1. Life on the Spectrum
What’s food got to do with it?
Bonnie Y. Modugno, MS, RD
www.muchmorethanfood.com

2. We enjoy an abundant food supply

3. We also have an adulterated food
supply

4. Menzel and DiAluisio. Hungry Planet: What the World Eats. © 2005

5. Why do we eat what we do?

6. Our current food supply
• Abundant
• Adulterated
• Cheap/subsidized

7. Diet, health, and behavior
• Inflammation
– CVD, diabetes, cancer, auto-immune diseases
– Allergies, asthma
• Hyperactivity, poor attention, anxiety
• Digestive disorders
• Headaches, migraines
• Irritability, aggressiveness, volatility
• Fatigue, depression, pain

8. Food’s rightful place
• Hunger/Satiety
– Quantity
• Calories count, but not as much as everyone
thinks
– Timing
• Over hungry
– Balance
• Protein
– Gut flora
• Whole foods, fiber, & resistant starch

9. How long does energy last?
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate and Protein
BLOOD GLUCOSE
Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
TIME AFTER EATING (hours)

10. Planning to Eat
TIME FOOD
KEY POINTS
12.00 AM
2:00 AM
• Plan food for your day 4:00 AM
– How long do you want to 6:00 AM
feel satisfied? 8:00 AM
– When is the next time you 10:00 AM
are able to eat? 12:00 PM
2:00 PM
4:00 PM
6:00 PM
8:oo PM
10:00 PM

11. How Much Is Enough?
Starving Just Enough Full Stuffed
Still Hungry Satisfied Overfull

12. Special Challenges
• Picky eaters
– Sensory integration
• Texture
• Flavor/smell
• Temperature
• Color/visual appeal
– Environmental cues
– Community

13. Special Challenges
• GI Tract Distress
– Constipation
– Diarrhea
– Irritable bowel syndrome

14. Special Challenges
• Allergies/Food Sensitivities/Inflammation
– Proteins
• milk, egg, wheat, seafood, shellfish, peanuts,
tree nuts, soy,
– GMO foods
• foreign sources of protein
– Gut micro biota
– Persistent organic pollutants/contaminants

15. Special Challenges
• Self regulation/Resilience
– Glucose intolerance, weight challenges
• Genetic predisposition
• Intra-uterine environment
• Psycho-active medications
• Inadequate physical activity
• Stress/trauma

16. Physical & Physiological
Signs of Overwhelming Stress

17. Chronic Stress and Energy
Metabolism
• It’s all about survival
– Increased use of glucose (blood sugar)
– Breakdown of muscle to supply additional glucose
– If calories are adequate, a tendency to store central body
fat
– If calories are inadequate weight loss especially lean
body mass
• Difficult to perceive true hunger
• Increased cravings for sugar, starch

18. Special Challenges
• Self regulation/Resilience
– Sensory integration
– Gut peptides
• Communicate with brain
• Impact appetite, satiety
• Influences immune function
• Linked with mood, depression

19. What starts the day?

20. Special Challenges
• Self regulation/Resilience
– Self soothing
• Independence
• Differentiation
• Coping mechanism
• Socialization

21. Food is too often a used to bribe, procrastinate,
self soothe and more

22. Celebrating food in its rightful place
• Food composition
– Whole foods
– Balance
• Food distribution
– Timing
• Quantity
– How much is enough?

23. Life on the Spectrum
What’s food got to do with it?
Q&A
Bonnie Y. Modugno, MS, RD
www.muchmorethanfood.com