How does nutritional therapy complement neuro-cognitive therapy?

Recent research determines that the severity of a child’s neurological development disorder may be determined by the spectrum of exposure to inflammatory sources; in utero, from birth, and beyond. The good news is that nutritional therapy addresses the root cause of dysfunction, and is therefore perfectly placed not only to address and lessen individualised inflammatory load but also to work synergistically with neuro-cognitive therapies.

The healthier a child’s neurons are, the more potential there is to develop a strong communication network.

For any impaired brain function there is always potential to improve the function of the brain, and hence quality of life. We now realise that the brain can be considered plastic, meaning it has the capacity to be remoulded.

Stimulation of the brain activates branching of neurons, but the appropriate chemical environment is also necessary in order to branch out. The healthier a child’s neurons are, the more potential there is to develop a strong communication network. As their neuron communication improves, the brain becomes more efficient and functional (Kharrazian, 2013).

Without maintaining good chemistry and low inflammation, the brain environment may not be conducive to the development of a good communication network.

Though neurons can be damaged, a child’s function can be improved by a change in brain chemistry (for example through nutritional therapy) and then stimulation (neuro-cognitive therapy) so that the remaining neurons can communicate better with each other. Without maintaining good chemistry and low inflammation, the brain environment may not be conducive to the development of a good communication network.

You can see that both of these factors are needed for positive change to occur, and the potential for the two therapies together may be profound. A person with a healthier brain is consequently likely to have a very positive response to therapy compared to someone who is unhealthy - the brain is not plagued with inflammation due to poor gut health or blood sugar swings allowing neurotransmitters to be active and functional. As a result, input from various therapies will have more impact on brain function and consequently digestion, mood, behaviour and immunity.

 The way to prevent an inflammatory environment is to increase consumption of omega-3 fats and lower consumption of less favourable omega-6 fats

Whilst there are many potential nutritional interventions, and these should be personalised to your individual child, one that has been shown to be particularly useful in practice is the use of Omega 3. Appropriate fats are vital for good brain health. 60% of the brain is made of fat and the fats you eat affect the composition of your brain.

Fats found in processed foods, heated vegetable oil, processed vegetable oil and hydrogenated fats can make the membranes of your nerve cells rigid and unresponsive, leading to improper neuron function, brain inflammation, and symptoms of poor brain function. Not all fats are bad however, in fact the fats found in certain foods are considered ‘essential’ because your body cannot synthesise them and they must be consumed in your diet. These fats; extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish, nuts and seeds, are actually critical for healthy brain function.

The way to prevent an inflammatory environment is to increase consumption of omega-3 fats and lower consumption of less favourable omega-6 fats. The vast majority of UK children fail to meet the daily recommendations for fish and fish oil even though there are a wealth of studies proving its cognitive and developmental benefits. For example in 2005 the now famous Oxford-Durham study (Richardson et al, 2005) looked into its supplementation in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in 117 children. The placebo controlled trial found that 3 months of supplementation with polyunsaturated acids (80% fish oil and 20% evening primrose oil) significantly improved reading and spelling ability, and a significant reduction in ADHD symptoms. There have been many high quality studies with similar developmental and cognitive results since, and ongoing evidence now also suggests that a deficiency of these essential fats or a high omega 6:3 ration may play a role in conditions such as autism, ADHD, childhood type 1 diabetes, obesity or recurrent ear infections (Genuis et al, 2006).

Government advice is to consume at least two portions of fish per week, one of which should be an oily fish (e.g. salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel). Guidance on portion size for each age can be found through the Association of UK Dieticians (BDA). For example, for children aged 12 and up a portion equates to around 140g of fresh fish or one small can of oily fish. For advice on supplementation, you should work with a qualified practitioner to determine individual therapeutic dosing, they may advise on testing to check levels in advance.

The take away message is that you can maximise the potential of any good brain stimulating therapy, by attending to the health and wellness of your brain and the two in conjunction may have synergistic effects.

Juliana O’Boyle, MSc. AMH, ANP, and founder of Herbology, is a nutritionist, herbalist and naturopath with a particular interest in family health and learning potential. Find at more at:

www.functionalherbology.co.uk
juliana@functionalherbology.co.uk

References:

Genuis SJ, Schwalfenberg GK. Time for an oil check: the role of essential omega-3 fatty acids in maternal and pediatric health. J Perinatol. 2006 Jun;26(6):359-65.

Kharrazian, D, Why isn’t my brain working? 2013. Elephant Press.

Richardson AJ, Montgomery P. The Oxford-Durham study: a randomised controlled trial of dietary supplementation with fatty acids in children with developmental coordination disorder. (2005) Pediatrics 115(5) 1360-1366

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