As a Clinical Dietitian specialized in autoimmune diseases, I constantly see people with autoimmune disorders that want to have a holistic approach in their treatment, concentrating on nutrition as well. With every new patient, I always get a careful and detailed medical history and something it didn’t take me long to realize was that almost all my patient with autoimmune diseases had one thing in common, besides stress: childhood trauma.
This, of course, isn’t something I noticed first, as according to a very interesting article in The GMI Research Group (GMIRG), health professionals in the United States found a strong connection between early instances of childhood trauma and chronic diseases later in adult life, confirming for one more time the importance of a healthy childhood for a healthy life.
What exactly is childhood trauma, you may wonder. It’s all those unpleasant experiences a child can have, that may be more or less sever and include physical, psychological and sexual abuse, all of which are linked to multiple health challenges later on, while they might even determine the socioeconomic level of an adult. CDC has also found that diseases like cancer, asthma, diabetes, depression, kidney disease, chronic inflammation, heart diseases and immunesuppression might be related to childhood trauma, while obesity, smoking, alcohol abuse, unemployment, substance abuse, lower academic achievements, suicidal behavior are also linked to child abuse and dysfunctional families. Those are all very disappointing links, but also make us see something which is really important: eliminating such situations in childhood could lead to healthier adults in the future.
According to research, 60,9% of adults has had experience with at least one type of abuse, while 15,6% with more than 4 different types. Improving such toxic situations though can lead to 27% reduction in pulmonary diseases, 23% reduction in alcohol consumption and 44% reduction in depression in adults.
Note that childhood trauma can also occur, according to research, from primary non-essential medical trauma and painful experiences like cesarean delivery, circumcision, blood test etc.
So what can we do?
We most certainly need programs and active communities that provide parental support and communication with the Municipality, for a stable and safe family environment. As a precaution, it is essential that there is a stable work environment for the parents, educational campaigns on parenting practices and childhood care, emotional learning programs on stress control, intervention strategies, safety measures at home and in neighborhoods that encourage a stable environment for children and so many more.
Childhood trauma and nutrition
Through my years of experience, I’ve seen that a personalized nutrition plan, mostly plant-based, can help in such cases and provide a positive outcome. Through research we’ve seen that those who consume two or more sources of fiber everyday are less likely to have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) than those who eat less fiber. Furthermore, there’s a link between consuming chocolate and higher rates of PTSD, while in general this disorder is more common in women and people that live in poverty.
What might play a role in this outcome is that possibly optimal levels of fiber provide some kind of protection that is linked to mental health. This might have to do with short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced derived from intestinal microbial fermentation from fiber. SCFA molecules can communicate with the cells and may affect brain function.
One thing is certain: the more (fiber), the merrier!
Find more articles on autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation and how they can be managed with plant based nutrition in the blog section of www.feedyourimmunity.com
Resources
Merrick MT, Ford DC, Ports KA, et al. Vital Signs: Estimated Proportion of Adult Health Problems Attributable to Adverse Childhood Experiences and Implications for Prevention — 25 States, 2015-2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019;68:999-1005.
Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults Felitti, Vincent J et al. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 14, Issue 4, 245 – 258
Merrick MT, Ford DC, Ports KA, et al. Vital Signs: Estimated Proportion of Adult Health Problems Attributable to Adverse Childhood Experiences and Implications for Prevention — 25 States, 2015-2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019;68:999-1005.
Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Presence of Cancer Risk Factors in Adulthood: A Scoping Review of the Literature From 2005 to 2015
Katie Ports-Dawn Holman-Angie Guinn-Sanjana Pampati-Karen Dyer-Melissa Merrick-Natasha Lunsford-Marilyn Metzler – Journal of Pediatric Nursing – 2019
eLife 2015;4:e06356 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.06356