Environmental Toxins and Autism
IT’S TIME TO ‘LIVE GREEN’ & TEACH OUR PRECIOUS KIDS TO DO THE SAME!
A guest post by Candia Lea Cole, author of Eco-Intelligent Remedies for Autism Spectrum that Think Outside the Box and creator of Tabletop TUTORS.™. Her post discusses the impact toxin exposure has on our health and introduces a fun and unique way to educate children, and adults, about healthy eco-conscious living with strategies for minimizing environmental toxins.
In today’s world, nearly every newly conceived baby is at risk of being born Autistic or developing neurological conditions later on in its life, because of its exposure to environmental toxins. In addition to being intoxicated by chemicals in the womb before they are born, (over 287 chemicals have been found in the umbilical cord blood of babies in utero), babies in the first year of life are vulnerable to toxic assaults on their brains, because the blood-brain barrier is not yet mature enough to keep noxious intruders out. The reality is: Toxins affect how our brain and body cells function and how our genes are expressed. After they are born, our children are at constant risk of being exposed to toxins in the air they breathe, the water they drink, the industrially produced foods they eat, the personal care products they use, the furniture they sit on, the cleaning agents they are exposed to at home and at school, the mattresses they sleep on, the clothes they wear (including the laundry soap that is used to clean them.) And that’s just a short list of where toxins come from!
When is enough, enough? I often ask myself.
As someone who has suffered my entire life with the symptoms of environmental illness, and has used my suffering to become a passionate eco-lifestyle educator (aka Eco-Mentor), I know firsthand, the adverse impact that toxins can have on human health. Unfortunately, I’m not alone. Nearly 40 percent of the population is missing the ability to detoxify toxic chemicals (due to the MTHFR gene defect), and kids on the Autism spectrum represent many of them!
So, how do we stop the madness?
How do we, as parents, help ourselves to be whole and balanced, so we can take care of our kids without feeling totally stressed out?
How do we find the time and energy to research the wellness strategies we will use with them?
How do we teach them why and how to live well in a toxic world that is compromising not only their health, but the health of an entire generation?
There’s so much to know, so much to learn, and quite frankly, the task of being a researcher and caregiver can sometimes get totally overwhelming! As the mother of an adult son (age 34) who developed obsessive compulsive disorder at age seven (which is now recognized by the National Center for Biotechnology as a subset of Autism), I’ve had my work as a parent-educator cut-out for me, for many years!
How my son developed OCD is something that I developed a strong suspicion about, when, a short time after he suffered a ruptured gangrene appendix, his symptoms developed as if out of the blue. The National Institute of Mental Health confirmed my suspicion. They launched a study several years ago now, to see whether or not infectious bacteria could be linked to the development of OCD in children, and they discovered that strep bacteria (which is the underlying cause of many illnesses), creates proteins in the body cells that the immune system identifies as "foreign invaders." The immune system creates antibodies against them that are able to cross the blood-brain barrier. Then, the antibodies strike the delicate brain tissues and brain structure, which leads to brain inflammation. (It’s the inflammation that is said to activate the symptoms of OCD.)
While I have no doubt that bacteria played a role in creating the symptoms of OCD in my son’s brain, I also have very little doubt that a vaccine he was exposed to, played a supporting role. While I did NOT vaccinate my son after he was born, I did unknowingly expose him to a vaccine-like substance known as Rhogam, during the last few months of my pregnancy. Rhogam was a necessity, my doctor told me, if I wanted to prevent my body from forming Rh antibodies against my son’s blood type, which he said, could have led him to be born with hemolytic disease. (This is a form of anemia, which, in some instances, leads to the need for a blood transfusion, but it’s rare, I’ve since learned, for first-born babies to be affected by it.) The problem with Rhogam, like the problem with most other vaccines, was that it was manufactured with neurotoxic substances such as mercury, lead, and aluminum.
When my son was a little boy, it was easy to make choices for him that I knew could help his body and brain to function healthier, such as feeding him a whole foods diet and practicing preventative health care. As he grew a bit older, I saw the need to start engaging him in my thought process about why I was asking him to eat a certain way, and why I wanted him to avoid everyday toxins. (This was not always an easy task when you factor in peer pressure, and what not!) But, he grew to trust me, and I’m thankful for that!
These days, I continue to frequently engage my son in dialogue about the value and necessity of living a cleaner, greener way of life. And, I find that, the older he gets, the more there is for me to teach, and the more there is for him to learn. Quite honestly, I feel that it would be a disservice to him, to not provide him with the ongoing education that I know he needs, to create a lifestyle that will help him to meet his authentic needs as a whole, --physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
As I have suggested to my son on several occasions, there is an entire generation of people whose health has been compromised by environmental toxins, and if we don’t clean up our act now, the next generation will be even worse off.
Because of my health challenges, my son’s challenges, and because of the health challenges that many other parents have told me they are having with their own kids and families, I was inspired a couple of year ago to create two educational products.
One of the products I created is a book titled ‘Eco-Intelligent Remedies for Autism Spectrum that Think Outside the Box.’ It is a hands-on Resource Guide that is packed with non-toxic, eco-conscious remedies that serve to nourish the body, mind, heart and soul of those on the Autism Spectrum. And it features the “best of the best” Autism educators, doctors, and healers that I know of.
CLICK HERE to get the book in instant download format.
The other product I developed, is an educational product for parents and families called Tabletop TUTORS.™ Tabletop TUTORS™ represent a collection of 100-plus colorful text-rich info graphics that make it easy and fun to learn about healthy, eco-conscious living. There are 18 category topics to choose from covering all different areas of healthy living. The posters can be used as hands-on teaching aids, dining table placemats (they’re great conversation starters!), refrigerator memos (which are never far from sight …) and more!
If you are a parent who seeks knowledge about why and how to create a cleaner, greener lifestyle, but you don’t have many hours in a day to read lengthy books, the posters offer to be a stellar alternative! I love these posters, and I believe that you will, too! When we are informed as parents, we have a way to BE healthy, and model good health to our precious children!
CLICK HERE to get the posters in instant download format.
Here's a Sample of the Topics Covered in My Tabletop TUTORS™ Collection!
Eco -intelligent lifestyles (simple abundance, non-toxic news, cell phone dangers)
Autism awareness (diet, lifestyle, spiritual purpose)
Healing candida and leaky gut
Allergy-free recipes (Soy, dairy, and wheat free)
Non GMO farming and organic farming
Seed saving and composting
Bee preservation and permaculture
Eco-friendly cookware and eco-friendly kitchen
Cooking with soul, and creating therapeutic color meals
Vegetarian and paleo diet awareness
Chinese 5 Element Nutrition Therapy
Male & female hormone health
Why to hydrate for health, why to eat salt
Gut bacteria and weight loss secrets
Wholesome fats vs. toxic fats
Eco-friendly sweeteners vs. toxic sweeteners
Food and mood-exploring the connection
Whole foods recipes from Candia's Kitchen (dairy and wheat-free)
Non-toxic beauty and personal care
Eco-friendly laundry and clothing choices
Natural, healthy healing options