood pressure, if they don't know what is causing the high blood pressure, the drug just lowers it artificially. The cause of nerve damage is known - it can be the result of too much sugar in the blood, the chemicals used in cancer treatments, etc. - but one thing is known, the damage is done to the cell and this causes the pain. You can cover this up with pain killers, or with other drugs that are manufactured to handle this, but the drugs aren't repairing anything. They are trying to forces the body to not give you pain, not give you numbness, etc., And sometimes more damage to the nerve cell might happen due to the drug or other drugs you are taking, The Nutritional Approach Nutritional supplements are actually vitamins and minerals that the body needs to repair the cells. In the case of neuropathy, there are specific ingredients needed by the body to repair the cells. These are the supplements you want to take. Another difference is that if you are taking a drug and just covering up symptoms, you have to continue to take the drug to get relief and sometimes even have to increase the drug to get the same relief. If you take natural supplements, the body can fix the problem, and as long as you don't do anything to damage the cells again, there is an end to taking the supplements. For neuropathy see: Nerve Support Formula What are nutritional deficiencies and what do they do to your health? A deficiency is basically a nutrient that your body does not have enough of to function properly. What if you forgot to put enough oil in you car? Despite the fact that it was getting the air, gas, functioning spark plugs and good combustion, the car wouldn't work properly. Sure the piston would go up and down and the car would move forward -- just like normal. But soon the engine might run a little hot. Down in the engine different things might start happening. The rings around the piston that stopped oil from getting up into the combustion area might be giving way. The normal straight camshaft might start to bend a little. The engine just won't work right. Perhaps the car will need a small repair, or maybe a major overhaul -- or ignored the engine will just seize up and "die". It's the same with your body -- except that you can't just buy another engine and repairs made to a damaged body might not put things back together again. Let's look at some of the many varied things that can happen when you don't put the needed nutrients into the body, and wind up with a deficiency. Gingivitis is created when plague (sticky deposits of bacteria, mucus and food particles) adheres to the teeth, hardens and irritates the gum. The accumulation causes the gums to become infected and swollen. As the gums swell, pockets form between the gums and the teeth and act as a trap for more plague. Irritated gums bleed and eventually start to recede. This irritation can be fought by introducing Vitamin C, which fights the formation of plaque. Now gingivitis, untreated, can progress to periodontal disease, which means loose teeth and false teeth. Seems like it would be easier just to get enough C. C would have fought the formation of plaque to begin with. Does that sound too easy? Remember in the fast food lifestyle that we live in, we need a Vitamin C to fight the many problems in that lifestyle -- processed foods, polluted air, etc. You need enough so that your gums get enough. Vitamin B12 comes from meat, eggs, fish and milk, but not everyone eats these and they do not eat enough to fight the depletion that happens from day to day living. Alcohol, coffee, tobacco to name a few can also deplete the body of vitamin B12. What happens when you have a deficiency of Vitamin B12? It can bring about nerve degeneration. Vitamin B12 supports the sheathing that protects nerve cells. Damage to the nerve sheathing can produce numbness, tingling and the pain. It's called neuropathy. Neuropathy can be a side effect of cancer treatments, certain medications, toxins, diabetes, and many other things. And the funny part about it is that all reasons one can get neuropathy could have been prevented in the first place with the proper nutrients. We have all heard the problems from someone smoking, but even if you smoke, you can still take vitamins to compensate for the depletion of vitamins that it causes. There are a lot of problems that deficiency causes. One of the reasons for the website is to help you understand those deficiencies and allow you to fix nutritional deficiencies and build good health. Remember when you build good health, disease tends to fade away. For More info on your health - see McVitamins.com Are you Getting enough Vitamin C to Protect your body from illness and disease? One of the most important substances in the achievement and preservation of optimum health, as well as the prevention and treatment of disease, is vitamin C. To appreciate why an optimum daily intake of this nutrient is so essential in the battle against infectious disease and well-being in general, we must remember that our bodies do not make vitamin C. The question becomes what amount of vitamin C is needed to put a person in the best of health and give them the immune protection against infectious diseases of all kinds, as well as the various degenerative diseases that are now so common. To help you understand the truth of "what amount," here is what experts in the field of nutrition have to say: "In order to answer this, we must first understand the concept of Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) as formulated by the Food and Nutrition Board. "Most people interpret RDA for any particular nutrient (in this case vitamin C) as being that specific dosage that leads to the best health for all people. That is, 'if I take the RDA of vitamin C every day of my life, I will more than likely achieve the best health that can possibly be gained by the intake of this nutrient.' "This interpretation is quite false! "The RDA is only the estimated amount that, for most people, will prevent scurvy or death caused by vitamin C deficiency. "The board's recommendations were adopted to indicate to the general American public the amount of vitamin C needed [45 mg] in order to avoid scurvy. "The problem with the board's recommendations is that the medical profession took hold of them and created a misconception generally accepted by many physicians. This being: "If there are no signs or symptoms of scurvy, we must assume that there is no deficiency of vitamin C. Therefore no need to take supplements of this vitamin. "But scurvy is not just a symptom of lack [of vitamin C], but a final collapse, leading to death, via a breakdown and disintegration of our bodies. "There is a large area, including colds, infections, flu and degenerative diseases that exists between the total blackness of scurvy and death, and the pure white of optimum health and resistance to disease. "No longer can we be satisfied with the misconception that if we do not have scurvy, we do not need any additional amounts of vitamin C in order to achieve optimum health and resistance to disease." Excerpted from Brain Allergies by William Philpott, M.D. & Dwight Kalita, Ph.D. Eight double blind studies have been done using between 200 mg/day and 2,000 mg/day, which have shown an average 44% reduction in illness, thus the RDA recommendation of 45 mg of vitamin C is far too low to provide the protection needed today. See McVitamins - for a good source of Vitamin C A new Remedy for the effects of pollutants - Mountain Air™ When people are smoking in your vicinity does it bother you? When you're stuck in traffic, do you feel the effects of breathing in the carbon monoxide. Then this is for you. Feeling the damaging effects of smog on your breathing? Experiencing allergic reactions to the presence of pollution? Do you have respiratory stress and constriction from the presence of smoke? Read more about what to do about it http://www.mcvitamins.com/BioTech/mountain-air.htm

I am sitting here in the dorm room at UNE, On the final nite of our retreat weekend. I have this feeling of peace over me. I have received so many compliments on Owens behavior. He has had so many challenges in the past 6 or so months (as most asd kids do). But when you hear people who haven't seen him in a year tell you that he seems so much calmer and happier. It makes you feel like maybe you are doing things right. Despite all his challenges-- he has finally received his sect 24!! He has been matched with a young man who seems to be a good fit for him.. I'm starting to see a change in Owen that in some ways i think its great. But in others as a mom i wonder where my polite little man went. I try to tell myself that i gotta take the fact that hes finally trying to relate with peers n act like a child. Although i can do with out all the bathroom talk (but they say boys will be boys) He is also embarking on a new journey in school this year. I am trying not to get to excited about it only cause of the letdowns we had in our previous district. But yet they have already shown me that they actually care about my child, and that they want him in the best setting that will help him succeed. Our last school said that too but i actually believe it from this school. The best part is Owens excited to start somewhere new. The principle gave him a personal tour just a few weeks ago! He invited Owen back in aug to meet the teacher n see his class again. The theme of this years retreat is getting the children ready for adulthood. well owen only has 8yrs left before he is an adult. Before i got here fri nite i thought that was a long time. Now i know i need to make sure that the school as well as our family is doing all we can to make sure he is able to be as independent as possible. Again another reason im excited about the school change. I really think this is a good move for him and I pray that he will receive the right support. Im sure it will happen now that we are in a district that accepts he has asd, and that hes not a lazy rebellious defiant child. Our next adventure is too explore the path of getting him a service dog. I would love to train our family dog to be his service dog. I just dont know if that is really an option or a good idea. I am really not looking forward to having to go home tomorrow but at least the kids know we will be back again next year. Thanks to all those who took the time to read this. Its just a comfort to know we are not alone in this battle and there is always someone out there who understands and doesn't pass judgment.

I need advice on the activated charcoal. I can find sites all over the place that recommend it along with Nystatin. But, I'm having a hard time finding HOW to administer it. Have you given it? Do you know how much to give? How often? Caleb is almost 4 now. Almost 40lbs.

You can rid you body of most fluorides with some easy natural remedies. Fluorides have been linked to a variety of severe chronic, even acute health issues. First a quick review summary of fluoride. Fluoride Toxicity Fluoride is a soluble salt, not a heavy metal. There are two basic types of fluoride. Calcium fluoride appears naturally in underground water sources and even seawater. Enough of it can cause skeletal or dental fluorosis, which weakens bone and dental matter. But it is not nearly as toxic, nor does it negatively affect so many other health issues as sodium fluoride, which is added to many water supplies. Sodium Fluoride is a synthetic waste product of the nuclear, aluminum, and phosphate fertilizer industries. This fluoride has an amazing capacity to combine and increase the potency of other toxic materials. The sodium fluoride obtained from industrial waste and added to water supplies is also already contaminated with lead, aluminum, and cadmium. It damages the liver and kidneys, weakens the immune system, possibly leading to cancer, creates symptoms that mimic fibromyalgia, and performs as a Trojan Horse to carry aluminum across the blood brain barrier. The latter is recognized as a source of the notorious "dumbing down" with lower IQ's and Alzheimer's effects of fluoride. Another not commonly known organ victim of fluorosis is the pineal gland, located in the middle of the brain. The pineal gland can become calcified from fluorides, inhibiting it's function as a melatonin producer. Melatonin is needed for sound, deep sleep, and the lack of it also contributes to thyroid problems that affect the entire endocrine system. The pineal gland is also considered the physical link to the upper chakras or third eye for spiritual and intuitive openings. Various permutations of Sodium Fluoride are also in many insecticides for homes and pesticides for crops. Sometimes it is even added to baby foods and bottled waters. If you live in a water fluoridated area, purchase commercially grown fruits, especially grapes, and vegetables that are chemically sprayed and grown areas irrigated by fluoridated water, you are getting a triple whammy! Better skip that fluoridated toothpaste! Avoiding Fluoride Contamination As always, the first step in detoxifying is to curb taking in toxins. Purifying water by reverse osmosis or distillation in fluoridated water communities is a good start to slowing down your fluoride contamination. Distillation comes with a bit of controversy, as all the minerals are removed. A great mineral supplement such as Fulvic Acid (not folic acid) or unsulfured blackstrap molasses is recommended if you distill your water. Avoiding sprayed, commercially grown foods while consuming organic or locally grown foods is another big step. Watch out for processed foods such as instant tea, grape juice products, and soy milk for babies. They all contain high concentrations of sodium fluoride. So do many pharmaceutical "medicines". By minimizing your sodium fluoride intake, your body can begin eliminating the fluorides in your system slowly. Magnesium is a very important mineral that many are lacking. Besides being so important in the metabolism and synthesis of nutrients within your cells, it also inhibits the absorption of fluoride into your cells! Along with magnesium, calcium seems to help attract the fluorides away from your bones and teeth, allowing your body to eliminate those toxins. So during any detox efforts with fluoride, it is essential that you include a healthy supplemental dose of absorbable calcium/magnesium as part of the protocol. So Now Let's Speed Up the Fluoride Detox This author received a comment stating that an earlier article's source reference to sunlight for decalcifying the pineal gland was inaccurate. He said that darkness, not light, is needed to stimulate the pineal gland into melatonin production, which should lead to breaking up the calcification of that gland. Besides being logical, further source research indicates the critic is correct! Day time exercise, a healthful diet, not over eating, and meditation all contribute to higher melatonin production from the pineal gland. Though very helpful to many for getting a full night's deep sleep, it appears inconclusive whether melatonin supplements will help decalcify the pineal gland. But it does seem logical that it might. Iodine supplementation has been clinically demonstrated to increase the urine irrigation of sodium fluoride from the body as calcium fluoride. The calcium is robbed from your body, so make sure you are taking effective calcium and magnesium supplements. Lecithin is recommended as an adjunct to using iodine for excreting fluorides. Iodine is another nutrient lacking in most diets and causing hypothyroid symptoms of lethargy or metabolic imbalances. Eating lots of seafood for iodine has it's constantly rising mercury hazards. Seaweed foods and iodine supplements that combine iodine and potassium iodide are highly recommended over sea food by most. Tamarind, originally indigenous to Africa but migrated into India and southeast Asia, has been used medicinally in Ayurvedic Medicine. The pulp, bark, and leaves from the tree can be converted to teas and strong tinctures, which have also shown the ability to eliminate fluorides through the urine. Liver Cleanses are considered effective for eliminating fluorides and other toxins. There are two types of liver cleansing, both of which can be performed easily at home over a week or two of time. One of the protocols focuses on the liver itself , and the other cleanses the gall bladder, which is directly connected with liver functions. Simple instructions for both can be found on line with search engine inquiries. Boron was studied in other parts of the world with pronounced success for fluoride detoxification. Borox, which contains boron, has a history of anecdotal success for detoxifying sodium fluoride. Yes, this is the borox you can find in the laundry aisles of some supermarkets. It needs to be taken in with pure water in small quantities. As little as 1/32 of a teaspoon to 1/4 of a teaspoon in one liter of water consumed in small quantities throughout the day is what has been demonstrated as safe and effective. Around 1/8 of a teaspoon with a pinch of pure sea salt in a liter consumed in small quantities daily has been reported to have dramatic results. There is the possibility of a food grade version with sodium borate, if you can find it. Dry Saunas combined with exercise releases sodium fluoride stored in fatty tissues. It can be intense enough to cause side effects or an occasional healing crisis. So keep the pure water intake high and drink some chickweed tea to protect the kidneys while using a highly absorbable cal/mag supplement. Lecithin is another useful adjunct to this protocol for fluoride detoxification. Those Adjuncts to the Listed Remedies Vitamin C in abundance was not mentioned as a helpful adjunct. It is now. But do not use ascorbic acid as your vitamin C source for an adjunct to any of the fluoride detox methods. Do take in as much other types of vitamin C as you can tolerate, along with a couple of tablespoons of lecithin daily. Add those to your absorbable calcium and magnesium supplements with plenty of pure water, get good sleep and rest, and the detox should be relatively smooth. Chelation therapies are recommended primarily for heavy metal removals. Though fluorides are salts, the synthetic waste product variety, sodium fluoride, comes with a cargo of toxic heavy metals. And these pernicious salts have a way of combining more heavy metals. So including any one of several chelation therapies may be beneficial for overall health improvements while applying your chosen fluoride remedy or remedies. Those include bentonite clay internally or externally, fulvic acid (NOT folic acid), cilantro pesto with chlorella, and even DMSA or any other chellation therapy with which you are familiar. Sources: Boron Testing http://www.liquidzeoliteplus.com/fl... List of foods with fluoride contamination http://poisonfluoride.com/pfpc/html... Website that offers a bibliography of other sources http://www.slweb.org/ftrc.html suana remedy http://www.tldp.com/issue/202/Notes... http://www.encognitive.com/node/3083 Earth Clinic Folk Remedies http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/fl... Great comprehensive overview of fluoride http://www.tuberose.com/Fluoride.html About the author Paul Fassa has managed to survive the normal American diet and his youthful folly by studying health matters informally with his wife over several years. He's graduated from eating processed foods and popping vitamin pills to becoming a vegetarian who goes organic, super foods, and herbs as much as possible. He also practices Chi-Lel Chi Gong, and he is trained as a polarity therapy practitioner. He feels fortunate to have been exposed to the right things after years of health ignorance enforced by the "Medical Mafia", and is motivated to share those right things to others, despite the attempts to keep us from exercising our health decisions

A Hard Weekend More on My Son (Part 30) July 13. 2009 Keep in mind my son is very vocal and capable of expressing himself most of the time. And his diagnosis is mild to moderate autism. This past weekend was interesting. In an effort to help prepare him for 1st grade we have gotten a little tougher with the enforcement of time out for certain behavior. We started using timeout for the following behaviors: open defiance, hitting, not listening after x attempts or time period. To explain the last a little more if after getting his attention and ask him 3 times and then give him up to say 5 minutes to perform whatever action we asked him to (ie: help pick up toys). Well timeout is challenge. As he spends it yelling at the op of his lungs. During timeout he refuses to sit in the (time out) chair and instead insists on sitting on the floor. In the "picking your battles" mindset I am not as concerned over whether he sits in the actual chair or just remain in the close vicinity. I believe the goal of time out is to prevent them from doing something they want to to do for x amount of time. We are using a defined set of time right now, but instead we try to get him to calm down and talk to us about why he is in trouble in a normal voice (which he is more than capable of doing). Even if we start with an unrelated conversation, maybe talking about a toy or movie he likes, etc... then coming back to the reason he is in tomeout. Over the weekend he was in timeout 3-4 times for a total of maybe 25 - 30 minutes. But while in timeout he was yelling at the top of his lungs, kicking on the floor (tantrum type behaviors), and lastly banging his head on the floor. At this point we really try to calm him down using any means short of giving in and letting him directly out of time out. After about 5 minutes give or take of this behavior, we can get him calmed down to where he will sit in our laps, give us hugs and say sorry. It is at this point we of course hold him close and work on getting him to to say what he is sorry for, and work with him on getting him to understand and say why he was in timeout to begin with. We do not want him getting to think he can just say "sorry" and get out of trouble. I know it was hard on me to do this type of discipline, but I understand and it breaks my heart it has to be infinitely harder for him. I do not believe what we are trying to do is unreasonable since he is high functioning, but get scared when he screams so hard I can watch his face go from normal color to beat red, and the veins and muscles in his neck to strain during the scream. 50% of the time it did not get to this stage. We did not physically restrain him and hold him in place, we would pick him up and place him back in his time-out area but never hold him down so he cannot move at all. We are thinking if we continue this and do not see results in a week or so we will look for an alternate for of discipline. I know at least half the time when it was over we would both leave the timeout area with some tears. Still as hard as it is, I feel like I am doing right by and for him.

So, tonight I went out to do a jewelry show and when I called to let my husband know I was on my way home he said he had to go because the boys were in the tub and he was trying to clean up a mess. Hmmm... When he came out of the bathroom he found my 1 1/2 yr old in a huge puddle of liquid handsoap that surely big brother must have gotten and given him. So Dad took off his diaper to put him in the tub, only to learn the diaper was poopy. Then grabbed the 3 yr old, removed the pullup only to discover more poop. Got them in the tub, started cleaning the mess, realized he hadn't wiped them down before sticking them in the tub. Oops! Drain water, wipe them off, new bath....Power goes out when he goes to put very soapy clothes and cleanup towels in. Power comes back on just as he gets back from laundry room. Clothes had to be washed 3 times on extra rinse.Top it off, he had added some paper towels into the laundry mix! Well, when Mommy got home, she just couldn't figure out how Josh got to the bottle of soap. Mommy: Did you give the bottle of soap to Noah? Josh: No. Mommy: [thinking he's lying] Did you...? J:No. M: JOSH, did you give...? J: No. [It's unusual for him to be that persistent about lying.] M:[try different approach] Who made the mess? J: I MADE THE MESS! M: Why? J: I was cleaning the messy floor. And that, friends, sums it up!

Over the last couple of days Charlie is quiet a happy little fellow, I say little, when he standing in front of me on his tip toes, his head is nearly at my shoulders, and he's only five. He's not been attacking us lately, not many tantrums and he's starting to eat meals at home again. He did go through a phase of just wanting cereal for his dinner. He does get a dinner at school, which he sometimes eats (can't blame him I bet school dinners are as bad now as they were when I was his age). Again this reminds me that he goes through phases a lot, not sleeping was a phase (he's still going through this a little), not eating dinners. Hopefully watching Bananas in Pyjamas over and over is also a phase, and so is his sisters watching Hanna Montana.

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My eldest son, Andrew, who is 11 years old, has HFA and was diagnosed when he was six. In the past five years my husband and I have done loads of research, like most parents. Altered our diets, like most families, and have given our son every opportunity to thrive, that we can in our remote, rural area. And have, time and again, tried to get all the grandparent's on board with what we are doing, but, time and again, have had resistance. Maybe it is because they do not live close to us and do not see Andrew every day, but they do see him enough to know he has HFA. My parents finally figured it out and started to read up on autism more after they had Andrew, our other son Aidan, and I for two weeks, three years ago. I was able to show my Parents, at the expense of my son's health, unfortunately (but only for 2 days) that a G/F, C/F diet is necessary. Plus, the importance of allowing Andrew some down time, and teaching the folks how to do the Me Protocol was essential for them. Last summer they had the boys, with out me or my husband, for a long weekend and this summer for a week. My Mom has already told me what recipes she is going to try out before they come. :) The bad part, is my Mother-in-law, who is still convinced that Andrew's tantrums, which don't happen that often, are a result of bad parenting. She refuses to admit that Andrew has Autism and refuses to alter any of his diet when we visit. So, I've brought foods and ingredients to make Andrew a healthier meal, which she sees as me "spoiling" him. One side note is that Andrew does not have any food sensitivities and will eat pretty much any food combo, including veggies of all kinds. So, her saying I'm "spoiling" him I find ridiculous. We feel that we are teaching him what he needs to know in order to better help him when he's an adult. We've been teaching Andrew how to read food labels, and he helps us in the kitchen when we are preparing meals (usually dinner). I want both my kids to be able to find for themselves in the kitchen when they are adults. About the tantrums, Mother-in-law outwardly blames me for Andrew's outbursts. Again, I'm "spoiling" him. But when I explain to her what may be triggering the behavior, usually when he is overstimulated, and what we do during those occasions, she refuses to listen. The boiling point with her is when she wanted to take Andrew for a week. My husband and I agreed and packed some foods that he should be eating, which she agreed to make. She signed Andrew up for a day camp with children he doesn't know and she was shocked that he would come home crying and having a tantrum. I explained that he is probably overwhelmed by all the new people and social dynamic of the group, which he cannot decipher well, and that he feels safe at her home to let loose with some pent up frustration. She refused to listen to my husband and I and let's just say it was an awful week for everyone. And boy, did I get an earful from her, but my husband was spared. Anyway, I'm venting here, because I feel "safe". I do love my Mother-in-law, but she needs to educate herself and stop blaming us for Andrew HFA. She needs to embrace Andrew for who he is, a sweet boy with a passion for music and laughter.

Over the last couple of weeks, Charlie has been a very frustrated and angry little man. I think the main cause of this is heat, and him not being able to sleep properly in the heatware we are having in the UK. In order to vent his anger he's getting very keen on scratching (not like a DJ, more like a cat). So his poor sister and mum have been scratched a lot. I will admit that I am getting frustrated with his attacking us every time he doesn't get what he wants, I know its not his fault and its his way of expressing his anger, but when he has his sister screaming from being scratched its not nice. Hopefully he will get out of the phase, he goes through phases of behaviour and now with the weather being cooler he should get back to sleeping properly, he actually slept for 12 hours last night. Wish I did.

Sydney will play the same song, video (or more accurately, portion thereof) over and over and over again. She never gets tired of it. That's one easy explanation for the fascination with youtube (so much easier to dictate the point at which you begin viewing than other media types), also the cards with sound she keeps grabbing every time we pop into the store for anything. It drives me nuts but I get it. I used to do the same thing, only with full songs. Actually, I think I still do that on occassion when I love a song and I want to know all of the words, all the melodies, the minor details that make it what it is... And Sydney sure does come away knowing the songs well. I used to drive people nuts with that too. :)

Thanks to an extremely understanding employer I'm working from home this week in order to be with Sydney over the period of time between the end of the regular school year and the beginning of summer school. As you can imagine, it hasn't been without it's challenges. We took some time yesterday to go and visit a friend I haven't seen in about a year. It was a little stressful for Sydney because she's afraid of dogs (something I've known for about a year but can't figure out because up until a couple of years ago we've always had dogs at our house). It took a short stay in the kitchen for little Nino and a little coaxing for Sydney but eventually we got in the door and they both adjusted (somewhat). Sydney surprised me by saying "seven" when we got situated at my friends house, which I took to be a request to pay a visit to my aunt who lives on the seventh floor. She spent some time there last summer and, apparently, enjoyed herself. A visit to my aunt, however, was not on my agenda. It was on Sydney's though, which she later expressed while we attempted to walk to the store by taking off on me, running back into the building, gaining access through the main entry behind someone else and entering the elevator on her own. The man that had let her in must have thought I was insane the way I was banging on the glass and commanding him to let me in before the elevator door closed. I pressed the button right in the knick of time but wow... Scary. We haven't had big scares like that in a long time. I was still shaking with adrenaline when I bumped into my best friend from elementary and high school with her daughter who is just about a year older than Sydney. I feel bad that I wasn't able to really engage with her, it was pretty awkward... I nervously babbled something about the whole incident to her but she didn't really get it. That doesn't REALLY bother me but it made me feel a little sad because she and I had always expected that our daughters would be close like we were. Our lives have led us in different directions though. I admit it has me feeling a little left out and a little sad that maybe Sydney does too. I don't think I'd mind so much if I had some friends who did understand... Anyway, on a lighter note, I managed to get Sydney's hair braided over just a couple of days, even though it's typically a week long project. I owe it all to YouTube and Sydney's one-to-one aide who taught her how to use a computer this year. I was so impressed with how she could type in "once" and find "Once Upon a Dream" and then click on the related videos of her choosing. I'm so proud of her and I know she's excited about her ability to be independent in the activity. I should also add that she adjusted to using a laptop as apposed to the single-click Apple mouse that she uses at school. Impressive!

This blog keeps our out-of-state friends (sort of) up-to-date on my boys and their antics. Pictures and video, etc.

This is my personal blog about "A little bit of this and a little bit of that".