Scientists have found links between air pollution in many forms, such as forest fire smoke, and an increased risk of adverse health effects including brain disorders.

Wildfires have been prevalent as we fight this battle with Climate change. Wildfires release noxious chemical compounds as they burn and are adding to the particulate matter we breathe in.

The greatest potential for health problems comes from minuscule particles, smaller than 2.5 microns – or PM 2.5 (for context, the width of a human hair is typically 50 to 70 microns). This is, in part, because tiny particles are easily inhaled; from the lungs, they enter the bloodstream and circulate widely throughout the body.

Neurotoxins in the environment are damaging human brain health – and more frequent fires and floods may make the problem worse

Research shows these particles can promote brain inflammation, leading to dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. Prenatal and early life exposure to these particles has been linked to an increased risk of autisim.

Reccomended: How To Heal Your Gut

Researchers from the University of Central Florida (UCF) have discovered cellular changes to neuronal stem cells when exposed to propionic acid (PPA), a preservative used to extend shelf life and reduce mold in processsed foods, breads, and cheeses.

The study shows how preservatives in food can reduce the development of neurons in fetal brains. highlighting the importance of diet for pregnant women,

Dr. Saleh A. Naser is Associate Director of the Biomedical Sciences department in College of Medicine’s Burnett School. He specializes in gastroenterology research. Dr. Naser saw reports that autistic children suffer from irritable bowel syndrome and other gastric issues. Curious about the gut-brain anxious and how it may affect children with autism, Dr. Naser examined the gut bacteria of those diagnosed with autism.

Related: How to Eliminate IBS, IBD, Leaky Gut 

Studies have shown a higher level of PPA in stool samples from children with autism and the gut microbiome in autistic children is different. I wanted to know what the underlying cause was.”

Dr. Naser – Science Daily

PPA exists naturally in our gut. But the study shows that eating foods containing the preservative can increase PPA in the woman’s gut, which can then crosses into the fetus.

Laboratory tests show that exposing neural stem cells to excessive PPA damages brain cells. The acid reduces the number of neurons and increases the number of glial cells (excess glial cells disturb connectivity between neurons and cause inflammation).

Related: How To Heal Your Gut 

Excessive amounts of PPA also damage pathways neural pathways that communicate with the body. Reduced neurons and damaged pathways disrupt the brain’s ability to communicate. This can cause repetitive behavior and difficulty socializing.

To understand the inflammatory response and GI disorder in individuals with ASD, we studied the effect of PPA on gliosis and inflammatory cytokines in differentiated hNSCs. Our data showed that PPA seems to upregulate TNF-α and IL-10 and increase the level of the cytokines (Fig. 6). Since PPA induced glial cell differentiation and increase in TNF-α and IL-10 transcription and translation, we propose that exposure to PPA during gestation may be related to gliosis and inflammation as reported in multiple neuro-developmental diseases including ASD. Specifically, exposure to high dose of PPA during early stages of neural stem cell development promotes proliferation and activation of glial cells, recapitulating the state of neuro-inflammation as reported in the post-partum autistic brain^18,19,20,35.”

Propionic Acid Induces Gliosis and Neuro-inflammation through Modulation of PTEN/AKT Pathway in Autism Spectrum Disorder

The gut microbiota is a huge topic and has some very significant implications for health and nutrition.

Especially considering the Gut Microbiome is the big topic in health and science recently, you may know that not all microbes are bad. While there are pathogenic microbes like these just mentioned, at all times there are 500 to 1000 different species of bacteria in the human body. And the importance of their function is becoming more apparent as we learn new things about them.

However, it’s hard to picture how tiny microbes in our gut contribute to our day to day cognition and brain function. In the case of rocky mountain spotted fever it may not be surprising that the introduction of a deadly pathogen could induce drastic changes in a person’s mental state. However, the relationship between the microbes normally residing in the gut and how our brain operates becomes apparent when we take them out.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

A 2012 paper by Dr. Derrick MacFabe describes what happens when rats are injected with something called Propionic Acid or PPA. The PPA injection provoked peculiar changes in the rats’ brains like neuroinflammation, increased oxidative stress, and glutathione depletion. The rats also displayed abnormal movements, repetitive interests, cognitive deficits, and impaired social interactions. Basically, the results of this injection were very similar to autism spectrum disorders. And, PPA is a fermentation product of bacteria, namely Desulfovibrio, Bacteroidetes and Clostridia. It was found that patients with autism have many more species of the clostridium bacteria and have high levels of PPA in their feces.

Several reports from parents say that their children were developing normally until they received antibiotics for upper respiratory or ear infections. It’s estimated that in one third of patients, autism doesn’t show up until around 18 to 24 months. According to Dr.

Sydney Finegold , antibiotics wipe out or suppress several organisms in the gut, but Clostridia is one of the ones that persists.

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Remember when it was one in sixty? The CDC reported one in fifty-nine children were diagnosed with autism last year using data from 2014. But now a new study based on the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health estimates that the number of children with autism spectrum disorder has grown to one in forty children (2.5%). The new study indicates this disorder now effects an estimated 1.5 million U.S. kids between the ages of 3 to 17. Parents that were included reported their child had received a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and stated that the child currently had the condition.

It’s important to note that the ways these two studies gathered information is different. The new study relies on parents to report their information. The information is not validated by medical records. The CDC report did validate such claims. CNN got an emailed quote from Thomas Frazier, chief science officer of Autism Speaks. He was not involved in the new report.

Prevalence is not growing that rapidly, although the CDC’s data suggests it is still growing. What is happening is that these studies use methods that are a bit more liberal and inclusive than the CDC’s methods,” Frazier said, adding that he prefers the CDC’s numbers but understands “that they are likely a bit conservative.” – Thomas Frazier

After publishing Circumcision Linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome a couple of days ago, I said to myself, “If there’s a link between SIDS and circumcision there’s got to be a link between autism and circumcision. And with a quick check, sure enough, I found that there is a correlation.

When I searched for “circumcision autism” I found that many prominent, mainstream websites bring up the topic. I looked for the ones that attempt to debunk the connection, like Vice’s article, Don’t Worry Circumcision Probably Doesn’t Cause Autism but they didn’t actually have any evidence against the findings. So what are the findings?

Based on converging observations in animal, clinical and ecological studies, we hypothesised a possible impact of ritual circumcision on the subsequent risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young boys.” – Study by Morten Frisch and Jacob Simonsen

The study was a national, register-based cohort study done in Denmark, published in 2015. The study looked at 342,877 boys born between 1994 and 2003, with an age range of 0 to 9 years old. The study showed that circumcised boys were more likely than intact boys to develop autism spectrum disorder, regardless of cultural background.

We confirmed our hypothesis that boys who undergo ritual circumcision may run a greater risk of developing ASD. This finding, and the unexpected observation of an increased risk of hyperactivity disorder among circumcised boys in non-Muslim families, need attention, particularly because data limitations most likely rendered our HR estimates conservative. Considering the widespread practice of non-therapeutic circumcision in infancy and childhood around the world, confirmatory studies should be given priority.”

Recommended: Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children

I always find it strange how averse people are to discussing the problems with circumcision. I suspect that the idea that we would do such harm to our children conjures up the strongest cognitive dissonance, even more so than with vaccines. I don’t think people who have had their kids’ circumcised can accept the damage they’ve done. I don’t think most circumcision men can accept that something is wrong with their beloved penis. What surprises me is how angry anti-vaxxers became, claiming that we were trying to hide the real cause of the increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder. The topic of the aforementioned circumcision-SIDS article created a very heated debate on social media.

On that note, let me be clear: Autism and SIDS and other chronic childhood diseases are caused by damage. The damage is done with toxins, trauma, and a lack of good nutrition. Poor food choices including most formulas, GMOs, and refined sugars (to name just a few) cause damage. So do vaccines. So does circumcision. So can dropping a baby on his head. So does ignoring a child for long periods of time. As much as we all like simple cause and effect explanations, there is rarely only one cause for chronic illness. Our society’s inability to understand complex systems will be our undoing.

Recommended:

• Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• Trump’s Administration Is Not A Fan of Breastfeeding
• Galactagogues Foods, Herbs, and other Ways to Increase Breast
• Shaken Baby Syndrome – Child Abuse or Vaccine Injury?
• Common Bad Parenting Advice You Should Ignore
• New Study Suggests Women Could, and Maybe Should, Eat While In Labor

Rates of autism continue to increase worldwide. An estimated 1 in 66 children are in the spectrum (0.0151515152%). Canada reported in March of this year that autism as of 2015 affect 1.52% of youth, putting Canada among the “top ten” for autism among developed nations.

The World Mercury Project reports that there is more autism in regions where vaccine coverage is most prevalent.

What might explain the variation in ASD prevalence within Canada’s borders? … autism prevalence is highest in the Canadian provinces that also have the highest vaccination coverage.”

ASD prevalence by province and territory

NASS gathers data from the health, education, and social services sectors for youth aged 5-17 years who have a confirmed autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Six provinces (British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec) and one territory (Yukon) provided the data for 2015. ASD prevalence in 2015 was highest in Newfoundland and Labrador (1 in 57), Prince Edward Island (1 in 59) and Quebec (1 in 65). Prevalence was lower in the Yukon territory (1 in 125). See chart:

Autism prevalence is highest in the Canadian provinces that have the highest vaccination coverage. A 2013 survey, also done by the Public Health Agency of Canada, examined vaccine coverage by province/territory and type of vaccine. Newfoundland/Labrador and Quebec had five to fifteen percent higher vaccination rates than in Yukon.

For more on this check out Official Canadian Data Show That There Is More Autism in Regions Where Vaccine Coverage Is Highest

Recommended:

• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research

Sources:

• Summary of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Prevalence Studies – CDC
• Autism Rates across the Developed World – Focus For Health
• AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AMONG CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN CANADA 2018 – Canada.org
• Report on Autism Prevalence in Canada Mirrors Vaccination Coverage Rates in Different Provinces – Dr. Zimmerman

When we learn about scientists and their discoveries, we know nothing about them as people. We have no idea how they treat their peers, whether they grandstand, undercut their competition, throw their weight around, or honor the ethics of their profession.

In her book Plague, One Scientist’s Intrepid Search for the Truth about Human Viruses and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Autism, and Other Diseases, (co-written by Kent Heckenlively, JD), Judy Mikovits PhD, pulls back the curtain and reveals the underbelly of the scientific community and how it closes ranks to protect corporate interests. When Mikovits’ made a discovery that threatened the system and the financial fabric that holds it together, her stellar career exploded. Efforts to discredit her included her being fired, arrested, and publically discredited.

At the time this fiasco came to pass, Judy Mikovits was a molecular biologist and biochemist with more than 30 years experience. She had authored approximately 50 publications. Her original professional focus was HIV and AIDS, but she had learned that there were many similarities between AIDS and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS).

ME is a horrific disease, one that has been systematically minimalized by the healthcare system in the United States. It was named chronic fatigue syndrome by the CDC, though the name sounds much less serious than myalgic encephalomyelitis, the term used in Britain and elsewhere throughout much of the world. The medical community further diminished its seriousness by nicknaming it the yuppie flu. Doctors routinely dismissed patients’ suffering, labeling it as malingering or hypochondria, because they were told the disease was not real. But to many, ME is a devastating, life-altering disease.

As stated in Plague, “Patients suffer from a devastating cascade of symptoms rendering them ghosts of the people they once were; more than half become completely disabled, a quarter permanently bed-bound. Recovery is rare. Morbidity studies have demonstrated that ME patients are as ill as end-stage AIDS sufferers, advanced cancer patients, and people dying from congestive heart failure.”

The inconvenient truth Mikovits discovered as she delved into a thorough study of ME and its patients was “pervasive evidence” that a gammaretrovirus, XMRV, was present in 70% of ME patients and 4% of healthy controls. This retrovirus, a murine leukemia virus found in mice, had somehow jumped species. Mikovits presented evidence that this retrovirus was associated with ME, specific cancers, and autism. Her data indication that 10 million Americans were infected with this latent virus (though asymptomatic) and that the vehicle that infected so much of the population was vaccines. Once she made the association between vaccines and autism, her career was over.

Plague, One Scientist’s Intrepid Search for the Truth about Human Viruses and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Autism, and Other Diseases is a highly informative read. It sounds horrible to say that the book is entertaining considering the subject matter, perhaps gripping and intriguing are better terms. This look into the personalities and politics of the scientific medical  community is in and of itself an eye-opening, worthy read. The information on the handling of chronic fatigue syndrome and the similar approach to the autism epidemic is vital information. The link with vaccines is world changing. We highly recommend the book.

Plague, One Scientist’s Intrepid Search for the Truth about Human Viruses and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Autism, and Other Diseases can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and IndieBound.

Related Reading:

• Vaccines, Retroviruses, DNA, and the Discovery That Destroyed Judy Mikovits’ Career
• Why Vaccines Do Not “Cause” Autism
• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• Nurses Against Vaccines
• Celebrities Who Have Spoken Out Against Vaccines
• Statesmen Against Mandatory Vaccines
• Scientists Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research