February 4, 2025 โข 35 mins
Welcome to Season 3 of the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast!
Neurodivergent conditions affect both children and adults alike. According to a 2022 report, approximately 1 in 44 children in the United States has been identified with autism spectrum disorder and around 6.1 million children aged 2-17 years (9.8%) have an ADHD diagnosis. Amongst adults, it is estimated that 4.4% of U.S. adults aged 18 and over have been diagnosed with ADHD, highlighting the prevalence of these conditions across the lifespan.
While these conditions highlight our unique differences, there are targeted integrative approaches that can be helpful in optimizing the brain and cognitive function for thriving with these conditions.
On today's episode, Dr. Shayla will be joined by a special guest, Dr. Noemi Adame and they will be spilling โ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌโ.
Dr. Noemi Adame, also known as the Veggies Over Pills doctor, is a board-certified Pediatrician, whole-foods, plant-based (WFPB) home cook and baker, writer, public speaker, and holistic wellness expert. She is the owner of Culver Pediatrics Center, a pediatric clinic that transforms the mind, body, and spirit health of children by empowering and educating their families, communities, and schools in holistic nutritional wellness.
Synopsis:
- Discover some of the most common nutritional gaps that may be affecting those with neurodivergent conditions
- Understand the gut brain connection and the part our gut plays in our brain health
- Explore ways to expand the palate for those with food aversions in a healthful way
- Discover tips beyond medication therapy that can help to improve brain health
- Get Dr. Adameโs โveggie teaโ on key foods to integrate to nurture neurodivergent and neurotypical brains alike
Connect with Essence of Health:
โ FREE Nourish & Flourish 5 Day Challenge: www.DrShayla.com/NFchallenge
โ FREE Class โDitch The Diet: Mindful Strategies for Lasting Metabolic Healthโ: www.DrShayla.com/DTD
โEssence of Health Wellness Clinic & Coaching: www.DrShayla.com/EOH
โGet your FREE "Healthy Tips For A Healthy Lifestyle" Guide to get you started on your health and wellness path. https://essenceofhealth.link/e-book
โFollow Dr. Shayla on social media at Essence of Health Wellness Clinic on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and at DrShayla on TikTok.
โ-----------------------------------------------------------------
Connect with Dr. Noemi Adame:
Website: www.CulverPediatrics.com
FB/IG: @CulverPeds
PANDAS/PANS Clinic: https://www.culverpediatrics.com/pandas-pans
Mind, Body, Spirit Events: https://www.culverpediatrics.com/events
The Essence of Health is in You!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the Essence of Health Tea Time Podcast.
(00:12):
I am your host, Dr. Shayla Toons-Whithers.
As a double board certified family and obesity medicine physician with over 12 years of experience
in medicine, I teach motivated individuals how to achieve their desired quality of life
while preventing and reversing chronic diseases.
It's tea time!
(00:37):
What part of your health journey is most challenging?
Is it the actual effort of sticking to a plan?
The cooking and the meal planning?
The exercise routine?
Not enough time for everything you think you need to do?
Or the confusion of it all?
If you said yes to any of these obstacles, then keep listening to learn how you can smash
(01:00):
these problems just by checking your email.
You check your email inbox every day already, but what if checking your inbox brought you
better health instead of the stress it sometimes can bring?
Well, I have news for you.
You can improve your health, get a jump start on improving your health conditions, and start
(01:21):
to feel like a better version of you just by checking your email inbox over the next
5 days when you join the free Nourish and Flourish 5 Day Challenge.
You'll get health tips, actionable videos, a goal and habit tracker, and healthy recipes
every day for 5 days.
(01:41):
Better health is the best investment you'll ever make, and this is only a small investment
of your time.
You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.
The Nourish and Flourish 5 Day Challenge was designed to set the foundation for healthy
habits for life.
Say yes to yourself today and sign up now at drshayla.com forward slash nfchallenge.
(02:07):
I'll also place these details in the show notes.
The essence of health is in you.
See you in your inbox.
On today's episode of the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast, I have a special guest,
Dr. Noemi Adame.
She's also known as the Veggies Over Pills doctor and is a board certified pediatrician,
(02:27):
whole food plant-based, home cook and baker, writer, public speaker, and holistic wellness
expert.
She is the owner of Culver Pediatric Center, a pediatric clinic that transforms the mind,
body, and spirit health of children by empowering and educating their families, communities,
and schools in holistic nutritional wellness.
(02:49):
Dr. Adame has completed additional education on nutrition through the American College
of Lifestyle Medicine and on the integrative management of ADHD and autism through the
Andrew Waugh Institute for Integrative Medicine.
She writes a bi-monthly column for the Culver Citizen titled Get Healthy with Dr. Adame.
(03:09):
It's wellness retreats for parents to prevent parental burnout and is currently working
on a cookbook for neurodivergent children.
Welcome to the show, Dr. Adame.
I'm excited to hear about all of this that you've been doing.
That's awesome.
I'm excited to be here, Dr. Shayla.
Yeah, yeah.
Awesome.
Since you have such expertise with neurodivergence in children, so really just tell us what conditions
(03:33):
do you really typically see within your practice that fall under that umbrella of neurodivergence?
Right.
So neurodivergence simply means that a child's brain processes information in a way that's
different from what's considered typical or normal, right?
And I say that in air quotes because what we consider normal or typical, what we've
(03:59):
decided is normal or typical in society, it's fairly arbitrary and it's really based on
preparing the children for the corporate world.
So there's that pitfall.
And conditions that fall under this umbrella that I definitely see in my practice include
ADHD, autism, depression, anxiety, sensory processing issues, PANDAS and PANS.
(04:21):
Right now about 20% of our clinic are PANS and PANDAS patients, but it also includes
learning differences like dyslexia, processing challenges.
So those are all the, not an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination, but those
are the most common conditions that would fall under the umbrella of neurodivergence
that I see in my clinic.
(04:42):
Yeah.
And you know, I'm glad you described it that way in terms of normal, you know, in quotes
because you're so right.
You know, what society thinks is normal doesn't necessarily mean that the other side of that
is wrong.
You know, it's different or unique.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
All right.
And so, you know, thankfully with even more awareness and acceptance even within the medical
(05:06):
community, we are seeing more individuals with some of these neurodivergent conditions
commonly, you know, things like dyslexia, ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.
And so really, you know, as a clinician, what do you see in terms of those presenting symptoms
or typical parental concerns that folks typically have when they come to you and they're looking
(05:27):
for possibly getting a formal diagnosis?
Right.
So, one thing I did want to say before parents come to me, a lot of times they're concerned
about labeling their children.
I'm concerned to label my child as ADHD.
I'm concerned to label my child as autistic, you know, which of course is totally understandable.
(05:47):
But the way I presented is that labels can be helpful in a couple of ways.
First of all, from an insurance perspective by assigning a diagnosis, they can get certain
services covered like speech therapy, PT, OT counseling, from an educational perspective,
with the diagnosis, the child can receive accommodations from the school and other school-based
support like an IEP or a 504 plan to maximize the child's learning.
(06:11):
So what I tell families is any time that they see a condition where the child is struggling,
either socially, academically, or in any of their environments, then they should think
about seeking an evaluation.
Yeah, yeah.
And I like that you also mentioned socially because, you know, so often we are only thinking
(06:36):
about that more, you know, learning side of things or even just the behavioral side, but
not so much, you know, how are they doing with peers?
Are they making friends?
Do they tend to be isolated because that's a part of, certainly an important part of
development as well.
And you're so right, you know, we do see that with some of these conditions too, where it
(06:57):
can affect that social ability.
Right, exactly.
And, you know, the presenting symptoms can vary so much, you know, anything from emotional
dysregulation, from anger to a lot of internalized symptoms like worry and internal anxiety,
separation anxiety, there's just so many ways that children can present.
(07:20):
So that's why I just tell families anything that worries you, go ahead and seek help.
Yeah, yeah, that's great.
And so, you know, just pivoting just a little bit, what are some of those common misconceptions
about neurodivergent conditions that you tend to encounter and how do you even, you know,
address those with inpatient care?
(07:41):
Right, so, you know, we talked a little bit about labels and how families do get a little
bit worried about labeling their child.
Strictly from a medical and social perspective, the diagnostic process helps me identify strengths
in areas where the child needs support, so that then I can design a holistic and individualized
(08:02):
treatment plan.
So a lot of the misconceptions are that, oh, if I label my child, that's going to harm
them.
So labels are not necessarily about being.
What matters is what we do with that label.
And especially within the autism community, it's so important not to medicalize autism
(08:23):
and to see it as a medical condition that needs to be fixed, but instead focus on the
areas of strength that the child has and then identify the areas where they need support
so that then we can help the child succeed in a neurotypical world.
So a lot of those misconceptions, a lot of those worries, I try to diffuse to the family
(08:45):
to say, hey, this is not just about labeling your child.
This is not just about diagnosis.
This is about identifying areas of strength.
This is about identifying areas where they need support and then we can help them.
Yeah, I love that.
And I love that you said, you know, it's not a diagnosis that we fix necessarily, you know,
because a lot of times people do try to, you know, put a lot of these conditions in the
(09:07):
same boat, like, you know, kid had strep throat.
Yeah, you're going to give them, you know, the antibiotic and hey, they don't have strep
throat anymore.
But these conditions are not that, you know, yeah.
And it's not so much that even the kid needs fixing, if you will, it's that really just,
like you said, that support and those accommodations so that they can thrive and, you know, and
grow and develop.
(09:27):
So yeah, I love that you made that distinction.
Right, exactly.
So for example, let's say that they, one of the areas of support that they need is with
communication and because their inability to communicate effectively can then increase
anxiety.
So by providing them the tools so that they can communicate effectively, whether verbally
or non-verbally, then you've helped that child succeed.
(09:51):
Right, right.
Yeah, yeah.
So true.
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(10:11):
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(10:58):
And so now that we know about these conditions and we are learning more and more about gut
health and how that can affect our mental and our brain health.
I know that your background also is with an integrator of lifestyle medicine.
So can you just tell us more about gut health and its impact on neurodivergent conditions
(11:20):
and then maybe some of even those ways that you've helped patients and clients improve
with their gut health?
So inflammation is a key feature in many neurodivergent conditions such as autism, ADHD, definitely
within pandas and pans.
Therefore any intervention that reduces inflammation will also help the symptoms.
And so one of my goals when I'm treating neurodivergent children is to protect the brain long term.
(11:46):
And so that is where nourishment and gut health comes in.
Nourishment is the cornerstone and the first line of defense quite honestly in reducing
inflammation.
And one of the nutrients that plays a key role is fiber.
Fiber plays a key role in reducing inflammation through precisely that, that brain, gut and
(12:08):
microbiome access, which is basically a network of connections between the brain and the gut
and the intermediary being the bacteria that live in our gut, our little intestinal friends
basically.
Now fiber is the primary food source for this microbiome or these good bacteria.
(12:28):
When we do not feed this microbiome fiber, they get upset and they get hungry.
And so then these gut bacteria start to feast on our intestinal lining because we're not
feeding them that fiber.
So this attack weakens the integrity of the gut lining and our gut barrier, which results
(12:50):
in increased gut permeability, which a lot of people, especially parents that are already
familiar, that are already part of the neurodivergent community, they've heard the term leaky gut.
Okay, so that's how leaky gut happens is when we don't feed this microbiome fiber, they
weaken the integrity of the gut lining by basically munching on our gut lining.
(13:12):
And so this allows partially digested food, toxins and bacteria that are not supposed
to be in our bloodstream to go into our bloodstream.
And so then these toxins in our bloodstream lead to inflammation of our entire system,
including our brain, which is a particularly vulnerable organ for neurodivergent children.
(13:33):
So fiber is essential to maintain a healthy microbiome that optimizes the brain gut microbiome
access and reduces inflammation.
And so the way we teach families to prevent this is to include fiber rich foods on their
child's plate.
(13:53):
And this includes things like greens, such as spinach and kale, whole grains, leek, brown
rice, whole grain oats, legumes, like edamame, beans, tofu, chickpeas, lentils, veggies,
like peas, carrots, tomatoes, all fruits, nuts, of course, not allergic.
Right, right, right.
And you know, and with there's nuances, right?
(14:14):
With neurodivergent children, it's not just a matter of, oh, tell your child to eat more
fruits and veggies, because there's sensory sensitivities, there's oral motor dysfunction,
there's neurodivergent children are very routine oriented.
So there's all these nuances that go beyond just telling a family, oh, yeah, just feed
(14:36):
your child spinach and peas and you'll be fine.
So what we do in our practice is we help families with recipes and behavioral strategies, such
as not focusing on restricting foods, but instead focusing on adding high fiber foods
in a low pressure way so that they can help their child with this, maintain a healthy
(14:57):
microbiome.
Yeah, yeah.
And that's great, you know, because kids, they can be little picky eaters, you know,
and that's none neurodivergent and neurodivergent alike.
Oh, yeah.
They all can.
Even adults can be picky too.
Oh, for sure.
Yeah, adults are probably even worse.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so that's great, though, that you also provide, you know, recipes as well, you know,
(15:19):
that are so commonly missed in traditional medicine.
There's no time in the traditional world.
When I was in corporate medicine, I did not have time to sit down with families and say,
well, what are your current meals look like?
Well, what are some small changes that we can make?
I have time to do that.
And now we do.
And that's why I love practicing in this model.
(15:39):
Exactly.
And so you did mention to us that you're a baker.
So do you incorporate some of those fiber fuel things into some of the things you bake?
Yeah.
So I'm actually currently working on a cookbook specifically to nourish the neurodivergent
brain.
And that cookbook, the recipes in that cookbook are recipes that I already share with my families.
(16:01):
And for example, it includes some high fiber, high protein, anti-inflammatory muffins.
I also call them poop muffins because they're high in fiber and to help a lot of neurodivergent
kids suffer from constipation because of the restrictive eating that they might encounter
and that might experience.
(16:22):
And so they have a lower fiber intake.
So these muffins are a way to hide fiber in food and pack a nutritional punch.
Yeah.
Yeah, for sure.
And I do a lot of metabolic health within my practice as family medicine.
But that fiber is so important for the whole family, everybody.
(16:44):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So that sounds great with what you're doing.
One of the things I commonly hear about telling people to consume more fiber, especially amongst
adults, they're like, well, when I ate those beans, I got really gassy or it made my stomach
hurt.
So how do you address that with your family?
Right.
So just any time that we change our eating patterns, whether it's going from low fiber
(17:12):
to high fiber or the opposite or any type of change, even if it's going from something
that's not so healthy to healthy, our gut is going to rebel a little bit as it adjusts,
as it takes time to rebalance that microbiome, for example, and replacing harmful bacteria
with the healthier bacteria as the gut integrity starts to repair itself.
(17:37):
Yes, we might experience some symptoms.
So one of the things I tell families is to make gradual changes.
So start off by maybe just adding more fiber to one meal and then another meal and making
only a few changes at a time.
So that's one way to prevent that.
When it comes to legumes, especially one thing I tell families is if you're cooking from
(18:00):
dry beans, like dry beans, dry legumes, soak them overnight.
Soak them and the longer you soak them, the less intestinal distress you'll experience.
And the other is sometimes starting off with canned.
The canned products actually are a little bit easier to digest because they've already
been soaked for a while.
(18:20):
Yeah, so that also helps to prevent some of that intestinal distress.
So it can take a few weeks to adjust to this new pattern of eating, but once you get used
to it, oh my goodness.
We literally have families that tell us, oh wow, I didn't know that this is what a healthy
(18:41):
gut felt like.
I thought it was normal to have the constipation and strain and take 20 minutes in the bathroom.
I thought it was normal to experience this chronic abdominal pain.
I thought it was normal to experience nausea every time I ate.
So once they are able to change their nourishment pattern to this high protein, high fiber anti-inflammatory
(19:04):
nourishment and they notice the effects, it's a game changer.
Yeah.
It's a game changer.
Just think of the impact that can have on a neurodivergent child who may not have been
able to express those symptoms that they were having or may have even having some anxiety
because they were not feeling so well.
(19:24):
And then you give them this freedom within their body.
And so that's great.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Right.
And so the way they're doing it is through that emotional redistributive regulation,
through unwanted behavior because they aren't able to say, my stomach hurts every time that
I eat.
So, or they might not even realize that causal relationship.
(19:47):
And so it takes a while, but once we are able to get families on this pattern, yes, the
impact on their life is a game changer.
Yeah.
Awesome.
So while we're still on food and nourishment, what are some of those nutrient deficiencies
that you typically see in your neurodivergent patients?
(20:09):
And then how can these particular deficiencies be addressed with whole food plant-based sources?
Right.
So it is very common for neurodivergent children to have a limited range of foods that they're
willing to try.
And again, this could be because of sensory sensitivities, because of oral motor dysfunction,
because of premial anxiety, so many reasons.
(20:32):
So this restrictive eating can lead to nutritional gaps and frustration for both the parents
and the children.
I see, for example, a lot of low vitamin D levels.
In fact, I'm surprised when someone's vitamin D level is normal.
I see a lot of low B12, a lot of low iron, all of which, of course, can...all of these
(20:52):
micronutrient deficiencies can lead to restlessness, disordered sleep, restless leg syndrome,
or exacerbation of neuropsychiatric symptoms.
So to address these gaps, we, again, focus on adding foods instead of further restricting
the diet of someone whose diet is already restrictive and then slowly crowding out harmful
(21:14):
pro-inflammatory foods.
I mentioned currently working on a cookbook specifically for nourishing the brain of neurodivergent
children, in which I recommend gradual exposure to new flavors and ingredients to promote
a more balanced diet without overwhelming young eaters.
For example, let's say that a child really likes pasta with cheese sauce.
(21:38):
Well, I have a recipe for a non-dairy cashew-based sauce that is very similar in flavor and texture
and smell to most mac and cheese and cheese sauces.
So I tell families, start off with something like this so that it looks very similar to
(21:59):
what they already feel comfortable with.
I will tell you, that's important.
I have a mac and cheese connoisseur in my house, my seven-year-old.
I get it.
If you try something different, he's like, no, that's not my mac and cheese.
Yeah, no.
And of course, it takes trying multiple times, right?
(22:20):
But for example, with even something like a simplest color, right?
The child can say, oh wait, that color is not...
We've tried different cashew cheese versions.
I make up my own cashew cheese as well.
He will be able to tell the difference if I do a little something different.
Oh yeah.
I have found that, for example, adding carrots when you're blending it with the cashews,
(22:44):
it does give it that very cheesy...
That's what I'm talking about.
Yeah, I haven't tried that one.
I've tried it, yeah, that commercially prepared color that doesn't necessarily alter the flavor
profile.
And so they might be a little bit more receptive because we eat with our eyes first.
Right.
When they see, oh wow, it does look like that yellow, orangey that my regular cheese sauce
(23:05):
looks like, they might be a little bit more receptive.
Yeah, yeah.
That's a great tip there too.
And now are there any particular vitamin supplements that you typically do also for these nutrient
deficiencies?
Sometimes I've had families that come to us and they tell us we're spending thousands
of dollars on supplements each month.
(23:28):
And it's funny that people complain about Big Pharma, but then there's Alt Big Pharma,
right, with the supplement industry.
So when it comes to supplements, I do not just put kids arbitrarily on a bunch of supplements.
I do check for micronutrient deficiencies on all the children that come to us because
(23:49):
of some type of neurodivergent or behavioral issue.
Definitely our Pandas kids, we definitely check for like vitamin D, B12, folate, iron,
ferritin.
So my first line is to of course, if there's a micronutrient deficiency like low iron,
then I'll recommend a supplement to treat that micronutrient deficiency.
(24:11):
But then universally I do have my brain cocktail that I recommend and that includes vitamin
D, omega-3s.
And I also recommend magnesium for kids who have disordered sleep or anxiety because magnesium
is just a very natural calming agent and sleep aid.
(24:34):
But other than the omegas, vitamin D, plus or minus the magnesium, I only recommend any
additional supplements if there are any specific micronutrient deficiencies that we catch on
the blood work.
And of course, in addition to recommending supplements, my goal is for them to take their
(24:56):
micronutrients with food, not with supplements.
But it takes time to get there, right?
It takes time for kids to like iron rich foods like green and leafy vegetables and whole
grains and legumes.
So to bridge that gap, we can definitely use supplements.
But ultimately my goal is to get families and to get children to consume their nutrients
(25:22):
through foods, not through pills.
Yep, you're exactly right.
And I totally agree with that as well, kind of keeping it simple.
Because I'll tell you, on the adult side I have, I've seen some folks, they'll come in
and they have a whole bag of supplements.
And at one point, it's like you're supplementing the supplement.
And they're just like, what are we really doing?
(25:45):
Exactly.
You can get so many of this good stuff from the food.
I know.
And there's times that I'll often ask the family like, well, okay, so why are they on
this?
And they'll be like, no, I don't know, because I heard a commercial that this was good for
autistic children.
Or I heard that this was good for ADHD.
And so the supplement industry can be very predatory also.
(26:05):
And so that's where we come in as physicians to be able to say, okay, you know what, this
is necessary.
This is harmful.
This is, you know, maybe this might be something that's okay, because it is.
It's important to sit down with families and so to make sure that they're not wasting their
money.
Right.
And you know, that's another important side too, for the type of practices that you and
(26:27):
I are within our membership-based concierge style practices, because we do have that time.
I can sit with them with that bag of supplements and we can look through each one and so that
they do understand why they likely don't need it.
And I'm sure with you the same there.
Right.
Exactly.
And then, and I think most of us do this also, like after you've done that, after you've
(26:51):
sat down and said, okay, you need this, you don't need this, you can stop this.
I give them a very detailed written summary so that then they can go back and actually,
because people don't remember what the doctor, right?
There's just so many things going on, especially if you have a child that you're also keeping
an eye, the parent is keeping an eye on, you know, just behavior-wise and the things that
they're getting into.
So yeah, so I write it down for them so that then they can go back and look at it and say,
(27:14):
oh yeah, she said that we didn't need to do this and waste our money on this.
Or yeah, she said to go ahead and continue the omegas and that kind of thing.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
And then let's even pivot to the other side of that in terms of the relationship with
food.
What are some of those food additives or artificial ingredients that you typically have your patients
(27:36):
kind of steer clear from?
Well, you know, first of all, I want to say that as a pediatrician with firsthand experience
on the unique challenges of neurodivergent children, when it comes to nutrition and
meal time, most parents of neurodivergent children understand the importance of high
protein, high fiber, anti-inflammatory nourishment and the role that that type of nourishment
plays on their child's cognitive health.
(27:58):
So I do not typically need to convince parents that eating more fruits and veggies and eating
more legumes, eating less processed foods is healthier for their child.
They know that.
They know this.
In fact, that's usually one of the reasons that they come to me is because we are the
veggies over pills practice and they want support on on how to do that.
And parents are fully aware that there are harmful effects of food dyes, particularly
(28:24):
red 40, yellow five, yellow six.
They know that these really potentially toxic substances can worsen the symptoms of children
with ADHD and they cause irritability in kids with autism.
So they already know that.
It's very rare that I actually need to convince parents that that is that that's what's happening
(28:46):
with that with their child.
And there's a reason for that neurodivergent children may have a lower threshold for environmental
toxins, including those found in foods.
And so by eliminating these food dyes and other artificial additives, parents can reduce
that toxic load exposure, which absolutely leads leads to better health and well-being
overall.
(29:06):
The other thing is that by including foods that are free from artificial dyes, then that
shifts the focus on whole unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables and proteins, you
know, that high fiber, high protein, anti-inflammatory nourishment that provides essential nutrients
that they need to support optimal brain development and function.
(29:28):
And because they're getting their nourishment from that instead of from these processed
foods that have these that have these dyes.
Yeah, yeah.
And, you know, it goes back into that discussion we had about gut health as well.
You know, if you're putting a lot of those additives and those more unhealthful things
into the gut, then that will affect that balance of healthy gut that you were trying to achieve
(29:51):
with those foods, you know, that you previously mentioned with the fiber and the protein that
are more important.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Yeah.
And then one other subject, and I like to talk about this subject because I feel like
it's not talked about enough is sleep.
Sleep for I feel like everybody needs some sleep.
But tell us about our neurodivergent folks and how sleep really plays a part here.
(30:15):
Right.
So sleep can be a very challenging topic.
And honestly, it can be a whole podcast episode.
It can.
Podcast episodes.
I'll have to bring you back.
Right, right, right.
The main thing I tell families to start off with is, of course, neurodivergent children
can be very routine oriented and they thrive with predictability.
(30:37):
So establishing a bedtime routine that is predictable and comforting is the first step
to creating a positive sleep environment that leads to restorative sleep.
When I have a child or any child with a sleep disturbance, I also do lab work to make sure
that there's not a medical cause for the sleep issue.
For example, I think we talked about this a little bit earlier.
(31:00):
Low iron or ferritin can cause restless sleep or restless leg syndrome.
Low vitamin D can cause disordered sleep also can definitely affect the circadian rhythm.
So I check hormones like thyroid.
I check micronutrients.
I check for allergies.
I check a CBC.
I check a metabolic panel.
(31:21):
All this to make sure that these are normal and healthy levels.
And if they're not, then we can treat them.
And I have seen sleep get better with things, for example, like replacing low iron, B12
or vitamin D when these are low.
And yes, sometimes supplements like vitamin D and magnesium can also help.
(31:42):
But of course, before starting any supplement, anybody who's listening, I recommend that
they talk to their child's doctor.
But sleep is very important and treating micronutrient deficiencies can have a huge, huge impact.
And high protein, high fiber anti-inflammatory nourishment helps because it helps with satiety
(32:05):
and avoiding sugar spikes and keeping blood sugar stable, which definitely can contribute
to more restorative sleep.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that was a great point too.
Yeah.
With that balancing blood sugar as well.
Yeah.
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
Well, awesome.
Well, thank you so much, Dr. O'Dame.
This has been an awesome discussion.
(32:27):
I am glad we chatted today.
And so before I let you go, just share with us how my audience can connect with you.
Well, we have a robust website, www.coverpediatrics.com.
So if someone would like to join our practice, they can sign up for a virtual group info
session to meet me, to learn more about Culver Pediatric Center, and basically to see if
(32:50):
we are the right practice for their child.
We are so honored.
We have families that travel from hours away to see us, even from out of state.
And we never take that for granted.
And of course, want to meet the high expectations that families have of when they choose us.
We also are hosting several retreats that are focused on parental wellness in 2025.
(33:10):
The first one is February 21st, and that's on preventing parental burnout and promoting
parental wellness in the parents of neurodivergent children.
So I definitely encourage you to check out our website under events and look at all the
retreats that we're hosting for 2025.
Each of the retreats includes mindfulness activities, high protein, high fiber, anti-inflammatory
(33:31):
meals, of course.
My husband is a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef.
So yeah, he does some cooking demos.
We also have informative workshops like how to heal from the medical trauma that comes
with raising a neurodivergent child within the corporate medical system.
How to journal with your child as a mindfulness activity.
(33:51):
And we always end with a sharing circle for all parent participants to share resources
and support each other.
We are also hosting retreats specifically for parents of children affected by PANS and
PANDAS.
So if anyone is interested in any of our events, please visit our website, click on the Mind,
Body, Spirit events on the navigation bar, and it'll list all the events that we're hosting
(34:14):
and sponsoring.
And finally, once again, a plug in for the cookbook that I'm working on.
If you follow our social, sign up for our newsletter.
We promise we do not spam.
You will get updates on that.
Awesome.
Well, I look forward to your cookbook coming out for sure.
Yeah, yeah.
And it's just amazing all that you're doing for children and for parents and just for
(34:35):
the community.
I love it.
Yeah.
So thank you so much.
Thank you for having me.
Thank you for joining me today on the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast.
Click the subscribe button on your favorite podcast platform so that you never miss a
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(34:59):
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Welcome to the Essence of Health Tea Time Podcast.
(00:12):
I am your host, Dr. Shayla Toons-Whithers.
As a double board certified family and obesity medicine physician with over 12 years of experience
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while preventing and reversing chronic diseases.
It's tea time!
(00:37):
What part of your health journey is most challenging?
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On today's episode of the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast, I have a special guest,
Dr. Noemi Adame.
She's also known as the Veggies Over Pills doctor and is a board certified pediatrician,
(02:27):
whole food plant-based, home cook and baker, writer, public speaker, and holistic wellness
expert.
She is the owner of Culver Pediatric Center, a pediatric clinic that transforms the mind,
body, and spirit health of children by empowering and educating their families, communities,
and schools in holistic nutritional wellness.
(02:49):
Dr. Adame has completed additional education on nutrition through the American College
of Lifestyle Medicine and on the integrative management of ADHD and autism through the
Andrew Waugh Institute for Integrative Medicine.
She writes a bi-monthly column for the Culver Citizen titled Get Healthy with Dr. Adame.
(03:09):
It's wellness retreats for parents to prevent parental burnout and is currently working
on a cookbook for neurodivergent children.
Welcome to the show, Dr. Adame.
I'm excited to hear about all of this that you've been doing.
That's awesome.
I'm excited to be here, Dr. Shayla.
Yeah, yeah.
Awesome.
Since you have such expertise with neurodivergence in children, so really just tell us what conditions
(03:33):
do you really typically see within your practice that fall under that umbrella of neurodivergence?
Right.
So neurodivergence simply means that a child's brain processes information in a way that's
different from what's considered typical or normal, right?
And I say that in air quotes because what we consider normal or typical, what we've
(03:59):
decided is normal or typical in society, it's fairly arbitrary and it's really based on
preparing the children for the corporate world.
So there's that pitfall.
And conditions that fall under this umbrella that I definitely see in my practice include
ADHD, autism, depression, anxiety, sensory processing issues, PANDAS and PANS.
(04:21):
Right now about 20% of our clinic are PANS and PANDAS patients, but it also includes
learning differences like dyslexia, processing challenges.
So those are all the, not an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination, but those
are the most common conditions that would fall under the umbrella of neurodivergence
that I see in my clinic.
(04:42):
Yeah.
And you know, I'm glad you described it that way in terms of normal, you know, in quotes
because you're so right.
You know, what society thinks is normal doesn't necessarily mean that the other side of that
is wrong.
You know, it's different or unique.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
All right.
And so, you know, thankfully with even more awareness and acceptance even within the medical
(05:06):
community, we are seeing more individuals with some of these neurodivergent conditions
commonly, you know, things like dyslexia, ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.
And so really, you know, as a clinician, what do you see in terms of those presenting symptoms
or typical parental concerns that folks typically have when they come to you and they're looking
(05:27):
for possibly getting a formal diagnosis?
Right.
So, one thing I did want to say before parents come to me, a lot of times they're concerned
about labeling their children.
I'm concerned to label my child as ADHD.
I'm concerned to label my child as autistic, you know, which of course is totally understandable.
(05:47):
But the way I presented is that labels can be helpful in a couple of ways.
First of all, from an insurance perspective by assigning a diagnosis, they can get certain
services covered like speech therapy, PT, OT counseling, from an educational perspective,
with the diagnosis, the child can receive accommodations from the school and other school-based
support like an IEP or a 504 plan to maximize the child's learning.
(06:11):
So what I tell families is any time that they see a condition where the child is struggling,
either socially, academically, or in any of their environments, then they should think
about seeking an evaluation.
Yeah, yeah.
And I like that you also mentioned socially because, you know, so often we are only thinking
(06:36):
about that more, you know, learning side of things or even just the behavioral side, but
not so much, you know, how are they doing with peers?
Are they making friends?
Do they tend to be isolated because that's a part of, certainly an important part of
development as well.
And you're so right, you know, we do see that with some of these conditions too, where it
(06:57):
can affect that social ability.
Right, exactly.
And, you know, the presenting symptoms can vary so much, you know, anything from emotional
dysregulation, from anger to a lot of internalized symptoms like worry and internal anxiety,
separation anxiety, there's just so many ways that children can present.
(07:20):
So that's why I just tell families anything that worries you, go ahead and seek help.
Yeah, yeah, that's great.
And so, you know, just pivoting just a little bit, what are some of those common misconceptions
about neurodivergent conditions that you tend to encounter and how do you even, you know,
address those with inpatient care?
(07:41):
Right, so, you know, we talked a little bit about labels and how families do get a little
bit worried about labeling their child.
Strictly from a medical and social perspective, the diagnostic process helps me identify strengths
in areas where the child needs support, so that then I can design a holistic and individualized
(08:02):
treatment plan.
So a lot of the misconceptions are that, oh, if I label my child, that's going to harm
them.
So labels are not necessarily about being.
What matters is what we do with that label.
And especially within the autism community, it's so important not to medicalize autism
(08:23):
and to see it as a medical condition that needs to be fixed, but instead focus on the
areas of strength that the child has and then identify the areas where they need support
so that then we can help the child succeed in a neurotypical world.
So a lot of those misconceptions, a lot of those worries, I try to diffuse to the family
(08:45):
to say, hey, this is not just about labeling your child.
This is not just about diagnosis.
This is about identifying areas of strength.
This is about identifying areas where they need support and then we can help them.
Yeah, I love that.
And I love that you said, you know, it's not a diagnosis that we fix necessarily, you know,
because a lot of times people do try to, you know, put a lot of these conditions in the
(09:07):
same boat, like, you know, kid had strep throat.
Yeah, you're going to give them, you know, the antibiotic and hey, they don't have strep
throat anymore.
But these conditions are not that, you know, yeah.
And it's not so much that even the kid needs fixing, if you will, it's that really just,
like you said, that support and those accommodations so that they can thrive and, you know, and
grow and develop.
(09:27):
So yeah, I love that you made that distinction.
Right, exactly.
So for example, let's say that they, one of the areas of support that they need is with
communication and because their inability to communicate effectively can then increase
anxiety.
So by providing them the tools so that they can communicate effectively, whether verbally
or non-verbally, then you've helped that child succeed.
(09:51):
Right, right.
Yeah, yeah.
So true.
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(10:58):
And so now that we know about these conditions and we are learning more and more about gut
health and how that can affect our mental and our brain health.
I know that your background also is with an integrator of lifestyle medicine.
So can you just tell us more about gut health and its impact on neurodivergent conditions
(11:20):
and then maybe some of even those ways that you've helped patients and clients improve
with their gut health?
So inflammation is a key feature in many neurodivergent conditions such as autism, ADHD, definitely
within pandas and pans.
Therefore any intervention that reduces inflammation will also help the symptoms.
And so one of my goals when I'm treating neurodivergent children is to protect the brain long term.
(11:46):
And so that is where nourishment and gut health comes in.
Nourishment is the cornerstone and the first line of defense quite honestly in reducing
inflammation.
And one of the nutrients that plays a key role is fiber.
Fiber plays a key role in reducing inflammation through precisely that, that brain, gut and
(12:08):
microbiome access, which is basically a network of connections between the brain and the gut
and the intermediary being the bacteria that live in our gut, our little intestinal friends
basically.
Now fiber is the primary food source for this microbiome or these good bacteria.
(12:28):
When we do not feed this microbiome fiber, they get upset and they get hungry.
And so then these gut bacteria start to feast on our intestinal lining because we're not
feeding them that fiber.
So this attack weakens the integrity of the gut lining and our gut barrier, which results
(12:50):
in increased gut permeability, which a lot of people, especially parents that are already
familiar, that are already part of the neurodivergent community, they've heard the term leaky gut.
Okay, so that's how leaky gut happens is when we don't feed this microbiome fiber, they
weaken the integrity of the gut lining by basically munching on our gut lining.
(13:12):
And so this allows partially digested food, toxins and bacteria that are not supposed
to be in our bloodstream to go into our bloodstream.
And so then these toxins in our bloodstream lead to inflammation of our entire system,
including our brain, which is a particularly vulnerable organ for neurodivergent children.
(13:33):
So fiber is essential to maintain a healthy microbiome that optimizes the brain gut microbiome
access and reduces inflammation.
And so the way we teach families to prevent this is to include fiber rich foods on their
child's plate.
(13:53):
And this includes things like greens, such as spinach and kale, whole grains, leek, brown
rice, whole grain oats, legumes, like edamame, beans, tofu, chickpeas, lentils, veggies,
like peas, carrots, tomatoes, all fruits, nuts, of course, not allergic.
Right, right, right.
And you know, and with there's nuances, right?
(14:14):
With neurodivergent children, it's not just a matter of, oh, tell your child to eat more
fruits and veggies, because there's sensory sensitivities, there's oral motor dysfunction,
there's neurodivergent children are very routine oriented.
So there's all these nuances that go beyond just telling a family, oh, yeah, just feed
(14:36):
your child spinach and peas and you'll be fine.
So what we do in our practice is we help families with recipes and behavioral strategies, such
as not focusing on restricting foods, but instead focusing on adding high fiber foods
in a low pressure way so that they can help their child with this, maintain a healthy
(14:57):
microbiome.
Yeah, yeah.
And that's great, you know, because kids, they can be little picky eaters, you know,
and that's none neurodivergent and neurodivergent alike.
Oh, yeah.
They all can.
Even adults can be picky too.
Oh, for sure.
Yeah, adults are probably even worse.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so that's great, though, that you also provide, you know, recipes as well, you know,
(15:19):
that are so commonly missed in traditional medicine.
There's no time in the traditional world.
When I was in corporate medicine, I did not have time to sit down with families and say,
well, what are your current meals look like?
Well, what are some small changes that we can make?
I have time to do that.
And now we do.
And that's why I love practicing in this model.
(15:39):
Exactly.
And so you did mention to us that you're a baker.
So do you incorporate some of those fiber fuel things into some of the things you bake?
Yeah.
So I'm actually currently working on a cookbook specifically to nourish the neurodivergent
brain.
And that cookbook, the recipes in that cookbook are recipes that I already share with my families.
(16:01):
And for example, it includes some high fiber, high protein, anti-inflammatory muffins.
I also call them poop muffins because they're high in fiber and to help a lot of neurodivergent
kids suffer from constipation because of the restrictive eating that they might encounter
and that might experience.
(16:22):
And so they have a lower fiber intake.
So these muffins are a way to hide fiber in food and pack a nutritional punch.
Yeah.
Yeah, for sure.
And I do a lot of metabolic health within my practice as family medicine.
But that fiber is so important for the whole family, everybody.
(16:44):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So that sounds great with what you're doing.
One of the things I commonly hear about telling people to consume more fiber, especially amongst
adults, they're like, well, when I ate those beans, I got really gassy or it made my stomach
hurt.
So how do you address that with your family?
Right.
So just any time that we change our eating patterns, whether it's going from low fiber
(17:12):
to high fiber or the opposite or any type of change, even if it's going from something
that's not so healthy to healthy, our gut is going to rebel a little bit as it adjusts,
as it takes time to rebalance that microbiome, for example, and replacing harmful bacteria
with the healthier bacteria as the gut integrity starts to repair itself.
(17:37):
Yes, we might experience some symptoms.
So one of the things I tell families is to make gradual changes.
So start off by maybe just adding more fiber to one meal and then another meal and making
only a few changes at a time.
So that's one way to prevent that.
When it comes to legumes, especially one thing I tell families is if you're cooking from
(18:00):
dry beans, like dry beans, dry legumes, soak them overnight.
Soak them and the longer you soak them, the less intestinal distress you'll experience.
And the other is sometimes starting off with canned.
The canned products actually are a little bit easier to digest because they've already
been soaked for a while.
(18:20):
Yeah, so that also helps to prevent some of that intestinal distress.
So it can take a few weeks to adjust to this new pattern of eating, but once you get used
to it, oh my goodness.
We literally have families that tell us, oh wow, I didn't know that this is what a healthy
(18:41):
gut felt like.
I thought it was normal to have the constipation and strain and take 20 minutes in the bathroom.
I thought it was normal to experience this chronic abdominal pain.
I thought it was normal to experience nausea every time I ate.
So once they are able to change their nourishment pattern to this high protein, high fiber anti-inflammatory
(19:04):
nourishment and they notice the effects, it's a game changer.
Yeah.
It's a game changer.
Just think of the impact that can have on a neurodivergent child who may not have been
able to express those symptoms that they were having or may have even having some anxiety
because they were not feeling so well.
(19:24):
And then you give them this freedom within their body.
And so that's great.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Right.
And so the way they're doing it is through that emotional redistributive regulation,
through unwanted behavior because they aren't able to say, my stomach hurts every time that
I eat.
So, or they might not even realize that causal relationship.
(19:47):
And so it takes a while, but once we are able to get families on this pattern, yes, the
impact on their life is a game changer.
Yeah.
Awesome.
So while we're still on food and nourishment, what are some of those nutrient deficiencies
that you typically see in your neurodivergent patients?
(20:09):
And then how can these particular deficiencies be addressed with whole food plant-based sources?
Right.
So it is very common for neurodivergent children to have a limited range of foods that they're
willing to try.
And again, this could be because of sensory sensitivities, because of oral motor dysfunction,
because of premial anxiety, so many reasons.
(20:32):
So this restrictive eating can lead to nutritional gaps and frustration for both the parents
and the children.
I see, for example, a lot of low vitamin D levels.
In fact, I'm surprised when someone's vitamin D level is normal.
I see a lot of low B12, a lot of low iron, all of which, of course, can...all of these
(20:52):
micronutrient deficiencies can lead to restlessness, disordered sleep, restless leg syndrome,
or exacerbation of neuropsychiatric symptoms.
So to address these gaps, we, again, focus on adding foods instead of further restricting
the diet of someone whose diet is already restrictive and then slowly crowding out harmful
(21:14):
pro-inflammatory foods.
I mentioned currently working on a cookbook specifically for nourishing the brain of neurodivergent
children, in which I recommend gradual exposure to new flavors and ingredients to promote
a more balanced diet without overwhelming young eaters.
For example, let's say that a child really likes pasta with cheese sauce.
(21:38):
Well, I have a recipe for a non-dairy cashew-based sauce that is very similar in flavor and texture
and smell to most mac and cheese and cheese sauces.
So I tell families, start off with something like this so that it looks very similar to
(21:59):
what they already feel comfortable with.
I will tell you, that's important.
I have a mac and cheese connoisseur in my house, my seven-year-old.
I get it.
If you try something different, he's like, no, that's not my mac and cheese.
Yeah, no.
And of course, it takes trying multiple times, right?
(22:20):
But for example, with even something like a simplest color, right?
The child can say, oh wait, that color is not...
We've tried different cashew cheese versions.
I make up my own cashew cheese as well.
He will be able to tell the difference if I do a little something different.
Oh yeah.
I have found that, for example, adding carrots when you're blending it with the cashews,
(22:44):
it does give it that very cheesy...
That's what I'm talking about.
Yeah, I haven't tried that one.
I've tried it, yeah, that commercially prepared color that doesn't necessarily alter the flavor
profile.
And so they might be a little bit more receptive because we eat with our eyes first.
Right.
When they see, oh wow, it does look like that yellow, orangey that my regular cheese sauce
(23:05):
looks like, they might be a little bit more receptive.
Yeah, yeah.
That's a great tip there too.
And now are there any particular vitamin supplements that you typically do also for these nutrient
deficiencies?
Sometimes I've had families that come to us and they tell us we're spending thousands
of dollars on supplements each month.
(23:28):
And it's funny that people complain about Big Pharma, but then there's Alt Big Pharma,
right, with the supplement industry.
So when it comes to supplements, I do not just put kids arbitrarily on a bunch of supplements.
I do check for micronutrient deficiencies on all the children that come to us because
(23:49):
of some type of neurodivergent or behavioral issue.
Definitely our Pandas kids, we definitely check for like vitamin D, B12, folate, iron,
ferritin.
So my first line is to of course, if there's a micronutrient deficiency like low iron,
then I'll recommend a supplement to treat that micronutrient deficiency.
(24:11):
But then universally I do have my brain cocktail that I recommend and that includes vitamin
D, omega-3s.
And I also recommend magnesium for kids who have disordered sleep or anxiety because magnesium
is just a very natural calming agent and sleep aid.
(24:34):
But other than the omegas, vitamin D, plus or minus the magnesium, I only recommend any
additional supplements if there are any specific micronutrient deficiencies that we catch on
the blood work.
And of course, in addition to recommending supplements, my goal is for them to take their
(24:56):
micronutrients with food, not with supplements.
But it takes time to get there, right?
It takes time for kids to like iron rich foods like green and leafy vegetables and whole
grains and legumes.
So to bridge that gap, we can definitely use supplements.
But ultimately my goal is to get families and to get children to consume their nutrients
(25:22):
through foods, not through pills.
Yep, you're exactly right.
And I totally agree with that as well, kind of keeping it simple.
Because I'll tell you, on the adult side I have, I've seen some folks, they'll come in
and they have a whole bag of supplements.
And at one point, it's like you're supplementing the supplement.
And they're just like, what are we really doing?
(25:45):
Exactly.
You can get so many of this good stuff from the food.
I know.
And there's times that I'll often ask the family like, well, okay, so why are they on
this?
And they'll be like, no, I don't know, because I heard a commercial that this was good for
autistic children.
Or I heard that this was good for ADHD.
And so the supplement industry can be very predatory also.
(26:05):
And so that's where we come in as physicians to be able to say, okay, you know what, this
is necessary.
This is harmful.
This is, you know, maybe this might be something that's okay, because it is.
It's important to sit down with families and so to make sure that they're not wasting their
money.
Right.
And you know, that's another important side too, for the type of practices that you and
(26:27):
I are within our membership-based concierge style practices, because we do have that time.
I can sit with them with that bag of supplements and we can look through each one and so that
they do understand why they likely don't need it.
And I'm sure with you the same there.
Right.
Exactly.
And then, and I think most of us do this also, like after you've done that, after you've
(26:51):
sat down and said, okay, you need this, you don't need this, you can stop this.
I give them a very detailed written summary so that then they can go back and actually,
because people don't remember what the doctor, right?
There's just so many things going on, especially if you have a child that you're also keeping
an eye, the parent is keeping an eye on, you know, just behavior-wise and the things that
they're getting into.
So yeah, so I write it down for them so that then they can go back and look at it and say,
(27:14):
oh yeah, she said that we didn't need to do this and waste our money on this.
Or yeah, she said to go ahead and continue the omegas and that kind of thing.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
And then let's even pivot to the other side of that in terms of the relationship with
food.
What are some of those food additives or artificial ingredients that you typically have your patients
(27:36):
kind of steer clear from?
Well, you know, first of all, I want to say that as a pediatrician with firsthand experience
on the unique challenges of neurodivergent children, when it comes to nutrition and
meal time, most parents of neurodivergent children understand the importance of high
protein, high fiber, anti-inflammatory nourishment and the role that that type of nourishment
plays on their child's cognitive health.
(27:58):
So I do not typically need to convince parents that eating more fruits and veggies and eating
more legumes, eating less processed foods is healthier for their child.
They know that.
They know this.
In fact, that's usually one of the reasons that they come to me is because we are the
veggies over pills practice and they want support on on how to do that.
And parents are fully aware that there are harmful effects of food dyes, particularly
(28:24):
red 40, yellow five, yellow six.
They know that these really potentially toxic substances can worsen the symptoms of children
with ADHD and they cause irritability in kids with autism.
So they already know that.
It's very rare that I actually need to convince parents that that is that that's what's happening
(28:46):
with that with their child.
And there's a reason for that neurodivergent children may have a lower threshold for environmental
toxins, including those found in foods.
And so by eliminating these food dyes and other artificial additives, parents can reduce
that toxic load exposure, which absolutely leads leads to better health and well-being
overall.
(29:06):
The other thing is that by including foods that are free from artificial dyes, then that
shifts the focus on whole unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables and proteins, you
know, that high fiber, high protein, anti-inflammatory nourishment that provides essential nutrients
that they need to support optimal brain development and function.
(29:28):
And because they're getting their nourishment from that instead of from these processed
foods that have these that have these dyes.
Yeah, yeah.
And, you know, it goes back into that discussion we had about gut health as well.
You know, if you're putting a lot of those additives and those more unhealthful things
into the gut, then that will affect that balance of healthy gut that you were trying to achieve
(29:51):
with those foods, you know, that you previously mentioned with the fiber and the protein that
are more important.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Yeah.
And then one other subject, and I like to talk about this subject because I feel like
it's not talked about enough is sleep.
Sleep for I feel like everybody needs some sleep.
But tell us about our neurodivergent folks and how sleep really plays a part here.
(30:15):
Right.
So sleep can be a very challenging topic.
And honestly, it can be a whole podcast episode.
It can.
Podcast episodes.
I'll have to bring you back.
Right, right, right.
The main thing I tell families to start off with is, of course, neurodivergent children
can be very routine oriented and they thrive with predictability.
(30:37):
So establishing a bedtime routine that is predictable and comforting is the first step
to creating a positive sleep environment that leads to restorative sleep.
When I have a child or any child with a sleep disturbance, I also do lab work to make sure
that there's not a medical cause for the sleep issue.
For example, I think we talked about this a little bit earlier.
(31:00):
Low iron or ferritin can cause restless sleep or restless leg syndrome.
Low vitamin D can cause disordered sleep also can definitely affect the circadian rhythm.
So I check hormones like thyroid.
I check micronutrients.
I check for allergies.
I check a CBC.
I check a metabolic panel.
(31:21):
All this to make sure that these are normal and healthy levels.
And if they're not, then we can treat them.
And I have seen sleep get better with things, for example, like replacing low iron, B12
or vitamin D when these are low.
And yes, sometimes supplements like vitamin D and magnesium can also help.
(31:42):
But of course, before starting any supplement, anybody who's listening, I recommend that
they talk to their child's doctor.
But sleep is very important and treating micronutrient deficiencies can have a huge, huge impact.
And high protein, high fiber anti-inflammatory nourishment helps because it helps with satiety
(32:05):
and avoiding sugar spikes and keeping blood sugar stable, which definitely can contribute
to more restorative sleep.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And that was a great point too.
Yeah.
With that balancing blood sugar as well.
Yeah.
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
Well, awesome.
Well, thank you so much, Dr. O'Dame.
This has been an awesome discussion.
(32:27):
I am glad we chatted today.
And so before I let you go, just share with us how my audience can connect with you.
Well, we have a robust website, www.coverpediatrics.com.
So if someone would like to join our practice, they can sign up for a virtual group info
session to meet me, to learn more about Culver Pediatric Center, and basically to see if
(32:50):
we are the right practice for their child.
We are so honored.
We have families that travel from hours away to see us, even from out of state.
And we never take that for granted.
And of course, want to meet the high expectations that families have of when they choose us.
We also are hosting several retreats that are focused on parental wellness in 2025.
(33:10):
The first one is February 21st, and that's on preventing parental burnout and promoting
parental wellness in the parents of neurodivergent children.
So I definitely encourage you to check out our website under events and look at all the
retreats that we're hosting for 2025.
Each of the retreats includes mindfulness activities, high protein, high fiber, anti-inflammatory
(33:31):
meals, of course.
My husband is a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef.
So yeah, he does some cooking demos.
We also have informative workshops like how to heal from the medical trauma that comes
with raising a neurodivergent child within the corporate medical system.
How to journal with your child as a mindfulness activity.
(33:51):
And we always end with a sharing circle for all parent participants to share resources
and support each other.
We are also hosting retreats specifically for parents of children affected by PANS and
PANDAS.
So if anyone is interested in any of our events, please visit our website, click on the Mind,
Body, Spirit events on the navigation bar, and it'll list all the events that we're hosting
(34:14):
and sponsoring.
And finally, once again, a plug in for the cookbook that I'm working on.
If you follow our social, sign up for our newsletter.
We promise we do not spam.
You will get updates on that.
Awesome.
Well, I look forward to your cookbook coming out for sure.
Yeah, yeah.
And it's just amazing all that you're doing for children and for parents and just for
(34:35):
the community.
I love it.
Yeah.
So thank you so much.
Thank you for having me.
Thank you for joining me today on the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast.
Click the subscribe button on your favorite podcast platform so that you never miss a
moment of the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast.
Check out the show notes to obtain your free tips for Healthy Living God to get you started
(34:59):
on your health and wellness path.
Follow me on social media at Essence of Health Wellness Clinic on Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube and at doctor.tw at EOHWC on TikTok.
Interested in becoming a member of the Essence of Health coaching program?
(35:19):
Well head on over to www.eohcoaching.com.
The Essence of Health is a You.
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