Naturally Recovering Autism with Karen Thomas

The Benefits of Collagen Protein To Help Transition Your Picky Eater [Episode 117]

Leaky gut, or increased intestinal permeability, occurs when holes are created in the lining of the intestines. The lining can become damaged from food allergies, viral infections, inflammation, candida pathogenic overgrowth, hormone issues, non-steroidal drugs, and stress. Glyphosate is the harmful herbicide that is sprayed on our food crops, especially wheat, and it also destroys the gut lining.

When leaky gut is present, undigested food particles enter the bloodstream and are seen as foreign agents for the immune system to attack. Once these inflammation markers are made the body now has an ‘acquired’ allergy to that food. Please listen to my podcast episode #89, Autism and Leaky Gut Syndrome.

How Collagen Can Help?

Collagen makes up a third of the protein in our bodies and forms our connective tissues. It also supports joint health, skin, ligaments and tendons, blood vessels, organs, bones, and muscles.

There are at least 28 different types of collagen protein and they all consist of chains of amino acid sequences. Glycine, the most abundant amino acid in collagen, is found in 30 percent of collagen fibers. It is known for its ability to repair the tight junctions of the intestinal lining. 

What Causes Collagen Deficiency?

Collagen deficiency can happen when there is nutrient malabsorption.  This is very common in children with autism because they often have leaky gut. This further weakens the overall health of the gut lining, causes muscle loss, joint pain, bone loss, issues with teeth, and more inflammation.

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How An Ill Gut Affects Autism Behaviors and What You Can Do To Help [Episode 115]

Studies prove there is a direct connection between the gut microbiome and the brain. Many symptoms of autism can be caused by an ill gut and a leaky gut that can also allow toxins to leak into the brain.  Environmental toxins such heavy metals and glyphosate, contained in the weed killer, Round-Up, contribute to this. The gut must also be healthy to produce enough neurotransmitters to allow the brain to function properly and support mood stability, appetite, sleep, and the ability to focus and concentrate.

Specific organisms in the microbiome contribute to autism spectrum disorders and the behaviors associated with them. Probiotics with spore forming bacteria have been shown in studies to reduce and even remove these symptoms. In this podcast episode we discuss this in depth with world-renowned microbiome specialist and researcher, Kiran Krishnan. Listen and learn the many causes of an ill gut and what you can do to help improve it for your child and your entire family!

Why Spores?

The product, Just Thrive, contains four of the most important strains for autistic children. These strains are known as endospores. spores read the microbial environment and kill off the pathogenic bacteria while producing compounds to improve the growth of the right bacteria. These are the good ones that promote a healthy gut. They are able to survive and withstand the heat and acid levels of the stomach. They improve the condition in the gut, so “the garden can grow.” This cultivates the right environment for the body to return to its natural state.

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http://naturallyrecoveringautism.com/115

Top Biological Causes of the Symptoms of Autism [Episode 114]

Parents are constantly asking me, Karen, what does this symptom mean? If my child’s got this going on, what does that mean? What does that mean? And it’s usually connected to something biological going on. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’ve talked about how the gut controls the brain, how much the gut microbiome and the biology of the gut has to do with how other things in the body are functioning, especially the brain. So I just wanted to go over some of the symptoms you might be noticing in your child with autism and why they might be happening to give you a greater idea of what the background is on that symptom...

A lot of those things. Gluten and casein can cause a lot of inflammation in the gut. We can even pass down candida in utero. We can give it to our children or they’re born with it. Then they’re weaker and more susceptible. Then we start feeding them solid foods. After they’ve been weaned off of breast milk or hopefully breastfed instead of bottle, but whatever you’ve been giving them, then we start usually adding in a process carbohydrate of some kind. And this ends up feeding this candida so the problem gets even worse. Then if you get a vaccination and I’m going to link to this really good study, I found on how vaccinations can impact the gut and the microbiome...

Please share it with anybody, you know, who would be interested. Thank you again so much for being here and being a proactive parent, and getting the resources you need. I look forward to seeing you next week with that next episode where I will be doing that expert interview. Until then take care and have a great week.

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https://naturallyrecoveringautism.com/114

 

Home Schooling Pods As A Safe and Happy Alternative [Episode 113]

During the covid-19 pandemic many schools have been closed for safety reasons. Often parents feel that their child being taught in a Zoom meeting is not enough of an education but also don’t want their child to be exposed to any unsafe environments. Additionally, schools may require that a child undergo certain requirements that their parent does not agree with. It may a teaching style or system, or a school mandated vaccination that a parent feels is unsafe for their child. For many reasons, a parent may find it necessary to look for alternative educational options.

Home schooling pods offer a better solution for many parents, especially those who choose to home school but have to work a few days of the week. Parents can trade off on days to teach and assist another parent on the days they have to go to an outside workplace....

How To Find Or Create A Home School Pod

Facebook has a growing number of groups. Go to Facebook and in the search bar type the name of your town, along with the keywords, “home school pod”, or ‘micro school”. If you live in a very small town and nothing appears, then type in the name of the nearest larger town near you. It may require a drive for some depending on where you live but you could also become the facilitator of developing a pod in your own town along with others interested. It’s not hard to create your own. Check out all of your options and go with the one that works best for you. The San Francisco-based Facebook group Pandemic Pods and Microschools, for instance, now has more than 9,500 members...

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https://naturallyrecoveringautism.com/113

Stem Cell Therapy For Autism-A Mom's Story [Episodes 112]

How does stem cell therapy work?

Stem cell therapy has been utilized by parents of children with autism for its ability to modulate the immune response by slowing or stopping pathological immune responses, and having the ability to be antigen specific. It also assists with the defect in T cell numbers associated with autism.

The lymphatic system are organs of the immune system with circulatory vessels and lymph nodes that transport bacteria fighting white blood cells to sites of infection in the body. Bone marrow of certain bones such as the pelvic bone, produce specialized cells that circulate throughout the immune system.

There are two major types of lymphocytes, B cells that attach to foreign substances to mark them as targets for destruction by other cells, and T cells that can attack and destroy cells. T cells have the additional advantage of coordinating overall immune response.

Is stem cell therapy safe?

Stem cell therapy transports the bone marrow from healthy individuals to those in need of immune regulation. This can be safe, if done correctly. This is important to note that not all stem cell therapy is done properly or ethically, and the bone marrow of unhealthy individuals has been used in many countries without proper regulation. There are unethical clinics doing this and charging extreme amounts of money to unknowing patients.

It is essential to be aware of foreign doctors from stem cell clinics holding numerous free seminars to recruit patients for their centers all over the United States. Is that legal? What precautions should parents take to not get roped in by dubious claims?

In my radio show #69, with Dr. Joy Kong, specialist in stem cell therapy, we  discuss these issues and how to know where you can go to find quality stem cell therapy from reputable and knowledgeable doctors.

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http://naturallyrecoveringautism.com/112

Moms Sharing Autism Recovery Success Stories From the Naturally Recovering Autism Membership [Episode 111]

FACT: One in 36 children are being diagnosed with autism today

Did you know that parents worldwide are bringing their kids to optimum levels of recovery?

We are helping our children go from screaming tantrums, unable to speak, distracted, experiencing learning and social challenges to being calm, talking, being able to concentrate, learning in-classrooms, and developing meaningful friendships.

They really can be happy and healthy.

Please listen to these inspiring stories from the moms themselves who made success happen for their own children on the autism recovery journey by following the steps outlined in the Naturally Recovering Autism Membership.

Meet Shannon. All she wanted was to hear her son say, “mom,” and one day he did. Listen now.

Meet Karen. Her son is 27 years old and was non-verbal, but within 2 months in the Naturally Recovering Autism Membership program, her son is reading books with her! Listen now.

I f you’ve ever felt like your child is capable of more, then listen to Sakina’s story. 

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http://naturallyrecoveringautism.com/111

What Does Autism Recovery Really Mean? [Episode 110]

Hi there and welcome to naturally recovering autism. I am your host, Karen Thomas. And I want to thank you so much for being here today and being a proactive parent and getting the resources that you need to help your child reach their optimum level of recovery. And we know that the definition of recovery is to regain health and every child’s level of recovery is different for my own son. He was, I was once told to drug him and try behavioral therapies, and there was nothing else we could do for him. But I fortunately have a background in craniosacral therapy where I’ve studied the brain now for 30 years. And I knew the brain can and does heal. It has now been 15 years this month, since my son was diagnosed with autism and it took me a decade of that time to figure it out. But my own research proved that autism can be recovered from my son is no longer diagnosable.

I’ll share these grateful things with you on this coming in Saturday, if you’re listening to this live, I am teaching the first autism recovery master class of 2021. We are going to start this year out, right? It is a free three hour live event, and we will do that Q and A, because I know you have questions and I know how important it is to get your support and get your questions answered and how hard that can be on this journey. I have lived it. I know exactly how it is and I want to help you. So this, uh, this Saturday, January 9th, if you’re listening to this live, please, register now at, NaturallyRecoveringAutism.com/masterclass. And, uh, please share it with anybody, you know, who would be interested in learning how they can improve the quality of life for their child, because autism is a lot to do with biological.

So that’s what I do in my natural recovering autism membership (hint: in case you’re interested, the doors will open to registration during the masterclass). So that parents have the actual guided help that they need because I know again, how hard this can be and how overwhelming. So my goal is to share this with everyone possible and to get this out there. Even my own daughter had stomach and digestive issues, and she would become kind of wild sometimes and couldn’t calm herself down.

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https://naturallyrecoveringautism.com/110

Why It Can Be Dangerous To Boost the Immune System With Autism [Episode 109]

Children with autism have immune system disorders. Similar to autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, or inflammatory bowel disease there is abnormally low activity or over activity of the immune system. In cases of immune system overactivity, the body attacks and damages its own tissues (autoimmune diseases).

As a response to a trigger, the immune system may begin producing antibodies that attack its own body’s tissues, instead of fighting the infection. Taking such immune boosting herbal formulas such as echinacea can boost the immune system for those in need of it, but for many with autoimmune issues this herb can over stimulate the immune system causing further immune deficiency reducing the natural ability to fight foreign invaders in the body and creating further vulnerability to infections.

Immune Modulation and the Gut

Treatment for autoimmune diseases generally focuses on reducing immune system activity. All too often parents unknowingly create further immune system issues in children with autism. It is important to work with the causes which can naturally be immune regulating. Pharmaceutical drugs are often given for these issues but a much more effective way of balancing the causes come from diet, detoxification, reducing inflammation, and improving the health of the GI system.

The Good News

Epigenetics is the science of genes being altered by environmental factors. It is noted in one study, Genetic and epigenetic influences on the loss of tolerance in autoimmunity, that “Both genetic predisposition and epigenetic modifications are implicated in the loss of tolerance and autoimmunity”.

What To Do

Supporting the liver during detoxification with toxin binders helps to remove toxic waste that can back up if the liver is not strong enough to excrete them on its own. Children with autism are often born with a congested liver. Healing the gut is also crucial to modulating the immune system and for optimum results in autism recovery. The gut controls up to eighty per cent of the immune system. A weak GI tract will cause a lack of nutrient absorption and a weak and dysregulated immune system.

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Why Both Phase I and Phase II of Liver Detoxification Are Necessary [Episode 108]

There are two different phases in liver detoxification. They are known and referred to as Phase I and Phase II. Stopping short at phase I, will not allow the backed up toxins to get flushed out properly and children with autism have a very congested liver.

Phase I burns toxins with oxygen and enzymes. Phase I breaks down the raw materials. After this takes place the extremely toxic compound benzene is formed. In order to detoxify benzene, and complete the full detoxification process, the Phase II enzymes are needed. Phase II can become disrupted if there is a poor diet, especially one containing too many bad fats such as corn, safflower, sunflower, peanut, canola or soybean oils, a deficiency in the body’s master antioxidant glutathione, toxins such as medications and pesticides, and heavy metals which are particularly damaging to liver enzymes. High fructose corn syrup and sugars create an imbalance in blood sugar which can also be harmful to the liver. It is important to keep your blood sugar under control.

Sulfation

Proteins contain sulfites which turn to sulfates in the body. We need sulfates to assist detoxification, reduce inflammation, and help make stomach acid and digestive enzymes. A lack of ability to properly digest proteins causes the body to become low in sulfates. This combined with a weakened liver make it difficult for the body to properly digest and eliminate many chemicals, including those in foods. Genetically modified foods are known to effect sulfur metabolism.

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Liver Support During Detoxification For Children With Autism [Episode 107]

The liver is our organ of detoxification. Children with autism have congested livers and are often even born with them that way. Their detoxification pathways also do not work well and the body becomes burdened by excess toxins the liver cannot process out fast enough on its own. When this happens, such as during the candida diet, and further detoxification, the liver will need additional support to excrete the release of toxins.

It is more than likely that your child’s liver is congested. It is the first organ to support in the recovery process. The liver has many diverse functions. It is our main organ of detoxification, it builds and supplies nutrients, enzymes, and hormones to cells, and directly affects growth and functioning of all cells in the body. If the liver cannot supply these nutrients to the cells, the cells cannot perform the activities necessary to keep your body healthy. If the liver is congested, it cannot effectively remove toxins from the body. The liver, among its many duties, also produces hormones, amino acids, and protein. The body can become deprived of these important compounds if the is liver congested. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They also build neurotransmitters needed by the brain for its proper functioning.

What Exacerbates Liver Congestion

Imbalanced gut flora, environmental toxins, and poor diet all contribute to liver congestion from the formation of gallstones. High acid foods and beverages begin to thicken the blood. This includes excessive intake of protein rich foods including animal fats. Gallstones block the blood flow through the liver, the bile duct, and the gallbladder. Without proper functioning of the liver’s processes disease will form.

Nutrient Deficiency and Symptoms

A poor working liver and gallbladder will lead to nutrient deficiencies. When the supply of bile, pancreatic lipase (fat enzymes), and pancreatic fat are too low, due to a congested liver and gallbladder, the body cannot absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, or the all-important essential fatty acids. These vitamins cannot be properly digested or absorbed from food or supplements. The digestive tract does not have the enzymes it needs and the nutrients necessary for proper digestion are not absorbed from food. The fat soluble vitamins and good fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil are crucial for a number of organ functions including brain protection, healthy vision, viral and bacterial combat, and protection of the intestinal lining. we discuss fat digestion and solutions in podcast episode #106.

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http://naturallyrecoveringautism.com/107