Welcome to Apples to Oranges Consulting
Difference Through Diet for Kids with Autism
My name is Lori Brienesse-Frank. I’m a mom to two wonderful boys age 4 and 5 years old. I live in Victoria, BC with my family and our 2 cats Garp and Owen.
When we first realized that our son Jacob was autistic we were overwhelmed. And despite my many years working with autistic children and adults, my husband and I weren’t sure where to begin.
The Gluten and Casein Free Diet (GFCF) was the first therapy we decided to try. There were literally thousands of anecdotal reports from other parents that they had seen such positive results after starting their autistic child on this diet.
Over 2 years later we are reaping the rewards of our hard work in implementing this diet for our child.
The results we’ve seen have inspired me to start this business and share my experience and expertise with you.
It’s Worth It!
In the last couple of years I have spoken to many families who have children with autism. I have mentioned that my son, who has autism, is on a Gluten and Casein Free Diet and we’ve seen wonderful results.
Many parents have told me they have considered the GFCF Diet because they have heard it can produce such great results for a child on the Autism Spectrum.
However, they have also told me that even the thought of trying to switch their child over to the GFCF Diet is completely overwhelming.
It takes a lot of time, a lot of research and a lot of trial and error to accomplish this daunting task. As parents, we already know that sometimes just getting our kids dressed and out the door in the morning is challenging at best! So the idea of trying to change your eating and cooking habits to something so unfamiliar can of course be more than you can imagine taking on.
So that’s where I come in!
The Gluten and Casein Free Diet
I have spent the last 2 years with my son and my whole family on the Gluten and Casein Free Diet. And guess what?! We’ve survived the transition and we don’t feel deprived in the least.
But best of all, this is now second nature to me.
In fact, after I started to get a handle on eliminating gluten and casein, I also eliminated all artificial colours, flavours, preservatives and additives because these chemicals can also cause huge problems for children with Autism as well as children with ADHD and ADD.
Through much research and recipe testing I have made the GFCF Diet easy for myself and my family to live with.
And now I’d like to share all that I have learned with families like yours, so you can make this transition as stress free as possible in your own home.
My Goal
My goal in this whole process is to make this transition to the Gluten and Casein Free Diet as easy, practical and stress free as possible for you and your family.
Jacob’s ASD Story
After being on the Gluten and Casein Free Diet for only 1 month we started to see improvements in Jacob’s behaviour.
Now, over a year later the list of improvements has grown.
- improved speech
- improved use of language
- reduced incidences of emotional “meltdowns”
- reduced frustration levels
- improved mood
- improved cognitive functioning
- improved ability to focus
- improved social skills
- improved overall health
And the list goes on….
Our Most Memorable Moment
Jacob’s speech was delayed for a 3 year old. He referred to himself as “Jacob” rather than as “I” or “me”.
He had a limited number of words other people could understand.
But one evening, after about a month on the Gluten and Casein Free Diet, and his first chiropractic appointment, Jacob said something so wonderful.
As the family sat cuddling on the couch, watching a show, Jacob suddenly said:
“I’m so happy”.
It brought me to tears to suddenly get a glimpse of what could be possible for our special little boy.
Help for Other Childhood Behavioural Disorders
The GFCF Diet is also proving to be beneficial for children with other diagnoses. Parents are finding the same positive results for children with:
- Apraxia/Dyspraxia
- Aspergers
- ADD/ADHD
- Sensory Integration Disorder
- Expressive/Receptive Language Disorder
Victoria Society for Children with Autism
10% of profits from Baking Mixes is donated to the Victoria Society for Children with Autism.