Decrease The Health and Behavioral Issues From Holiday Foods

Many of the foods at grandma’s house may be healthy for most, but act as “triggers” for children on the autism spectrum. What can you do when your child wants to eat foods he should not eat? If you know that food will create strong behavioral and physical problems for him, of course it is best to avoid them altogether… but that is not always easy during the holidays.

It is my wish to help you through these holidays. These days can be very trying for moms of children on the autism spectrum. We don’t want our children to feel isolated or shut out from the festivities, but when we know issues will arise from the food at the celebration, how do we measure the pros and cons?  What can we do?

We can definitely ask Grandma to use only ingredients that are gluten-free, non-dairy, with no added food colorings or artificial ingredients. But this is real life. Will she do it? Does she know how?

You can educate Grandma, letting her know that others at the table will probably feel better after the meal too. You can certainly give it a try.

There Is Another Way

I am still suggesting the removal or minimum of “bad” foods such as gluten, dairy, soy, sugar and food colorings. But if that is not possible during the holidays, maybe I can help. If you are aware of symptoms that come up for your child with certain foods, then perhaps I can help you learn a way to minimize or remove those symptoms with specific enzymes. This is not a permanent fix or something that should be used regularly. But these tips can be helpful when one or more of these foods are ingested on the occasional basis.

From the use of enzymes, parents have documented better concentration, increased language abilities, and improved digestion and behavior in their children.

For the best effect,  have your child take some specific enzymes ten to twenty minutes before eating the questionable food. I am a fan of Dr. Houston’s enzymes, as they work better than most and are specifically formulated.

The following enzymes help with the digestion of various foods:

Trienza:  This product  contains three different formulas in one capsule, and helps to break down proteins, carbohydrates and sugars, and fats. The protein-digesting enzyme called dipeptidyl peptidase IV, or DPP-IV,  is able to break down the large protein particle in gluten and casein and transform it into a digestible form. It is also formulated with the enzymes to break down phenols. It is a cost saver to do multiple jobs with one product. This pill is a combination of all three of Houston’s top enzyme formulas all in one, including no-phenol. It comes in capsule, chewable, and powder forms.

The following three enzymes are all in Trienza.

• AFP-Peptizyde: breaks down the gluten and casein proteins.
• No-phenol: Phenol’s are in many foods such as fruits, vegetables and nuts. They are also contained in plastics, toothpastes, and more. They create salicylates in the body, just like aspirin. Children on the autism spectrum or those with leaky gut are very susceptible to them. They can create physical and behavioral problems, (see scdlifestyle.com for more information).
• Zyme-prime: breaks down carbohydrates, sugars, and starches.

Additionally, the enzyme product ZyCarb helps with the digestion of carbohydrates and fats.

Also, be sure to take a high quality probiotic supplement to aid the digestive tract, and the immune system. I like Dr. Ohhira’s from Essential Formulas.

If you have the time before the holidays I would highly suggest seeing a practitioner on natural allergy desensitization. Please see my blog post, Natural Allergy Desensitization, for further help with allergic “triggers.” Otherwise, definitely think about working on allergy desensitization after the holidays are over.

Please also read, Holidays, Sugar and Behavior.

Learn about Keto-licious cookies here.

Learn more about food dyes here.

Here’s to helping your holidays be happier and healthier!

In health,

Karen Thomas

Get your FREE foods guide to the top 7 foods to avoid for calmer behaviors, clearer thinking, improved sleep, and much more!

All of this information and much more is in my book, Naturally Recovering Autism: The Complete Step By Step Resource Handbook for Parents.