IN YOUR DAILY DOSE today researchers discover a non-invasive test for autism and find a neurotransmitter that is responsible for autistic type symptoms. Although the research may not lead to new treatments, it will likely result in better testing of young children.

IN MAKING CHANGES today there is more information about autism, treatments and prevention.

IN FACT OR FICTION you’ll discover the interesting and weird way the US decided to win WWII using a small mammal.

In The News

One in 68 children in the United States has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or ASD. To date, researchers have not pinpointed one trigger or cause of the condition. But in research released this month, scientists have discovered a neurotransmitter in the brain is uniquely connected to the symptoms of autism.

Caroline Robertson, a Fellow in the Harvard Society of Fellows, and lead researcher says,

"This is the first time, in humans, that a neurotransmitter in the brain has been linked to autistic behavior - full stop. This theory - that the GABA signaling pathway plays a role in autism - has been shown in animal models, but until now we never had evidence for it actually causing autistic differences in humans."

Although the findings may not lead to new treatments, it may lead to better diagnostic tools for young children. The testing used visual images to prompt the brain to inhibit one image and interpret just the other. In the normal brain the images will go back and forth every 3 seconds, but an individual with autism this same process will take twice as long.

SOURCE: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151217130500.htm

Daily Health Tip

The secondary family effects of autism can be devastating to a family. Depending upon the severity of the condition, your child may be able to live independently. There are some things you can do at home to help reduce the symptoms and improve your child’s functioning.

Making Changes

We are not only what we eat, but we also act like what we eat. Make some of these changes to your diet and the diet of your child. You’ll see results you never thought you would.

Although vaccinations have gotten the most press, other toxins in the environment also contribute to the development of conditions like autism. In fact, some research has identified children who are more at risk of developing autism after vaccinations, based on their gut microbiome. The bacteria in your gut control and impact everything from your immune system to your mood.

1. Reduce or eliminate (if possible) taking antibiotics, which severely change the bacteria in your gut. If you have to take them, be sure you work extra hard to improve the balance between good and bad bacteria by using prebiotics.

2. Prebiotics are the food for your good bacteria and help them to grow and replicate faster. Probiotics are the bacteria. Unfortunately, taking probiotics can be a little like a drop in the ocean. But, using prebiotics give the good bacteria the advantage over  the bad bacteria. Bad bacteria use sugar for food while good bacteria feed off of fiber.

3. Get at least 25 grams of fiber per day, and closer to 35 grams if you can. Use organic psyllium husk to increase your level of fiber, but don’t go over the 35 grams or you’ll suffer side effects.

4. Reduce or eliminate the processed grains in the diet, which convert to sugar in the body.

My Daily Affirmation

I am making a positive impact on our world by helping kids.

When I spend time with children, we laugh a lot and enjoy the day. I help them learn the things that they need to grow up and become healthy adults.

Fact Or Fiction?

During World War II, Americans experimented with using bats to drop incendiary devices, or bombs, on the enemy. The idea was to drop a canister filled with bats fitted with small incendiary devices that would be triggered in the morning after they found a place to roost for the day. Bats can carry more than their weight in flight, will find places to roost during the day. The plan was to release them in the dark hours of the morning over Japanese cities where many of the buildings contained paper and bamboo - highly flammable. The idea was minimal loss of life, but devastated property damage from many small fires. However, during testing the bats were dropping like stones from the canister and the idea never got off the ground.

Have a wonderful day!

Your Healthy Life America Team