New findings by Harvard researchers reveals new genes that are implicated in autism. Scientists discovered, that the genes that are involved in autism, are those that are involved in learning.

Three newly discovered “autism genes” are particularly intriguing, because unlike some other defective genes linked to autism that are permanently disabled, the new genes are simply idle — present, but not turned on for one reason or another.

“That gives us the potential, in the long run, to develop therapies that may be able to reactivate those genes that are silent,” said Dr. Christopher Walsh, chief of genetics at Children’s Hospital in Boston, who led the study.

Read more at ABC News Autism Genes Unlock Disorder’s Mystery.

We all know that celiac disease is a problem of the small intestine, but most of us are probably unaware that it could actually be the root cause of a whole host of neurological problems from brain fog, to tingling and numbness sensations in your extremities, to developmental delays and learning disorders, autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, movement disorders like ataxia, and even psychological issues from irritability or depression to schizophrenia. (more…)

Dr. Jim Stevenson and his team of researchers from the University of Southampton, U.K., just published the results of their study in the September issue of the Lancet: “Food additives and hyperactive behavior in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community.” Stevenson and his team tested 297 children in a double-blind-placebo-control study. Each child was given a drink and then their parents and teachers subsequently rated their behaviors. (more…)

A twinkie isn’t just a cream filled cake made from milk, flour and eggs. When Hostess seals the little dessert treat into it’s individual plastic wrap it is a conglomeration of over 39 ingredients with a shelf-life of over 24 days. In Twinkie Deconstructed, Steve Ettlinger writes a road map for understanding the etiology of this familiar favorite Hostess snack. He chronicles his “Journey to Discover How the Ingredients Found in Processed Foods Are Grown, Mined (Yes, Mined), and Manipulated Into What America Eats.” (more…)

As the 110^th Congress begins to take a second look at the reauthorization of Public Law 107-110, we need to consider one very small population of public school children that is being left behind. The much needed NCLB (No Child Left Behind) act covers the immigrant child, the special needs child, the minority child, the child that lives in an urban school that is under-funded and under-performs, the child whose needs cannot be met in the school district for which he lives…. Or does it?

What if that very same child was also gifted, functioning two or three grade levels above his peers and soaking up new knowledge like a sponge? There are currently no provisions for such a child, nor is there funding, as the NCLB act has forced many states, including Illinois, to reallocate funds from gifted programming toward achieving better test scores among at risk populations [1]. (more…)

The 2 million - year - old hunter-gatherer diet is healthier than the Mediterranean diet, according to a new study.

Staffan Lindeberg’s research team from Lund University in Sweden, have noted a remarkable absence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes among the traditional population of Kitava, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea, where modern agrarian-based food is unavailable. (more…)