Asperger's Question!! !!

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It was mentioned in my abnormal psych class as a debunked theory (not scientifically valid.) just like MMR vaccines, lead and mercury (in most cases), casein and gluten etc.

I think it's safe to say that many on the autism spectrum have been known to have Candida overgrowth. My son has been diagnosed with Asperger's and I am likely on the spectrum as well, although undiagnosed. My son definitely had an external yeast problem during infancy. But, he also experienced oxygen deprivation during birth--and, it is said that roughly 50% of ppl on the spectrum experienced difficult births. Does Candida "cause" autism? It seems doubtful that Candida would be a singular cause. Do ppl on the spectrum have a sensitivity or tendency to experience Candida overgrowth? Perhaps. And, given that autism is said to "run in families" it suggests there may be a genetic component as well.

Also, just because someone chooses to publish in something like the Alternative Medicine Review doesn't mean they aren't reputable. I'm not nec. defending PM Kidd. However, it's pretty clear that there's been a divide between the allopathic and alternative medical fields for years. Fortunately, that is changing. But historically, the two have been at odds for a long time. And unfortunately, the majority of ppl aren't willing to give alternative methods the time of day and, at times, treat allopathic medicine as if it's some sort of "god". I'm speaking from the perspective of someone who's had a Candida overgrowth problem and cleared it using alternative means--and not the kind that require enemas, pureed veggies & etc. as mentioned in an earlier post. Before the Candida cleanse I had some definite digestive problems (bloating, bowel disturbances, etc.) and my triglycerides were sky-high; afterward, my triglyceride levels normalized and the digestive problems disappeared.

The implication that symptoms of Candida overgrowth would be limited to physical problems, to the exclusion of emotional/mental ones is rather simplistic and naive, in my opinion. If this were the case, then prescription meds, herbs, etc., given for physical ills would not have possible emotional/mental side effects. Anyone heard of the "Intestinal Brain"? Try doing a search on "the intestinal brain" or "the gut's second brain" to learn more about connections between the gut and mood, etc.

I kind of took the backward approach. After years of dealing with congestion and back pain I finally figured out I had a candida problem. After being on the candida diet for a couple months, which kills off all the excessive candida in your body, I realized that I was feeling really calm, clear headed and didn't have the nervous energy I have always had. (not to mention back felt a lot better and I could breathe). I am 46, and it wasn't until about 5 months ago that I realized I had Aspergers. I finally made sense of my whole life, from my social and speech issues to the fact that my brain spins at twice the speed of others, abilities to learn fast, sensitivities and heightened intuition. My mom told me I had a lot of yeast infections as a baby, so I do think there is a correlation. I am on a gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar free diet now, which makes me feel so much better. It is a serious test of will power and when I go on a cheating spree I do notice a huge difference. I start to get really agitated and feel like I could go crazy at any time. It is harder to pull out ideas from my spinning head, and head starts to get foggy. If I start candida diet after being bad, I get a splitting headache from the die-off. So yes knowing the candida is in my brain I know that it effects me emotionally and mentally. I know that I basically can't cheat at all, since a little cheating leads to a lot of cheating, and the cycle starts over. It's amazing how clear and calm I feel when I have been really strict on the diet. It has been about 2 years now since I finally got the candida figured out, life gets in the way and life changes take time, but overall my head is doing so much better after making these diet changes. Now I can also take the Aspergers knowledge to help me understand why I do other things. If I knew I had Aspergers years ago, it may not had taken me 4-1/2 years and 9 doctors to figure out that I had a candida problem.