National AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH

In 1990, 6 of every 10,000 children born in California were diagnosed with autism by the age of 5. By 2001, that had risen to 42 in 10,000.

By Evie Breedlove-Mangapora, ARNP & Deborah J. Post, ARNP

Today the Center For Disease Control (CDC) indicates that the incidence of children in the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) could be as high as one in 45 boys and one in 50 girls.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name for a group of developmental disorders. They include a wide range, “a spectrum,” of symptoms, skills, and levels of disability. People with ASD often have these characteristics: Ongoing social problems that include difficulty communicating and interacting with others.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) suggests this massive increase could be due to changes in diagnosis. On its autism webpage, the CDC states that they suspect some of the increase “is due to greater awareness and better identification” among some of the children.”

This seems to be grasping at straws, and fortunately a recent study put the debate to rest. The researchers found that doctors’ diagnoses explained less than half of the 6-700% increase in diagnosed autism.

But that is just an average—the numbers of children with autism were greater for Hispanics (110%) and black children (91%).    The study, published by the CDC, also found that autism is much more common among boys than girls. Interestingly, the number of children with ASDs varied widely in different communities.

What’s really going on here?  How anyone can look at a 78 percent increase of any health problem in a mere five years without snapping to attention. How can one in 50 American children have some form of autistic spectrum disorder?

While many are focusing their efforts on nailing down one culprit or another—vaccines being the perfect example—that most likely is focusing too narrowly.  Most likely, what we’re seeing is the culmination of what amounts to a perfect storm…of toxins, diet, allergens, stress, and nutrition and genetics.

Research is now clearly showing that environmental factors play a primary role in this epidemic of autism. But which environmental factors are to blame?

While vaccines have been at the forefront of people’s suspicions, there’s a great deal of evidence suggesting there are multiple factors at play. We can’t write vaccines off as being harmless because the fact that toxic overload appears to be at the core of the problem, and most vaccines do indeed contribute to a child’s overall toxic load. So while it’s probably unreasonable to blame vaccines alone for the rapid rise in autism, it is just as unreasonable to ignore the impact vaccine have. Continuing to assume that every child will react the same way to the multiple vaccines they get, at multiple times, at multiple visits starting on the day they are born would be extremely short sighted.

The majority of autism cases do appear to result from the “expression,” of a number of different genes, along with multiple environmental factors that interact to produce the symptoms of autism. But science is increasingly showing us just how alterable our genes are—they continuously respond to the environment you put your body into. There is a lot of evidence that toxins of different sorts can wreak havoc with brain function. More recent findings have proved that our gut profoundly influences our brain health, and we have a picture of toxic overload.  Combined this with inadequate nutrition and we have that perfect storm.

According to a study 2008 by the EWG, blood samples from infants, just prior to birth, contained an average of 287 toxins, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides, and chemicals from non stick products.
• Of the 287 chemicals EWG detected in umbilical cord
blood, it’s known that:
• 180 cause cancer in humans or animals;
• 217 are toxic to your brain and nervous system;
• 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in
animal tests

Clearly, when babies are born loaded with toxic chemicals, it’s a sign that toxic exposure is too high.

Autism is a complex condition with many contributing factors. It requires a multi-faceted approach to prevent it. We must approach this problem by working with women before pregnancy.

• Reduce your and your child’s toxic burden: This includes avoiding as many dangerous chemicals as possible. Eating whole organic foods, cut out processed foods, genetically engineered foods, and artificial sweeteners.

• Choose carefully the personal care products you use, as well as your household cleaning products and home building materials and furnishings. Go to www.ewg.org to look for healthy options.

• Establish as toxin-free environment for your whole family as possible, and then establish a detoxification program if you are choosing to become pregnant.

• Lower the EMF burden in your home, especially in your bedrooms.

• Carefully review the vaccination issue, including the conventional vaccination schedule that starts on the day of birth without knowing if the child is healthy enough to start.

• Avoid pasteurized milk products; it’s an absolute imperative to the treatment of autism. This includes all milk products, such as ice cream, yogurt and whey. Dairy is full of toxins.

• Elimination of sugar/fructose, juice, soda, French fries and wheat is also highly recommended.

• Get proper sun exposure, vitamin D deficiency in conjunction with damaged gut flora may be two of the most significant contributing factors to autism. Optimizing your vitamin D levels and your gut flora during pregnancy appears to be the most important prevention strategies discovered to date.

Working with a functional practitioner before pregnancy to help develop a detoxification program will help you reduce the toxics a child will be exposed to.  Education to help you reduce risks to you and your children is crucial to change these alarming statistics.

Attend one of our life changing presentations:
THURSDAY,  April 13th, 2017 at 6:30.
THE AUTISM EPIDEMIC
With Deborah J Post, ARNP
The Center For Disease Control says one out of 50 children will fall into the Autism Spectrum. What is causing this epidemic, what causes Autism? We will look at the multiple causal factors that potentially contribute to this devastating diagnosis and what can we do
to prevent it.

Wellbridges Health Center – 9200 Bonita Beach Rd Suite 213 Bonita Springs, FL
RSVP. 239-231-8354  or 239-481-5600

WEDNESDAY,  April 19th, 2017 at 6:30.
“Hormones and Your Health”
to learn how Thyroid Imbalance can result from hormone imbalance
so you can get your life back!
With Evie Breedlove. ARNP
Learn how hormone imbalance could be robbing your zest for life. Learn the secret to feeling like yourself again. Wake up refreshed, clear the brain fog, trim the belly fat and get your SEXY back.

Wellbridges Health Center – 9200 Bonita Beach Rd Suite 213 Bonita Springs, FL
RSVP. 239-777-4647

THURSDAY,  April 27th, 2017 at 6:30.
THYROID DEMYSTIFIED
With Deborah J Post, ARNP
The words many have heard, but don’t believe “Your thyroid lab work is within normal limits”. Yet the symptoms of hypothyroid persist and no one listens. Come learn why you may be right, and how to understand your thyroid and what labs tell the real story.

Wellbridges Health Center – 9200 Bonita Beach Rd Suite 213 Bonita Springs, FL
RSVP. 239-231-8354  or 239-481-5600