functional medicine and nutritional genomics - American Association ...
functional medicine and nutritional genomics - American Association ...
functional medicine and nutritional genomics - American Association ...
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AAPI’S NUTRITION GUIDE TO OPTIMAL HEALTH: USING PRINCIPLES OF FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE AND NUTRITIONAL GENOMICS<br />
A short-term elimination/challenge diet involves<br />
two basic steps: Eliminate the suspected food from<br />
the child’s diet for at least 2 weeks. This will<br />
give the child’s allergy symptoms time to subside.<br />
If the child has EE, EG, <strong>and</strong>/or EC, the<br />
suspected food allergens need to be eliminated for<br />
8 to 12 weeks to achieve symptom improvement.<br />
The first foods eliminated are those that had<br />
positive IgE RAST <strong>and</strong>/or skin prick test results. If<br />
both of these tests were negative, eliminate the<br />
most common allergenic foods: milk, wheat, soy,<br />
egg, peanuts, nuts, fish, <strong>and</strong> shellfish. The<br />
challenge phase involves reintroducing the<br />
eliminated food back into the diet <strong>and</strong> observe for<br />
recurrence of allergy symptoms.<br />
An excellent resource of educational materials <strong>and</strong><br />
more detailed information related to food allergies,<br />
including list of foods <strong>and</strong> ingredients to avoid can<br />
be found on the Food Allergy <strong>and</strong> Anaphylaxis<br />
Network (FAAN) Web site at www.foodallergy.org.<br />
A referral to a Registered Dietitian is necessary to<br />
assist parents in implementing the<br />
elimination/challenge diet; parents should not<br />
attempt to implement this diet on their own.<br />
Identifying which foods a child may react to is<br />
complicated, test results are difficult to interpret,<br />
Elizabeth Strickl<strong>and</strong> is a Registered Dietitian<br />
specializing in integrative Nutrition Therapy for<br />
infants, children, <strong>and</strong> young adults with<br />
developmental disabilities, chronic illnesses, <strong>and</strong><br />
special health care needs. Elizabeth’s area of<br />
expertise includes Autism Spectrum Disorders.<br />
She has over 30 years of experience ranging<br />
from providing individual Nutrition Therapy, training<br />
professionals <strong>and</strong> parents, <strong>and</strong> coordinating<br />
Nutrition Services statewide for children with<br />
disabilities.<br />
Elizabeth is the founder of ASD Nutrition Seminars<br />
& Consulting, a clinical nutrition consulting firm<br />
that serves families, professionals, educational<br />
systems, <strong>and</strong> private <strong>and</strong> government programs.<br />
Her work exp<strong>and</strong>s nationwide to include providing<br />
individualized nutrition therapy to children with<br />
autism <strong>and</strong> related disorders.<br />
131<br />
current blood lab <strong>and</strong> skin tests are not always<br />
accurate, some allergy tests are controversial, <strong>and</strong><br />
treatment is challenging. Even so, identifying <strong>and</strong><br />
treating the child’s food reactions has enormous<br />
benefits. The child will experience a wide range of<br />
physical, gastrointestinal, behavioral, <strong>and</strong><br />
neurological improvements. Identifying problematic<br />
foods is a critical step in <strong>nutritional</strong> treatment for<br />
a child with autism.<br />
SUMMARY<br />
Integrative <strong>nutritional</strong> interventions can have a<br />
major impact on a child with autism. Use of<br />
whole foods, <strong>nutritional</strong> supplements, natural<br />
healing of the gut, <strong>and</strong> eliminating problematic<br />
foods are essential in restoring the child’s<br />
<strong>nutritional</strong> health. Although it varies for each<br />
individual child, after implementing appropriate<br />
nutrition interventions, one may expect to see<br />
improvements in the child’s behavior, mood,<br />
aggression, impulsivity, learning, attention,<br />
language, focus, eye contact, sleep difficulties,<br />
gastrointestinal problems, growth, <strong>and</strong> overall<br />
health. Registered Dietitians play a key role in<br />
incorporating nutrition therapy as a component of<br />
the child’s comprehensive treatment plan.<br />
Elizabeth is a published author, the title of her<br />
book is ‚Eating for Autism … The 10-Step<br />
Nutrition Plan to Help Treat Your Child’s Autism,<br />
Asperger’s, or ADHD‛. She is a member of the<br />
Dietitians in Integrative <strong>and</strong> Functional Medicine<br />
Dietetic Practice Group of The <strong>American</strong> Academy<br />
of Nutrition <strong>and</strong> Dietetics.<br />
Elizabeth earned a Bachelor of Science degree in<br />
Dietetics from Louisiana State University <strong>and</strong> a<br />
Master of Science degree in Nutrition from the<br />
University of Georgia. She completed Post<br />
Graduate training on Nutrition Therapy for Children<br />
with Special Health Care Needs.<br />
Contact Elizabeth Strickl<strong>and</strong><br />
at ASDpuzzle@aol.com or 830-237-2886<br />
Website: www.ASDpuzzle.com<br />
References:<br />
2012