Autoimmunity and the Worm
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An immunologist, Dr Joel Weinstock provoked mixed reactions from the scientific community when he suggested that in line with Strachan’s hygiene theory[1] and Rook’s ‘old friend’s theory,[2] that the removal from the western world of helminths, had provided the opportunity for inflammatory diseases of the bowel and elsewhere to increase in frequency.[3] 20 years on from Strachan’s first proposals and Weinstock’s hypothesis have been examined in human trials and found to be effective, and the human microbiome project has uncovered other interesting relationship’s.[4]
The Potential Role of Probiotics in the Management of Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are defined by impairments in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and repetitive and stereotyped behaviours. In addition to these core deficits, previous reports indicate that the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms ranges widely in individuals with ASD, from 9 to 91% in different study population.[1]
The role of probiotics in the management and treatment of these alterations has been explored in a recent free access paper, published in Gastroenterology Research and Practice Oct 2011.[2]
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Current Opinion from IOM on Autism and Vaccination
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Some parents and families of children with autism believe that the Measles/Mumps/ Rubella (MMR) vaccine caused their children’s autism. These parents report that their children were “normal” until they received the MMR vaccine. Then, after getting the vaccine, their children started showing symptoms of autism. Because the symptoms of autism (an increasingly common neurodevelopmental problem) begin to occur around the same time as the child’s MMR vaccination, parents and families see the vaccine as the cause of the autism. However, just because the events happen around the same time does not mean that one caused the other. Although children receive many other vaccines in addition to the MMR vaccine, these other vaccines have not been identified as possible causes of autism.
Oral Glutathione Equivalent to IV Therapy!
Michael Ash BSc DO ND F.DipION and Marty Jones PharmD review the changing face of glutathione and explore the acetylated form as an alternative to IV glutathione therapy.
Reduced glutathione also known as glutathione or GSH is found in all living systems.[1] Lowered tissue GSH levels have been observed in several disease conditions.[2] The restoration of cell GSH levels in a number of these conditions have proven to be beneficial. Thus, strategies to boost cell glutathione level are of marked therapeutic significance.
GSH is the smallest of the intracellular thiols (a compound that contains the functional group composed of a sulphur-hydrogen bond (-SH) hence its unpleasant smell when mercaptans are released) and its high donating electron capacity combined with dense intracellular concentration provides significant oxidative reducing capacity.[3]
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Neonatal Jaundice Linked to Autism
Many parents and clinicians are looking for clues often of a wild and speculative format to explain why their child may have developed autism, for whilst there appear to be a number of genes involved in autism, the genetic cause has yet to be convincingly supported, suggesting that there remains an environmental factor that influences an epigentic change that allows for relevant genes to be expressed.
A paper published in the journal Pediatrics[1] suggests a possible relationship between a clinically recognised early life condition and the development of ASD suggesting that this sensitive window – if exposed to the described neurological insult can act as an epigenetic activator with long term consequences. In addition to the local neurological interaction, this study also pulled a large amount of data from Danish birth records and found two risk mitigators:
If the mother was primiparous (a woman who has given birth only once) and the birth dates were in between April and September – the risk of autism declined dramatically.
So what did they find: The researchers uncovered a complex interplay between endogenous liver function, frequency of pregnancy and time of conception/birth.
This paper looked at Jaundiced newborns (caused by hyperbilirubinemia – increased levels of bilirubin in the blood) and found they had a remarkably close to 90% higher likelihood of subsequently having any psychological developmental disorder compared with comparable neonates without jaundice (HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.58 to 2.21, P=0.001)
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Autism Conference
The Autism File, an International Magazine dedicated to bringing the latest ideas and strategies about autism to parents, clinicians and carers is holding its annual conference
On: Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th September 2010
At: Tingle Creek Conference Suite, Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher, Surrey KT10 9AJ
To download a booking form please click here: Autism Conference Booking Form
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DHA & Vit D in Pregnancy, A Key Role for Both
The Safe Foundation for a Healthy Pregnancy
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The omega-3 DHA is an “essential” fatty acid that the body cannot produce and must be consumed through diet or supplementation. The baby must acquire its DHA from its mother, and she must obtain it by increasing the omega-3s in her daily diet or from daily supplementation.[1] International recommendations suggest that pregnant and nursing women consume 300-600mg of DHA every day to ensure that mothers remain healthy during and after pregnancy, and that their babies have every opportunity for healthy development.[2]
Dissolve Biofilms With Fibrinolytic Enzymes: Autism Support
A Novel Approach to Chronic Infection in Autism Spectrum Disorders
An Interview with Peta Cohen, M.S., R.D., founder of Total Life Center in Northern New Jersey. Cohen specializes in treating children with autism using a biomedical / nutritional model. Cohen received her Masters in Clinical Nutrition from New York University and has been a Defeat Autism Now! practitioner for the past ten years.
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A Novel Approach to Treating Depression – How Probiotics Can Shift Mood by Modulating Cytokines
Michael E. Ash, BSc.(Hons) DO. ND. F.Dip ION has written an overview from a clinical perspective of the emerging science related to the mucosal immune system and the health of the brain in relation to affect. Published by the in house journal from Allergy Research Group it provides a strategic approach to managing individuals using a novel probiotic strategy.
From our early days in utero until we die, the ability of the GI tract to renew and replenish itself and maintain a stable relationship with trillions of bacteria is astounding. On a typical day the innate immune system of our gastrointestinal tract will process more immunological information than the rest of our body in its entire lifetime. It’s an absolute immunological miracle we can consume antigenic particles of food and not drop down dead every time we do so.
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Autism Rates Climb to 1% of USA Population?
Questions concerning the frequency of individuals being diagnosed as on the autistic spectrum have been frequently raised over the last few years. Instinctively one can consider there seems to be more individuals, especially in school age that require assistance. If you are aged 40 or more and can still remember primary school, you would most likely be hard pressed to think of more than 2-3 children in your school experience that appeared to require special support of some sort.
