Autism: Good things to try: Organic foods (avoid Roundup/glyphosate herbicide), Probiotics, Methylated B vitamins, NAC (to chelate/detoxify toxic minerals), Minimal EMF exposure, Air and Water Filters

These are suggestions based on known pieces of the autism problem. What works or doesn't work for you can only be found by your trial and error. Make this knowledge your own.

Data by Nancy Swanson, Reproduced by Stephanie Seneff PhD in “Wise Traditions” 10-30-2013 by The Weston A Price Foundation

The catastrophic rise in once-rare autism and the broader “autism spectrum disorder” strongly implicates the dominance of environmental factors such as a) toxins and pollutions in food, air, and water, b) “side effects” from ever expanding use of medications and vaccines and their untested combined interactions, c) nutritional deficiencies in modern foods and diets, and d) ever-growing power of EMF radiations (esp. 4G, 5G,Wifi, electric-company smart meters, EVs, etc.).

1. Organic Foods to Avoid Roundup/glyphosate Herbicide

Autism—and several other disorders—have risen virtually in lockstep with the amount of Roundup herbicide being applied to most GMO crops and even to most non-GMO grains (glyphosate is the chemical name of the herbicide “Roundup” from Monsanto/Bayer). Non-GMO beans are also suspect. For much more information on this, search for glyphosate plus Stephanie Seneff PhD., and glyphosate in WestonAPrice.org, for example here, from which the above graph is taken.

Foods genetically modified to tolerate Roundup/glyphosate include corn (except, apparently, sweet corn), soy and all its derivatives (oil, protein powder, etc.), sugar beets, canola oil, and cotton seed oil.

Non-GMO grains and some beans are also subjected to heavy applications of glyphosate shortly before harvesting because it desiccates the other parts of the plants: less moisture = less weight and less volume = less fuel expended, less labor, and fewer machines needed; all lowering costs. (Grains and some beans are dry already.)

Although some concerns are being voiced about glyphosate’s ability to promote cancers, government officials generally allow glyphosate because, they say, it doesn’t affect human-cell biology, BUT they don’t consider that it devastates good bacteria in the intestines. Good bacteria—"Probiotics”—not only keep out bad bacteria, yeasts, and other pathogens (which can produce “silent” toxins as well as overt infections), they also produce many chemicals the body needs to function healthfully.

Bifidobacteria are thought to be the most harmed by glyphosate. Here is an extensive discussion of the gut and glyphosate by Stephanie Seneff, 8-20-21, Weston A. Price’s “Wise Traditions.” You can find much more by searching for her and it.

Officially, organic foods are free of synthetic pesticides and many other noxious things, such as sterilizing poultry in chlorine baths. In practice, you can find reports that even many “organic” foods have glyphosate and other pesticides in them, BUT the amounts are usually much, much lower. One unavoidable cause? Airborne drift from sprayed pesticides.

2. Probiotics (Good Bacteria)

Because of damage done to intestinal flora and fauna by glyphosate, by other pesticides, and by antibiotics, eating “organic” is not enough. Good bacteria must be added back. Common foods for doing so are organic yogurts and organic lactose-fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut.

For people with lactose intolerance, brands of yogurt that are more tart (more acidic) have more of their lactose digested already; a mouthful at a time might build up enough good bacteria in time to be able to tolerate more and more yogurt.

Look especially for lactobacillus acidophilus. Long ago, Carlton Fredericks recommended Erivan yogurt because it is all L. acidophilus and such bacteria live for several days in the GI tract, as opposed to other bacilli commonly in yogurt that pass through the gut, do good while there, but then pass out more quickly. I have been eating Erivan for decades; it is quite tart and still has the same good health effects for me; effects that other yogurts do not produce. My experience is that it can take weeks to months to get observable effects, as good bacteria build up and drive out bad bacteria, although quicker results are possible too.

Also, I have tried and found that yogurts featuring “Bulgarian yogurt” tend to be more acidic.

Whole fruits and vegetables (not juices) have “prebiotics,” often fiber, that provide food for probiotics.

For supplements, on alternate days I take an InviteHealth Probiotic Hx (for shelf-stable, specially long-lasting species—but only if they are still in “VCaps” from Lonza/Capsugel, which protect against oxygen and moisture), and LactoBif 30 from IHerb for a broader array of species and more plentiful amounts of bacteria. The former is formulated to hold its potency without refrigeration; the latter does the same by being foil-blister wrapped. Many other brands only give the potency at time of manufacture, not at time of use; and they often say refrigeration is needed, begging the question of how the pills were treated between manufacture and your buying them.

3. Methylated B-Vitamins

In researching different types of vitamin B-12, I came across this very interesting article. According to it:

• Autistic people have methylation issues.

• They often do worse when getting the form of B-12 commonly put in vitamins (cyanocobalamin), but they have no problem when getting the methylated form of B-12, methylcobalamin.

(Methylation occurs when a methyl group (one carbon atom bound to three hydrogen atoms) is attached to another molecule. It is a very important process in the human body.)

Similarly, the folic acid in multivitamins is synthetic, must be methylated in the body, and causes trouble in people who have methylation issues, such as myself (a mater of genetic variation). For us, the natural folate form is necessary; the kind you get in foods; many web sites list foods rich in it.

In supplements, natural folate is labeled 5-MTHF (methyltetrahydrofolate). Following advice from Life Extension Magazine, I upped my folate to 8500 micrograms of 5-MTHF and cut my blood level of homocysteine by 40%, putting it into a healthful range. (I needed that much; ordinary amounts did no good; let a blood test for homocysteine be a guide among other considerations, such as observable behavior.) Life Extension has lower dose pills too; all, very small. (No, I have no financial interest in Life Extension)

For people with genetic issues with methylation, B-complex supplements should also contain methylated forms of B6 and B2. Food sources of B-complex are good but might not provide nearly enough of the vitamins for therapeutic effects.

Three methylated B-complex supplements that look good to me are Jarrow’s B-Right, Country Life’s Coenzyme B Complex, and Swanson’s Activated B-Complex. The specific mix of all the B vitamins and their potencies vary among the three and might have different effects in individual people. Also, the pills can have different sources and different ingredients. If one doesn’t work well, try another brand. (See the discussion on multivitamins below, too)

4. Medical+Environmental Toxins and EMFs

Dr. Joseph Mercola has several posts listing contributing factors for autism: Mercury, lead, aluminum (all three are toxic “heavy” metals), EMFs, glyphosate, vaccine adjuvants, processed foods, other chemicals including phthalates and air pollution. Even acetaminophen (Tylenol) used during pregnancy can increase the risk of autism. (These were on his Takecontrol.substack.com; $50 per year subscription; now as I write he has announced he is moving all his posts to his free Mercola.com.)

In my Health Alarm posts (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3/Open Letter), I cite growing evidence that large amounts of toxic heavy metals are now being found in air, rainwater, soil, food, human blood, and Covid “vaccines.” Some of them take the form of high-tech , nano-particle “quantum dots,” which can be programmable semiconductors and which emit light when excited by EMFs.

Also, “miracle” substances called graphene compounds are being widely incorporated in many consumer and medical products, including Covid “vaccines” and other injections. Graphene compounds are usually sheets only one atom thick; thus called nanoparticles; and can be detected only by high-tech Raman spectroscopy.

Both heavy metals and graphene compounds are not only capable of being very toxic in themselves, they are electrically conductive, so they can pick up energy from EMFs—elecrtomagnetic fields— and do more damage. And of course, prevalence and power of EMFs is skyrocketing with the use of mobile phones and mobile-phone towers, Wifi, Electric Vehicles, electric-company “smart meters,” etc. So steps to address their harmful effects would be very prudent; indeed, increasingly important for everyone. (See below.)

5. NAC and Unprocessed Meat/Sea Food/Poultry/Dairy

Animal foods are rich in essential, sulfur-containing amino acids (especially cysteine and methionine) that the body uses to make glutathione, a major antioxidant and detoxifier in the liver, which includes detoxifying heavy metals and many man-made chemicals. Cysteine is considered the limiting factor in the body’s making glutathione. Methionine can be converted into cysteine (though it is needed for other uses too, including methylation).

“NAC” stands for N-Acetyl-Cysteine and is how cysteine can be taken as a supplement. Besides aiding in making more glutathione, NAC can attach directly to toxic “heavy” metals and lead to their excretion (a form of safe natural chelation). Here is a good discussion of NAC from Jerry Hickey at InviteHealth.com. NAC also attaches to graphene oxide compounds and “avoids GO-mediated oxidation of glutathione,” preserving glutathione detoxifying power.

No doubt NAC will work best while heavy metals and graphenes are being ingested or inhaled and travel in the blood stream, but it can be helpful in removing heavy metals already in the body too. I like NOW’s NAC because it has modest amounts of selenium, which aids in creating glutathione and detoxifying generally. Milk thistle supplements also help the liver and kidneys detoxify. If taking pills is an issue (as I expect it must be in many cases, hence my emphasis on foods), I’d choose NAC over milk thistle capsule supplements.

6. NADH

NADH is a powerful antioxidant that can restore oxidized glutathione and other detoxing antioxidants. It is an end product the body builds from vitamin B3 (niacin and niacinamide). For people with metabolic problems producing NADH, a lozenge that is intended to be dissolved under the tongue can be gotten from Swanson vitamins. Otherwise, it needs to be taken on an “empty stomach,” which is usually said to be one hour before eating or two hours after eating.

The amazing thing is that when NADH is oxidized and becomes NAD+, the body uses NAD+ in generating energy, after which NADH is produced—like a double-use enzyme. (Here, I use “NAD+” to refer to the oxidized form of NADH. Confusingly, Life Extension offers a product called “NAD+,” which provides only the next stage in the body’s conversion of B3 to NAD+, namely, nicotinamide riboside.)

FYI, here are my extensive posts on detoxing: DIY Nutritional Detoxing and Nutritional Aids in Recovering from Covid etc. And here is a broad and deep discussion of Nutritional Anti-Infectives that explains a lot about using nutritional detoxing too; for example, important info on using vitamins C and D healthfully.

7. ElectroMagnetic Fields (EMFs)

Government health officials give a clean bill of health to “non ionizing” EMF radiation such as with cell phones and Wifi; unlike X-rays and the like, they do not kick off electrons (ionizing atoms) that can produce harmful free radicals. So much so good, BUT

Every chemical process in the body involves some kind of electron transfer. Indeed, the nervous system functions by sending electrical signals. And THAT could be disrupted by widespread EMFs, not even counting the added synergistic effects of toxic metals and graphene compounds. Besides, everyone knows that microwave radiation can cook foods—not exactly a safe thing for people to experience—and consumer wireless devices use EMFs in the microwave range (granted, weaker than in microwave ovens, but not without effects).

I discuss steps that can be taken to minimize EMF exposure in DIY Nutritional Detoxing, such as with avoidance, shielding, and grounding.

8. Air and Water Filters

These can be valuable too in minimizing exposure to airborne and waterborne pollution. They too are discussed in DIY Nutritional Detoxing.

9. Related Matters

A. Other Nutrients are important for healthy brains too:

• Omega-3s polyunsaturated oils (EPA + DHA) from oily fish or cod liver oil (Carlson’s unflavored cod liver oil has little or no taste)—essential for brain function. Flaxseed oil is rich in an omega-3 that the body can convert to EPA and DHA, but only when the body can perform the transformation, which itself may be a problem.

• Phosphatidylserine—works hand in glove with omega-3s. Dr. Robert Atkins wrote that we can’t get therapeutic amounts of PS from foods (100mg. to 300 mg.), making supplements necessary for therapeutic effects (best extracted from sunflower seeds to avoid GMO soy). Livestrong.com lists food sources: soybeans (be sure to be organic), mackerel, organ meats (liver, kidney), and yellowfin tuna.

• Phosphatidylcholine—from lecithin (omega 6s); from deep orange/red egg yolks too (organic); or from organic soy. And taste the lecithin; reject it if it tastes rancid.

  • Plain choline is also a methyl donor, an aid in methylation.

• All eight forms of naturally derived vitamin E to prevent oxidation of these oils (ideally naturally sourced 4 tocopherols and 4 tocotrienols); avoid nonorganic soy; some brands say “non-GMO,” but were they harvested using glyphosate? Still, extracts are probably much lower in pesticides than the original source.

• Lutein and zeaxanthin—green and yellow vegetables, naturally derived supplements

• Astaxanthin—wild caught red salmon (astaxanthin is red), in some krill-oil, available in supplements (I like BioAstin Hawaiian astaxanthin in vegan soft gels.)

• Acetyl-L-Carnitine + Alpha Lipoic Acid—available in supplements. The precursor to ALC is the amino acid carnitine, found in animal foods.

• Unprocessed cocoa—I use InviteHealth’s “Cocoa Hx.” Mix it in water; avoid milk (it denatures the cocoa). Some opinion thinks mixing it in yogurt is ok, especially the more acidic ones, because it is already partly digested and won’t denature the cocoa (much).

• Vitamin C—Get some from fruits and vegetables. Powdered supplements exist. A buffered (non-acidic) powder can be gotten from Swanson’s own magnesium ascorbate (magnesium is so important for all sorts of health matters).

• Zinc—from animal foods, or from supplements.

• Butter and/or olive oil and/or coconut oil—many nutrients from vegetables are fat soluble; can’t be absorbed without fat or oil in the meal.

For a deeper discussion of the above, look at my post on brain fog.

A1. Cruciferous vegetables add special detoxifying agents such as sulfuraphane, DIM, and Indole-3-Carbinol. Arugula adds flavor to a green salad. Cabbage can be prepared many ways, including sautéed in butter and combined with egg noodles. Cauliflower can be “cooked to death” in a steamer and still be tasty with butter. Steamed Brussel sprouts cook in about 8 to 10 minutes; good sometimes with butter, salt, etc. Broccoli can be steamed satisfactorily if the stem is cut into thin “medallions” and the stems of the larger florets are cut vertically so that everything is of a similar thickness and cooks at the same rate; done when still a nice green and forkable; served with butter, or mixed into garlic-sauteed olive oil for flavor. Add pasta al dente and you have a nice whole vegetarian meal.

B. A Multivitamin—LifeExtension has three worth looking at with methylated Bs: one-a-day capsule; two-a-day (each is half the dose of the one-a-day); and it’s “Mix Powder.”

C. Cerebral Allergies: In his book “Psyco-Nutrition,” Carlton Fredericks devoted a major part to the occurrences of cerebral allergies. It is copyrighted 1976, and a lot has been discovered since then, but the topic of cerebral allergies still goes unmentioned virtually everywhere I look. It’s worth keeping in mind if or when a child suddenly gets much worse. Similarly for blood sugar surges and collapses, and consumer chemical exposures (fragrances, food additives, etc.)

It’s worth noting that specific vaccines (type, manufacturer, post-manufacture treatment) have different mixes of substances—adjuvants—intended to help the vaccine work, BUT some people could be allergic to these substances. For example, the Pfizer Covid19 injection had polyethylene glycol (PEG), and some people have allergic sensitivities to this. The FDA says on its website that a person shouldn’t take a vaccine injection if he or she is allergic to ingredients in it. BUT who ever gets that information, about themselves and about the injection? No one I know of. Yet governments impose mandates without informed consent for childhood vaccinations and did so for the Covid19 injections.

Recognizing and treating allergic disturbances is a topic too large for this post, but I can say from personal experience that often the best way to diagnose such a thing is to take a history. Do problems seem to arise regularly at some specific time of day, day of the week, month or season of the year? Also, keeping a log of symptoms and exposures (food, location, weather, etc.) can be invaluable in getting a grasp on what is happening.

D. Digestion

Many people recommend betaine hydrochloride plus pepsin to help some people digest fats and proteins so they don’t leak proteins into the blood and cause allergic reactions. Ditto for digestive enzymes, though I am not sure of how to use them.

• Notably, avoiding salt also cuts down on the chloride the body needs to produce hydrochloric acid in the stomach. (Potassium from fruits and vegetables balances out sodium in blood pressure issues.)

Various liquid “bitters” are recommended to stimulate gastric juices, if Betaine et al pills can’t be administered.

1000 mcg. of vitamin B12 are said to overcome resistance to producing “intrinsic factor” so vitamin B12 can be absorbed. Solgar brand produces a cherry flavored tiny pill that can be chewed and swallowed.

10. A Pediatrician for Autism

I have found that when I hear pediatrician Dr. Elizabeth Mumper discuss matters on FLCCC's Wednesday evening webinar [renamed Independent Medical Alliance], she makes recommendations and gives opinions very similar to mine. And, separate from the FLCCC’s [initial] focus on Covid, she has a special interest in autism spectrum disorder.

If you are looking for a pediatrician, she is worth a look. If price or location are obstacles, she has written chapters in books and papers you can study. And she is available to speak to groups. Here is her Parent's Guide to Childhood Vaccination Decisions, with light references to autism.

From the Institute for Functional Medicine: “Dr. Mumper has written book chapters about allergy, immunology and behavioral and developmental pediatrics published in the book “Pediatrics” published by Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, which is a board review series book for medical students and includes many questions and answers.”

Good Health to You!