Helping Hands Occupational Therapy

What does glutathione, oxidative stress and Autism have to do with each other?⠀
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✨Glutathione is the body's master antioxidant that plays many protective roles in the human body - primarily as it relates to reducing oxidative stress in our brain 🧠 and at a cellular level (see slides for all it’s important roles within the body) It is a primary nutrient involved in the detoxification process.⠀
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🧪Many research studies show children with Autism have significantly lower levels of serum glutathione. This compromises their ability to detox and defend against every day toxicants and free radicals. ⠀
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🧬There are also many studies that show oxidative stress is much higher in children with ASD, which makes sense since their glutathione levels are typically compromised.⠀
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The two play off of eachother -- less glutathione -- more oxidative stress and free radical damage.⠀
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🔬Oxidative stress happens when there is an imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants in the body. This imbalance causes cellular damage, compromises the blood brain barrier and can cause a cascade of inflammation in the brain.⠀
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✨The good news? Children with Autism can benefit from glutathione supplementation which can decrease their oxidative stress levels. (See the study referenced above)⠀
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Always work with a provider before starting any supplements of course and this is not medical advice.⠀
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Topical glutathione to be best tolerated by children in my opinion. (it can be absorbed through the skin)⠀
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🫐Other ways to increase glutathione levels and decrease oxidative stress in the body naturally:⠀
-consume antioxidant rich foods⠀
-decrease/limit toxicant exposure in food/water/air⠀
-NAC⠀
-Vitamin E⠀
-Liposomal vitamin C⠀
-epsom salt baths⠀
-castor oil packs

I've been thinking about autonomy lately and why its so critical for raising a child who is confident and trustworthy of food.
Our goal as parents around the table is to teach, guide and model how to make balanced food choices and how to follow our hunger and satiety cues.

This means we are the ones responsible making balanced food options available for our children, but we have to allow freedom for our children to begin making their own choices and we have to allow an open dialogue of trust and communication around foods.

Bribery and coersion doesn't allow for an open dialogue of trust and communication and it often creates the opposite affect we desire. When we force and bribe, we hope this will make our children like that food we're bribing them to eat-- but this won’t ever work - it will only teach children that food is unsafe the next time its offered.

We can have healthy boundaries AND allow room for our children to have their own autonomy and control. The more autonomy we give, the more the child feels in the driver's seat and the more relaxed and safe they will feel around foods.

Here's a short list of 5 ways you can offer you child more autnomomy at mealtime.