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Title
Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia,
ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Depression and Schizophrenia
By Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD
Medinform, 2004
Reviewed by Kathryne Pirtle and Dr. John Turner, DC, CCSP, DIBCN
Just as Dr. Weston Price sought to identify the parameters that fostered
poor health in his patients, so too does Dr. Natasha Campbell-Mc- Bride
advance our understanding of the underlying factors present in a growing
percentage of people suffering from brain disorders and mental illness.
The latest estimates, for example, show that for autism alone, one in
150 children is diagnosed with the condition. Although genetics is often
provided as an explanation for brain disorders like autism and ADD/ADHD,
as well as for psychiatric illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia
and bipolar disorder, genetics cannot explain the exponential increase
in these health and developmental problems, says Dr. Campbell-McBride,
because genetic changes work much more slowly.
Through studying the health of hundreds of patients with autism, learning
disabilities, psychiatric illness and other problems, Campbell- McBride
discovered that in virtually all cases these children and adults suffer
from digestive problems, often of a severe nature. Through her research,
she has determined a distinct correlation between unhealthy intestinal
flora, poor digestion and toxicity from chemicals created by undigested
foods, which can severely affect brain chemistry. She coins this relationship
the Gut and Psychology Syndrome, or GAPS.
But if a child manifests problems such as autism or ADD/ADHD at an early
age, how can that child have already developed poor digestion? The causes
are familial and generational, explains Campbell-McBride. Just as Dr.
Price ascertained that without adequate nutrition, each generation would
produce less healthy children—so Campbell- McBride postulates
that poor intestinal flora and digestion are passed down from one generation
to the next.
When a baby is born, it acquires the flora of the mother during its
passage through the birth canal. If the mother has a history of antibiotic
or contraceptive use and poor digestive health, her flora will likely
be unhealthy. If she does not breast-feed her baby, the gut flora of
the child will be further compromised. The infant will often develop
digestive problems such as colic, bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation,
feeding difficulties, intestinal damage and malnourishment very early
in life and is typically afflicted by a host of allergies. The child
usually has frequent ear infections treated with many rounds of antibiotics,
which only make the situation worse.
Poor bacterial flora and digestion are at the heart of serious health
problems. When children are born with intestinal bacterial imbalances
or gut dysbiosis, they tend to have a compromised immune system and
are prone to illness. Campbell- McBride brings to light the profound
statements of Hippocrates that “All diseases begin in the gut;”
and of the father of modern psychiatry, French psychiatrist Phillipe
Pinel, who stated, “The primary seat of insanity is the region
of the stomach and intestines.”
A child or adult who eats a diet high in difficult-to-digest carbohydrates
such as grains and processed foods will continue to encourage the underlying
condition of gut dysbiosis. Dr. Campbell-McBride states that people
with damaged flora will crave the very foods that support the survival
of the unhealthy bacteria, often to the exclusion and refusal of others.
Campbell-McBride notes that many problems with gut flora begin with
an unnatural growth of the fungus, Candida albicans. This often occurs
when the body’s production of hydrochloric acid is inadequate
to break proteins into peptides before entering the small intestine.
When insufficiently digested food enters the small intestine, the pancreas
in turn does not get the signal to release adequate pancreatic juices.
Because people with GAPS lack healthy bacterial flora, they also lack
production of enzymes called peptidases. These enzymes normally are
produced by the enterocytes on the microvilli of the small intestine
and will further break down proteins and carbohydrates into usable nutrients.
With poor flora, the mucosal lining of the intestinal tract also becomes
damaged and leaky gut syndrome develops.
But what exactly happens in the gut that can upset brain chemistry?
Undigested carbohydrates, poor digestion and candida overgrowth result
in the production of the chemicals ethanol and acetaldehyde, which can
have profound consequences on brain chemistry and development. We all
know that alcohol is extremely toxic, especially to a developing fetus
or a child.
Besides reduced stomach acid and pancreatic enzymes, some of the effects
of a prolonged presence of alcohol from an overgrowth of Candida in
the body include damage to the gut lining and resulting malabsorption;
nutrient deficiencies; stress to the immune system; liver damage; accumulation
of toxins, old neurotransmitters and hormones that can cause abnormal
behavior; and mental retardation, loss of memory and stupor.
Many other toxins and bacteria fostered by poor digestion are routinely
found in stool samples of patients with GAPS, many of which produce
neurotoxins that can result in autistic behavior.
Vaccinations in children with unhealthy gut flora and the concomitant
digestive and immune system problems puts an enormous strain on the
immune system. Campbell-McBride therefore suggests a very cautious use
of single vaccinations for a limited number of diseases, given to the
child only when digestive health is improved.
What, then, are the solutions to turn poor digestion into one that helps
the patient thrive? Dr. Campbell-McBride outlines a nutrient-dense dietary
plan that is totally void of grains and even dairy foods at first, and
which provides high quality, organically grown meats, poultry, fish,
nuts, eggs—especially raw egg yolks—cooked non-starchy vegetables,
fresh fruit, bone-broth soups, traditionally fermented foods, and ample
traditional fats. She suggests supplements of cod liver oil, fish oil,
digestive enzymes, a stomach acid supplement and probiotics to rid the
stomach of bacterial growth and help develop healthy intestinal flora.
Campbell-McBride focuses on removing foods that feed the Candida overgrowth,
cause morphine-like peptides or an allergic response with a diet free
of grains, sugar and conventional dairy foods. After the gut flora is
improved, she recommends adding homemade yogurt gradually and eventually
cheeses. Once the stomach acid is normalized, a healthy gut flora is
developed, nutrient-rich foods take the place of depleted foods, the
intestinal tract heals and digestion is repaired, then both mental and
physical health improvements are sure to follow.
She advises that the earlier these dietary changes are made, the more
likely is success. She realizes, however, the difficulties that parents
have in making changes to the diet of a young child, and she thoughtfully
provides a method of encouraging new foods with a reward structure in
place. She does not cover the challenges of changing the diet of an
adolescent or adult, but we feel her information can aid health practitioners,
parents, friends and caregivers in understanding the necessity of helping
their patients and loved ones incorporate as much of this nutritional
plan as possible. However, it is obvious that the best time to implement
Campbell-McBride’s recommendations is when the child is very young,
thus minimizing the damage induced by dysbiotic flora as well as the
psychosocial consequences of the abnormal behaviors that accompany the
neurotoxic effects on the brain.
The gluten-free diet commonly prescribed for children with autism often
does not lead to improvements, according to Campbell-McBride, because
the gluten-free foods on the market are really just another form of
nutrient-deficient junk food that fosters the growth of candida and
contributes to poor digestion.
While Campbell-McBride suggests problems with milk, she does not discuss
the differences between pasteurized milk and raw milk from grass-fed
cows. Many parents have found that whole raw milk greatly improves the
symptoms of autism in their children. Additionally, she recommends the
replacement of flour with ground nuts but does not mention the soaking
process that makes nuts more digestible.
The book contains a wonderful section of recipes followed by details
on important supplements. At the end of the book, Dr. Campbell-McBride
outlines a significant natural approach to treating ear infections and
constipation.
Campbell-McBride’s principles provide alternative medical practitioners
with a successful approach to treatment for patients plagued with allergies.
Food allergies are a source of constant stress to a patient’s
immune system. Not only do they manifest as dyspepsia, abdominal pain
and altered bowel function, but they can also result in a variety of
non-local symptoms such as headaches, joint pain and eczema.
Although Campbell-McBride’s pivotal work focuses on the correlation
between digestive problems and brain disorders, learning disabilities
and mental illness, we must not underestimate the possibility that these
same digestive disorders are at the heart of the exponential increase
in degenerative illness in the western world. We obviously need a paradigm
shift when looking at the cause and treatment of what is ailing us.
Dr. Campbell-McBride provides an excellent starting point.
(Note: As this book was published in the UK and only available on Amazon
through the UK, it is easiest to order it through www.bodyecology.com
or by calling Body Ecology at 866-533-4748.)
About the Author
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