Autism Kombucha and Juicing (long post)

According to the latest statistics from the CDC the "Prevalence of autism in U.S. children increased by 119.4 percent from 2000 (1 in 150) to 2010 (1 in 68). (CDC, 2014)" Which lead the agency to conclude, "Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability. (CDC, 2008)"  Now here is a point I would like you to remember, these numbers are 5 years old and the rates of Autism have only continued to increase.

When we first spoke with traditional Pediatricians and Educators about my sons Autism they said the only treatments they could offer would be speech and occupational therapy and possibly pharmaceuticals like Risperidone and Aripiprazole or SSRI's if he began hurting himself or others. Basically I could drug my child into submission and begin years of rigorous training and if I get lucky he might learn to live in a state run home and not bother anybody too much. You can imagine what came to mind. I saw One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest as a child and I've never forgotten it.

What does this have to do with Kombucha ? Well, after I started seeing a Defeat Autism Now doctor (out of pocket) and read several books (out of pocket) and did lots of biomedical testing (yup, out of pocket again) I learned ...

1. My child should be eating as many Organic Fresh Fruits and Veggies as possible.
Easier said than done when your autism gives you sensory issues {won't touch fruits or veggies}. Juicing comes handy because nutrients are packed into every sip and you avoid texture issues.
If your interested in juicing here is a post I did on what machine I use (I don't get any $ from anyone for telling you this, its just the one I chose and why). Omega 8006

2. My child has yeast issues.
You need to avoid sugar and refined grains and gluten {did I mention we only want to eat crackers}.

3. We had serious bowel issues including both constipation and diarrhea.
Add as many different Probiotics including Kombucha, Water Kefir and fermented foods as you can.
So if you were like me, your now wondering how do you brew Kombucha and how much is that gonna cost?!? The answer is a lot cheaper than almost everything else I have done.

This recipe from wellnessmama is how I started making Kombucha and find it one of the easiest and best to use for beginning your kombucha brewing journey. 

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

A naturally carbonated fermented tea drink packed with enzymes, probiotics and beneficial acids. Make it at home for less than half the price of store bought.

Author: Wellness Mama

Serves: 16+

Ingredients

• gallon size glass jar (make sure its really clean!!)
• 1 gallon of brewed sweetened tea (ratio: 1 cup of sugar per gallon of tea) I use regular black tea, though I've heard of others using green or herbal teas
• a SCOBY and ½ cup of liquid from a previous batch of Kombucha
• My Kombucha Mothers on Etsy
• coffee filter or thin cloth and a rubber band

Instructions

1. Prepare the sweet tea. I use 1 family size tea bag or 8-10 small bags per gallon of water. Add 1 cup of regular sugar (organic preferably). Do not use honey!
2. Let tea cool to room temperature and make sure it is really cool! This step is very important as too hot of tea can kill your SCOBY.
3. Once tea is completely cool, pour into glass jar, leaving just over an inch of room at the top. Pour in ½ cup liquid from a previous batch of Kombucha or if starting from a dehydrated SCOBY, pour in ½ cup from a store-bought bottle of Kombucha.
4. With very clean hands, gently place the SCOBY at the top of the jar of tea. It should float, though if it doesn't just let it fall and don't stick your hands in the tea!
5. Cover the jar with the coffee filter or cloth and rubber band tightly (flies love this stuff!)
6. Put the jar in a warm (around 70-75 degrees is best) corner of the kitchen where it is at least a few feet away from any other fermenting products.
7. Let sit to ferment for around 7 days, though the length of time may vary depending on your temperature. You can test the Kombucha by placing a straw in the jar carefully (slide under the SCOBY) and sipping. It should taste tart but still very slightly sweet also.
8. At this point, Kombucha is ready for a second ferment. If you aren't doing the second ferment, just pour the kombucha into another jar or jars with airtight lids and seal until ready to drink.

As of right now my son and our family are still in the middle of a full tilt battle with severe non-verbal Autism. My son still has yet to speak his first word and he is now 8. He will be repeating the 2nd grade again and still does not yet use a communication device to have his needs met. However, we have tamed the bouts of constipation and diarrhea and are now fully potty trained. I hope getting his digestive health better will lead to better learning outcomes and the ability to focus more on achieving a way to communicate. We are trying as hard as we can and I hope sharing our struggle can be of help to others.