In 14 years, 1 in 4 children (25%) will have autism (graph below). 

When I came across this graph recently, probably like you – I was alarmed…  I’ve shown it to friends and family and the reaction of concern and disbelief has been the same.

The statistic is for rates in the USA, however rates in Australia aren’t slowing down.  

Our children are our future.  Why aren’t these statistics more commonly shared?

Image courtesy Mindd Foundation

I’ve worked for a number of years in the area of autism in a Board role.  I understand the gifts these children bring into the world.  At the same time they require care that other children do not.  Autism not only impacts the child or person it impacts the whole family unit, especially primary carers. 

The graph not only shows Autism escalating at an alarming rate, it shows;

• Autism is not genetic.
• At such a rapid rate of increase, it must be environmental.
• If it’s environmental then it’s possible to have a level of control over the exposure. 

It also means;

The impact on society at large will be devastating.  As mentioned above, children and adults with neurological conditions such as autism often need more care and assistance, (they’re commonly dealing with other disabilities too).  The impact on families is emotionally, financially and physically draining.  

However it’s not just autism – ADHD & other neurological conditions are all on the rise. 

‘Today, there are some 21 million children (almost 10% globally) who have been diagnosed with severe attention, behavioural, or learning problems… ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, tourette syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar, or other frightening conditions that confirm something is not right in the brain’ ~ Dr Robert Melillo, author of Disconnected Kids.

There’s more;

• In 1965 in the USA 4% of the population had a chronic disease.
• Today, (just 54 years later) 46% of children have a chronic disease.
• A 2019 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report showed 1 in 2 Australians (50%) are reported to have at least 1 chronic illness in 2015.

A 2019 report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows in Australia the percentage of children with 1 or more chronic conditions;

• 25% of boys aged 0 – 14 years old and 15% of girls.
• 40% of girls aged 15 – 24 years old and approx. 35% of boys.

Why are our kids no longer naturally strong, vital & healthy as nature intended?

Some might say, it’s always been this way and now there’s better diagnosis or understanding of symptoms. 

I don’t think so.

How many children did you know with neurological or chronic conditions when you were a child? Were there any?   Fast forward to today and it’s likely you have a family member or a close friends’ child dealing with one or more of them.

It’s personal

It’s a story that’s close to my heart, as we too have done a lot of work with neurological conditions in our family.  When I was told by experts and specialists ‘there was nothing we could do’, I trusted my intuition that there was something we could do and there was! We found answers.  It’s taken a number of years with minimum intervention.  If you know that feeling – trust it. 

Hope.

Neuroplasticity gives hope for these neurological conditions.   

For those who may not know this term, it’s the brains ability to change continuously through life… 

In my personal experience & research neuroplasticity works, along with good food, detox, movement, sleep and other lifestyle ‘interventions’ can do a vast amount to nourish, detoxify, rewire and protect our childrens’ developing brains. 

I understand autism is far more complicated and extremely challenging  –  I worked for a number of years with Autism West here in Perth.  However there are many great stories of improvements and recovery being made e.g. Kirsty Wirth, founder at Kultured Wellness is an amazing example – read her story here and the Mindd Foundation shares recovery stories here 

There are many wonderful functional doctors and practitioners doing amazing work in WA and across the world.  These are a few I’m most familiar with in Western Australia;

• Synaptic Health, WA
• The institute of Functional Neuroscience, WA
• Dr Igor Tabrizian, WA
• Julie Matthews, USA and
• The Mindd Foundation https://mindd.org NSW They’re doing brilliant work on children’s health.  Check them out. 

Why is there an epidemic?

We don’t know why specifically, yet when I consider what’s changed in the past 100 years in the way we live there are some dramatic changes that all impact neurology (brain function).  

Some thoughts;

1. Disconnected.  As a society we are living further and further away from our natural world and what our biology needs nutritionally, physically, emotionally and spiritually to develop and thrive.
2. Toxic.  Children born today are carrying a heavier toxic load than ever before, both inherited at birth and that they’re exposed to throughout their daily / weekly routines.
3. Symptomatic/intervention.  Compared to 50 – 100 years ago there is a reliance on pharmaceuticals to fix illness and conditions, however a symptom is a signal the body is out of balance or deficient either nutritionally, emotionally or physically.  Fixing a symptom doesn’t fix the condition but instead often only disguises the root cause.   Until the root cause is addressed symptoms continue to manifest. 
4. Misaligned. The design of modern life has changed the posture and structure of our physiology, with too much time sitting, neck craning and cramping / stunting our precious nervous system & ultimately brain function. 

Children’s’ developing brains are particularly susceptible to their environment, especially toxins.  Toxins store in fatty tissue e.g. the brain, which is 60-70% fatty tissue.  Any assaults that aren’t biologically compatible can impair brain development.  

In our personal experience and as the stories of recovery show, it can take time, but the body returns to homeostasis (balance) and can thrive with the right tools and fuels unique for each individual person.

The younger children are when they get the support they need, the ‘simpler’ the recovery can be.

What next?

To be honest I’ve questioned if any type of intervention is necessary, for our family and for these kids?  Is it their own path to learn from and offer their uniqueness to the world. 

Often these children are gifted in other areas and do have so much to give – just as they are e.g. Greta Thunberg, the climate activist who has Asperger’s syndrome, OCD and selective mutism. Which in her words, ‘means I only speak when I think it’s necessary. Now is one of those moments.” 

I think the answer is, if our kids are happy and are going to be happy, and as their parents, we are happy then THAT is what matters.

This aside, our children today are a long way from their evolutionary blueprint, and returning them to their most natural biological state has profound affects.  There is  much we can do as parents and carers to protect and nourish our childrens minds, brains and bodies, it starts at pre-conception, and as we now know, can be enhanced at any age.

Complacency?

These illnesses and conditions are already common-place in children, but not common knowledge.   Are we becoming complacent in accepting a new level of ‘normal’ for our children’s health that is not normal?  

Here are my tried and tested, quick tips for maximising fun and minimising monster meltdowns at Halloween;

1. Celebrate.

• It’s a great time for celebrating community, friendship & fun. Amp up these aspects & take the emphasis away from lollies.
• Create fun home made treats & healthy alternatives.
• Remind them of the history & the chance to meet neighbours & community.

2. Tricks. Help the kids with ideas for ‘tricks’, not just treats.

3. Trade. Before the big night begins, depending on the childrens’ age, chat about the affects of sugar & the additives & about ‘trading’ for something they love e.g. a sleepover, play date, out for dinner or a visit to the toy shop etc. (more expensive alternatives, but… better than a monster meltdown or worse,  an immune system meltdown & days off school with sickness)!

4. Fill them up e.g. a big dinner before they go out & hopefully they won’t eat so many lollies?! Infact make dinner afternoon tea.

5. Water. After school and through the day fill them up with filtered water.  It’ll fill them up & help their bodies process the sugar.

6. Investigate.   For the older kids investigate (read) the ingredients / numbers.  Download the ‘Chemical Maze’ app.   Search the number(s) listed & then together read the symptoms & the effects specific chemicals have on their body  – it works but it can be scary, so investigate yourself first, and before doing it with them – our kids are 12 & 14.

7. Enjoy the festivities. And the fantastic opportunity it creates to be outside, move their bodies, bring community and neighbours together. It’s a reason I enjoy Halloween, because it brings our street and neighbourhood together & the kids love it! #loveourstreet #loveourneighbours

And if the kids do go crazy you can support their immunity for a few days afterwards e.g.;

🍋 a vitamin c and zinc supplement.
🍋 early nights.
🍋 lots of nourishing, healing, real, whole foods. Eliminating sugary, processed and refined foods.
🍋 Add in a green smoothie or two.
🍋 essential oils if you use them.

And hopefully they won’t get sick, but if they do or if their behaviour is ‘off’, give them a loving reminder WHY.

Most of all have a fun night!

Sunscreen is not the answer to protecting our wellbeing that we’ve been led to believe. 

For years we’ve been told we must use sunscreen and cover up to prevent lasting skin damage and cancer.  

But have sunscreens been adequately tested for their safety and efficiency?  

It’s something that’s been on my mind for a while (actually years) and perhaps for you too.    

This week I heard Dr Elizabeth Plourde, a licensed Clinical Laboratory Scientist share science that tells a compelling story with a different perspective.  She’s researched the topic for many years and is the author of, ‘Sunscreens – biohazard – treat as hazardous waste’.

If sunscreens are potential ‘biohazards’ I’d like to know, and thought you might to.  

In this post I share Dr Plourdes’ research and that of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in the USA, along with proactive ways to protect our skin and elevate our well-being. 

It’s my personal insight and experience and is not be considered medical advice.

• The incidence of melanoma is on the rise not the decline.   
• 1 in 14 men and 1 in 24 women will be diagnosed with melanoma sometime in their life in Australia (2017).  
• Australia has the highest rates of melanoma in the world, despite the huge awareness created with the ‘slip, slop, slap’ campaign and other proactive initiatives. 
• Skin cancer is not common in children, however, the incidence of melanoma in children is increasing by 2 percent each year in the USA.  
• And then why do some melanomas develop in places that never see the sun e.g. the bottom of the foot or the anus?

Generally, it seems what we’re doing isn’t helping.

And then consider;

• The skin is one of our largest organs.  It’s most natural state is to be uncovered, exposed to the sun and weather, yet in our modern lives our skin rarely sees the light of day.  
• Being such a large organ, it has important (vital) functions, other than protecting us in our environment; 
  –   It’s the best source of Vitamin D i.e. via the sun on the skin.  Vitamin D is metabolised into an absorbable form at the skins surface.    

–  Vitamin D is a hormone rather than a nutrient and is vital for strong immunity, healthy bones, anti-inflammatory, heart health, mood, weight management and much more.    

–  The majority of people across the world are vitamin D deficient. 

• It fascinates me to learn the native noongar word, Ngarngk,is the same word for mother as it is for the word, sun.  Mothers nurture and nourish, they give birth to life.  What does this traditional culture understand about the sun that we don’t?   

With the above in mind, the sun is incredibly therapeutic, and quite possibly the ultimate in natures medicine.  It is our friend and not to be feared or considered our foe.  

Why sunscreens are harmful.

1.  Concerning ingredients.

• According to Dr Plourde, some chemicals in sunscreen are potent endocrine (hormone) disruptors and anti-testosterone.  There is one chemical in particular this applies to, oxybenzone. 

• Oxybenzone helps other chemicals better penetrate the skin. In a study done by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), itwas found in 97% of the population.  It’s considered an endocrine (hormone) disruptor, linked to skin allergies, damages cells, can reduce sperm count in men and may affect endometriosis in women.  In 2018 it was in 3,500 skin care productsand hasbeen found in USA water sources!

Hawaii has banned all sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate due to the toxicity and devastating affect on the coral reef.  A few sunscreens now promote themselves as being ‘reef friendly’.

Zinc dioxide and titanium dioxide. 

• According to Dr Plourde, it’s thenano sizeparticles that are damaging.  In this form, they are readily absorbed into the skin and are not considered safe.  These tiny, tiny molecules are able to get into the body, brain, liver, everywhere causing harm at the cellular level. 

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the USA proposes there are 12 other active ingredients commonly found in sunscreens, including oxybenzone, that need additional data from safety and efficacy testing.   These ingredients are used in more than 50 percent of the 1,300 + sunscreens EWG has assessed for their 2019 sunscreen guide. 

2.  Inferior protection.

When we first get in the sun, antioxidants protect the skin naturally, which is why we don’t burn immediately.  When these antioxidants diminish we no longer have the protection and that’s when the skin starts to turn red, burn and we need to retreat to the shade.  It’s our bodies inbuilt warning, signalling us to take protection. 

When sunscreen is used it only blocks the 4% that is UV (ultra violet) B, that’s responsible for burning the skin. When these rays are blocked we are able to stay in the sun longer than we naturally would.   When we stay out longer, that’s when the 47% of sun that is infrared i.e. UV A, can penetrate deeper into the skin and into the mitochondria (the energy powerhouses of cells) and cause cellular damage.

So in staying in the sun longer we don’t burn, but our bodies are exposed to potentially more damaging UV light, causing long-term cellular damage.   Some sunscreens now block the UV A as well. But this may not be the complete answer…   

Dr Plourde says tanning is an important mechanism.  It’s the bodies’ way of protecting our cells from damage long term. It creates melanin, which naturally protects the skin and cells from being oxidized (oxidation is when molecules are ‘lost’ and lose energy, creating free radicals which then contribute to cellular damage).  Meaning, we ideally need to tan and without burning. 

My experience.

If you have fair skin, you might be thinking, ‘No way’, I just burn.    

That was me too.  I have fair skin and as a kid I burnt to a crisp and never really ‘tanned’!  However, a few years ago I began to notice I tanned more easily and didn’t burn so easily!   In fact people comment on my ‘tanned’ face.  It’s taken time, but I sense my change in diet to a more whole foods diet and ‘cleaning up’ my home environment, and exposing my skin to the sun safely has helped improve my skins ability to metabolise melanin.   I don’t know for sure and it’s hard to prove but it fits in with some of the research.  

It’s important not to burn, and I’m not advocating that.  However, if any of what I’m sharing resonates for you, trust your intuition.  

Hormonal disruption. 

If you’ve been doing the ‘right thing’, using sunscreen for many years, with the good intentions of protecting your skin, and slowing the aging process plus you’re doing great things with food and lifestyle, …  but…  you just can’t shift ‘stubborn weight’, or your hormones are imbalanced or blood sugars irregular or metabolism or have skin issues that won’t clear then perhaps there are ‘invisible’ endocrine (hormone) disruptors at play via sunscreen, beauty or personal hygiene products?   Either way it’s worthwhile exploring. 

Being sun smart.

1.  Coverup.  

Stay out of the sun during peak times of UV and infrared rays e.g. when it’s directly overhead.  

Enjoy the sun in the early or later hours of the day.  Monitor your skin to make sure it is not uncomfortable or turning red in the sun.

If you need to stay in the sun for long periods of time, use tight-weave clothing (hats, long-sleeve shirts, pants, etc.) to cover up when your skin has had enough sun.

2.   Eat a bright rainbow.

A diet including more whole foods and foods that are rich in colour and antioxidants and give the body the protection it needs and access to the best source of vitamin D, the sun.    

Antioxidant rich foods include;

• Garlic
• Onion
• Astaxanthin (e.g. algae, salmon and krill)
• Berries
• Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables

3.  As shared above, avoid toxic ingredients on your skin (and ingested into your body). 

4.  Use a more natural sunscreen avoiding the chemicals and nano particles listed e.g. wotnot or soleo brands in Australia.

And if you or your family do happen to get a touch of the sun!  My favourite remedy is therapeutic grade lavender oil – incredible for alleviating burns, ASEA redox molecules and aloe vera gel. 

Summary

Anything we put on our skin has direct entry into the body and blood stream for circulation.   It’s worthwhile auditing the products you’re using on your skin and your children’s skin, especially if it’s on a daily basis.       

Every day we expose our bodies to a level of toxicity from our food and environment.  If we aren’t consciously managing toxins, eventually they accumulate and will manifest dis-ease.   Yet most of these exposures are easily managed.   When we’re aware we can care. 

Our skin needs exposure to the sunshine and for most of us it’s not getting enough.   With Summer on the way it’s timely to check vitamin D levels and consider how much time your or your children’s’ skin sees the sun daily?  

It’s recommended we use sunscreen everyday, even through winter.  How can our skin ever do the job it’s so cleverly designed for, if it doesn’t see the sun?    

When we cover our skin we prevent the metabolism of Vitamin D which in itself has been shown to be anti carcinogenic.

While sunscreens have a part to play in our sun protection, it’s likely there is more we can do to protect our skin from the inside out while honouring the vital and most natural relationship we have with the sun itself. 

This is not medical advice it is my own personal insight based on my personal experience and science based research.  

For more information on how to elevate your wellbeing, reduce toxins in your daily life and nourish your family with natures’ medicine, contact me, I’d love to hear from you.