The GMO Experiment

If you've been reading me for a while, you might have read my rants on how aweful GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) are. Well this video documents what's wrong with our food (the fact that GMO's are in everything!!) very well. I won't write much because the video is pretty detailed about the negative effects and what you can do about getting them out of your diet.

If you like the video, please help them out by voting them as the "Top Transformational Video of 2012". Vote here by Feb 3rd (Sunday)!

NYC soda ban wrong on so many levels

I know this is a few days late...some may consider it yesterday's news... but it's worth mentioning for a few reasons.

First of all any time the government steps in to "fix" a problem they unknowingly create 10 more. They think that banning regular sodas will fix the obesity problem when it is not the government's job to fix (nor do I think it will create any positive effect what-so-ever). If people want to be obese let them. If they want to drink themselves into an early grave let them. Who are we to judge how someone else is supposed to live their life? This may sound like I don't care and am a little cruel, but I assure you that is further from the truth. I just don't believe that the government's place is to tell us what is or is not healthy for individuals or the "public" (which is just a group of individuals).

This will be the case with banning high fructose corn syrup (in regular sodas). The fact of the matter is that aspartame in diet soda's is just as bad as, if not worse than, high fructose corn syrup. No it doesn't make you fat, but according to many it is considered a neurotoxin. Which means that since regular sodas are being banned, people will be forced into drinking more neurotoxins aspartame.

HFCS may cause diabetes and obesity, but aspartame causes neurological damage and early-onset Alzheimer's. But that's just what New York needs, it seems: A wave of crabby soda-drinking senior citizens who are half blind and can't remember where their apartment building is located. (Or has that already happened?) - Natural News

Boy am I glad that I stopped drinking soda a long time ago, because either way you go- regular or diet- it is completely unhealthy. Once in a while is ok, but the way some people drink soda :/ ... it's bad.

Health Effects of Aspartame

Eye
-  blindness in one or both eyes
-  decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as: blurring, bright flashes, squiggly lines, tunnel vision, decreased night vision
-  pain in one or both eyes
-  decreased tears
-  trouble with contact lenses
-  bulging eyes 

Ear
-  tinnitus - ringing or buzzing sound
-  severe intolerance of noise
-  marked hearing impairment 

Neurologic
-  epileptic seizures
-  headaches, migraines and (some severe)
-  dizziness, unsteadiness, both
-  confusion, memory loss, both
-  severe drowsiness and sleepiness
-  paresthesia or numbness of the limbs
-  severe slurring of speech
-  severe hyperactivity and restless legs
-  atypical facial pain
-  severe tremors
-  Psychological/Psychiatric
-  severe depression
-  irritability
-  aggression
-  anxiety
-  personality changes
-  insomnia
-  phobias 

Chest
-  palpitations, tachycardia
-  shortness of breath
-  recent high blood pressure
-  Gastrointestinal
-  nausea
-  diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools
-  abdominal pain
-  pain when swallowing 

Skin and Allergies
-  itching without a rash
-  lip and mouth reactions
-  hives
-  aggravated respiratory allergies such as asthma 

Endocrine and Metabolic
-  loss of control of diabetes
-  menstrual changes
-  marked thinning or loss of hair
-  marked weight loss
-  gradual weight gain
-  aggravated low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
-  severe PMS 

Other
-  frequency of voiding and burning during urination
-  excessive thirst, fluid retention, leg swelling, and bloating
-  increased susceptibility to infection 

Additional Symptoms of Aspartame Toxicity include the most critical symptoms of all
-  death
-  irreversible brain damage
-  birth defects, including mental retardation
-  peptic ulcers
-  aspartame addiction and increased craving for sweets
-  hyperactivity in children
-  severe depression
-  aggressive behavior
-  suicidal tendencies  

Aspartame may trigger, mimic, or cause the following illnesses:
-  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
-  Epstein-Barr
-  Post-Polio Syndrome
-  Lyme Disease
-  Grave’s Disease
-  Meniere’s Disease
-  Alzheimer’s Disease
-  ALS
-  Epilepsy
-  Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
-  EMS
-  Hypothyroidism
-  Mercury sensitivity from Amalgam fillings
-  Fibromyalgia
-  Lupus
-  non-Hodgkins
-  Lymphoma

- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) 

If you think you are addicted to soda, try replacing one soda a day with water...every week replace one more soda with water until you are just drinking water. Try to watch for any positive changes in how you feel. I bet you will see a difference.

Some more good news about GMO crops

(Source)

I read a lot of information every day and most of it isn't newsworthy. But when I read something that makes my blood boil, I feel the need to pass it on to all of you so we can all make better food choices. Dr. Mercola puts out a lot of information about a range of topics related to diet and disease prevention. Some of you who have been reading my blog may be familiar with him. I received his latest article via email this morning. I'll just let the article speak for itself.

Decade-Long Feeding Study Reveals Significant Health Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods

By Dr. Mercola (Original Source)

Scientists in Norway have released results from experimental feeding studies carried out over a 10-year period, and the verdict is in: If you want to avoid obesity, then avoid eating genetically engineered (GE) corn, corn-based products, and animals that are fed a diet of GE grain.

As reported by Cornucopia.org1, the project also looked at the effects on organ changes, and researchers found significant changes that affected weight gain, eating behaviors, and immune function.

How Genetically Engineered Corn and Soy Can Wreak Havoc on Your Health

According to the featured article2:

“The results show a positive link between GE corn and obesity. Animals fed a GE corn diet got fatter quicker and retained the weight compared to animals fed a non-GE grain diet. The studies were performed on rats, mice, pigs and salmon, achieving the same results.

... Researchers found distinct changes to the intestines of animals fed GMOs compared to those fed non-GMOs. This confirms other studies done by US researchers. Significant changes occurred in the digestive systems of the test animals’ major organs including the liver, kidneys, pancreas, genitals and more.”

Their findings (which were published July 11, 2012 in Norway by Forskning.no, an online news source devoted to Norwegian and international research3) showed that animals fed genetically engineered Bt corn ate more, got fatter, and were less able to digest proteins due to alterations in the micro-structure of their intestines.

They also suffered immune system alterations. The impaired ability to digest proteins may be of particular concern as this can have far-reaching implications for your health. If your body cannot digest proteins, your body will be less able to produce amino acids, which are necessary building blocks for proper cell growth and function.

As noted by Cornucopia.org:

“This not only may relate to a rise in obesity, but to increases in many modern diseases. These diseases include diabetes, digestive disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (ADD), autoimmune diseases, sexual dysfunction, sterility, asthma, COPD and many more.

...[Lead author] Professor Krogdahl explains: “It has often been claimed that the new genes in genetically modified foods can’t do any damage because all genes are broken down beyond recognition in the gut. Our results show the contrary; that genes can be taken up across the intestinal wall, is transferred to the blood and is left in the blood, muscle and liver in large chunks so that they can be easily recognized... The biological impact of this gene transfer is unknown.”

Bt Toxin Found in Blood of Women and Fetuses

This is not the first time scientists have revealed significant biological impacts and related health problems as a result of eating a diet of genetically engineered foods. More often than not, unless the research is tainted by industry ties, studies into the effects of genetically engineered foods demonstrate that it is anything but safe. This isn’t so surprising when you consider that simple logic will tell you it’s probably not wise to consume a plant designed to produce its own pesticide, for example.

So-called “Bt corn” is equipped with a gene from the soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which produces Bt-toxin—a pesticide that breaks open the stomach of certain insects and kills them. This pesticide-producing corn entered the food supply in the late 1990's, and over the past decade, the horror stories have started piling up.

Monsanto and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) swore that the toxin would only affect insects munching on the crop. The Bt-toxin, they claimed, would be completely destroyed in the human digestive system and would not have any impact on animals and humans. The biotech companies have doggedly insisted that Bt-toxin doesn't bind or interact with the intestinal walls of mammals, and therefore humans.

The featured research proves all such claims false.

Prior findings have already shown that Bt corn is anything but innocuous to the human system. Just last year, doctors at Sherbrooke University Hospital in Quebec found Bt-toxin in the blood4 of:

93 percent of pregnant women tested

80 percent of umbilical blood in their babies, and

67 percent of non-pregnant women

Bt-toxin breaks open the stomach of insects. Could it similarly be damaging the integrity of your digestive tract? If Bt-toxins can damage the intestinal walls of newborns and young children, the passage of undigested foods and toxins into the blood from the digestive tract could be devastating to their future health. Scientists speculate that it may lead to autoimmune diseases and food allergies. Furthermore, since the blood-brain barrier is not developed in newborns, toxins may enter the brain causing serious cognitive problems. Some healthcare practitioners and scientists are convinced that this one mechanism for autism.

If Bt genes are colonizing the bacteria living in the digestive tract of North Americans, we might expect to see an increase in gastrointestinal problems, autoimmune diseases, food allergies, and childhood learning disorders since the advent of Bt crops in 1996, and that’s exactly what’s being reported. For example, between 1997 and 2002 the number of hospitalizations related to allergic reactions to food increased by a whopping 265 percent. One out of 17 children now has some form of food allergy and allergy rates are rising.

Genetically Engineered Foods Trigger Adverse Immune System Responses

There’s plenty of evidence showing that the Bt-toxin produced in genetically modified Bt crops like corn and cotton plants is toxic to humans and mammals andtriggers immune system responses. For example, in government-sponsored research in Italy5, mice fed Monsanto's Bt corn showed a wide range of immune responses, such as:

Elevated IgE and IgG antibodies, which are typically associated with allergies and infections

An increase in cytokines, which are associated with allergic and inflammatory responses. The specific cytokines (interleukins) that were found to be elevated are also higher in humans who suffer from a wide range of disorders, from arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, to MS and cancer

Elevated T cells (gamma delta), which are increased in people with asthma, and in children with food allergies, juvenile arthritis, and connective tissue diseases.

Rats fed another of Monsanto's Bt corn varieties called MON 863, also experienced an activation of their immune systems, showing higher numbers of basophils, lymphocytes, and white blood cells6. These can indicate possible allergies, infections, toxins, and various disease states including cancer. There were also signs of liver and kidney toxicity.

Find the rest of the article here.

When are scientists/Monsanto/governments going to stop playing with people's health? If there is one thing you do for yourself today, get rid of all the products in your pantry that have corn ingredients and soy ingredients in them. The only way these two are not GMO are if they are labeled organic. This is seriously dangerous stuff (in my humble opinion) that needs to be avoided at all costs. It will be an adjustment for sure since most processed foods have corn and soy ingredients in them. Actually, it's mind boggling when you start to really look at labels to see what is really in the food you are eating. But if you have allergies, food allergies, are on the autistic spectrum, are pregnant or trying to become pregnant it is imperative that you eliminate this toxic science experiment from your diet. For everyone else it's still a good idea.

No more GMO's!

Toxic Overload & Autism

Yesterday, updated statistics on the rates of Autism and Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) came out. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) claims 1 in 88 American children suffer with Autism or ASD. 

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON???????

For years people have been blaming vaccines. But I don't really think that is the only reason for the rise in Autism. Since I started learning all this great stuff about nutrition and health, I have come to believe that what we eat (especially when you are pregnant) has so much more to do with your health than any other factor. And from what I have been reading about Autism, it is caused by a combination of a toxic overload and nutrition deficiencies.

Where could these kids be getting too much toxins and not enough nutrition?


Frosted Flakes, Pop Tarts, milk, Golden Grams, Gogurt, Cheerios, Coco Puffs, Hot Pockets, Fruit Roll Ups, white bread, Honey Roasted Peanuts, Taco Bell, McDonald's, Wendy's, Subway (yes Subway), pizza, french fries, chicken fingers, Combos, potato chips, Golden Grahams, Chips Ahoy, Pop Secret Extra Butter Popcorn, Chinese food takeout, Rice Crispy Treats, soy based infant formula, whey based infant formula, Ritz Crackers, squeeze cheese, string cheese, bologna, salami, hot dogs, hamburgers, Oreos, Gatorade, chocolate milk, etc, etc.

How many vegetable are on that list? Now many fresh fruits are on that list? I would venture to say this is what most kids eat today. Some sort of cereal for breakfast with milk & orange juice, a deli meat sandwich for lunch with various processed snacks, and chicken fingers and french fries for dinner. Disgusting!

No wonder there are fat kids everywhere, and Autism is on the rise.

I just read a very interesting article by Dr. Mercola on all of this. You know when you are standing on the outside looking in and you can see everything clear as day? That is how I feel about this. Dr. Mercola's article sums up all of the aspects that "could" contribute to ASD. (Although I feel like Mercola hits the nail on the head)

The Silent Time Bomb Now Affecting 1 in 54 Boys in the US 

By Dr. Mercola (Original Source)

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has announced that 1 in 88 children in the U.S. are now diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)i. The number represents a 23 percent increase in the last two years and 78 percent in the past five years.

But that was just the average—the numbers were much greater for Hispanics (110 percent) and black children (91 percent).

The study, published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reportii , also found that ASDs are nearly five times more common among boys than girls.

Broken down, the numbers equate to 1 in 54 boys with ASDs, and 1 in 252 girls. The updated estimates are based on data collected in 14 American communities during 2008.

These communities comprised over eight percent of all American 8-year-olds that year. Interestingly, the number of children with ASDs varied widely from site to site.

The highest prevalence was found in Utah, where a staggering 1 in 47 eight-year-olds were identified with some form of ASD.

New Jersey was also far higher than the average, with 1 in 49iii . What's really going on here?

WHAT is Causing the Skyrocketing Increase in Autism Spectrum Disorders?

Personally, I don't see how anyone can look at a 78 percent increase of any health problem in a mere five years without snapping to attention. Prior to the CDC's announcement, the Canary Party, a citizens' action group on autism, rightfully predicted that the CDC would downplay the seriousness of these latest statistics.

On its new autism webpage, the CDC state they suspect some of the increase "is due to greater awareness and better identification" among some of the children.

But even taking that possibility into consideration, the statistics are truly shocking. How can one in 88 American children have some form of autistic disorder? In a normal, healthy environment, that just shouldn't happen. And the fact that it IS happening demands our immediate attention. Something is going very wrong, very fast...

While many are focusing their efforts on nailing down one culprit or another—vaccines being the perfect example—I believe taking such a narrow-minded approach can be extremely counterproductive. In my view, what we're seeing here is the culmination of what amounts to a perfect storm...

Research is now clearly showing that environmental factors play a primary role in the epidemic of autism spectrum disorders. But which environmental factors are to blame?

While vaccines have borne the brunt of people's suspicions, there's plenty of evidence suggesting there are multiple factors at play. The factor that prevents us from writing vaccines off as being harmless is the fact that toxic overload appears to be at the core of the problem, and many vaccines do indeed contribute to a child's overall toxic load. So while it's probably unreasonable to blame vaccines alone for the rapid rise in autism, it would be just as unreasonable to ignore their impact, and continue on with the one-fits-all vaccination policy as if everything is a-okay.

The majority of autism cases do appear to result from the activation or "expression," of a number of different genes, along with multiple epigenetic and environmental factors that interact to produce the traits of autism. But science is increasingly showing us just how malleable our genes are—they continuously respond to their environment, meaning, your body and everything you put into and onto it... Furthermore, there's no shortage of evidence that toxins of different sorts can wreak havoc with brain function. Add to this the more recent findings that your gut is profoundly influential for brain health, and a picture of toxic overload combined with inadequate nutrition comes into clear view.

Why We Must Insist on Invoking the Precautionary Principle

If multiple toxic exposures and poor nutrition is to blame, then trying to tease out "the" primary culprit will get us nowhere. I believe we must tackle the issue of ASD with a much wider aim, and that is to reduce ALL toxic exposure and improve nutrition. This tactic includes but is not limited to reducing the vaccine load, especially in the US where children receive the most vaccines of any country on the planet. I believe it's imperative to invoke the precautionary principle with respects to vaccines, and, at the very least, allow people to opt out if they so choose.

While vaccine advocates tend to stress the importance of so-called "herd immunity," saying the vaccine will not work unless the majority is vaccinated, there's a great price to pay by forcing everyone into a one-size-fits-all mold.

Not only are some children at greater risk for vaccine damage than others (which I'll review in a moment), but we also eliminate the ability to evaluate the health risks of vaccinations if no one is allowed to opt out. We NEED to conduct comparison studies to evaluate the health outcomes of vaccinated versus unvaccinated children, yet such studies are not done. An oft-cited reason for that is that it would be unethical to not vaccinate certain children... But this is not really a reasonable excuse today, as many parents want to opt out of one or more vaccines for their children.

Environmental Factors that May Play a Role in Autism

When looking into the possible environmental factors for autism, they are incredibly diverse. The following is just a short list of examples:

Electromagnetic fields: Work by Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt suggests there are distinct correlations between a woman's exposure to electromagnetic fields during pregnancy and her child's neurological functioning. He found that if you sleep in strong electromagnetic fields during pregnancy, your child will likely begin to exhibit neurological abnormalities within the first two years of life, such as neurological dysfunction, hyperactivity, and learning disorders.

In 2007, this theory received additional support from a study published in the Journal of the Australasian College of Nutritional & Environmental Medicineiv . It presented the theory that electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from cell phones, cell towers, Wi-Fi devices and other similar wireless technologies may work in conjunction with genetic and environmental factors, becoming an accelerating factor in autism. After more than five years of research on children with autism they found that EMR negatively affects cell membranes, allowing heavy metal toxins, which are associated with autism, to build up.

To learn more about the science of HOW electromagnetic radiation affects and harms your body, please review this previous article featuring Dr. Martin Blank.

Mercury toxicity: It is already an established fact that exposure to mercury can cause immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions -- all similar to traits defining, or associated with autism. Mercury pollution is widespread from the burning of fossil fuels, but the use of thimerosal-containing vaccines and dental amalgams—both of which contain mercury—also cannot be overlooked as major sources of individual exposure to this neurotoxin

Vaccines: A 2011 reviewv of the peer-reviewed, published studies on autism (going all the way back to 1943) revealed numerous documented cases of autism caused by encephalitis following vaccination. There are many potential vaccine-related culprits, including the use of toxic adjuvants; the presence of human DNA in vaccines; and the increasing number of vaccines given in a short period of time

Phthalates: Research from 2009 discovered that infants who lived in homes with vinyl floors were twice as likely to have autism five years later, compared to those with wood or linoleum flooring. Vinyl floors can emit chemicals called phthalates, which are widely used plastic softeners found in much more than just vinyl flooring. Hairsprays, perfumes, cosmetics, toys, shower curtains, wood finishers, lubricants, certain medical devices and more all contain phthalates. Researchers have suggested the chemicals may contribute to autism by disrupting hormones not only in small children but also in the womb

Vitamin D Deficiency: There is also a link between rampant vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women and the proportionate jump in autism, which has been highlighted by Dr. John Cannellvi . The vitamin D receptor appears in a wide variety of brain tissue early in the fetal development, and activated vitamin D receptors increase nerve growth in your brain

Neurologist Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride recently shared a common thread that may be linking these and other environmental factors together, namely brain toxicity stemming from gut toxicity, otherwise known as Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS). She cured her own son of autism using an all-natural treatment involving dietary changes and detoxification, and her hypothesis is in my view one of the most elegant.

GAPS: An Elegant Explanation of the Roots of Autism

Dr. Campbell-McBride is convinced that autistic children are born with perfectly normal brains and sensory organs, but that abnormal gut flora, passed on from their mother and father, leads to devastating gut and brain toxicity. In children with Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS), toxicity flowing from their gut throughout their bodies and into their brains, literally clogs the brain with toxicity, preventing it from performing its normal function and processing sensory information.

But what leads to such devastatingly abnormal gut flora?

Dr. Campbell discovered that a large percentage of mothers of autistic children were bottle-fed. Then, as they received many courses of antibiotics throughout their childhood, they developed increasingly worse abnormalities in their gut flora, which in turn was passed on to their children. Add to that a diet of processed foods and the use of birth control pills, and the damage to a woman's gut flora deepens even further, and each generation quickly gets worse and worse, unless active remediation is undertaken. According to Dr. Campbell-McBride:

"Many of these modern factors created a whole plethora of young ladies in our modern world who have got quite deeply abnormal gut flora by the time they are ready to have their first child."

Vaccination Policy is Oftentimes the "Straw that Breaks the Camel's Back"

Dr. Campbell-McBride's book Gut and Psychology Syndrome contains an entire chapter outlining what health care professionals need to do to improve the vaccination strategy, because the standard vaccination protocol is bound to damage GAPS babies.

She explains:

"It's a matter of the last straw breaking the camel's back. If the child is damaged enough, the vaccine can provide that last straw. But if it doesn't provide that last straw in a particular child, then it will get the child closer to the breaking point."

Fortunately, it's possible to rather inexpensively identify GAPS within the first weeks of your baby's life, which can help you make better-informed decisions about vaccinations, and about how to proceed to set your child on the path to a healthy life. The entire process for identifying children who would be at risk for developing autism from a vaccine is described in her book, but to sum it up, in her practice she starts out by collecting a complete health history of the parents, and their gut health is assessed. Then, within the first few days of life, the stool of the child can be analyzed to determine the state of her gut flora, followed by a urine test to check for metabolites, which can give you a picture of the state of your child's immune system.

These tests are available in most laboratories around the world and cost a very reasonable amount, about $80-100 per test -- peanuts compared to the incredible expense of treating an autistic child once the damage is done.

In my view it is absolutely VITAL to perform this analysis BEFORE you consider vaccinating your child. If the test results are normal the likelihood of autism after vaccines is dramatically reduced. As Dr. Campbell-McBride states, she has yet to find an autistic child with normal bowel flora. If you find that your baby has abnormal gut microflora, or begins to develop symptoms of autism a year or two later, the GAPS program should be started immediately, as the younger the child is when you start the treatment, the better the results. The child should not be given any vaccines until their microflora tests normal. For more information about the GAPS Nutritional Program, including the two types of GAPS diets, and the importance of fermented foods, please review this previous article.

Thoughts on Reversing the Trajectory of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism is a complex condition with many contributing factors and it takes a multi-faceted approach to treat it. We're now also beginning to understand it requires a multi-faceted approach to prevent it. Hopefully, more people will begin to take Dr. Campbell-McBride's information to heart and put it to practice so that more children may be spared from the get-go. But even that's not going far enough. We must tackle this problem from all angles, and that also includes:

Reduce your and your child's toxic burden: This includes avoiding as many dangerous chemicals as possible, which makes listing the do's and don'ts virtually impossible. There's just too many. As a general rule though, eating whole organic foods will go a long way, as that automatically cuts out processed foods and related chemicals, genetically engineered foods, and artificial sweeteners.

Also be careful with the personal care products you use, as well as your household cleaning products and home building materials and furnishings... Opting for "green" and/or organic alternatives will help reduce many of the toxins most people encounter on a daily basis.

Do whatever you can to establish a toxin-free environment for your whole family, and then establish a detoxification program. Please remember hidden toxins like mold and fluoride. The book, Our Toxic World: A Wake Up Call, by Dr. Doris Rapp is an excellent resource if you're unsure of how or where to start.

Lower the EMF burden in your home, especially in your bedrooms.

Carefully review the vaccination issue, including the conventional vaccination schedule, and know that in most U.S. states you still have the right to opt out of vaccines.

Avoid pasteurized milk; it's an absolute imperative to the treatment of autism. Anyone managing this illness without restricting milk is deceiving themselves. This includes all milk products, such as ice cream, yogurt and whey. Even natural flavorings in food must be avoided unless the processor can guarantee that caseinate is not included.

Complete elimination of sugar/fructose, juice, soda, French fries and wheat (pasta, bagels, cereal, pretzels, etc) is also highly recommended.

Get proper sun exposure. It is my personal belief that vitamin D deficiency in conjunction with damaged gut flora may be two of the most significant contributing factors to autism. Optimizing your vitamin D levels and your gut flora during pregnancy appears to be the most important prevention strategies discovered to date.

AUTISM & ADD/ADHD: There may be an explanation after all

For years we all have been hearing about the rising rates of Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. I have always heard, and believed, that the reasoning behind the rising rates was because of better screenings and statistical reporting. However, a few weeks ago I came across some info about the connection between manganese toxicity/poisoning and developmental/behavioral disorders. For those of you who are unaware,

"Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. Autism is a physical condition linked to abnormal biology and chemistry in the brain. The exact causes of these abnormalities remain unknown, but this is a very active area of research. There are probably a combination of factors that lead to autism."

"Genetic factors seem to be important. For example, identical twins are much more likely than fraternal twins or siblings to both have autism. Similarly, language abnormalities are more common in relatives of autistic children. Chromosomal abnormalities and other nervous system (neurological) problems are also more common in families with autism."

A number of other possible causes have been suspected, but not proven. They involve: 

• Diet 
• Digestive tract changes 
• Mercury poisoning 
• The body's inability to properly use vitamins and minerals 
• Vaccine sensitivity 

(Source)

What I am concerned about here are the diet related causes (the first 4 from above), since all of my research has lead me to believe that our diet is a much more important factor in our health than genetics, and, in the first 3 years, exposure to toxic chemicals. Additionally, I am also lead to believe that if the baby was not born with mental disabilities (with Autism they form in the first 3 years) then there had to be something to trigger the degeneration (or improper formation).

I'm sure there are many reasons why women choose not to (or simply cannot) breastfeed. There are simpler options... options that allow the mother to not be burdened with a baby on her ta-ta's 24/7 for months on end. I have heard over and over (since I am now if the phase of life where people are getting married/having kids) 'my baby is having problems with such and such formula...any suggestions?' Well there is a reason why your baby is having digestive issues. It is either because the baby cannot handle digesting the ingredients in the formula OR the baby is having issues with your breast milk because of what you are eating (too much soy perhaps?).

For those mothers who do not or cannot breastfeed they have 2 commercially available options: formula made with whey (milk) or formula made with soy. Either way these formulas are not actually milk (hence you have to add water) and are fortified with god knows what. You need to be a scientist to figure out what the hell is in baby formula. I tried once, and gave up after I read "hydrogenated soybean oil".

Enter soy. 

Since soy has come to be considered a "health" food in America, people eat tons of it. They even think it's okay to feed it to their babies. And get this, the people who don't like soy but still eat a lot of processed foods are still eating loads of it because almost everything has soy flour, soybean oil, or various forms of soy protein in it.

Let me break it down for you why it is so detrimental to your baby's health to feed them soy formula. The following are excerpts from The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN. She is an expert on the topic of soy and I figured she says it better than I ever could.

Chapter 21: MANGANESE TOXICITY ADD-ing it up

Manganese is a vital trace mineral, needed for growth, reproduction, wound healing, brain function, thyroid and adrenal health and proper metabolism of sugars, insulin and cholesterol. Soybeans naturally contain manganese as well as other needed macro and trace minerals. For years, investigators had concerns that the phytates in soy would block absorption of its manganese, much as it blocks zinc, iron, calcium, and copper. In fact, manganese absorption from soy formula is substantially lower than from breast milk or dairy formula. 

In this case, the phytates do the infant a service, but not well enough. Infants fed soy formula take in as much as 75 to 80 times more manganese per day than infants who are breastfed. Per liter breast milk contains 3 to 10 ug, and soy formula a whopping 200 to 300 ug.

At a conference held in September 2000 at the University of California at Irvine, leading nutritionists, pediatricians, and toxicologists warned that newborns exposed to the levels of manganese present in soy formula risk brain damage in infancy that could lead to learning disabilities, attention deficit, and other behavioral disorders, even violent tendencies. 

Although healthy toddlers, children, and adults who ingest excess manganese can usually eliminate most of it, infants cannot because their immature livers are not fully functional. At the same time, their growing brains and other organs are more susceptible to manganese damage. Even tiny doses of excess manganese are dangerous when stored long term in the body and brain where they do not belong. Hair mineral analysis tests of children with learning and attention deficits have revealed elevated levels of manganese compared to normal youngsters.

Scientists have known about manganese toxicity for years. In 1980, the US government set permissible manganese levels at 2.5 to 3.0 mg per day for adults; 1.0 to 1.5 mg per day for toddlers; and 0.5 to 1.0 mg per day for infants. The calculations for the "safe" levels set for infants seem to have been based on their smaller size alone and did not take into account the fact that infants with immature livers cannot successfully metabolize excess manganese. As it happened the soy industry put little or no effort into keeping manganese under the permissible- but still unacceptable levels.

Soy formulas on the shelves in the early 1980's contained anywhere from 0.2 to 2.2 mg of manganese per quart; during that same time period, scientists confirmed the likelihood of risk to newborns from manganese storage in the brain. In 1983, Phillip J/ Collipp, M.D., a pediatrician at Nassau County Medical Center, confirmed a correlation of high manganese levels with childhood learning disabilities and speculated that soy-based infant formula might determine a child's likelihood of developing Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) later in life. 

Despite the alarming and consistent results of these studies, few people have ever heard of the link between soy infant formula and manganese toxicity. Now teams of connections to ADD/ADHD and other behavioral and learning problems to studies using rats, monkeys, and human subjects designed fully to elucidate cause and effect. 

 TRIPLE THREAT MAN

Manganese toxicity is a problem for people and animals of all ages, but represents a triple threat for infants. Newborns absorb more manganese because of their immature and permeable intestines, fail to eliminate excess manganese because of their immature livers, and are extremely vulnerable to manganese damage because their brains and other organs are still growing. By eight months of age, an infant on soy formula absorbs 1.1 mg of manganese per day above its metabolic needs and deposits about eight percent of that in the basal ganglia cells of the brain. Years later, this manganese may impair the brain's ability to make the neurotransmitter dopamine and trigger behavioral problems ranging from ADD to ADHD to violent and sociopathic behavior. 

MAD BEAN DISEASE 

Whether manganese enters the body by the mouth, lungs, or injection, the metal lodges in the basal ganglia. Neurology and toxicology textbooks have reported disorders known as "manganese madness" and "manganism" since the turn of the century. Until soy formula entered the picture, most cases involved miners exposed to manganese dust. Symptoms of manganism include instability, impulsivity, irrationality and hallucinations, or, with chronic exposure, the paralysis agitans of Parkinson's Disease. 

The soy industry is mostly in denial about the manganese problem found in soy formula. When interviewed, John Lasekan, PhD, of Abbott Laboratories shifted the focus from manganese toxicity to manganese's role as a trace metal essential for life and claimed that deficiencies are the problem- at least for premature and low birth weight babies. Because babies are not able to store manganese until they are born, premies need manganese, but at minuscule, appropriate levels found in breast milk, not high levels that put the neonatal brain and other organs at risk. 

I know I just threw a lot of info at you, but this subject is probably one of the most important I have written about thus far. Although Kaayla Daniel does not imply manganese toxicity and Autism specifically, it seems that Autism and ADD/ADHD are varying degrees of the same dysfunction. While I'm sure a small percentage of cases truely are of genetic origin, it is my personal belief that many of these cases can be prevented by breastfeeding.

This is about giving your baby the best chance at being healthy and happy. This is about knowing you did everything you could to give your baby the best food possible. This is to try to persuade you to breastfeed and not resort to soy infant formula.

It is such a devastating thing when babies are born deformed or mentally retarded or sick. It is a whole completely different level of devastation when you think your decision to feed your baby soy formula could have caused your child's Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Please, if you are preggers or just generally interested, do some more research on the health benefits of breastfeeding which is naturally the BEST food for your baby.

Breastfeeding: That's what boobies are there for
The Prevention Hit List
This Health Food's SOYld Reputation
Dr. Randy Martin

Ask your parents, your grandparents, your aunts & uncles... was Autism, ADD, and ADHD common when they were growing up? And then ask them was it more common to breastfeed or give their babies formula?

Coming next... is there anything you can do to reverse the signs and symptoms of Autism, ADD, and ADHD?