Rates of autism spectrum disorders have been increasing.
In fact, rates have increased tenfold over the past forty years!
According to the organization Autism Speaks, ASD affects more children than diabetes, AIDS,
or cancer combined.
The increase in diagnoses may be due in part to better diagnostic tools, but many believe
that the increasing rates are caused by increasing levels of environmental toxins during pregnancy.
Current research suggests that what we eat during pregnancy can help to boost our immune
defence system to protect our body, and our baby from environmental toxins and may help
reduce your baby's risk of developing autism.
In today's episode of Nourish, I'm going to provide you with seven evidence-based dietary
tips that may help in preventing autism during pregnancy.
Stay tuned!
Before we get into this, I'd like to clarify a few things up front.
Firstly, if you already have a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, this is not to
make you feel guilty or to blame.
We can all only do the best that we can with the knowledge that we have at the time.
And, secondly, whether our children have diabetes or an Autism Spectrum Disorder, or a freckle
on their right pinkie finger, they are still special, unique and to be loved just the way
they are.
But, as parents we all want to gift our children with the healthiest and easiest road possible.
And there is now a lot of evidence behind what we eat during pregnancy and our children's
risk of developing autism, so this video is to help empower you so that you have the knowledge
to do the best that you can given your unique circumstances.
So, what is autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorders are a group of conditions characterised by social impairment.
Symptoms such as lack of eye contact and lack of facial expressions are usually obvious
during infancy.
ASD can have a range of side effects though, such as gut problems, difficulties in school,
decreased rates of employment and higher rates of depression.
There is no single cause for autism, and given the fact that symptoms and severity differ,
it is believed that there are many different causes - especially genetics and the environment
that our baby is exposed to during pregnancy.
As I mentioned earlier, our diet during pregnancy has a big impact on our baby's environment
during pregnancy, so let's look at 6 dietary tips that current research suggests may help
in preventing autism during pregnancy.
Strategy # 1 is to eat an antioxidant-rich diet by including plenty of fruit and vegies
each day.
A recent Canadian study found that mums who had more exposure to nitric oxide from traffic
pollution during pregnancy, had a high risk of having a baby with an Autism spectrum disorder.
Antioxidants help to neutralise free radicals from environmental toxins.
The best source of antioxidants is vegetables.
It's wise to consume a variety of different coloured vegetables during pregnancy to receive
a range of different antioxidants.
Just like you need a range of different players on a netball court to defend the ball against
the other team, a range of different antioxidants from different vegetables will help to diffuse
free radicals and hopefully minimise the risks of conditions caused by environmental toxins.
Number 2 is to ensure adequate omega 3 intake during pregnancy.
Omega 3 is essential for our baby's brain development during pregnancy, and it also
plays an important role in minimising inflammation, so research suggests that omega 3 rich foods,
such as fish and eggs, may play an important role in fighting infections during pregnancy
which could have otherwise increased the risk of autism.
Now, I'd also like to point out that some people believe that mercury, which can also
be found in fish, can also increase the risk of autism, so make sure that you choose low
mercury, high omega 3 fish.
I've got a video in an earlier episode of Nourish that discusses the best choices of
fish, so you may like to check that one out.
The third strategy is to ensure that you maintain adequate levels of vitamin D during pregnancy.
An increasing amount of evidence points to vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy being
linked with autism spectrum disorders.
According to Dr John Cannell, founder and executive director of the Vitamin D Council,
the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders increases in "regions of greater cloud cover
and rainfall", as we get most of our vitamin D from sunlight.
Vitamin D plays a key role in regulating our immune system, which is believed to help reduce
the oxidative stress that can cause autism, so make sure that you get your vitamin D levels
checked during pregnancy.
Fourthly, there have been a range of micronutrient deficiencies that have been linked to increased
risks of autism, including vitamin B6, folic acid, iron and magnesium.
To me, this highlights the importance of a nutrient-rich diet during pregnancy.
There're not many micronutrients in a chocolate bar, which is why it's so important for us
to focus on eating a nutrient-rich diet during pregnancy.
Number five is to optimise your weight - before pregnancy if possible.
Mumma's who are underweight or overweight during pregnancy are more likely to have babies
born with a low birth-weight, and babies born with a low birth-weight for age have twice
the rate of being born with an autism spectrum disorder.
So it's something that you might not be able to do anything about now,
but maybe you could work on before your next baby
Strategy number six is to optimise your gut microbiome (and your baby's) with pre and
pro-biotics.
Evidence has been increasing that our gut microbiome, which we pass on to our baby during
pregnancy and breast-feeding, may play an important role in our baby's risk of autism.
So, do your best to optimise your gut microbiome during pregnancy by including plenty of nutritious
prebiotic foods such as onions, cashews, garlic and nectarines.
And, finally, number seven is to avoid smoking and alcohol during pregnancy.
Cigarette smoke and alcohol are toxins to our body, and both cross our placenta, so
it's important to avoid toxins like these during pregnancy.
So, let me ask you....how are you going with these seven dietary strategies?
Honestly.
I find that most mums-to-be have great intentions, but discover that it's harder than they thought
to eat well during pregnancy - especially when you're exhausted.
That's why it's essential to put together a pregnancy meal plan, and to get support
to keep you on track during this incredibly important time.
I'm here for you, so don't feel like you need to do this alone.
Make sure that you connect with me for support to eat well during your pregnancy.
And, as this is a really important topic, can I please ask you to share this video with
any of your friends who are pregnant or trying to conceive?
They need to know about this too.
Feel free to ask any questions below, otherwise I'll look forward to seeing you in my next video