This week in Autism 8/3/13

From time to time, we see some really significant news in the autism world.  This week was one of those times!  For more autism news, all the time, see my Autism Page on Pinterest, where I pin important Autism artcles the moment I find them.

Courts Quietly confirm MMR causes autism - Austin. After decades of passionate debate, parents probably missed the repeated admissions by drug companies and governments alike that vaccines do in fact cause autism. For concerned parents seeking the truth, it’s worth remembering that the exact same people who own the world’s drug companies also own America’s news outlets. Finding propaganda-free information has been difficult, until now.   READ MORE

Asperger's and Autism: Brain Differences Found - Children with Asperger's syndrome show patterns of brain connectivity distinct from those of children with autism, according to a new study. The findings suggest the two conditions, which are now in one category in the new psychiatry diagnostic manual, may be biologically different. READ MORE

And the really BIG news - we may soon have an objective way to diagnose autism, and maybe even a way to detect it early on...

Chemical Changes in Brain Identify Autism - Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have brain chemical changes between the ages of 3 and 10 that distinguish them from children with other forms of developmental delay, researchers reported. 

In particular, concentrations of N-acetylaspartate, which plays important roles in several brain functions, rises over time to near-normal levels in ASD children, according to Stephen Dager, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues.

In contrast, the compound remains at a low concentration in children with non-autism developmental delays, Dager and colleagues reported online in JAMA Psychiatry.   The pattern of changes of several other brain chemicals also differed between the groups, and between both groups and children with typical development, in a study that combined longitudinal and cross-sectional features, the investigators reported.   READ MORE   PUBMED REF

Making your own Adrenal Support Herbal

As most of you know, I have fought my way back from adrenal fatigue, and now I help other people to do the same.  Adrenal support supplements of various kinds are very useful tools in this process.  Many of them use herbs that support the adrenals, such as ashwagandha, siberian ginseng, schisandra and rhodiola.

I decided recently to try my hand at making my own herbal extract for adrenal support.  This allows me to get to know these herbs better, save some money on supplements, and, my favorite part, to feel more in touch with my own healing.  I consulted with an Expert Herbalist who is a friend of mine in designing this remedy.

STEP ONE: Get some herbs
I chose the following for my herbal.  Mainly, I chose herbs I have taken before, not too many, and fairly small amounts to make one jar of extract, as this was kind of an experiment for me.  Where I live, I can buy raw herbs like these. Your other option would be to order them online.

I bought the following:

• ASHWAGANDHA 1 1/4 ounce
• SIBERIAN GINSENG 1 ounce
• SCHISANDRA BERRIES 1 ounce
• ASTRAGALUS 1 ounce
• MILK THISTLE 1 ounce

I had planned on also buying 3/4 ounce of Rhodiola, but the store was out, so my mixture does not have any Rhodiola in it.  Just a caution, some people really feel great taking Rhodiola and others don't, so make sure you have taken something containing Rhodiola with success if you plan to put it in your mixture.

STEP TWO: Get some alcohol
My herbalist friend told me that brandy and vodka are great types of alcohol to use to extract herbs.  She thinks brandy works particularly well, and I had some in the cupboard for cooking, so that's what I used.  So basically, get yourself some brandy or vodka, it doesn't have to be particularly good quality to work well for this purpose, just whatever you can get.

STEP THREE: Sterilize a Glass Jar
You always want to extract herbs in glass, not other type of container.  Grab yourself a glass jar with a good lid, and get it very clean - put it through the dishwasher, or boil it.

STEP FOUR:  Measure out the Herbs.  Then measure out the alcohol - 1 to 2 times as much as the herbs by volume.
The strength of herbal extractions is measured in parts herb to parts alcohol, and it's not by weight, it's by VOLUME.  Put your dry herbs all together in a glass measuring cup and see how much volume they have.  Now pour that same volume of vodka or brandy into another glass measuring cup.  That's how much you would need for a 1:1 extract.   The more herbs compared to the amount of alcohol, the stronger the extract.  You will see lots of 1:1 or 2:1 extracts on the market.  1:1 is pretty strong.  2:1 means twice as much alcohol as herbs.  I added about one and a half times as much alcohol as the herbs, to make a 3:2 extract - get it, 3 parts alcohol, to 2 parts herbs, right?  Mostly, I did that because that's how much my jar would hold.

FIVE: Put your herbs in the jar.  Add the alcohol.  Get it all wet.  Shake it up.
Put the herbs in first.  Stir them to mix them up together.  Pour in the alcohol.  Take a clean stainless steel spoon and stir it around to get all the herbs wet.  It will take a few minutes.  Wet down any little pockets of dry herbs remaining.  Put the lid on tight.  Label it carefully with exactly what's in it and the date.  Shake it up for around 10 minutes, at least 200 times, all around, upside down, until it looks super wet and saturated.

SIX: Put it in a dark cupboard for TWO WEEKS.  Shake it every few days.
Keep it in a dark place.  Your extract will take a full fourteen days to be ready.  You will want to give it about 50 shakes every 2-3 days.  It doesn't need as thorough a shaking as you just did, just slosh it around, up and down, upside down, and put it back.

SEVEN: Strain it sweeten it, and USE it!
After two weeks, you can strain all or part of your extract.  It is ready to use.  I strained about 1/3 of mine, and left the rest to soak longer.  It's fine to do that.  My herbalist friend says you can leave it to soak for as long as you want.  Strain it through a coffee filter lining a strainer, into a glass container.  It will take awhile.  After that, you can cook it to reduce it down, or just sweeten it and use it as is. 

Add something to sweeten it to taste.  You can make up little "shots" to experiment with various sweeteners, such as agave, vegetable glycerine or palm sugar, date sugar, coconut sugar, stevia, maple syrup, etc.  Many herbalists will use a mixture of sweeteners to make it palatable.  I added a touch of molasses and some honey.  It tastes ok to take a dropper or two at a time, which is how much I take.

Put it in a sterile glass bottle with a dropper - I boiled an empty one I had from another herb.  Make sure to label and date your new bottle so you know what's in it.  Alcohol extracts stay viable for quite a long time, at least 3 years.  They do not need refrigeration.

At a professional herb company, they would typically strain the extract at least twice, to get it clear, flavor it, and bottle it into glass bottles that have been boiled. 


Note that there's a lot to the herbmaking craft that is not included here.  It's important to extract each herb in the way that is well-suited to it, and to carefully construct your blends.  This is just an example of a good beginners blend that might be really useful to you.


Happy herbmaking!

What you need to know about Jenny McCarthy, autism and the Press

Many of you know that I have long personal experience with autism in my family and my business.  Here's my reaction to the press "kerfuffle" about Jenny McCarthy joining The View.  Btw, I don't agree with everything Jenny says, but I do think she has been courageous in shining a light on the issue of autism and vaccines.

Despite the fact that the press has decided it’s out of fashion right now to think that vaccines are related to autism:

• My son developed autism not long after his vaccines, and was later confirmed to have mercury toxicity.  He got a lot better when we got mercury out of his body.
• As president of a vitamin company for kids with autism, I talked to literally hundreds of other moms who had the same experience.
• There are many (70) scientific studies that do support the link between autism and vaccines, contrary to the consensus in the popular press, which is fad-driven and doesn’t know or care much about science.  There is a HUGE investment in the medical status quo to not allowing people to know this.
• There is no healthy amount of mercury to put into a human body.
• Autism is now 1 in 50 children.  We are losing our next generation to it.
• The public seems to be asleep to this fact.  Some of us wonder, what will it take to wake people up?
• Jenny is not alone, and we (the thousands of moms and dads who have seen the connection between autism and vaccines with our own eyes) have her back.
• The more press attention this issue gets, the more the truth will come out.  We say, bring it on!

Sleep Hygiene

What is sleep hygiene?

Sleep hygiene is a variety of different practices that are necessary to have normal, quality nighttime sleep and full daytime alertness.

What are some examples of good sleep hygiene?

The most important sleep hygiene measure is to maintain a regular sleep and wake pattern seven days a week. It is also important to spend an appropriate amount of time in bed, not too little, or too excessive. This may vary by individual. Research tells us that it is best to spend between 7 and 9 hours a day sleeping.

In addition, good sleep hygiene practices include:

• Avoid napping during the day; it can disturb the normal pattern of sleep and wakefulness.
• Avoid stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol too close to bedtime. While alcohol is well known to speed the onset of sleep, it disrupts sleep in the second half of the night as the body begins to metabolize the alcohol, causing poorer quality sleep.
• Exercise can promote good sleep. Vigorous exercise should be taken in the morning or late afternoon. A relaxing exercise, like yoga, can be done before bed to help initiate a restful night's sleep.
• Food can be disruptive right before sleep; stay away from eating close to bedtime.  And, remember, chocolate has caffeine.
• Ensure adequate exposure to natural light. This is particularly important for older people who may not venture outside as frequently as children and adults. Light exposure helps maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
• Establish a regular relaxing bedtime routine. Try to avoid emotionally upsetting conversations and activities before trying to go to sleep. Don't dwell on, or bring your problems to bed.
• Limit screen time later in the evening.  Try to “wind down” and do relaxing activities not associated with TV or computers.
• Make sure that the sleep environment is pleasant and relaxing. The bed should be comfortable, the room should not be too hot or cold, or too bright.  You spend a third of your life in your bed... make sure you feel good there!
• Minimize sources of EMF’s in your bedroom, especially near your head.  Use a battery alarm clock.  Don’t sleep with your head near your cell phone, laptop, TV, etc.

  

Why is it important to practice good sleep hygiene?

Sleep is important for everyone, from childhood through adulthood. A good sleep routine promotes healthy sleep, daytime alertness, and has many health benefits, from supporting hormones such as melatonin and cortisol, to allowing your body a chance to recharge and replenish minerals and heal itself.  Good sleep hygiene practices can help prevent the development of sleep problems and mood disorders.

How does someone know if his or her sleep hygiene is poor?

Sleep disturbances and daytime sleepiness are the most telling signs of poor sleep hygiene. If one is experiencing a sleep problem, he or she should evaluate their sleep routine. It may take some time for the changes to have a positive effect.

How do I know the best sleep hygiene routine for me?

If you're taking too long to fall asleep, or awakening during the night, you should consider revising your bedtime habits. Most important for everyone is to maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule throughout the week and consider how much time you spend in bed, which could be too much or too little.

If I still can't sleep well, what should I do?
If you have worked on your sleep hygeine, and continue to have problems getting good sleep, give us a call.  We can discuss other underlying reasons your body may not be able to sleep, such as hormone and adrenal imbalances, and suggest some Functional Diagnostic Nutrition treatment for you.

Are there any danger signs to watch for, with regard to my sleep?
If you snore loudly, and feel sleepy or tired during the day, you should get screened for Sleep Apnea.  Sleep Apnea is a serious medical condition in which your body does not get enough oxygen during the night.  It is associated with elevated odds of heart problems and other serious health issues, up to and including death.  It should not be ignored.

Consult with Dr. Nancy Mullan

Consult with Dr. Nancy Mullan 3/7/13 phone

Some folks up on Facebook asked me to post these notes.  They will mean nothing to you unless you are a methylation genetics geek.  If so, enjoy!

To do:

-         Look at CYP1B1.  This points to detoxification of phytoestrogens.  Nancy’s suspicion is that R_M’s issue has to do with this. [figured out that R_M has +/+ for CYP1B1 R48G, other 2 are -/-   EMAIL Dr. Mullan about this result]

-         Read article “GI balance and neurotransmitter formation” on Dr. Mullan’s blog “ChronicDiseaseTalk.com”

-         Read up on Dr. Amy’s forum.  Dr. Mullan says the approach has changed a lot, is “much simpler now”, doesn’t start with the long way on MTHFR (B12/folate) anymore.

-         Go to DirectLabs, price the first 4 tests.  Ask Brie about running them too.

-         Look up prices for all the Yasko products Dr. Mullan mentioned.

Advice:

-         Stay away from dairy – numerous problems, including estrogens

-         Figure out if there’s an issue with phytoestrogens – this is Dr. Nancy’s suspicion, because of her age and timing coincidence with menarche.

-         Take cal-d-glucarate to detox estrogen

They do several tests when they check the gut – (Genova and GI Effects?) look for aerobic and anaerobic, h.pylori – they spend a lot of energy trying to figure out if there is h.pylori present – apparently very hard to find, hides in deep crypts, etc.

CBS mutation – look for high taurine to see if this is causing issues

Dr. Amy now does 9 tests.  Starts with first 4, all run on the same day:

1. Hair analysis
2. Urine toxic elements
3. Urine essential elements
4. Urine amino acids
5. Genetics
6. Tests for only 4 neurotransmitters: norepinephrine, tryptophan, serotonin, epinephrine

Fundamental changes to Yasko approach:

-         They don’t treat the “long” leg of methylation first anymore – they start with the BH4 route now. 

-         They use SAM-E instead of Methyl B12 these days but not sure she would give R_M this, at least not to start.

-         They don’t use Yucca for CBS anymore – used to think high ammonia was due to CBS, figured out it wasn’t.

General order of treatment:

1. Gut
2. Minerals
3. RNA
4. Phos-serine, choline, ethanol
5. DHA neuromins

Order of specific supplementation:

1. CBS RNA – To control “down the drain” effect of CBS (she says there is no other way)
2. “BHMT MTHFR Support” – I think this is a product – Did she mean MTHFR RNA?  R_M does not have any BHMT snips.
3. A1298C Support formula – This is a product
4. Digestive enzymes (optional)
5. Gut support (probiotics, pathogen killing etc. I assume)
6. Vita Organ -  A product
7. Leaky Gut RNA – A product
8. Minerals - Zinc/lithium/mag – can get a serum lithium, sounds like they give this a lot, plus an ionic trace mineral supp.
9. Phosphatidylserine, then phosphatidylcholine than phos-e______
10. DHA Neuromins

CBS RNA $85.00

http://www.holisticheal.com/cbs.html

MTHFR RNA? $85

http://www.holisticheal.com/mthfr-3.html

A1298 Liver Support $54.95

http://www.holisticheal.com/mthfr-a1298c-liver-support-bh4-function-2.html

Vita Organ $74.95

http://www.holisticheal.com/vita-organ-sample.html

Leaky Gut RNA $85

http://www.holisticheal.com/leaky-gut.html

The GMO Menace

I hate to be all doom and gloom, but this GMO thing is getting way too real:

1. The evidence is piling up fast that Glyphosphate really does present as big a risk to health as we had feared (or bigger).  

 AND

 2. Monsanto is doubling down, rapidly increasing the numbers and percentages of dangerous crops that are landing in our grocery stores.  

Here's some wonderful, dense science about the glyphosphate threat.  In the video below, researcher Jeffrey Smith interviews Dr. Stephanie Seneff about the dangers of glyphosphate.  They really get into it - connections to autism, cancer, the gut biome, it's all there.  Dr. Seneff is absolutely brilliant and concerned about the future of our planet.  She's so clear, and honest - a breath of fresh air!

I consider it my duty to KNOW about this and to TALK about it, to protect my health, and that of my family, my friends and my clients.  I think it's going to take all of us who are concerned about making our bodies healthy for future generations and the future of the Earth to fix this dangerous situation.  

Also, please remember that we are not powerless in the face of giant Monsanto.  No matter what the government, or big business or your neighbor does...

HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS: You still have the power to choose what goes in your shopping cart, and what goes in your mouth!  Nobody can take that from you. 

Check out my article on How to Avoid GMO Foods for more details.  Hidden bonus:  Some of the same measures you can take to avoid GMO's will help keep your body healthier over all, for the long haul!



RESOURCES

Glyphosate Found to Fuel Cancer Cell Growth, Pose Carcinogenic Threat

How the Farm Bill could undermine the future of GMO labeling by individual states 

Organic farmers go to war with Monsanto in court and lose - but this fight is not over!

Genetically-modified eggplant found to be unsafe for human consumption, environment 

Sleep... How much do you Really Need?

Sleep is a great big health issue that many people are – unconscious – of.  You can have great eating habits, exercise regularly and be free from emotional stress, but if you aren't sleeping well, it is virtually impossible to be really healthy.

How much sleep do you need for optimal health?

In this valuable interview with Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Rubin Naiman, an integrative doctor who specializes in sleep and dreams – discusses this question.

Like everything else, the exact answer for each person depends on a large number of highly individual factors. The general consensus seems to be that most people need somewhere between six and eight hours of sleep each night.

There's compelling research indicating that sleeping less than six hours may increase your insulin resistance and risk of diabetes. And recent studies show that less than five hours of sleep at night can double your risk of being diagnosed with angina, coronary heart disease, heart attack or stroke. Interestingly enough, the same appears to be true when you sleep more than nine hours per night.

Dr. Naiman's recommendation is to simply sleep

    "enough hours so that your energy is sustained through the day without artificial stimulation, with the exception of a daytime nap."

I would add to that guideline, however, the suggestion to watch out for physical or biological symptoms.

For example, when I push myself and don't get high quality sleep or enough sleep, I'm predisposed to hypoglycemia. In other words, I have low insulin resistance so when I sleep poorly, it doesn't take much sugar or carbs for it drop my blood sugar—which also makes me really sleepy.   When I get enough sleep, I'm far less susceptible to it.

Dr. Naiman also discusses this, stating that there's solid data showing the connection between insulin resistance and sleep. When participants slept three or four hours less than normal for just a couple of days in a row, they saw a dramatic spike in insulin resistance.

Insufficient Sleep Puts Your Health at Risk

"There is really interesting data," he says. "I think the data is very strong showing that if you don't sleep enough, you're in trouble."

However, it's important to differentiate between occasional lack of sleep, and a chronic pattern. Everyone loses sleep here and there, and your body is typically resilient enough to allow for that. However, when poor sleep becomes a constant, there's no question your health may be at risk.

To Nap or Not to Nap…

According to Dr. Naiman, we're actually biologically programmed to nap during the daytime, typically in the middle of the afternoon. Some European countries still adhere to the daily siesta and close shop for a couple of hours in the middle of the day when the heat is also at its most pressing. Most employers in Western countries, however, do not accommodate daily snoozing, so when the natural tendency to get drowsy sets in, you may try to alleviate it with coffee, or simply fight the urge to take a nap.

The problem is, you're now training your body to resist the urge to sleep, which can then lead to being unable to easily fall asleep at night.

There are nuances with sleep just as there are with waking. There are so many different ways of being awake, different kinds of experiences. Light sleep is fine. Being half awake and half asleep is fine. In fact, I really believe that in any moment in time during the day and at night, it's a mixed percentage. Right now, you and I are talking; we're probably 98 percent awake. I'm just making up a number. There is a restful part of us. We might say we're 2 percent asleep. Closer to bed time it might be 50/50.

What we call being sleepy is being 'part of awake, part asleep.' In the middle of the night when we get up to use the bathroom, we might be 95 percent asleep still and 5 percent awake just to find our way there. We need to allow a mix of these different forms of consciousness."

Can You Catch Up on Lost Sleep?
This is another area fraught with confusion. Can you make up for lost sleep by sleeping longer on certain days? According to Dr. Naiman:  "First of all, you can't really bag sleep any more than you can bag oxygen. We just need to replenish it. If you're well slept, you'll be more resilient… If you've under slept and you throw in jetlag on top of that, it gets a lot worse.  In terms of making up for sleep, it is a very common pattern in our world that people short sleep during the week and then sleep in [on the weekend]. It's considered delicious. For me, it's kind of funny. It's like starving yourself during the week and then pigging out on the weekend. It's not the best way to eat, as we know.

You can make up for some lost sleep on the weekend but here is the price: it throws off your circadian rhythm.  Again, the infrastructure of our sleep is this rhythmic drum beat of day and night, of light and darkness, of sun and melatonin and so on. What most people do on the weekend is actually go to bed later and sleep in much later. You really confuse the poor brain. It's almost like shifting it to another season. It's almost like a little bit of stationary jetlag. You're yanking your circadian rhythm around. It's not something that's recommended."

Sleep Timing—Does it Matter?
A common natural health understanding is that every hour of sleep before midnight is equal to two hours after midnight. But is that true?  According to Dr. Naiman, this notion is likely more metaphoric than factual.

“[R]oughly the first third to first half of sleep is when we get most of our true deep sleep," he says. "… We spend most of the first part of the night truly sleeping, most of the latter part of the night dreaming… In Chinese medicine, they say the best time to get to sleep is roughly 9:00 or 9:30 pm… roughly a couple of hours after sunset, when there have been enough melatonin raised in our brains that will naturally put us out… [But] I've never seen really hard scientific data. I've seen a lot of anecdotal experience. And there is data that suggests that there is a window of heightened opportunity for falling asleep, which can vary depending on your personal circadian rhythm."

The most important aspect of sleep timing appears to be the consistency of going to bed at the same time every night.

More Information

Dr. Naiman also has a great website, www.DrNaiman.com, where you can read more about all things sleep related. You can also find information about his lectures, which is a wonderful way to learn more about the mystery of sleep, and the most effective solutions.


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