Speaking of Health & Wellness: The Podcast

In this final episode of Season 1 of Speaking of Health & Wellness: The Podcast, I'm covering autism and complex picky eating using my signature © Complex Picky Eating Paradigm as a framework to help guide your understanding of the underlying causes of complex picky eating. We'll explore the overlapping nature of these five domain categories as they relate to autism and complex picky eating: Behavioral / Environmental, Trauma, Biochemical / Nutritional, Structural / Functional, and Medical Listen in to hear concrete examples, solutions, tips, and insights related to the potential root causes of your child's (and/or client's) complex picky eating, with a special emphasis focus on autism! Mentioned in the Show: Dr. Jocker's Liquid Zinc (*Correction: The brand is actually Global Healing Center!) Organic Olivia's Mighty Minerals ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunityINSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellnessWEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com © Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Action...Can they coexist? I believe so!  In Episode 14, I'm covering the diagnostic criteria and rising rates of autism spectrum disorders, as well as the changes in formal diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5. I'll be exploring various subtypes of autism, and the "communities" within the overall larger community of autism spectrum disorders (specifically the biomedical community, the neurodiversity community, and the traditional behaviorist community). We'll talk about the difference between person-first language and identity-first language, and how the language we're using within the autism community really does matter... but it might matter differently to different communities within the larger autism community. I share my own mixed feelings about Autism Awareness Month / day, and offer validation that it's okay for you to have mixed feelings too, if you do. While there may be differences among the autism communities, I think everyone within the autism community really wants the same thing: For individuals with autism or autistic people, whichever that individual’s preference, to be able to live their best lives and be fully respected and loved. Let's raise awareness. Let's teach love and acceptance of individuals where they are - always! But let's not forget: There's action to be taken for their individual health needs, and to move this conversation forward as a collective whole. Push play and listen in to Episode 14 to learn more! Mentioned in the Show: BLOG: “Exploring Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders as Whole Body Conditions” Episode 5: “Exploring Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders as Whole Body Conditions” TACA Autism Statistics ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunity INSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellness WEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com © Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved. 

In Episode 13 I'm covering 3 prelinguistic skills that all children need to develop before developing language: 1. JOINT ATTENTION; 2. IMITATION; & 3. SYMBOLIC PLAY This list is not exhaustive of these prelinguistic / pre-language skills but we're highlighting 3 very important ones that you can easily incorporate into your daily routines with your child. This podcast is for parents of children who are typically developing, have developmental delays, or children who have symptoms or a diagnosis of a known neurodevelopmental condition like autism. Not only are these skills foundational to language development, they also support social communication skills as well! Listen in to learn these prelinguistic skills and a variety of examples of how you can naturally weave these strategies into your child's day. Enjoy! ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunity INSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellness WEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com © Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

As the title shares, Episode 12 covers 5 nutrients for a healthy brain, not just for development and but also for general brain health! I share which foods to find these nutrients in and a variety of ways to incorporate these whole foods into your child's diet. I’m sharing insights and creative ways to improve your child's willingness to tolerate and try these new or even non-preferred foods. Hope you enjoy it! Mentioned in the show:  Michelle Hoover from Unboundwellness.com - GFCF (AIP) Recipes - Salmon Cakes Tony Mitra's work regarding organic chickpeas in North America containing glyphosate ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunity INSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellness WEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com © Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

Traumatic Brain Injuries, "Leaky Brain-Leaky Gut", and Picky Eating...What's the Connection? You may have heard of "leaky gut - leaky brain" but have you heard it the other way around? "Leaky BRAIN - Leaky GUT"? In this episode, we're covering "leaky brain - leaky gut", primary and secondary brain injuries, a brief overview of the nervous system and the gut-brain connection, as well as the biochemical and neurobiological ways that complex picky eating can develop following a traumatic brain injury or even after a concussion that doesn't seem too significant or traumatic in nature. We'll explore some beginning nutrition and lifestyle tips and strategies you may want to consider, regardless of how long it's been since the traumatic brain injury took place (although, the sooner the better of course). We'll cover how and why individuals with TBIs develop food and environmental sensitivities and what you can do to help support them, especially when it comes to complex picky eating. If you're brand new to these topics of "gut health" and the gut brain connection, please visit Episode 6 titled, "How "Gut Health" Impacts Your Child's Health and Development" and then come back to this one. Episodes 6-10 are absolutely relevant to listen into if this resonates with you! Do you know someone who could benefit from this information? Please help spread this information to those who need it most by sharing this episode with them. Thank you so much for helping Speaking of Health & Wellness support more families and providers! ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness.JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunityINSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellnessWEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com© Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

Could your child’s physical and behavioral symptoms be caused by the food they’re eating? There are a number of ways that foods can impact children's health, physically and bio-behaviorally. If your child struggles with complex picky eating, this one is for you! If your child has developmental delays or a known neurodevelopmental condition, like autism spectrum disorders, ADHDs, speech-language disorders, sensory processing disorders, etc. then this one is for you! If your child is struggling with a host of chronic health issue symptoms, this one is for you! Did you know that over half of American children and millennials today have a diagnosable chronic health issue? Food and environmental reactions are very much involved here... In this episode, I'm sharing an overview of the difference between food allergies, food sensitivities, and food intolerances. We'll cover the most common food allergies and sensitivities, as well as what physical and behavioral symptoms are seen in children with food reactions. I share what to do if you think your child is experiencing negative reactions to their foods, starting with "cleaning up the diet overall", then navigating food sensitivity testing, and guidance around food elimination/reintroduction diets for food reactions. Enjoy the episode! I hope that it's insightful and supportive for where you are on your journey!Mentioned in the show: Dr. Doris Rapp on The Phil Donahue Show 1989 ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunity INSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellness WEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com© Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode 9 builds onto the information shared in previous episodes re: complex picky eating and neurodevelopmental delays and disorders being whole body conditions, as well as holistic nutrition, gut health, gluten free/casein free (GFCF) diets... If you're new to the podcast and these topics, please go to earlier episodes in this Season 1. I'm answering frequently asked questions that parents of these children often ask me when they're considering or starting the GFCF diet trial... How do you know if they're getting or not getting the nutrients that they need? Can GFCF diets create deficiencies? We specifically explore zinc and calcium and related factors to think about with these nutrients when implementing a GFCF diet. Is the GFCF diet a lifelong change or temporary? How long until you see results? What would those results and improvements look like? And lastly, I offer some guidelines and general habits for families to consider embracing during their transition to a GFCF diet with the child(ren) and/or family. I'm answering all these questions and more. Enjoy the episode and don't forget to check out the resources linked below that I mention in the show! Mentioned in the show: My Accompanying Blog: "GFCF Diets, Picky Eating, Autism, & Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders...What's the Connection?" Organic Olivia Herbal Supplements Line - For Kids & Adults - I use these products personally and with clients for support! ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunity INSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellnessWEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com© Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode 8 builds onto the information shared in previous episodes re: complex picky eating and neurodevelopmental delays and disorders being whole body conditions, as well as holistic nutrition, gut health, gluten free/casein free (GFCF) diets... If you're new to the podcast and these topics, please go to earlier episodes in this Season 1. I'm answering frequently asked questions that parents often ask me when they're considering or starting the GFCF diet trial... Is it "all or nothing?" What happens if they eat a little? How long will it take to see results? What results could you expect to see? Why do some people still say there's not enough evidence to support the GFCF diet for these demographics of children and individuals? What guidelines should be implemented to see the maximum benefit and potential of this transition, especially for families of children with complex picky eating? I'm answering all these questions and more. I hope you enjoy the episode! Mentioned in the show: My Accompanying Blog: "GFCF Diets, Picky Eating, Autism, & Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders...What's the Connection?" Organic Olivia Herbal Supplements Line - For Kids & Adults - I use these products personally and with clients for support! ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunity INSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellnessWEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com© Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

We're covering the basics like what gluten and casein are exactly, the GFCF diet and exploring some of the research around it, as well as some thoughts you may want to consider before taking on a special diet for your child. I'm covering 5 connections to consider when thinking about gluten free / casein free diets (GFCF) for children with complex picky eating, developmental delays, autism, and/or other neurodevelopmental conditions. Mentioned in the show, my accompanying blog: GFCF Diets, Picky Eating, Autism, & Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders...What's the Connection? ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunityINSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellnessWEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com© Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

"Gut Health", "The Gut-Brain Connection", "Gut-Brain Axis", etc. has been gaining more attention in the last decade, and understandably so! It's so important to our overall health and wellness, as well as children's development! In this episode, I discuss some introductory terms that you'll hear when starting to learn more about gut health (microbiome, dysbiosis, leaky gut / intestinal hyper-permeability, etc.). I share the signs, symptoms, and conditions that you may see when your child's gut health is in need of attention, as well as how gut health may be impacting children with complex picky eating, developmental delays, neurodevelopmental disorders, and more. I hope you enjoy the episode! Take care! ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunityINSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellnessWEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com© Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

The title says it all! In this episode we're exploring autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental disorders (like ADHD, childhood apraxia of speech, global developmental delays, etc.) as whole body conditions. We're taking a closer look at the overlapping co-morbidities and the underlying root causes and symptoms these children and individuals share. I discuss the rise of these childhood disorders in tandem to the rise of chronic illness across the board in children and adults over the last few decades, and we talk about what beginning steps families can take towards living a more holistic and low tox lifestyle to support their child's health, wellness, and development.Mentioned in the show:Accompanying Blog: Exploring Autism & Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders as Whole Body Conditions My favorite low-tox cleaner for my home: Branch Basics (discount code included!) ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunity INSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellness WEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com© Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

Welcome to Episode 4, where I'm discussing picky eating. We're covering what's "normal" vs. what's not, and when to know if your child's picky eating is a typical stage of their development or if it's a more complex issue. I introduce my "Picky Eating Paradigm" and share some starting strategies for all children with picky eating that you can put into action right away! I hope you find this episode helpful and supportive! Mentioned in the show: Picky Eaters vs. Problem Feeders by Dr. Kay Toomey Feeding Matters Organization  ⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠ ⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunity INSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellness WEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com © Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

We're exploring the concepts of holistic nutrition and bioindividuality. I discuss the various nutrition professionals and their titles, and how varying nutrition paradigms and views exist. Lastly, we'll cover the beginning steps that you can take to start your journey using holistic nutrition to support you and your family's health and wellness. Enjoy!Mentioned in the show: Environmental Working Group - Dirty Dozen List & Clean Fifteen List ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness.JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunityINSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellnessWEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com© Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode 2 is Part 2 of a two part story about how my chronic illness was a catalyst to career change, and how Speaking of Health & Wellness came to be! Be sure to listen to Part 1 first or you may be a bit lost... I shared my personal experience with medical injury and chronic illness. We're starting where we left off: with my experience with the "Mirena crash" and my path into true holistic healing, which ultimately led me to understanding autism spectrum disorders (and more) as whole body conditions and changed the trajectory of my career. EDIT: Towards the end of this podcast you'll hear me talk about the BioIndividual Nutrition Institute by Julie Matthews of Nourishing Hope. Please note: Nourishing* Hope, as I accidentally said Documenting Hope... ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunity INSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellness WEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com© Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.

On this first episode of Speaking of Health & Wellness: The Podcast, I’m introducing myself and my intentions with this podcast, as well as sharing the story of how my own health and wellness journey was the catalyst to becoming a holistic nutrition and development coach for parents of children with complex picky eating, developmental delays, and neurodevelopmental disorders. I share my personal experience with medical injury and chronic illness, and how it ultimately led me to understanding autism spectrum disorders (and more) as whole body conditions. ⁠⁠UPDATE: My online course for parents, Naturally Navigating Picky Eating, is now available! LEARN MORE & ENROLL TODAY: www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com/picky-eating-course⁠⁠ ⁠⁠[CLICK HERE] to grab your FREE Guide: The Dos and Don'ts for Parent of Complex Picky Eaters⁠⁠ Hosted by integrative SLP/feeding specialist and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Shandy Laskey, M.A., CCC-SLP, FNTP of Speaking of Health & Wellness. JOIN OUR FREE FB COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/speakingofcommunityINSTAGRAM: @speakingofhealthandwellness WEBSITE: https://www.speakingofhealthandwellness.com© Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. All rights reserved.