Autism, Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Far Infrared Therapy

August 15, 2013 | Kate Montgomery | Make A Comment | Bio-Mat, Health, Nutrition, Original Amethyst Infrared Bio-Mat, Prevention & Self Care

 

BioMats for Autistic Children

Autism, Mitochondrial Dysfunction and FIR Therapy

The most comprehensive, gentle, and effective technology available today to detoxify the body is far-infrared (FIR) therapy. It is currently being used in clinics around the world for this purpose; and, using the appropriate protocols, it can be safely used with children as young as two years old. But when using a relatively new product like the BioMat, at low settings while the children sleep all night long, even infants can receive its benefits making it far superior to actual infrared saunas which you have to get into.

J. Miller cites research which has found mild elevations in core body temperature positively affect behavior in autistic children. Far-infrared waves also increase circulation. According to Miller, children with autism have diminished blood circulation in certain areas of the brain, which means that nutrients and oxygen aren’t getting to where they need to go. Sleeping on a BioMat each night will increase core body temperature, increase circulation, help the cells detoxification process and even help nutrients get into the cells.

Jill Harrison brings attention to another area of interest regarding “FIR sauna therapy for individuals with autism is FIR waves’ ability to trigger the release of nitric oxide (NO) from the endothelial lining of the blood vessels. NO helps preserve blood-vessel elasticity and enhances blood circulation. This has significant implications, because optimal blood circulation is a key factor for healing virtually all health issues – but especially for people with autism.[1]

“Research indicates that regular far-infrared-sauna use increases micro-circulation, which enables blood to flow more easily throughout the body, thereby improving the exchange of oxygen and nutrients for waste products in the cells. Also, individuals with autism can have diminished blood circulation in certain areas of the brain. This is known as hypo perfusion. Extrapolating from research done on FIR and congestive heart failure, and research on FIR sauna therapy and the release of NO, it is likely that increased perfusion in the brain would be expected in any individual who is exposed to FIR waves. FIR waves’ ability to trigger the release of NO may also play a role in enhancing memory, learning, and behavior modification along with improving neurotransmission and immune functions,” concluded Harrison.

Detoxification is only the beginning of the story with FIR therapy especially the type that can be delivered all through the night via BioMats that our children can sleep on. It is beyond most peoples understanding that light is one of the most important environmental inputs, after food, in controlling bodily function and that the FIR therapy delivers the goods like no other process.

When the light hits the cytochromes inside the fibroblasts’ mitochondria, it stimulates the cell’s energy transport system. When we send FIR light rays into the cells they excite the Mitochondria into producing up to 10 times more ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Dr. Harry T. Whelan says, “The light is absorbed by mitochondria where it stimulates energy metabolism in muscle and bone, as well as skin and subcutaneous tissue.”

Mitochondrial dysfunction is the most common metabolic abnormality associated with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. (ASD). Over the past decade, evidence has been building that mitochondrial dysfunction is an important marker for autism.[2] Mitochondrial dysfunction has also been implicated in other psychiatric and neurological disorders.

In 2008 the Hannah Poling decision in the federal government’s Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) brought worldwide attention to underlying mitochondrial disorders in Autistic children. This case, as do all cases before the VICP panels demonstrate the extreme danger of attacking children with multiple vaccines.

Aluminum toxicity has been implicated in mitochondrial dysfunction in ASD children by Dr. Nancy Mullan and Dr. Amy Yasko with vaccines delivering aluminum routinely into children’s bloodstreams. [3]

Children with autism are far more likely to have deficits in their ability to produce cellular energy than are typically developing children, a new study by researchers at UC Davis has found. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA),[4] found that cumulative damage and oxidative stress in mitochondria, the cell’s energy producer, could influence both the onset and severity of autism, suggesting a strong link between autism and mitochondrial defects.

“Children with mitochondrial diseases may present exercise intolerance, seizures and cognitive decline, among other conditions. Some will manifest disease symptoms and some will appear as sporadic cases,” said Cecilia Giulivi, the study’s lead author and professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences in the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis. “Many of these characteristics are shared by children with autism.”

Mitochondria from children with autism consumed far less oxygen than mitochondria from the group of control children, a sign of lowered mitochondrial activity. For example, the oxygen consumption of one critical mitochondrial enzyme complex, NADH oxidase, in autistic children was only a third of that found in control children.

Reduced mitochondrial enzyme function proved widespread among the autistic children. Eighty percent had lowered activity in NADH oxidase than did controls, while 60 percent, 40 percent and 30 percent had low activity in succinate oxidase, ATPase and cytochrome c oxidase, respectively.

Because the brain has the highest energy demand of any tissue, mitochondrial disease causes a variety of neurological problems, including intellectual disability, seizures, developmental regression, gastrointestinal problems and lack of coordination. In addition, because muscles have a high demand for mitochondrial energy, low muscle tone, weakness and fatigue are features of many mitochondrial diseases. These neurological and muscle-related symptoms are very commonly found in children with ASD.

After the heart, the brain is the most voracious consumer of energy in the body. The authors propose that deficiencies in the ability to fuel brain neurons might lead to some of the cognitive impairments associated with autism. Mitochondria are the primary source of energy production in cells and carry their own set of genetic instructions, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), to carry out aerobic respiration. Dysfunction in mitochondria is already associated with a number of other neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The number of mitochondria in each cell depends on the cellular energy demands. For example, low energy cells, such as skin cells, have fewer mitochondria, while cells that require high energy demands, such as muscle, liver, brain, cerebrovascular endothelium and GI cells, have many mitochondria. Neural synapses are areas of high energy consumption and are therefore especially dependent on mitochondrial function.

Mitochondrial dysfunction can lead to reduced synaptic neurotransmitter release and neurons that have high firing rates.

Autism Testimonials

Claire is 4 years old and was diagnosed with Autism at age 2. She has been progressing with the wonderful support of a team of teachers, therapists and involved family. She has also accelerated quickly using the BioMat!

For five years Jamie Jenkins‘ anxious parents feared they would never hear him speak. But that fear turned to joy when Jamie finally broke his silence with an unusual first proper word – purple. They brought him to the National Light and Sound Therapy Centre in London where Jamie underwent two weeks of half-hour light and sound therapy sessions twice a day. The sound therapy involved Jamie listening to music through headphones while the light therapy exposed Jamie to different colors each day from a light box. Experts recommend the sound and light therapy treatment every year so Emma is definitely taking Jamie back next year.

I recommend that parents purchase a small BioMat and treat their children to light therapy every night. There is no end to the way that light can be used to heal autistic children or children with cancer.

Dr. Rachel West site is nationally regarded for her work with children who have attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders including Asperger’s syndrome. Dr. West combines many therapies and modalities together with diet and nutrition—and she frequently uses infrared as part of her programs.

“The nice thing is that far infrared actually penetrates at cellular levels so it will help clean out organ tissues and disconnect cells from toxins that may be blocking pathways and at very low heat, which is safe for children.

“The lactic acid [that builds up in kids’ muscles] makes kids feel like they want a massage, and the saunas feel great on their joints and muscles,” she says. “And keep in mind it isn’t the heat that counts, but the penetration and the benefits of infrared sauna that can occur at low heat. We see oxygenation of cells and better sleep,” she says. “Since sauna restores and calms the nervous system and heat is nurturing, many parents have their kids take a sauna in preparation for bedtime or before their evening bath or shower.”

Special-needs kids invariably benefit when their body’s elimination pathways are working optimally. Infrared therapy is a non-toxic, no side-effect way of ridding the body of harmful pollutants, especially heavy metals. Dr. West says taking a sauna three times a week, for 20 minutes to start, is a good regimen for kids.

Dr. Sherry Rogers

Dr. Sherry Rogers, author of Detoxify or Die, has a lot to say about far infrared rays. She agrees with me about putting an investment in far infrared ahead of anything else saying, “Just add up the time and money you wasted getting diagnosed or add up the cost for a year of prescription medications and you will pay for it. Once you have it, it’s yours to use forever, for the world will never run out of ways to poison us. The whole family can use it. It is not only capable of providing the primary “cure” or solution for your current medical problem, but can free you from symptom producing medications. Since we’re continually being bombarded by new chemicals every day, it is a tool to keep you “cleaned out” for life. It is a win-win situation. I’m convinced that the far infrared sauna is something that everyone should do to restore health. How can we bring aging and illness to a screeching halt? How can we turn back the hands of time? Sweat out the poisons is the answer.”

My Most Powerful Recommendation

I feel it is better to forget the sauna and have the children sleep on BioMats and provide treatment seven days a week while the children are sleeping. BioMats are easy, more powerful and all so comfortable and comforting that the children will fall in love with them and so will their parents who see their tormented kids relaxed and put at ease.

I have been carefully building my Natural Allopathic Medicine protocol for years after I encountered the desperate needs of parents of vaccine damaged children. From the fields of chelation to the waters of magnesium bicarbonate I have hunted high and low for the most powerful, basic and affordable substances that would really make a difference in these families’ lives. On the path I got hijacked by Cancer and how to treat that.

I will now stand on record that before parents invest in doctors’ appointments and a long list of therapies and medicinals that the first most cost effective treatment step is with far infrared treatments delivered through the more than convenient BioMat. I am not dismissing the necessity and importance of chelation, selenium etc. for elimination of heavy metals, and of course the use of clay but nothing can stand up to or replace the healing power of light.

The BioMat is the most expensive part of the protocol yet because of its power and total ease of use, and the effectiveness that gives results I would declare it the best use of financial resources for medical purposes. Everyone will get more bang for the buck with this method of treating every imaginable condition. I have seen how even healthy children crave its comfort, now imagine a distressed child.

In the future we will be reading about even more exciting things for the world of autistic children when I publish my Water Medicine book. Personally I cannot wait to hear from parents when they not only add the BioMat to their children’s lives but also when they start drinking high levels of magnesium bicarbonate in their water.