Malt and chocolate

[Guest Guest_efgh]

ALL

 

How many have noticed an increase in tics due to MALT? Is it a common culprit for tics?

 

Chemar, I read in one of your posts that you mentioned you give dark chocolate sometimes to your son? Do you feel that dark chocolates are better compared to the normal ones for tics? Do they contain the same amount of caffeine as a normal chocolate. I read that in general dark chocolates are better since it contains more anti oxidants etc but would like to have your inputs with regard to caffeine content, tics etc.

Which brand (dark chocolate) do you give?

 

Others

Do you all NOT give any chocolates in general to your kids?

 

thanks.

[Chemar]

hi efgh

I am not fully up on the biochemistry of chocolate so this is just based on my limited knowledge......

 

Why be concerned about caffeine in chocolate? as ONE ounce of milk chocolate contains the same amount of caffeine found in a cup of decaffeinated coffee! There is slightly more theobromine than caffeine (similar family) but one would have to eat a ton of chocolate to feel that stimulant effect!

 

I give my son the dark chocolate mailnly because it contains less SUGAR and fats and other additives than most milk chocolates do....my son tolerates dairy well so that is not the reason I choose dark over milk. Dark chocolate does contain more good stuff IMHO, and also increases seratonin, albeit minimally. Too much chocolate can have a negative effect by also increasing dopamine, and that is not good for tics.

 

Also, my family just tends to prefer the taste of dark choc...

 

I like Ghirardelli best for purity and quality.

[Heather]

EFGH,

 

We avoid malt as one of the books that I read written by a Dr. Semen, "The Power of Healing" says that malt is a major culprit in the growth of yeast. His nutritional protocol in healing disease consists of killing yeast and one of the biggies he says to avoid is malt.

 

As Chemar said we also use more dark chocolate because of its purity as opposed to milk chocolate but in general we have a minimal amount of any chocolate.

 

Heather

[Guest Robin O]

Hi EFGH, I try and not let my son eat chocolate. It does increase his tics alot. I thought in was the milk in the chocolate but have discovered its the cocoa. Milk does increase mys sons tics but I found a dairy free chocolate chip and also dairy free chocolate bars at our local health food store and both time when he ate the dairy free his tics increased. It had to be the cocoa because they had not artificial flavors colors etc.

 

Its spring break here and I have let him cheat a little. We had some pizza and a donut. This went O.K. but he ate some Doritos and within 10 minutes he was ticcing alot!!

 

We are going back on his "diet" today so most things are out of his system when school starts next tuesday. Robin.

[Chemar]

 

but he ate some Doritos and within 10 minutes he was ticcing alot!! 

  Robin.

 

MSG in Doritos.........BIG TIME TIC TRIGGER

[Claire]

Robin/Chemar

 

My son had a half a bag of Doritos after basketball (begged me into it) and I could tell... (he could too by the way). Ah, so it is the MSG... with him it is a fidgetyness, as I have mentioned. He could feel it for himself.

 

Robin,

We discussed lunch foods before--I have found some protein bars at Whole Foods (nothing artificial) with no peanuts and no wheat. I would think that most wouldn't have corn --I know that I avoid the ones with corn syrup if possible. Luna bars have a good selection. Also, there is this Govind cashew/almond bar that seems not too sweet. We do nuts and fruits for snacks a lot now also. Did you ever figure out lunches for your son?

 

All

Re chocolate--I sometimes think the vanillin in much milk chocolate is a problem. I still avoid chocolate for my son because it keeps him awake at night.

 

He has been doing quite well re not being fidgety. I think it is some combination of:

1. Completely wheat-free for 3 weeks. His excema is 3/4 gone now. Did I mention that his friend who had celiac disease grew 6 inches in 6 months once he stopped eating grains with gluten? I am wondering whether my son's growth will accelerate. I have a bet with him that he will grow 3 inches in 6 months vs the normal 2 inches.

2. The daycare guy has finally stopped giving him candy daily (all that junk in it).

3. The supplements. We finally have this down where he doesn't complain. The smoothies weren't great tasting to his sensitive palate. (By the way, for someone who mentioned this--smoothies can be made with frozen fruit and water, not milk. Someone mentioned non-dairy protein powder also).

 

He will get his last planned test next week (I think). That is the allergy blood test for the spectrum of allergies. I am mostly hoping that there are no problems with corn. We have finally gotten the no-wheat down--having figured out wheat-free recipes, but they all have corn flour. Everything from pancakes and pizza to fried 'breaded' chicken, batter fried fish. And corn tortillas and rice help fill in the cracks. As some here have said however, the burden is on me to cook much much more. But he hasn't seemed sad about this in the last couple of weeks.

 

Interestingly enough, without wheat in his diet his breadth of food choices seem to be improving at restaurants, thank goodness. He is much better with proteins. He still likes fruits. but we still work on the veggies. Was it Ronna who said--fast foods are another matter.

 

Claire

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Chemar,

 

Can you please tell me more about CAROB, is it caffeine free chocolate? Do you use it ? Do you get chocolate bars made of carob?

 

thanks.

[Chemar]

efgh

 

my kids went YUCK when I tried Carob!

 

I know some people really like it tho.

[Claire]

I tried Carob. I have no idea who they are kidding, it doesn't taste like chocolate and I don't like it!

 

Any health food store has carob treats to try.

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Heather

 

thanks. I too have read a lot about malt being one of the culprits for tics. I give my son a malt drink with water since he cannot take milk and hence was concerned. Not sure if that malt is affecting him or not still.

 

OTHERS, do you all avoid malt too for your kids ??

 

please give me your inputs.

 

thanks.

[Chemar]

efgh

the problem with malt is that it is known to promote candida growth

 

I found a really good article the other day on yeast and tourette syndromen and this docotr specifically mentions barley malt as something to eliminate while treating yeast in a young TS patient

 

http://www.nutritioninstitute.com/Tourette...s_Syndrome.html

[Guest Guest_efgh]

Chemar

 

thanks. I read this article a couple of days too when I was doing a google search on malt and tics.. What I fail to understand is

 

Malt contain chemicals called pyrazines, which sedate and slow the brain down.

This treatment is simply to clear out the intestinal Candida and to stop eating foods with sedative chemicals. Then the yeast will stop making sedative chemicals. Then the brain will no longer be slowed down, will work better and will inhibit active centers from firing.

 

I always thought that people with tics do better with sedative chemicals since their brain is HYPER and they don't get to sleep soon, etc... the above article is quite contradicting to what I thought before ...

 

I would appreciate if you can clarify this to me. Also , like Claire mentioned is mozarella considered aged cheese??

 

thanks.

[Chemar]

Hi efgh

 

I dont believe that mozarella cheese would be considered aged....

 

My son certainly doesnt have what I would classify a HYPER brain....that isnt how I understand the mechanisms underlying TS.....it is the dopaminergic system that is the underlying issue.

 

I can see where kids with comorbid ADHD would because of the functional hyperactivity.

 

The only "sedative" that my son tolerates is chamomille......

and the only thing that helps him sleep is his 5HTP

 

when we tried the melatonin, valerian, passiflora......all made him tic more and restless/groggy.

However, others have found relief from melatonin(eg Claire's son on the low dose) and Passiflora (egmy husband and friends with TS kids)

 

I know only bad reports on valerian.

 

Anyway, I am not aware of the research underlying the "sedatives" feeding yeast....my understanding has always been that they thrived mainly on sugars, or when we kill off the good bacteria by antibiotics and bad diet. However, I see in this article that he refers to toxic sedative chemicals .....yeast produces toxins in the body and these result in fatigue, exhaustion, sluggishness, poor concentration etc etc...I feel he is referring far more to the avoidance of foods that contain sedatives that would STIMULATE the yeast to produce more of it's toxins

 

Still, I think this case study is very interesting, PRIMARILY for it's results on the improvement of the boy's TS/OCD symptoms with yeast elimination.

[Jennifer]

I personally haven't noticed any correlation between chocolate and tics with our son, but I have also switched to organic cocoa and chocolate bars. While caffeine and sugar may certainly be an issue I often wonder if the chemicals used to process cocoa may not be an even larger factor.

 

 

Jennifer

[Chemar]

Good point Jennifer.

 

My son really handles chocolate well too.....and we also use mainly dark and only good companies, organic pure etc.