How to Support Autism Naturally

2^nd April marked World Autism Awareness Day, with April being World Autism Month. This year’s theme, ‘It’s Okay to be Different’ champions the strengths of people with autism. Its aims are to improve the understanding and acceptance of autistic people along with the challenges they face.

This article will explore the roles nutrition and lifestyle can play in helping neurodivergent brains reach their full potential. Read on to discover natural tools to help manage some of the challenges autism brings to individuals and caregivers.

Is Autism on the Rise?

It wasn’t until early last century that the term autism was coined. Also known as autistic spectrum disorder or ASD, it’s a collection of behavioural characteristics including issues with communication and social interaction, as well as stereotypical behaviour.

Over one in every hundred people in the UK have been diagnosed with autism. Meanwhile, more than 200,000 people are currently awaiting a diagnosis. In the 20 years to 2018, there was an almost 800% increase in diagnoses (1).

What Causes Autism?

The explosion in autism can be partly explained by better awareness and diagnostic techniques. However, changes in the environment affecting the way genes are expressed also play a role.

Scientists have discovered autistic brain cells communicate differently to those of neurotypical brains. Alterations in brain chemicals lead to increased stimulation of nerve cells. It also seems some autistic people have extra connections between their brain cells. These haven’t been cleared out by the body’s waste management system as they should have been. The extra connections may explain why many people with autism feel overwhelm when faced with many different stimuli at the same time.

Let’s have a deeper dive now into what may cause autistic brains to behave differently.

The Gut/Brain Link

Your gut and your brain are constantly talking to each other not only via a complicated network of nerves but also by means of messages sent out from bacteria resident in your gut. These bacteria live inside you quite happily, often without giving you any clue to their existence until something goes wrong. You provide them with shelter and food, while they benefit you by producing a host of chemicals influencing how your body functions.

It follows, then, that any disturbance to the bacteria forming your gut microbiome can have profound effects on the brain, especially while it’s developing. If unhealthy strains of bacteria begin to dominate, they release chemicals encouraging inflammation, putting the immune system on high alert, and irritating brain cells.

In fact, research confirmed that people diagnosed with autism had different types of bacteria living in their gut than those who were considered not to be neurodivergent (2) They had fewer different species living in their intestines, too. Bear in mind that having a diverse range of bacteria is one indicator of good health. Furthermore, the types of bacteria missing were those helping to detoxify certain toxins from the environment (3).

Many parents of children diagnosed with autism notice their children frequently suffer from gastrointestinal issues like diarrhoea, constipation, bloating and intestinal pain. These are signs of unhappy digestive bacteria.

In animal research, transplanting gut bacteria from children with autism into mice led to the mice displaying autistic-like traits. They displayed repetitive behaviours and spent less time with other mice. Transplanting bacteria from people without autism did not affect mouse behaviour (4).

Encourage a healthy microbiome by feeding your good bacteria with natural plant fibre, found in vegetables like garlic, onions, beans, lentils and apples. On the other hand, the types of bacteria you don’t want in your gut are encouraged by eating sugary and processed foods.

Brain Health and Environmental Toxins

Sadly, our external environment today is vastly different from that even in our grandparents’ days. Scientists have found autistic children often have higher-than-expected amounts of metals like lead (5) and mercury in their bodies. Accumulations of toxins like these can interfere with cells’ abilities to produce energy, as well as disrupt the immune system.

The differences in the gut microbiome mentioned earlier, in combination with inherited genetic tendencies, can mean autistic people may be less efficient at detoxifying harmful substances. However, toxin exposure can be reduced by switching to natural personal care products and cleaning materials, filtering your water, and not using plastic containers to store food and liquids.

Nutrition and Autism

Many people living with autism are extremely sensitive to the textures and flavours of food. This can make their diet limited and therefore lacking in nutrients. Meanwhile, because of digestive issues they may not be effectively absorbing nutrients from their diet.

Specific nutrients important for brain health include B vitamins, especially folate. Other important nutrients include zinc, magnesium, and selenium, which is required for brain development and protecting neurones. Meanwhile, brain cells need omega-3 fats, found in fatty fish, eggs, nuts and seeds. These fats keep cell membranes healthy while helping manage inflammation.

Working with a practitioner can be useful to manage the gradual introduction of foods to the diet while working with food preferences.

Food Sensitivities and Autism

Because of issues with digestive function, many people living with autism are sensitive or intolerant to certain foods.

Gluten, found in wheat, rye, barley, and some oats, can be particularly problematic. In the process of digesting gluten, the permeability of the intestinal lining can increase. Then, certain molecules created while the gluten is being digested can access the bloodstream. If they make their way to the brain, they act like opioids, worsening anxiety. Therefore, many autistic people function better if they avoid gluten.

Byproducts created when dairy is digested can behave similarly, interacting with brain receptors and interfering with sleep.

Gluten and dairy are present in an enormous range of foods, and it’s easy to eat both several times per day. This means you might not suspect them of contributing to your symptoms. To further complicate matters, food sensitivity symptoms often don’t show up immediately after the food is eaten, so the culprits aren’t always obvious.

However, if someone is already on a restricted diet, it’s not a good idea to remove entire food groups without professional support. Our practitioners are here to help.

Natural Support for the Challenges of Autism

A myriad of root causes can contribute to and exacerbate symptoms associated with ASD. Rebuilding a healthy microbiome, correcting nutritional deficiencies, and encouraging effective detoxification are important for everyone, but can be particularly beneficial for people with autism.

We offer a variety of functional tests to help reveal imbalances occurring in the body’s physiology and giving unrivalled insights into health. Tests can help detect nutrient deficiencies, toxicity, microbiome dysbiosis and provide insights into how gut function may be influencing whole body-health, especially behaviour, neurotransmitter balance, and brain health.

We recommend an integrative health assessment as a first step. This includes expert-led functional tests followed by a personalised plan with therapies specific to your health goals. Interpretation of the tests by a qualified practitioner can be invaluable, as finding the right path for you or a loved one can be challenging without support.

However, if you feel you would like to act on the test results yourself, we do offer self-test kits delivered to your home without the need for a prior consultation. The choice is yours.

Integrative Medicine’s deeply personalised approach can be especially beneficial for neurodivergent individuals. By combining emerging research on the unique physiology and neurochemistry of ASD with your personal experience of strengths and challenges, we move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. These tailored strategies can help balance the nervous system, improve sleep quality, optimise nutrition, and support brain health to improve long-term well-being. The evolving field of nutrition and lifestyle support for neurodivergence holds great promise. We can offer a pathway to better health that respects each person's unique physiology and biochemistry.

Start your journey today.