Summary
A recent discussion highlights the connection between metabolic health and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and ADHD. The conversation emphasizes the need to explore these conditions through a metabolic lens rather than solely a behavioral one. Evidence suggests that dietary changes, particularly reducing processed foods and increasing whole foods, can lead to significant improvements in symptoms for individuals with these disorders.
One notable case from a special education school in England illustrates this point. A 16-year-old boy with autism, who typically displayed disengagement and lethargy, showed remarkable behavioral changes after participating in a food pilot program that replaced his usual junk food with nutritious meals. Staff reported that he became more active, engaged, and even joyful, highlighting the potential impact of dietary interventions on mental health and behavior.
The discussion also addresses the rising prevalence of autism and ADHD, linking it to factors such as parental metabolic health and access to nutritious food. Studies indicate that children from wealthier backgrounds tend to have lower rates of these diagnoses, suggesting that socioeconomic factors play a critical role in developmental health. Furthermore, emerging research points to insulin resistance and blood glucose regulation as key areas of concern, with potential therapeutic avenues in nutritional therapies, including ketogenic diets, showing promise for improving cognitive and behavioral outcomes in affected individuals.
Show Notes
Claire McDonnell Liu is an independent nutritionist with over 10 years of expertise as a metabolic health specialist. She originally qualified in the UK, supporting patients with low-carb nutrition therapy within the NHS, and delivering school food improvement and education programs across the UK, before relocating to Australia. Claire has a particular interest in metabolic nutritional support for adults and children with neurodivergent conditions, including ADHD and ASD, delivering school programs and individual consultations.Claire has affiliations with non-profit and charitable metabolic health organisations, as a health researcher, writer, and project manager, including with the Australasian Metabolic Health Society, the Nutrition Coalition, Public Health Collaboration, Matthew’s Friends, and Low Carb Down Under.You can follow Claire’s Low Carb Down Under blog contributions here; https://lowcarbdownunder.com.au/category/news/Her regular metabolic health podcast here; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq3-b1Ya_LEfZg97jZqI9yQ and her nutrition work here; https://leafie.org/Please consider supporting Low Carb Down Under via Patreon. A small monthly contribution will assist in the costs of filming and editing these presentations and will allow us to keep producing high quality content free from advertising. For further information visit; https://www.patreon.com/lowcarbdownunder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jayne Bullen is an MBA Chevening Scholar, High Dip in Marketing and International Relations graduate. In her MBA at Leeds University, she focussed on the regulation of marketing to children in the food and fast food categories, later conducting Pan European media research and strategy evaluation in this area for various global health bodies and brands.Jayne believes research in healthcare needs better funding and strong minds. After realising the dichotomy between brand research budgets and human health research, she decided to leave the formal research world, committed to bringing her global experience in big biz research, systems, and policy change expertise into new areas to affect change to human health.As an extension of her collaborative vision for the future of human health and better healthcare systems, she co-founded Nutrition Network and has been its Managing Director since it was founded in 2018. As the Chief Operating Officer of The Noakes Foundation, she established Eat Better South Africa alongside inspiring colleagues and Prof Noakes and believes in building stronger collaboration in the nutrition and science game.Please consider supporting Low Carb Down Under via Patreon. A small monthly contribution will assist in the costs of filming and editing these presentations and will allow us to keep producing high quality content free from advertising. For further information visit; https://www.patreon.com/lowcarbdownunder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dr Paul Mason obtained his medical degree with honours from the University of Sydney, and also holds degrees in Physiotherapy and Occupational Health. He is a Specialist Sports Medicine and Exercise Physician.Dr Mason developed an interest in low carbohydrate diets in 2011. Since then he has spent hundreds of hours reading and analysing the scientific literature. For a number of years Dr. Mason has been applying this knowledge in treating metabolic and arthritis patients who have achieved dramatic and sustained weight loss and reductions in joint pain.Dr. Mason is also the Chief Medical Officer of Defeat Diabetes, Australia's first evidence-based and doctor-led program that focuses on the wide range of health benefits of a low carb lifestyle, particularly for those wanting to send into remission pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic illnesses. Please consider supporting Low Carb Down Under via Patreon. A small monthly contribution will assist in the costs of filming and editing these presentations and will allow us to keep producing high quality content free from advertising. For further information visit; https://www.patreon.com/lowcarbdownunder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dr Paul Mason obtained his medical degree with honours from the University of Sydney, and also holds degrees in Physiotherapy and Occupational Health. He is a Specialist Sports Medicine and Exercise Physician.Dr Mason developed an interest in low carbohydrate diets in 2011. Since then he has spent hundreds of hours reading and analysing the scientific literature. For a number of years Dr. Mason has been applying this knowledge in treating metabolic and arthritis patients who have achieved dramatic and sustained weight loss and reductions in joint pain.Dr. Mason is also the Chief Medical Officer of Defeat Diabetes, Australia's first evidence-based and doctor-led program that focuses on the wide range of health benefits of a low carb lifestyle, particularly for those wanting to send into remission pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic illnesses. Please consider supporting Low Carb Down Under via Patreon. A small monthly contribution will assist in the costs of filming and editing these presentations and will allow us to keep producing high quality content free from advertising. For further information visit; https://www.patreon.com/lowcarbdownunder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Carolyn Rogers is a Brisbane-based Psychologist who works in private practice. She has a special interest and extensive experience in weight management and eating disorders. Before becoming a Psychologist, Carolyn was a Registered Nurse and she has a passion for health and science. In this presentation Carolyn describes a number of studies done by Psychologists using animal models, and later human models, to show the addictive properties of sugar. Sugar and highly-palatable processed foods can produce the same brain responses as substances of abuse. These processed foods pose a problem for anyone trying to control their weight because they hijack the appetite leading to a vicious cycle of overconsumption, withdrawal symptoms when access is denied and cravings, leading to further overconsumption.Carolyn Rogers can be contacted via her website at www.carolynrogers.com.au Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dr Paul Mason obtained his medical degree with honours from the University of Sydney, and also holds degrees in Physiotherapy and Occupational Health. He is a Specialist Sports Medicine and Exercise Physician.Dr Mason developed an interest in low carbohydrate diets in 2011. Since then he has spent hundreds of hours reading and analysing the scientific literature. For a number of years Dr. Mason has been applying this knowledge in treating metabolic and arthritis patients who have achieved dramatic and sustained weight loss and reductions in joint pain.Dr. Mason is also the Chief Medical Officer of Defeat Diabetes, Australia's first evidence-based and doctor-led program that focuses on the wide range of health benefits of a low carb lifestyle, particularly for those wanting to send into remission pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic illnesses. Please consider supporting Low Carb Down Under via Patreon. A small monthly contribution will assist in the costs of filming and editing these presentations and will allow us to keep producing high quality content free from advertising. For further information visit; https://www.patreon.com/lowcarbdownunder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices