Fussy eating and food aversions are some of the most pronounced problems in autism. I know from personal experience with my son how bad it can get. The same cycles of beige foods never seem to end, and trying to alter them requires intentional change every single day.

When I first started to change his food, learning to make sourdough bread in the kitchen felt like my only option and all I could do to help him. Although it was a challenge, I decided the best thing was to work with what he was eating – bread! Homemade meant better quality ingredients, natural and longer fermentation, and no additional extras.

Since then, I’ve learned more about why cravings and desires for specific foods can be present and grow into fussy eating. It may be a simple and obvious thing to say, but it really does all begin with the mouth.

The mouth is full of taste buds that communicate the textures, temperature, visual appearance, smell, and taste of food with the brain. When those signals become distorted, they are no longer able to make sense of them and process the information differently. Most would say this is just part of autism.

However, according to Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride, a buildup of toxicity in the body is a major factor in why the brain signals become so confused. The more toxicity in the body, the more abnormal the microbial flora becomes. More endorphins are sent to the brain from pathogenic bacteria each time the food they want to eat is consumed – and so the cycle continues.

And I thought my food choices were just what I liked to eat!

It’s one thing to understand why it’s happening, and another to know how to break the cycle. It can be a minefield. There is now so much information about what the right food to eat is and the benefits each one can have for the body. It can be overwhelming to even know where to start.

I would recommend reading Gut And Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. Healing and sealing the gut lining is central to the cycles causing the imbalance in the body, including the fussy eating habits widely seen in children. Mealtime Management Planning and coaching you through the GAPS Nutritional Protocol is a way I can support you as a Certified GAPS Coach (CGC). Get in touch using the contact form below if you’d like more information.