Nutritious, balanced diet can make a world of difference for kids on the spectrum in their ability to learn, how they process information and how they manage emotions. Especially when there is an allergy, a food intolerance disturbing your body and mind. Lack of key minerals or vitamin deficiencies can lead to a different kind of body dysfunctions. Avoiding harmful ingredients and adding the beneficial ones to our diet can dramatically improve concentration and judgment, and decrease impulsiveness.

When I started to read and get familiar with all the possibilities the right nutrition may change, about how certain food can play a destructive or healing role in the life of an individual with different neuro-developmental disorders, I couldn’t believe. Until I tried and saw with my own eyes.

It’s not only about the elimination of allergy triggers or food you do not tolerate. It’s about the gold balance between whole minerals and vitamins, fats and blood sugar. There are ingredients you should unequivocally avoid. On the other hand, there are some foods essential for right brain development and the ability to focus and learning skills.

The first move I did was to empty completely our pantry. It was tonnes of food, a variety of ingredients, can food and spices that landed in the trash bean.

Fortunately, we’ve never had a habit of buying highly processed food. I always cook from the scratches so from that point of view the upcoming revolution didn’t impress me much. I was already cooking every day so it wasn’t a big deal. The big deal was the hour s spend in the grocery to read all the freaking labels more than once to be sure to buy the right stuff. Don’t go bananas after one journey to the mall. It will get better with time!

First of all, there are ingredients that you have to avoid as hell:

1. Sugar – it is very important to avoid any source of this for many reasons. The main one is that the sugar is one of the most pro-inflammatory ingredients you could imagine. Moreover, it’s linked with insulin resistance and weight gain if not controlled and balanced correctly.

2. Dairy – casein is an ingredient that takes part in the production of opioid responsible for brain fog, the sensation of sleepiness etc. For us, it was the first unconscious “bad food” elimination as my son has a milk protein allergy. We banished dairy products in the very first weeks of his life. It was fundamental also to fight a very bad neurodermatitis outburst always caused by animal milk protein hypersensitivity.

3. Gluten – that ingredient was the one of most villain enemy on our pantry. It’s almost everywhere, almost so annoyingly present in anything as milk. Gluten is responsible for increasing body/brain inflammation when ingested.

4. Corn – better skip than eat. It’s always a grain. And confirmed as a breeding ground for numerous different fungi. Nothing special, nothing beneficial, growing on various pesticides-especially US corn.

5. Chemistry – everything that is artificial, so preservatives, pesticides, ‘natural aroma’, taste reinforcers, artificial sweeteners, flavoring, and dyes.

 

Secondly, enrich the diet with beneficial ingredients:

1. Vitamin C, B6 and magnesium significantly improved symptoms in kids on the spectrum. So go for bananas as they contain high levels of vitamin c and B6. They are also a rich source of potassium good for our brain efficiency.

2. Vitamin A (retinol) essential for vision, found that often kids with autism are lacking in. It is also vital for building healthy cells in the gut and brain.

3. Omega3 – Cod-liver oil and fatty, wild-caught fish do for you. Salmon is a very good choice.

4. Vitamin E and good fats – avocado and nuts.

5. Probiotics – help to restore the balance of gut bacteria.

6. Natural nutrition – the best source of pure and genuine vitamin, fats, and minerals.

 

And remember -GO ORGANIC ON EVERYTHING. Costs more but there is no doubt it will be worthwhile.