The Idea Crucible

 Autism spectrum disorder is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child's ability to communicate and interact with others. Its presentation includes restricted repetitive behaviors, interests, and activities. These issues cause significant impairment in social, occupational, and other areas of functioning.

     My daughter, Heather was diagnosed around age 13 with autism. She was given a bleak prognosis that included a recommendation to institutionalize her. No traditional pharmaceutical supports were working and Heather’s neurosurgeon was recommending brain surgery to “poke around her brain,” but he advised it was highly unlikely there was anything they could do to control the 40 seizures a day. I poured my heart out to Heather’s occupational therapist who was trained in, and recommended Upledger - CranioSacral Therapy.

      I have been immersed in the area of the gut, it’s Enteric Nervous System now referred to as The Second Brain, and its place in creating our overall good health for a number of years now. My own gut has been talking to me all my life and I guess I am finally learning how to listen. Listening to what it has to say is fundamental to my physical, mental and emotional health.

     As I began to talk about this “obsession” to my study group, my patients and friends, it became startlingly clear that gut health or gut ill health impacts on almost everyone in some way at some point in their lives. Everywhere Iooked I saw more books on new insights on the gut, the microbiota, the second brain, the gut/brain connection and how food was important but what was more interesting to me was it’s impact on the whole body/mind system. In other words in order to address our mental health, emotional health and physical health we need to work with our gut, to listen to it’s unheard stories and to expand our awareness beyond the food we eat . . .