Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Depression, Schizophrenia

by Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride (Medinform Publishing, 2004, ISBN: 0954852001)

This is without a doubt, one of the most thought-provoking and inspiring books I have come across. I discovered Dr Campbell McBride at the Allergy Show in June when she gave a lecture on Gut and Psychology syndrome (GAP), showing how diet and behavioural problems in children and teenagers were interlinked. An eminent neurologist and nutrition expert, Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride identified in her talk the top 5 foods and additives to avoid and the foods to include and showed how simple diet changes are as relevant to anxious teenagers as to children with autism and ADHD. Natasha Campbell McBride speaks from first-hand experience as the mother of a child with learning disabilities and having set up the Cambridge Nutrition Clinic in 1998 where she specialises in Nutrition for Children and Adults with Behavioural and Learning Disabilities, and Adults with Digestive and Immune System Disorders.

Her theories can also be found in the present book. Campbell McBride demonstrates that the western world has fallen victim to a ’form of epidemic of learning disabilities in children and young adults’. While the book mainly focuses on autism in children it also shows that there is an overlap in symptoms of autism, ADHD/ADD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and many other seemingly unrelated conditions which makes it totally relevant to all those problems. It is for example frightening to discover that many people affected by schizophrenia had an inadequate diet in their childhood.

Campbell McBride shows that a simple, healthy diet and good supplementation can help improve the life of a child with learning disabilities and in many cases alleviate many of the symptoms. She shows that children with learning disabilities can be picky eaters and provides a step-by-step approach to introducing healthy, clean food to the child’s diet. Everything is comprehensively covered: a detailed explanation of how food can affect a child’s digestive system and the link with the brain and learning; bowel flora; dietary approaches, supplements and enzymes, recipes; the immune system and simple but effective detoxification techniques.

This work is aimed at both parents of affected children and professionals. It is written in a way that even the most complex medical issues are explained in a simple language, understandable by non-medical people whilst being comprehensively referenced by ‘published peer-reviewed scientific studies for the professionals’. It has proved to be invaluable to my nutritional therapy studies and has certainly changed my outlook on many food-related matters. I feel, having read Dr Campbell-McBride’s excellent research that I am now fully prepared for when I do have a family of my own. Her book is a must-have!

Sandy Beaunay – Reflexology and Nutritional Therapy Student with Kevala.