Why “Healthy” Foods Can Be Harmful

Article At a Glance:

Diet fundamentally changes our biology and affects energy levels, risk of disease, and brain function.
Naturally, diet plays a large part in influencing the bodies of children with autism. It can either guide them to healing or further gut dysfunction and inflammation.
Even foods that are otherwise “healthy” can be laced with pesticides and toxins that wreak havoc on our children’s already immunocompromised systems.

I’ve written before about how my son was diagnosed with autism shortly before his 3rd birthday. The doctor told me there wasn’t anything we could do to help him. As his father, I knew there had to be a better way than simply resigning myself to unending temper tantrums and disruptive behaviors.

After years of research, I understood that my son’s behavioral problems were a symptom of something deeper. The key to healing was to ease inflammation and address his gut dysfunction. I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge so that other families can have similar transformations as my son has experienced. Upon talking to many of these families, I’ve come across two significant myths about children with autism:

Myth 1: What I Feed My Child Doesn’t Affect Them

The mainstream medical community has not yet caught up to the science and real-world experience we now understand about managing autism. Hence, it’s understandable why some families might think this way at first. However, consider how much food influences us:

Diet affects our energy levels, susceptibility to infection, the likelihood of contracting cancer or heart disease, our athletic performance, etc. Food allergies can cause severe, deadly reactions if not managed or avoided. Alcohol significantly affects our liver and brain function. So why wouldn’t food affect the susceptible bodies of children with autism? It doesn’t make any sense.

If there is one thing I want you to take away from reading this post, it’s that food affects your child more than you can imagine.

Myth 2: “Healthy” Foods Can’t Be Harmful

Once we understand that foods can affect our children and can be either the catalyst to healing or further dysfunction, some mistakenly believe that “healthy” food can’t be harmful.

The truth is that you can be feeding your kids foods that are generally healthy in quality but laced with harmful toxins and pesticides that wreak havoc on their gut.

Some studies estimate that 75% of processed foods contain genetically modified ingredients and pesticides. The main ingredient in Round-Up (the most commonly used pesticide) kills the good bacteria that the gut needs to thrive. This leads to inflammation and can intensify the symptoms of autism.

Unfortunately, toxins are not just in foods. Still, they are lurking everywhere: infant formula, household cleaning products, laundry detergents, tap water, etc. Although it may seem daunting to completely overhaul your lifestyle and the products you buy to eliminate these toxins, I encourage you to start today by removing some of these pesticides. Opt for organic produce, grass-fed beef, cage-free eggs, etc. Choosing fresh foods without pesticides can pay huge dividends to your child’s health and behavior.

*This website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by a healthcare professional.

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