Shawns Youth Welcome (Maxs Wonderful World of Autism Book 1)

Also, there are a limited number of scholarships available. They also accept Waiver funding, 3rd party funding and personal funding. A webpage that is dedicated to patients who have autism. The topics discussed include; the most common problems people with autism have, how to help individuals with ASD adjust to visiting the dentist, and how to help teach independent dental care at home. A comprehensive list of apps that are being used with and by people diagnosed with autism, Down syndrome and other special needs. The apps are divided into categories, and have consumer reviews.

Autism Core Skills is an educational platform built by autism experts, teaching academic, social, and communication skills that are interactive and engaging for verbal or nonverbal learners. This is a yearly subscription program. They have current openings at the clinic and they offer flexible scheduling for out of town clients both visits on same day, versus our traditional two visits. Autism Diagnostic Clinic is currently only private pay, but families can use their Heath Savings Account as well as set up a payment plan. This program is designed for children with autism from diagnosis to 6 years old.

Intensive Applied Behavioral Analysis intervention Functional behavior assessments Behavioral therapy and consultations Speech and language services. Online discussion forum that reports news and includes submitted personal experiences on how best to deal with the daily challenges of autism. This autism high school in Cincinnati offers low student ratios and an open door policy, so parents can observe and learn from the researched based techniques of teaching: Low student to teacher ratios Specialized academic programming Music therapy and instruction Speech-language and occupational therapy services Art therapy and instruction Daily integration of social skills and instruction and systematic application across settings Transition to adulthood programming, including job readiness classes.

The Asperger Initiative at Mercyhurst AIM is designed for students who, while exhibiting superior intellectual ability, face challenges in executive functioning and social interactions. They offer academic support, social support and counseling support, as well as vocational support.

A resource website for individuals with autism and other disabilities. It covers home life, school and employment issues, all to help with self-advocacy. Autism Parenting Magazine was established in Their focus remains on objectively publishing autism-related topics, events, developments, treatments and news stories. The magazine is available both online and in print, and readers can get their first issue free. Social Groups and Playgroups, Support Groups: Meetings are held at the Rocky River library and Beachwood library. The group also organizes occasional social events.

They also host a monthly mindfulness event for individuals with autism. Each event will take place at a different location. Reservations are required to attend. A downloadable guide offering tips, products and strategies to help families keep children safe. Topics include water safety, elopement running away , fire safety, firearms safety and poison control. This online roster promotes communication and enables the police department to have quick and relevant access to important information about a person with Autism.

The goal is to help ensure the safety of an individual with Autism or any other, related, Autism Spectrum Disorder. To qualify for this scholarship, you must fall into one of the following three classifications: You must also be enrolled in or have been accepted by an accredited school, must be a US citizen, and must be diagnosed with an Autism spectrum disorder. All applications must be mailed, and they do not accept questions via phone or email about the application process. Their firm wants to raise awareness for not only the children with autism, but the supporting family members as well.

They are looking for people with autism and their families to take an online survey about how you think and feel about different services you may have used. If you would like to participate, please click on the link: The survey can be completed in English, French, Italian, or German. Your email address will not be linked to your survey responses and they will not keep your email address after the drawing has been completed — it is only going to be used to select gift card winners. Offers support and information for families from diagnosis to adulthood through family support, seminars, community training and social opportunities for those affected with ASD.

They also hold monthly parent support groups. Offers a summer camp called S. Students Together Achieving Respect , that serves all individuals with any type of disability. Camp is staffed with intervention specialists, a movement specialist and college interns. It blends academic, recreational and social skills lessons to promote individual camper growth. The camp is for individuals aged 3 to Offers ESY opportunities as well. It is dedicated to improving the lives of all affected by autism in Ohio through information and referral, family support, advocacy, professional development, raising awareness and resource development.

AutismSpeaks Cares provides support for families affected by autism during natural disasters and other catastrophic life events. The grant program helps families to cover costs associated with critical expenses related to the well-being of the family member with autism on a case-by-case basis. Please note, they DO NOT fund monthly recurring costs such as rent, mortgages, utilities, or car payments. To learn more and complete an application to determine final eligibility, families must first speak with a representative from the Autism Response Team.

Sleep is a major issue for many adults and children who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder ASD. This article discusses why this is so, and results of current studies on the issue. Tuck Sleep Foundation is a non-profit organization that focuses on sleep and sleep-related issues. The ASD Postbaccalaureate Certificate focuses on equipping professionals who work with children with autism spectrum disorders with proactive strategies for language and skill development and behavior intervention.

The program provides access services for autistic students that can lead to successful academic outcomes while providing educational opportunities that increase self-knowledge in the areas of executive functioning, self-regulation, social interaction, self-advocacy and career preparation. Offers autism assessment and treatment. They utilize the evidence-based PLAY Project treatment model to support children within the family home. PLAY Project engages parents in supporting their child to build social and emotional skills and reach their full potential.

Ohio Guidestone also offers a variety of individual, group and family counseling options that address many behavioral health needs and concerns. Link to several locations available for services. Support network website that offers information, a blog, social network opportunities and online support for women with autism and their families. Autism2Work provides workforce training and employment opportunities for adults who have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. The program primarily supports semi-skilled to high functioning individuals who are eager to enter a work environment that values their contributions and supports their needs.

They also provide awareness training to other employers where individuals will be employed. Cruises for adults and families living with Autism, Down Syndrome and other related disabilities. Cruises leave from several different ports, and are on well-known cruise lines such as Royal Carribbean, Carnival, Celebrity and Disney. Dozens of free autism social skills lessons, games, card activities, worksheets, wall displays and more. This site is updated regularly. The investigational study drug blocks a hormone receptor in the brain that is linked to the control of socialization, stress, anxiety and aggression.

Participation lasts for up to 39 weeks. For 24 of those weeks, participants will take daily doses of either the investigational study drug or a placebo a look-alike that contains no medicine. Both the investigational study drug and the placebo are small tablets that can be swallowed whole or dissolved in liquid.

Participants and their parent or guardian will visit a study clinic at OSU in Columbus around once every 6 weeks about 7 times in total. This will allow the study team to assess their general health, social communication skills and social interaction skills. Please be reassured that participants would not have to pay for any study-related treatments, lab tests or assessments. Also, reimbursement for travel is available. A picture-based communication app developed for children who are nonverbal. Avaz grows with the child to develop literacy.

Deadline for application is July Sessions are generally scheduled on a weekly basis and are offered year-round, including summer. Students work under the supervision of licensed speech-language pathologists who are certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and licensed by the Ohio Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Pediatric behavioral psychologist and Neuro-Psychologist. Appointments may be requested online or at the phone number listed here. Kyrokos serves patients with autism. Besides traditional methods, her team incorporates laser dentistry when applicable.

They also offer sedation and anesthesia. They can provide emergency phone consultation services after working hours and on weekends. A residential treatment program for children with autism. Their residential services are available for children and teens with moderate to severe autism and developmental disorders, led by a multidisciplinary treatment team.

They can provide several levels of residential treatment:. A recreation service company for adults with Developmental Disabilities DD that offers exciting trips to fun community locations, in hopes of bringing people with DD together for friendships and to set the stage for creating an active social life. Trips include meals, lodging, transportation, activity costs, 1: For adults with disabilities who are unable to travel, they offer a new Virtual Travel program called Virtual Tours Vacation Boxes. It allows anyone with a developmental disability to experience the thrills of traveling through the eyes of our tour guide, Bob.

Beyond Words Foundation for Autism provides three opportunities a year for families to receive scholarships for research-based therapies. Students must be a resident of Ohio and under 22 years old. Applications can be submitted online. Music therapy, adaptive music lessons, music enrichment, adapted dance classes and summer camps offered. Adapted Triple Threat Camp —Campers ages years will be introduced to the foundations of musical theatre in the areas of singing, dancing, and acting.

Programming will be tailored to the individualized needs of all participants, allowing for self-expression and exploration into musical instruments, costumes, and fine and gross motor skills. PASS Camp —a chance for campers to engage together socially through structured musical experiences. Each week, a different musical project will be developed and completed. Camp is led by a music therapist. An online guide for family members to help protect a loved one with autism.

This kit offers lots of advice and tools, as well as additional resources. A kit specifically for First Responders is available here. Teachers can apply for a specially-designed kit for educators and aides here. All parents need help staying organized, but parents of children with autism may have even greater needs. With Birdhouse, parents and caregivers can keep track of behavior, medical information, schedules, nutrition, and more. The app also lets you track changes in their medication and notes from their therapy sessions as well.

A personal learning tool that offers free access to tens of thousands of flashcards and carefully curated lessons across dozens of languages. Adult Day Programs, Employment: Funding for is private pay or Medicaid waiver. The Day Program serves individuals ages 18 and older who benefit from the structure and support offered in a habilitation and prevocational training model.

The program offers many opportunities for developing social and vocational skills through community-based volunteering, creative arts, fiber arts, woodworking, horticulture, social skill development and janitorial job training activities. Summer Enrichment Program This up to 6 week program is individualized to meet the needs of Extended School Year funding while also providing the recreational experience of a traditional summer camp. Adult Day Habilitation Program for Adults coordinates volunteer opportunities in the community for adults with autism spectrum disorders.

Day Programming Arrays of services are offered for adults to meet the individual needs of each person including habilitation and pre-vocational activities. Services are offered Monday through Friday. Alternative school program for ages 12 — 22, Summer Enrichment Extended School Year plus summer camp activities , adult day program, and community living services. Applicants must be a resident of the state of Ohio and must have an autism diagnosis. Applicants must be a resident of the state of Ohio. The Summer Enrichment Program has been serving adolescents with autism for 18 years on the acre Bittersweet Farms campus in Whitehouse, Ohio.

Participation in the program is also offered through our Pemberville and Lima locations. Mike is an associate teacher at the Monarch School for Autism and is just about to finish his masters in special education. He is large and very strong and can handle teens and adults with behaviors. He is available for private pay work during non-school hours as an aide and job coach. Blue Sprig is on a mission to change the world for children with autism. They are committed to providing the very best and most compassionate ABA therapy services to the children and families we serve.

There is no waiting list in any of their clinics. To get started, contact them to schedule a tour and complimentary consultation. Blue Sprig accepts most major insurances and their administrative team will verify your ABA benefits and work with you to help you understand them. She is board certified in both pediatrics and developmental behavioral pediatrics. Veteran Blue Ribbon coach and advocate Sandy Ellis teaches the basics of boxing and some self defense skills.

It is non-contact, but students will learn how to throw a punch, a jab, a right hand, uppercuts and hooks using special coaching mitts as targets. Boxing is great for self-confidence and is a great physical opportunity for those not comfortable with team sports. For teens and adults ages 15 and up. Offers ABA, Academic tutoring with intervention specialist , parent training and consultation, school staff training and in-services and a year-round social skills group for students through age They accept children with special needs ages and their siblings.

For the next scheduled event, please contact the church office. This is a resource app for you to share with your child to help teach skills such as problem solving, self-control, planning, and task persistence. Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame is intended for parents and caregivers to use with their young children ages The Bridges to Adelphi Program offers individualized comprehensive academic, social, and vocational services that are designed to make that transition easier.

An online interest form is available at bridges. Bridgeway Academy is a non-profit organization with the mission to meet the educational and therapeutic needs of children with autism and other developmental disabilities. They are a full service Education and Therapy center. They offer full day educational services for preschool through high school aged students as well as a full array of therapeutic services that include speech, occupational, physical music therapy as well as behavioral and psychological services.

They accept some insurance companies for psychological services and publically funded child care school services and state plan Medicaid therapy services. Free membership website that is a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston. It provides information about and access to educational and therapeutic tools for mobile devices. The site provides caregivers and professionals with the best resources for choosing apps to enhance everyday life for people with disabilities. The site was created by parents and therapists who began using the iPad with children who have special needs.

Speech language pathologists and occupational therapists created an app review system for the site that focuses on skills rather than age, diagnosis or developmental level to help improve outcomes for a person with a disability. A smart and fun coloring app that has a kid-friendly, intuitive design. It provides easy-to-use tools that help kids improve drawing skills and boost creativity. Although Buddy Break is operating at churches nationwide, Royal Redeemer is the first Ohio church to join this ministry.

What is a VIP kid: Kids with special needs are our VIP kids! VIPs include kids with any physical, cognitive, medical or hidden disability, chronic or life-threatening illness, or those who are medically fragile. What is a Buddy? Buddies are friends to VIP kids. They have loving hearts and want to help.

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It focuses on social skills, communication, recreation, academics and activities of daily living, all targeted to individual IEP goals. Accepts children ages 18 months through 20 years. This resource guide provides links to organizations, programs, publications, and resources focused on bullying prevention. It is divided into seven sections: They offer services, evaluations, connection with community resources and financial assistance for families of children with autism needing medical assistance for a secondary diagnosis, such as GI issues or physical disabilities.

Note that they are the last payer after insurance and Medicaid. Business Strategies that Work identifies promising employment policies and practices for recruiting, hiring, retaining, and advancing qualified individuals with disabilities. It is a guide for employers who want to ensure that their workplaces are truly diverse and inclusive. Provides specialized training in working with young children and has extensive experience treating articulation, language, apraxia, autism, and stuttering.

Butler County Challenger Baseball is a league designed to meet the needs of children and young adults from 5 to 22 years of age with special needs. It is affiliated with the Little League Baseball. Held at Camp Wise in Chardon, Ohio, campers participate in traditional camp activities including boating, crafts, dancing, swimming and climbing. Camp Cheerful offers residential co-ed sessions in a beautiful outdoor environment for children and adults ages 7 and older with and without special needs.

Camp activities are designed to meet the individual interests and needs of campers of all abilities, and programs promote self-confidence, independence and friendship in a beautiful outdoor environment. Overnight weekend camp for children and adults with autism and special needs. There is a 4: Respite weekends are offered one weekend every month, Sept. Registration deadline for each weekend session is one week prior to the start date of that session. A grant is available for self-pay families to offset a portion of the fees. Camp Cheerful is a waiver provider: Recreational day camp program for children ages 5 and up with and without special needs.

Activities include swimming, equine activities, nature study, arts and crafts, sports, music and an optional high ropes challenge course additional fee. A unique outdoor setting is an ideal environment for children and young adults with autism or others with special sensory needs to enjoy camp activities while progressing with their IEP goals. Extended care is offered from 7: Horsemanship sessions are tailored for children and adults with physical, mental and emotional strengths and limitations.

The sensory trail in the woods of Camp Cheerful was designed especially for riders with autism. The use of the horse and equine-oriented activities are incorporated to achieve a variety of therapeutic goals, including cognitive, physical, emotional, social, educational and behavioral goals.

Christopher Discovery Overnight Camp — Available for as little as one week or up to the entire summer. Campers stay in ramped, dormitory style cabins segregated by gender. SumFun Day Camp — A multi-week summer day program based on school calendar for children with special needs, ages 5 though 21 who qualify for services through their local county board of developmental disabilities.

Community Respite — Participants must be 13 years old to attend. Available Friday evening to Sunday morning, one weekend per month. While most participants stay for the entire weekend, participants are not required to stay for the entire weekend. Courageous Community Services Formerly known as Camp Courageous serves children and adults with developmental disabilities, ages 15 and up. The residential camps begin Sunday afternoon and run through Friday morning.

They provide a residential summer camp program that fosters socialization and independence, while allowing campers to experience the outdoors. Weekend respite camps include all of the fun of a Residential Camp packed into a weekend. Campers arrive Friday afternoon and stay until Sunday morning.

During the summer, campers are welcome to attend either Residential Camp before or after a Respite Weekend or stay the whole 2 weeks. For kids, young adults and adults starting at age 7. This is a Christian-based camp that offers 1 week sessions, each week catering to a different age range.

Cost of camp varies by week. Partial scholarships are available based on camper and family needs. An all-encompassing program that empowers Avon Lake students to participate in the community through project based learning, building lasting friendships and fostering success in their academic and IEP goals. Camp Insight encourages creativity as campers learn healthy skills to stretch their mind, body and spirit in new ways.

Campers participate in Tae Kwon Do, Yoga, art and music classes. The group explores nature through guided hikes and take part in challenging games that teach campers to cooperate and solve problems creatively. Campers will learn relaxation and meditation, guided imagery and visualization, as well as ways to focus on their goals and bring out their best. Positive psychology techniques such as EFT helps campers learn constructive ways to process the stress of life and turn problems into opportunities.

They also learn to make healthy snacks plus the importance of good nutrition. They come from Canada, the U. Overnight camp is in Ontario, Canada. Language Unlocks Communication for Kids. Campers may need to improve: Several day and residential camps with different specialties, including sports skills, arts, biking and science. Each of the six camp sessions is one week long. Weekly based residential and day summer camp for school-aged children and adults.

Each week will have its own theme with a variety of activities and entertainment. The camp is integrated within Camp Macedonia offering services to children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disorders. Each camper is provided 1: Campers will have full inclusion opportunities. Camp is for kids aged years old. Camps open to children in Lake and Geauga counties with developmental and physical disabilities.

They provide services for children with a variety of diagnoses which include physical, neurological, sensory and cognitive disabilities. The camp assists children with differing abilities, while fostering their unique talents and gifts in a creative and structured environment. Summer vacation can be challenging for kids, but at Camp Sunshine, they can truly enjoy a fun summer camp with their friends! Developed to maintain skills learned throughout the school year, Camp Sunshine encourages retention and growth of social, academic, and daily living skills.

An educational, training and resource facility for children and young adults with autism and their families. It serves students ages kindergarten age 5 through age The focus is on academics, behavior, social skills, communication and language development, independent living, and pre-vocational and community skills.

Caregiver Homes is a services that provides full-time care for family members who are unable to care for themselves. Their Structured Family Caregiving model is a high-quality alternative to full-time models of care that rely on facilities or in-home workers such as personal care attendants PCAs.

Structured Family Caregiving offers guidance, financial assistance and overall support. A downloadable guide that can assist caregivers dealing with the stress and anxiety of caring for a child on the spectrum. Prospective clients are given a free assessment to determine treatment plan.

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The clinic offers cognitive behavior therapy for people coping with trauma, anxiety, nervousness, worry, sadness, depression or loss. It also provides psycho-educational assessments for possible learning disorders and attention deficit hyperactive disorder ADHD.

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A free tool for professionals working with transitional teens and adults with ASD that assesses the behaviors and competencies youth need to achieve their long term goals. Working with a physical therapist, occupational therapist or a speech-language pathologist, private sessions focus on general goals or can address specific goals as determined by a formal evaluation.

Working with animals and farm care are incorporated into the therapy sessions. Counseling services for very young children struggling with anxiety, depression, self-worth, emotional growth, behavioral management, and other issues is offered. There are also group therapy sessions which focus on social skills, handwriting skills, yoga for relaxation, gross motor skills and hippotherapy therapy through horseback riding.

Accepts private pay and certain traditional therapy services are billable to insurance. Group therapies are not billable to insurance.

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Summer day camps are offered weekly in June, July, and August. The activities included will address skills such as fine motor, gross motor, sensory motor, communication, and social interaction. Camp sessions are in the mornings. Each week will include time with farm animals and other activities such as gardening and art. They welcome children of all abilities, including typically developing children.

The Celeste Myers Dental Clinic provides comprehensive oral health services for infants, children and adolescents. All staff have been trained to care for children with special needs. Accepts patients up to 15 years old. K - 12 Drama teacher, Akron Public Schools 21 years. Both have been leading drama workshops for kids on the spectrum for the past three years. Drama programs and workshops for children on the autism spectrum in order to support social and emotional well-being while providing opportunities to practice skills that enhance communication in real life situations.

Programs are for high-functioning boys and girls ages 9—18 years. Private instruction is also available. Drop In Classes are designed to work around your summer vacation plans. They provide continuing students with the opportunity to keep up their acting skills, while giving prospective students the opportunity to try classes without signing up for a full 10 week session.

Offers comprehensive, multidisciplinary care focusing on evidence based treatment, education, research and advocacy for children with the diagnosis of an ASD, from first diagnosis through age In addition there are therapy, diagnosis and counseling services available through other hospital departments. Accepts all commercial insurance, waivers, Autism Scholarship, private pay, Medicaid and Medicare insurance.

Champ Camp is an inclusive day camp for children with and without special needs who are 5 years of age school eligible through school age. Children and young adults enjoy a variety of engaging activities including music, arts and crafts, and nature study. Campers also enjoy special guest performers throughout the summer.

We also offer day programming, weekend recreation, social communication therapy, structured day programs and a host of other options, both for our own graduates and for those outside the Chapel Haven community seeking services. Available tutoring for children grades K — Randy has several qualifications in education as well as first aid and life support.

Children ages 5 school eligible through school age with and without special needs can enjoy all that Camp Cheerful has to offer in a day camp setting. Cheerful Day Camp includes all the activities of the traditional camp sessions, including swimming, horsemanship activities, nature study, sports, canoeing, and much more.

Provides consultation services and technical assistance to child care providers in Cuyahoga County and support for families with children experiencing difficulties in the child care setting. They support children, adults, and families who face abuse, grief, neglect, trauma, and mental health challenges. Individual, group, family therapy, and services for younger children. T Program for older adolescents and young adults with early onset psychosis. The message is confidential, anonymous and secure.

Several locations available throughout Summit County. A team of volunteers who offers support and emotional assistance.

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The team can be requested in a catastrophic event or a death or dying experience affecting an individual, family member or employee involved with the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Cognitive behavioral therapists and solution-focused therapists are on staff. Services are available to children, adolescents, and young adults who are in school up to age They also offer group therapy and community support. This app creates daily schedules and waiting picture boards. Appropriate both for use at home and at school, and it offers many ways to customize.

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It includes an image library with common images, each accompanied with audio. You can also add and record your own images. Breathe is an evening of respite for families of children with special needs. Children—those with special needs and their siblings—aged 18 and under are invited to a night of fun activities just for them.

Their parents are invited to take a break and enjoy an evening for themselves while their children are cared for and entertained. Read their flyer or search our Event Calendar for current dates. The deadline is December 29, A form of autism diagnosed either in your immediate family or yourself 2. Current enrollment or acceptance in a college or university for a post-graduate level or undergraduate level by the applicant. In addition to the above criteria, a to word essay must be submitted.

Topics are listed on their website link. CCA was formed with the sole purpose of improving the outcome for children with autism spectrum disorder and their families. They are committed to offering a variety of programs which address the communication, educational, social and behavioral needs of children with ASD, to assure that they are able to achieve happy, fulfilling lives.

They offer speech, occupational, physical and music therapy, as well as 1: Social skills, academic intervention, and sibling groups are also available. All programs are offered to students ages They take on children and young adults ages 2 through Yeah, let's actually differentiate with these different fats. So you go through this in the book, which is so important, so let's cover some of the basics with the different categories of fats.

We've got saturated fats, what else? Yeah, so we've got saturated fats, which obviously full fat dairy, beef, pork, chicken, things like that. These are fats that are solid at room temperature. When you feed a cow what it naturally wants to eat, which is grass, it's going to have less saturated fat in its fat by proportion. So I don't think that we're meant to eat an excessive amount of saturated fat.

Even though saturated fat is not the dietary demon that it was once thought to be, there's also no good evidence to say that chasing saturated fat has any positive impact on our brain health. So you know, I make the recommendation that people should eat saturated fat liberally when it's contained in whole foods. Isolated saturated fats in oils and things like that, butter, coconut oil, I don't make the recommendation for. I think that there's medicinal value to coconut oil, and definitely MCTs which we could talk about. MCTs are a fraction of coconut oil that provide a very clean burning fuel source to the brain in the form of ketones.

So you could either be on a ketogenic diet, which is how ketones are naturally produced endogenously, or in the body. But even without being in ketosis, you can consume MCT oil or even coconut oil, and there's essentially a push of ketones into the brain because the brain will use ketones when they're available.

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The other kind of fat are polyunsaturated fatty acids, which people are now completely over-consuming because they're the predominant type of fat found in grain and seed oils, which the Western diet has basically become drenched in. And these fats really were meant to be consumed by humans in trace quantities. About years ago, polyunsaturated fats made up essentially zero percent of our caloric intake. Today they make up about ten percent because of the oils that we're consuming; canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil. And these fats I think are pretty damaging because- well for one, they are usually skewed very heavily in favor of omega-6 fats which provide the biochemical precursors to our body's inflammation pathways.

So when we over-consume omega-6 fats, it's basically kicking our bodies into a state of chronic immune activation. And I talk about also in the book the value of getting healthy fats, and particularly omega-3's, in terms of what I call membrane fluidity. So when we think about how our brains work, every cognitive process relies on the healthy functioning of neurotransmitters, right? Your audience probably heard of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine; these are just a few of the couple dozen neurotransmitters that there are in the brain.

But the way the neurotransmitters work is they basically need to be heard by the ears of the neuron, and the ears of a neuron are called receptors, and receptors don't just sit statically on the surface of the cell membrane, they need to have the ability to bob up to the surface where they can hear the messages contained by neurotransmitters. And so that's where membrane fluidity comes in. When you're consuming more omega-3's, your brain cell membranes have that property of being more fluid, whereas when we over-consume omega-6 fats, our cell membranes act more rigidly.

And so those receptors are less able to pop up to the surface to hear the messages that neurotransmitters contain, and that can potentially influence our thoughts, our memories, our executive function, things like that.



Yeah man, so crazy. Yeah and so you know, I advise for getting polyunsaturated fats, even omega-3s, in whole foods; in properly raised animal products, in fatty fish, things like that. We're probably meant to consume them in trace quantities, and also these are the only types of fats that really the brain requires. That's why omega-3s and omega-6s are called essential fatty acids, because they're essential. Butter is not- saturated fat from butter is not an essential fatty acid.

Omega-3s and omega-6s are essential. So where the brain is concerned, you really want to make sure that you're getting high quality omega-3s and you're not over-consuming omega-6s. When you eat the foods that I call 'genius foods' in the book, that's being taken care of for you. I want to take a quick detour here.

So when it comes to the polyunsaturated, these are something that we- again you mentioned it, we're like drenched in as a culture. And I was just- it immediately popped into my mind, like even if you go to a health food store like Whole Foods in the hot bar, they're cooking with like canola oil still. It's just like the information hasn't totally I guess saturated our world today, and so I want people to be more vigilant and just understanding.

Again trace amounts, if this happens every now and then, but take dominion over your home. Make sure that you're bringing in the right oils to make your food with at home. And in particular, a monounsaturated fat, which is what we see with olive oil. So this is why it's one of these particular genius foods, so let's go ahead and talk about that now. Yeah, and just to weigh in on the canola oil thing.

Like you're so right. I did an Instagram post recently where I showed the- it's something like a dozen steps required to create canola oil, industrial processing steps out of its original seed, the rapeseed. Whereas when looking at how extra virgin olive oil is made, which humans have been consuming for thousands of years, you make it by crushing olives.

So I mean canola oil is this incredibly processed industrialized chemical. I would not even call it a food, it's more a food-like product, and it's very damaging. Yeah, monounsaturated fats are the third type of fat, and they are chemically stable. They are important for the brain, it actually- oleic acid which is a monounsaturated fat is the most abundant fatty acid found in extra virgin olive oil, and it's also what insulates our neurons. It makes up myelin, the myelin sheath in our heads, which is just fascinating and mind-blowing to consider that. But yeah, so monounsaturated fat really does seem to be the fatty acid that we can consume liberally, and see positive health outcomes.

So it seems to be the oil that is the most effectively processed by the liver, which is very important. It seems to play a number of beneficial roles in terms of heart health, inflammation, and things like that. So when it comes to the fatty acid, or the oil that I really think is like not only the safest but also the healthiest to consume liberally, it would definitely be extra virgin olive oil, followed by avocado oil, which is also very rich in these monounsaturated fats. But interestingly, the most valuable aspect of extra virgin olive oil actually has nothing to do with the fats that it contains, but the phenolic compounds that have been shown to be as anti-inflammatory as low dose ibuprofen, which is really interesting.

Wow, yeah so you mentioned this compound that you get- it causes the spiciness, like if you get a really good olive oil. Can you talk about that one? Yeah, so that's oleocanthal, and that is the compound found only in extra virgin olive oil, not in regular olive oil, but extra virgin olive oil. That actually leaves a very spicy feeling on the back of your throat.

In fact, it might be so spicy that it makes you cough, and in fact that is how quality extra virgin olive oil is essentially rated. They talk about these oils in terms of the number of coughs that they produce. So you can find one cough oil, two cough oils, and three cough oils, which means that it's like really spicy, and that actually is a sign that there's more of this powerfully anti-inflammatory compound in it. So if you find three cough oil, that's an oil that you're going to want to use. Wow, so olive oil is sort of like weed then. You heard it here first, Max said it, guys. I didn't say that.

And you mentioned in here that oleocanthal may play a role in particular with eliminating and helping the brain to clear itself of amyloid plaque. Let's talk about that a little bit. How does that play into neurodegenerative conditions? Yeah so amyloid plaque is something that aggregates in all brains, and it's thought to be one of the defining characteristics of Alzheimer's disease. Now you might not know this, it might be shocking, but Alzheimer's disease actually begins in the brain thirty to forty years before the first symptom. And we all produce proteins in our brains and our bodies that are essentially waste compounds, and our bodies are generally very good at getting rid of waste.

But you know, for some people, these proteins can aggregate and clump and form these plaques which are called amyloid beta plaques. And amyloid was for many decades considered to be a likely causative player in the ideology, meaning the genesis of Alzheimer's disease. And that's sort of unclear. It's sort of like what's kind of happened with cholesterol over the past couple of decades.

It's looking more and more like amyloid is sort of- it's there at the scene of the crime when somebody dies of Alzheimer's disease, but it's likely not the causative factor because pharmaceutical- thanks to pharmaceutical failure after failure, we know that amyloid- even when we're able to clear amyloid from the brain, that doesn't cure Alzheimer's disease.

Nobody's ever been cured of Alzheimer's disease. So yeah, extra virgin olive oil really seems to stoke some of the processes in the body that are able to clean the brain of this plaque really. It's been shown that extra virgin olive oil encourages a process called autophagy, and it's also been shown to help the brain better clear itself of these proteins that can aggregate and clump up and misfold and form these amyloid plaques.

So that's just one of the proposed mechanisms by which it really seems that extra virgin olive oil is protective in terms of brain health long-term. I want to dive a little bit deeper here in this conversation about fats. I think this is incredibly important. You know, I've touched on this several different times in different episodes of the show, but to really get more of like a master class understanding.

So we've covered the various types, I want to go a little bit deeper on these essentials, so let's talk about them. So DHA fat is one of the most important building blocks for the brain. It basically gets embedded into our brain cell membranes, our neuronal membranes, where it helps to encourage what I mentioned earlier, membrane fluidity, an ability of the brain cell to properly hear outside signals, which is really important.

And DHA is found naturally in the fat of fatty fish. So wild salmon, sardines, these are all low mercury sources of preformed DHA fat. You can also get them for vegans and vegetarians, it's found in algal oil. And our bodies have a very limited capacity to synthesize it when we give them the appropriate precursors. So one of those precursors is ALA, which is the plant-based form of omega-3 fatty acids. Women are about twice as effective at it as men, thought to be a means of facilitating more DHA to a future fetus potentially. But in general, men can consume tablespoon after tablespoon of flax seed oil, which is very high in ALA, and really not convert much if any of that to DHA, and thereby not increasing the amount of DHA in the brain.

Certain people are genetically better at it also, so it's not just gender. People of European origin are less effective at it than people of African ancestry. Thought to be a consequence of the fact that over time, we started eating more fish and more land animals that had abundant quantities of DHA in it.

So I make the recommendation that people really go out and eat omega-3 enriched eggs, or grass-fed beef, wild salmon, sardines; these are all rich sources of DHA fat. We don't have a huge requirement for these fats. I mean again, they're found in foods in relatively trace quantities, but you want to make sure that you're getting them, and you also want to make sure that you're not drowning them out with omega-6 fats, which we mentioned we're over-consuming.

It is what I call a whole body anti-inflammatory agent. So EPA is really good in terms of reducing inflammation, and this is key because inflammation really robs your brain of its optimal cognitive potential. Inflammation is a brain drain when it comes to BDNF, or brain derived neurotrophic factor, which is a really important miracle grow protein that protects your existing neurons, promotes the growth of new ones.

So both of them work in tandem really to help promote neuroplasticity, and a brain that really works as well as it ought to. They've done studies in children where people that are over-consuming omega-6s have worse attention and focus, and that by supplementing with omega-3s thereby sort of evening out that balance, their attention improves, which I think is really important and empowering.

Again, you know plant-based forms of omega-3s, i. ALA found in walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, and things like that, I think that they're a nice addition to a diet that includes preformed versions of these fats, but they're not a replacement for them, because again, humans are very inefficient at converting them to their usable forms in the body. Yeah man, thank you for sharing that.

And I wanted to talk about this specifically because being in this field for a decade and a half plus for me, maybe it's twelve years ago, like hemp seed oil was hot on the streets. Flax seed oil, you know? You're getting it from the refrigerated section to protect the oil, make sure that it's not oxidized, and all this good stuff, thinking you're getting the omega-3s that your body actually needs to do all this cool stuff we're looking for.

But the conversion process is significantly lacking, you know? So I just want people to be mindful of that. I'm not saying to just throw all the flax seed oils away, it could have some benefit, but we don't really know. What we do know is that the conversion to the omega-3s that you really need for keeping your brain healthy is not very valuable, what's found in there.

I would suggest more so doing the whole flax seeds, ground them up, or the whole hemp seeds, but the oils themselves we don't really know if they deliver the value we're looking for. We do know, however, that olive oil does, and he just stacks on stacks on stacks research in the book about olive oil, and it just like pumped me up to the degree like I went ham on the olive oil after reading that section that night.

So with that said, just to kind of segue, let's talk about what to look for with the olive oil, because we don't just want to go to the store and grab the random olive in the clear plastic jug. So tell us what we should be looking for. Yeah, so you want to make sure that you're buying it in either metal or glass, ideally darker colored. You know, extra virgin olive oil is very resistant to oxidation and rancidity, but nonetheless I think that it's probably wise to get it in a bottle that minimizes the chance that any of the fat contained therein is going to be oxidized.

So I recommend people buying it in smaller bottles because oxygen is obviously one of the chief catalysts for oxidation. So you know, the longer we can keep a bottle sealed and free of oxygen, I think the better. So you know, I'm usually buying it in smaller bottles, glass or metal, darkly colored. When it comes to quality olive oil, a lot of people are freaked out over the counterfeit allegations.

So what I understand of that controversy is that it usually seems to be the case with oils exported out of Italy. So I really go for Greek olive oils. I mean, I tend to look for those, and I also like to buy organic because these phenolic compounds, and we talked about one of them - oleocanthal - really are produced by plants as a means to fend off predators, and these predators for plants include everything from mold to insects to smaller animals.

So when we buy organic produce, they tend to have more of these phenolic compounds in them because they're natural plant defense mechanisms, and the minute we handicap a plant by dousing it with herbicides and pesticides and anti-fungals and things like that, we're basically handicapping their ability to- we're basically taking out the necessity for them to create these compounds. Plants need a little bit of stress to create these compounds, just like we need a little bit of stress in the form of exercise, in the form of thermal stress, cryotherapy, cold showers, saunas, things like that.

And so I recommend getting olive oil organic as well. And again, you can test the quality of your olive oil by tasting it and by letting it hit the back of your throat. If it creates that spicy sensation, you know that you're getting a quality extra virgin olive oil. Other oils, light olive oil, and certainly the grain and seed oils don't have that same- don't give you that same sensation in the back of your throat.

Awesome, great tips, man. So also I want to kind of pivot here a little bit when we're looking at these oils, specifically- we covered various types of fats, we covered the various types of essential fatty acids, and with omega-3s one of the first things that jumps to mind for most people if we're talking about getting the right amount- and I'm so grateful that you made clear like we can pretty easily get this from food, like whole food sources, if we're adamant about doing that each day, you know? But you mentioned a fish oil supplement here. In this study adults were given daily omega-3 supplements containing 1, milligrams of EPA and milligrams of DHA.

Now listen to this, guys. Alright so do you recommend fish oil supplementation? Should this be for everybody? Yeah, so it's a good question. I generally like to get my nutrients from food, but our food has changed a lot over the past hundred years. And certainly we don't- we're not always able to control our food environment.

So that being said, a high quality fish oil is one of the few supplements that I recommend, and you can buy cheaper supplements when it comes to vitamin D, things like that, but with fish oil it's an area that you really don't want to skimp. Because we talked a little bit about how delicate polyunsaturated fats are, well omega-3s and omega-6s are both polyunsaturated fats, and they're very easily- they go rancid very easily.

And omega-3s are even more vulnerable than omega-6s, so when it comes to getting high quality fish oil, yeah quality is key. And I actually recommend- well I'd definitely recommend refrigerating them, as well as chewing the capsules. This is not going to be for everybody necessarily, but I actually like to taste the fish oil that I'm consuming because the same way that when you're eating fresh fish, there's no overt fishy flavor, and if you do- if it does taste fishy, you know that it's not the freshest fish.

The same thing could be said for high quality fish oil. There's not going to be an overt fishy flavor if you're getting the freshest fish oil. So I mean if you've got fish oil in your house, taste it. If it tastes really fishy, spit it out. Make sure that the fish oil that you're getting doesn't taste overtly fishy. And then yeah, I recommend supplementing with it. Again, I think you don't have to go crazy, but I usually will take about a gram to 1, milligrams of EPA, maybe milligrams to a gram of DHA every day, and I skip that on days that I'm really being diligent about my diet, and that I'm eating fatty fish.

So I mean I happen to be a fan of sardines, which are really one of the top sources of these fats. If I eat a can of sardines, I'm not going to go crazy with the fish oil. And so would you recommend then people going for the capsules versus the bottle that they keep refrigerated? Yeah, that's a good question. Yeah, I don't distinguish between the two. I think as long as you buy it and it's- with the liquids I've seen them always refrigerated. So you know, I would just make sure that you're buying it from a reputable manufacturer.

I'm very diligent about that. Great, great alright so let's talk a little bit about- you mentioned this earlier, but I want to talk a little bit more about it. It's one of my favorite foods, and actually I just did a little while back a talk for some high school students, and we're looking at helping them transition to the next level. You know, going to college, but also looking at what they can do right now.

And over the years, like I stopped speaking to kids in high school, middle school, elementary, which I used to do quite a bit, and it's because like I wanted to really get more of a global perspective and be able to help them, serve them where they are right now. Because it's difficult for a kid to get this flip of a switch turned on in their mind, and then they go home and they have to eat ramen noodles because that's just what they have. And so now, now we're creating more of like a blanketed approach in the way that we're targeting certain schools, and speaking to certain populations of people, where we can even maybe get the teachers involved, get the faculty involved, get their parents involved so we can have more of a holistic change, right?

And so with that said, spoke to these kids, one of the big takeaways that I wanted them to have- and they were very- like it literally changed them. Like they were just on fire to eat more fat after this talk. And so that was one of the big takeaways was to make sure you're getting more high quality fats in your diet.

I gave them all the different reasons why, and also gave them some examples. And I asked specifically- we were talking about saturated fat, and we were talking about monounsaturated fats, and all that good stuff. I asked, "Why likes avocados? No, I asked, "Who doesn't like avocados? And so I shared with them like, "Listen guys, the first time I had an avocado, I was twenty-five. I thought avocado and guacamole were the same thing, and both looked disgusting. It was on some little pita pizza, avocado was on it, I was like, "Okay, I can do this," and then it kind of transitioned into a love affair from that.

So I wanted to share that, that for folks out there that are just like, "I don't know with the avocado, guacamole. It's one of those foods that has so much nutritional benefit, which Max is going to share with us, but trust me I've been on both sides of the fence of whether or not I'm even doing the avocado.

Now it's on Subway- like you see it driving down the highway on Subway sandwiches. McDonald's got the avocado special now, alright? They're trying to use this great food as an example of something- you know, you're getting some healthy thing. So let's talk about why is this a genius food? Yeah, I mean avocados are an all-in-one genius food. They're a potent source of the carotenoids that we were talking about before, which can boost the processing speed of your brain.

Those compounds, as I mentioned, require fat to be absorbed, so conveniently avocados are a rich source of very healthy fats, predominantly monounsaturated, which we talked about as being the fat that really there's a strong evidence base to say that we can consume this fat liberally and it seems to really benefit the health of our brains, our livers, you name it. Avocados contain twice the potassium of a banana with a fraction of the glycemic load.

Potassium is really important. Researchers now think that our hunter gatherer ancestors consumed about four times the potassium that we consume today, and potassium is really important in terms of nerve conduction, a healthy cardiovascular system. So you know, potassium is critically important and it's also a wonderful source of dietary fiber, which feeds the microbes that live in our large intestine. So I'm all about that avocado. I try to eat a half to a whole fruit every single day.

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And yeah, they're wonderful. I think as a kid, I too probably would have been a little bit freaked out by them, they can be a little bit slimy, but now that I know, I'm- I travel with avocados to be totally honest. Oh that's- see, man? We're like brothers in 'cado, man. Because I do the same thing, like I literally throw avocados into my carry-on, you know?

So man, that's awesome. So with that said, so you said it's more like this kind of complete food, or the kind of true definition of a superfood in many ways. And one of the things that I shared with the students man, was the doctrine of signatures, you know? And so this is kind of this strange field of nature science looking at- basically what that means is the signature of nature, and how every food according to the doctrine of signatures will tell you what it's good for in your body based on the way it looks, smells, tastes, or how the plant functions, alright?

So for example, walnuts. We know clearly now, they look like a brain, we know that they're quite possibly a potentially good brain food, got some omega-3s in there. We've got some plant sterols that can potentially help with that amyloid plaque situation, right? And again, it looks like a brain. With avocados, here's the thing. Avocado was one of the like indigenous things, I think this was Peru, which means testicle fruit. They grow on trees in twos, alright?

So it looks like a couple hanging down there. But they're great for- to kind of like- you know, fats are essential for helping to build your sex hormones, you know? And then to hear Austin speak made us feel so privileged! Your messages touched our hearts and stirred up an empathy people will not forget.

May you always race with happiness. I feel I wanted to say how truly inspiring Austin and you, his family are. I had students coming to see me all day to ask when you were coming back and would they get to see you all again. Austin is an incredible young man, but what was certain was that yourself and Shane most certainly did not give yourselves enough credit for your dedication to ensuring Austin is able to reach his potential.

She totally read the situation and she read it beautifully. Thank you so much for coming back to Southam,. Hopefully see you all in your next tour of the UK have a safe trip home. But the underlying message of Racing With Autism is a story about hope and perseverance and courage in the face of adversity.