Most of these children eat such a poor diet they suffer either diarrhea or constipation (sometimes producing the odd symptom of toe walking), perhaps alternating. One Mom reported that toe walking was stopped for her son by cranial-sacral therapy. One mother reports that what she thought to be a two-year-long bout of diarrhea was in fact constipation! Her son frequently screamed, rubbed or punched his stomach, and walked on his toes. Many doctors told her that this was merely self-stimulatory action (don’t you believe it). He had an impacted bowel with a blockage as large as a small cantaloupe (a Bezoar)!
A Bezoar may be the result of pica, the eating of non-food substances. Most commonly, the diagnosis of pica is made after a patient is found to have iron deficiency anemia, lead poisoning, intestinal obstruction (Bezoar), or another metabolic abnormality. Treating the patient diagnosed with pica is challenging. It normally indicates a mineral deficiency, frequently a need for iron (often indicated by an addiction to chewing ice). It can be from an addiction to phenol or another toxic substance. Management should include education about general nutrition and the PST syndrome, and may require iron therapy if a deficiency of this mineral is uncovered. Diagnosing and treating any underlying medical condition or complication such as lead poisoning is also important. It is vital to supplement with a good, digestive enzyme with a high amount of cellulase in it to digest the fibers that will otherwise block the gut with a Bezoar. Fortunately, in many cases pica will remit with time.
This is an increasing problem especially in those with poor digestion from a lack of HCl and enzymes such as the autistic, the aged, and the ones taking antacids and H2 blockers (Pepcid™, Zantac™). Foods are not being broken down, and the fibers, in particular, build up in a ball (Bezoar) in the stomach and migrate to the intestine. This can grow to such size that surgical removal is necessary! The use of soluble fiber: fructooligosaccharide, psyllium, oat, guar gum, pectin, or a combination of fibers; along with a probiotic (preferably goat yogurt, if not on casein free diet, or capsules of these beneficial bacteria), and the supplemental digestive enzymes with cellulase will work wonders to improve the bowel and the digestion. Where there is elevated HCl, the Lactobacillus Acidophilus may not survive, so to ensure they do, take the capsules on an empty stomach (three hours after eating) with some Alka-Seltzer Gold™ or with 1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in a glass of water. Use of excessive bicarbonate of soda can disrupt potassium balance so the use of a small amount of Alka-Seltzer Gold™ may be preferred.
Felsenfeld, et al., found pancreatic enzymes useful in restoring proper intestinal flora, and in the nutritional management of gastrointestinal bacterial overgrowth problems that come from increases in bacteria such as Clostridia, Lactobacillae, Bifidobacteria, Bacteroides, Pseudomonceae, and the Enterobacteriaceae, such as E. Coli and Klebsiella. Many of these organisms can be recognized as those bacteria involved in protein putrefaction, and the so-called toxic bowel syndrome. Use of azeotropically (a method of extraction) processed pancreatin hastened the return of the altered intestinal flora to their pre-infection levels, and restored gastrointestinal ecology. Antibody production was increased by 250% over controls in Swiss white mice. Vitamin B12, folic acid, and zinc absorption was enhanced. Conditions such as chronic and terminal illness, chemotherapy, physical and emotional trauma (surgery, car accident, etc.), prolonged and chronic pain, severe mental depression, and emotional stress may alter HCl secretions, largely from depletion of zinc supplies. This in turn, disrupts the flow and activation of pancreatic enzymes; hence, the malabsorption of food.
In such situations, hydrochloric acid supplementation may be warranted in addition to pancreatic enzymes and zinc. In a little heard of experiment at Rockefeller Foundation, researchers found “a host of diseases generally never associated with faulty diet were definitely connected with the type of food eaten by the individual man or animal.” The parts of the body affected were the chest, ear, nose, upper respiratory passages, the eye, gastrointestinal and urinary tracts, the skin, blood, lymph glands, nerves, heart, and teeth. Sinusitis, adenoids, infections of the middle ear, pneumonia, and bronchiectasis were some of the afflictions that the experimenters were able to reproduce in the animals at will by feeding them the diet that produced these diseases in man.
Since these afflictions are usually regarded as infectious in nature, this is another proof that lowered resistance and impairments resulting from nutritional deficiencies rather than an invasion of microorganisms are the primary causative factors. Only in a body that is depleted or weakened can a germ or virus gain a foothold. All members of one viral type (there are five types) are usually almost identical in every way except for the glycoprotein antigens on their protein coat. It is this signal that can trigger an immune system response in a host. Without adequate glycoproteins in the host, the virus (or cancer cell) may not be recognized. Rebuild your immune function by correcting your dietary and by supplementing with Ambrotose AO™, Phyt•Aloe®, PLUS, and a good multivitamin/mineral, Catlyst™, by Mannatech™.
Additionally, many studies support the idea that the Coxsackie’s virus, hepatitis B, and even HIV and other retroviruses are made more virulent by a selenium deficiency, and that supplementation with selenium significantly reduces incidence of these diseases. It has been shown that the relatively benign Coxsackie’s virus in a selenium deficient mouse can mutate into a more virulent form that wrecks more damage, and retains its virulence even when injected into those with adequate selenium! —Dr. Ethan Will Taylor. Shifts in magnesium to manganese cations in the body can significantly enhance viral mutation rates by 6-10 fold! Scary. Ebola virus kills 4 out of 10 of its victims, however, in the presence of selenium supplementation the fatality rate drops by over 80 percent! That is a persuasive demonstration of the anti-viral power of this essential mineral. Considering that mercury depletes magnesium and selenium, poor diets lack magnesium and selenium, our kids universally lack magnesium and selenium, and that most of these kids harbor chronic viral infections, shouldn’t you supplement magnesium and selenium? Use selenium at 5-mcg/kg body weight. Your doctor may wish to use more to overcome the chronic viral condition. A Brazil nut typically may contain 120-mcg selenium, and would be a good way to meet this need.
What one eats, or absorbs from what is eaten, also determines how the bowel functions, which in turn determines what one absorbs—whether nutrient or toxin. Diarrhea and constipation are both severe problems for most autistics. Diarrhea is the most debilitating due to loss of nutrients and necessary water, and must not be allowed to continue. Dehydration alone is a serious condition producing a multitude of symptoms. In this paper, I have mentioned a number of conditions contributing to diarrhea, but I summarize them here for ready reminder and as a checklist to pursue in elimination of this most serious condition:
Apple juice is often oversupplied to children, causing diarrhea. This juice is not readily absorbed, causing digestive distress. Additionally, doctors recruited 219 patients with unexplained upper GI symptoms—bloating, cramping, distension, diarrhea, and gas—, more than 80 percent of the participants met the diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel syndrome - and nearly 80 percent of the same participants tested positive for fructose allergy. Substitute white grape juice that is better tolerated. In any case, give only enough juice to keep the bowel regular and the stool soft–formed. More juice than this provides too much sugar leading to sugar-control problems, overweight, Candida, and other health concerns.
Diarrhea may improve with a diet high in fiber. Some leftovers from digestion, such as bile, produce diarrhea by irritating the intestine and acting as powerful laxatives. “Bile is an irritant to the large bowel, hence the importance of proper function of the ileocecal valve (ICV). If I recall my absorption mechanics correctly, the bile must be reabsorbed in the terminal ileum - if it “leaks” through a flaccid ICV the patient has irritable bowel symptoms. A green stool suggests a rapid transit and the presence of bile—D.H. Duffy, Sr., DC. Some fibers, such as pectin and gum (found in Ambrotose AO™ and Manna•Bears™), may help to bind these food residues and reduce diarrhea. If using a supplement of fiber, give a large glass of water, and do not use large amounts of fiber to begin. Care must be used not to block the intestine. Additionally, fiber inhibits the absorption of many, perhaps all, minerals. In one study, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus absorption were decreased. The reduction of metal absorption was mainly due to its absorption in the non-digestive cellular fibers. In general, the more alkaline the lumen, the lower the rate of absorption of most minerals.
For those with irritable bowel, Colitis, Crohn’s, Diverticulitis, and such irritations, four things will surely save the day. Take bromelain and aloe vera—preferably as found in Ambrotose AO™ by Mannatech, Inc. (Ambrotose® is a superior form, containing a patented, standardized extract of aloe called Manapol™, and the other vital saccharides, N-acetylneuraminic Acid, Galactose, Fucose, and N-acetylglucosamine found deficient in Crohn’s)—and glutamine (amino acid, 500 mg, twice daily). When we are sick, the body fails to manufacture enough of this nonessential amino acid that is said to help intestinal cilia regain their ability to function. These three should relieve pain and diarrhea caused by inflammation and irritation of the bowel, and it could save your colon! The fourth is probiotic bacteria with some water-soluble fiber, preferably fructo-oligosaccharide (GI-Pro™ by Mannatech is a good one). Drs. Cooter and Schmtt suggest 300 micrograms of molybdenum per day (adults) in three divided doses, and further suggests staying on it for at least four months. Dr. Atkins suggests 450 to 900 milligrams daily of Pantethine with an equal amount of Pantothenic Acid. Dr. Atkins concluded, based on his success with his patients, that Pantethine bypasses the block in converting vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) to Coenzyme A.