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Is soya beneficial for your child?

Over the years, studies have shown conflicting evidence about soy-based products. Some studies have claimed that soy is the panacea for many health ailments, a superfood that is the solution to prevent many health problems. Other research, however, states that soy is responsible for behavioral problems and disrupts hormones in the body, thus causing serious health concerns.

Different Types of Soy

Soy is a protein derived from soybeans, which are legumes that historically originated from Eastern Asia in oriental cultures.

Traditional soy products are divided into two groups: fermented – such as miso, tempeh, tamari, natto, and unfermented – such as soybean oil, soy sauce, soy milk, soy protein powders, infant formula, and tofu.

Fermented Soy Products

Fermented soy products are produced as a result of microorganisms such as beneficial bacteria and yeast breaking down the specific carbohydrates found in soy.

 This improves the digestibility and allows for better absorption into the body. Soy fermentation also enhances the solubility of minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, copper and zinc and enhances vitamin levels and overall nutrition by concentrating large amounts of the vitamin B complex and forming an enriched product. According to a 2006 study published in the Journal of Nutrition on osteoporosis, Japanese fermented soybeans, natto, have been associated with reduced bone loss in postmenopausal women. However, no comparison study was conducted to test the effect of unfermented soy products on this cohort group.

Unfermented Soy Products

The soybean most commonly consumed today is in an unfermented form.

Soy is used as a protein supplement for vegan/vegetarian eaters, and is commonly made into milk. Most soy, over 90%, in the United States is genetically modified. In a 2014 study published in Food Chemistry, organic soybeans showed the healthiest nutritional profile as compared to the conventional and genetically modified soy.

The GM soy crops, which comprise 93-94% of the soybeans produced in the U.S., contained high residues of a broad-spectrum called glyphosate, the main ingredient in RoundUp – which is the most widely used herbicide in the world. According to the World Health Organization in March 2015, glyphosate can cause cancer in humans, in particular farm workers dealing with these agrichemicals.

The Link to Soy with Behavioral Problems

Soy foods today are vastly different from those historically consumed in traditional Eastern Asian cultures. Most soy in the U.S. is used to make soybean oil. The waste product is used to feed livestock or processed to produce soy protein isolate (SPI). Studies have shown various deficiencies in rats that were linked to SPI, such as zinc and B12 and toxins that have been formed in the processing of soy. Despite these dangers, SPI is the basic ingredient of soy infant formula. A study conducted at the University of California, it has determined  that manganese, a mineral found in high levels in soy milk, appeared to be linked to behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, developmental disorders, mental health disorders, and ADHD.

This post originally appeared on About.com

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ABR’s nutritional guide

Our families often ask us to advise them on feeding their child. ABR techniques that provide constant improvement in health go hand in hand with a mindful diet in order to develop greater vitality in our children and ensure the regeneration of their tissues.

As explained to parents during ABR assessments, you must understand that your child’s metabolism is much weaker than our own and that their child’s digestion is particularly difficult. Therefore, anything you can do to help your child’s digestive system and reduce stomach overload will significantly help them function better.

That’s why we developed this nutritional guide.

Vigilance with the size of the pieces and the given amount
If your child can eat solid food, but is unable to chew adequately, it is important to consider the size of the pieces that you give him/her. If the pieces are too large, the digestive enzymes which, in your child’s case, are reduced in quantity, are insufficient to properly dissolve these pieces… furthermore, the enzymes will only work at the outer layer of the food. Therefore, either these remaining pieces of food will stay in the stomach for much too long or they will flow too slowly through the digestive system, requiring too much energy to fully digest. In children that are incapable of chewing, a large amount of pureed food served in one meal will raise the same issues.

What to feed my child?

In general, we recommend buying organic foods and the least processed food as possible.
Thus, we prefer foods in their most natural state:

  • Fresh vegetables
  • Unrefined cereals
  • Fresh meat and fish
  • The least amount of dairy products possible

Therefore, always look for foods that are very fresh, less processed, altered and refined as possible. It is important that you avoid and eliminate:

  • Processed meals and frozen food (pizzas, etc.)
  • Sugars – especially refined sugars like white sugar. If you really must, give in moderation (Note: children with epilepsy should never consume sugar!)
  • Sodas and other sugary drinks

In short, we recommend that ABR parents eliminate all grains that contain gluten and all dairy products. Children, who have a deficient metabolism, progress much faster when relieved of their a diet containing gluten and casein (the main protein present in milk and cheese).

Good food combinations!

Since you child has poor digestion, this should limit the types of food he/she eats in a single meal. Different types of food require different types of digestive enzymes, and if you give your child proteins and carbohydrates in the same meal, it will be difficult for him/her to digest.

Thus, we suggest opting for vegetables as the base of each meal. The vegetables should be lightly steamed (always keep their crunchy texture and a bright green color).

To these steamed vegetables, you may add grains such as rice, quinoa, millet or buckwheat, ot (NOT “AND”) a little meat or fish.

You can also give nut butters, almond or cashew, by adding them to grains or vegetables for a nutritious meal. You can also add cold pressed flax oil.

The principles of food combinations are to avoid mixing proteins with carbohydrates (ie. grains).

So in the same meal, you serve either vegetables with meat, fish or legumes – or vegetables with grains, but you should avoid serving meat, fish and legumes with grains at all cost.

Fats

Coconut oil is a very nutritious oil that possesses as many beneficial nutritional qualities. All children should consume it.

Coconut oil reduces epilepsy in many children.

Make sure that all oils are non- hydrogenated and of good quality. You should give your child flaxseed oil every day, as fresh as possible. Purchase it in small bottles and keep it in the refrigerator. Also use it raw on food.
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Our next article will focus on two types of foods to eliminate from your child`s diet, or at least reduce considerably… if you want to help their metabolism and contribute to optimal development.

See you next time!

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New research reaffirms ABR’s principles

Mark Driscoll, ABR researcher, MBA, presented the results of a 3-year-study on ABR technique to the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine, in September 2014 in San Diego and to the 1st Asia-Oceanian Congress for NeuroRehabilitation, in Seoul, South Korea in September 2015.

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Driscoll, M., and Blyum, L., (2014) Results of a 3 year prospective cohort study investigating the influence of home-based therapy on cerebral palsy patients GMFCS types 4 and 5.

 

Capture d’écran 2015-10-17 à 13.06.12Capture d’écran 2015-10-17 à 13.06.28

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Get a free pre-assessment of your child via Skype!

You are interested in ABR, but still wondering if it is suitable for your child?  Want to know what ABR can do for him/her? Inquire from home! Thanks to the magic of technology, it is possible for us to come into your home, have a look at your child, conduct a 30 minutes pre-assessment and talk ‘live’ about ABR possibilities in his/her specific case.

Get all your questions answered without leaving your home…

Book your pre-assessment today!

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The secret for your child to be more successful in the upcoming school year.

R-E-L-A-X-A-T-I-O-N!

Parents with special needs children all have the same obsession: stimulation!

It is commonly believed that the more you stimulate your child physically and mentally, the better your chances are to see him/her improve both functionally and cognitively. However, have you thought about how much energy this constant stimulation (and often over-stimulation) requires from your child? There are 5 sources we all draw our energy from: food, good metabolic functions, hydration, proper respiration and sleep. If we look at it more closely, one will quickly realize that CP children do not eat as much as their healthy peers, don’t digest as easily, drink less (usually a lot less!), often have respiratory problems and suffer from poor sleep. For all these reasons, it has been proven that a CP child spends 3 times more much energy than their peers to perform ANY activity, be it intellectual, motor or merely vital! In other words, a one hour drive in the adapted transportation to go to school (half an hour back and forth), represents the same fatigue as a 3 hour drive for him/her!!! And stimulation is not even counted yet… watching a video during half an hour represents the same fatigue as one and a half hours; being in a noisy environment stresses him/her out 3 times as much as any other child. Result: there is no remaining surplus (always available in healthy children) to grow, thrive and flourish as a human being.

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ABR ‘beats’ the GMFCS curve!

Have you ever heard of the GMFCS (Gross Motor Classification System)? Most parents have not…although it is THE international standard tool used in both North America and Western Europe to assess clinical intervention in Cerebral Palsy.

The GMFCS is a 5-level classification system. Level 1 corresponding to mildly affected children, generally walking without restrictions, but tending to be limited in some of the more advanced motor skills. Level 5 corresponding to the most severely affected children that are very limited in their ability to move themselves around, even with the use of assistive technology.

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GMFCS clearly demonstrates the limitations of functional training with brain injured individuals.

According to these curves, all levels of severity demonstrate the same phenomenon that is characterized by a discontinuance of functional improvement by the age of 9, with the most severely affected individuals (level 3, 4, 5) showing diminishing curve benefits and progress as early as age 4 or 5.

All levels of severity taken together show the same phenomenon after the age of 9 and some demonstrate this occurrence even earlier. In the most severe cases, levels 3-4 and 5, there are diminishing curve benefits and progress after the age of 4-5 years old.

The GMFCS study speaks for itself. Professionals, in spite of all their efforts to improve the fate of children with Cerebral Palsy, often refer to this phenomenon as a curse: ‘We can’t beat the curve!’ It’s an expression frequently used in conferences by healthcare professionals.

In other words, poor structural qualities lead nowhere in terms of function, regardless of the intervention used to target their maximization.

But, here is the good news!

ABR completed a 3-year prospective cohort study developed to assess the influence of ABR therapy on the quality of life, wellbeing, and function of a child with cerebral palsy.  This study included over 100 participants, mostly GMFCS types 4 and 5 (most severe cases), from both the US and South America and demonstrates, with statistical significance, the beneficial results provided by the therapy.

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ABR now in Toronto and in Lima, Peru!

Opened at the end of 2014, ABR Canada now has a working satellite in Mississauga, Ontario.

More good news: our new ‘Thrive and Flourish’ program waas offered for the first time in October 2015 in Lima, Peru!

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New ABR tools speed up results!

ABR introduced new tools and techniques in its Spring sessions to further enhance your child’s improvements!  Our scientifically proven innovative techniques are continuously evolving.

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‘Doing’… at all cost?

As soon as parents learn about the diagnosis of their child, they start worrying about their future. Questions like “Will my child ever walk?” or “Will my child ever talk?” are naturally the first ones to come to mind. However, once they realize the severity of their child, hopes become more modest: “Will my child ever be able to feed himself?” “Hold his head up?” “Sit… communicate?“ Even though expectations diminish, the questions are still functionally oriented… and this is normal. From day one, all scales used to assess the development of the child are related to functional abilities: gross motor scales, intellectual, speech, etc.

However legitimate those concerns are, they should never deter us from even more important questions as “WILL MY CHILD EVER BE HAPPY IN LIFE?” “Will we, as a family, be able to have a flourishing relationship with him/her?” “What does it take to reach that point?” “What are the priorities? Walk… or overcome respiratory problems, regular colds and pneumonias? Talk… or get rid of painful reflux? Crawl… or digest properly and have regular bowel movements? Roll… or benefit from restorative sleep during the night and be full of energy during the day?

You start seeing what I’m getting to? Doesn’t asking the question provide the answer at the same time? To begin with, vital functions in children with cerebral palsy are frequently compromised: they have to cope with poor breathing and digesting mechanisms: simple colds become severe respiratory episodes; oftentimes they have trouble while being fed and afterwards with irregular bowel movements; sleep cycles are interrupted as these children are too tactile sensitive. The list is long… As the sensory input is usually very confusing, learning from experience like their healthy peers becomes a real challenge. In other words, their very FABRIC OF BEING is severely compromised.

Do a simple test: visualize yourself in your child’s shoes. Each day of your life, your lungs are constantly congested with mucus; you suffer from severe reflux and haven’t been to the bathroom for the last 3 days; you can’t remember when you had a good, full night of sleep, and you feel miserable…still, your parents have been told that regular training and stimulation is the secret of your success in ‘doing’ more things and you are constantly encouraged to give 100% of yourself: “Hold the head!” “Sit straight!” “Put your leg in front of the other!” “Hold on to the walker!” “Listen to the music!” “Smile!” “Watch the video!” “Crawl!” “Lift, lift, lift!” “Com’ on, you can do it!!!”

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