• The first person to be diagnosed with autism has died at age 89. Donald Triplett, passed away from cancer in his hometown of Forest, Mississippi. Leo Kanner published his seminal paper Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact in 1943, which outlined data on eleven children with similar behaviors. Donald was part of Kanners original cohort and considered case number one. Kanner used the term early infantile autism when diagnosing Triplett that same year. 
• According to a new brief report, the majority of school-age children with autism living in an urban and ethnically diverse population presented with one or more comorbid diagnoses. Specifically, elementary school-age children were more likely to have an additional diagnosis of language disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). At the same time, adolescents were more likely to be diagnosed with depression. 
• New research shows that health changes or illnesses can cause challenging behaviors in people with autism. Specifically, the authors found that appetite or dietary preferences, irritability and low mood, and loss of previously acquired skills were associated with changes in health. Based on these findings, the researchers suggest that caregivers should look for distress behaviors to better manage healthcare for those on the spectrum. 
• The North Syracuse Central School District has settled a lawsuit for $1.55 million that alleged a student with autism did not receive the proper resources and care. The family sued in 2018 when their son was five, claiming that the district refused to provide Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and...

For the first three to four days after giving birth, all mammals, including humans, produce colostrum, also known as initial milk or first milk.¹ Rich in enzymes, hormones, growth factors, cytokines and immune cells, this thick, yellow substance is produced only in small quantities, but is packed with so much nutrition that it easily meets the needs of the growing newborn during the first days of life.

About 250 active compounds have been identified in colostrum, but there are likely many others.² Colostrum contains beneficial bacteria, as well, and acts directly on the babys tissues, ensuring optimal growth and development of the nervous, digestive and immune systems. As explained by researchers with Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy in Wroclaw, Poland:³

"The nutrients and regulatory substances ensure normal growth, differentiation, maturation and function of the digestive system, protect against damage and allow it to heal, control the development of a normal intestinal microbiota and shape the local (gut-related) and systemic immune response."

Given the immense benefits of colostrum to newborns, its also been harnessed for its disease prevention, wellness and antiaging potential, particularly as it relates to immune system function.

Colostrum for Immune System health

Bovine colostrum contains similar bioactive components as human colostrum, albeit in different concentrations.⁴ Given its widespread availability, its been used for health purposes for thousands of years, including to heal wounds and protect against infection.⁵

Its believed that cytokines, immunoglobulins, growth factors, antimicrobial compounds and maternal immune cells are also transferred when colostrum is fed, supporting immunity.⁶ In fact, colostrum is so beneficial its often referred to as "liquid gold" or "immune milk."⁷ "Naturally produced bioactive components, immunoglobulins lay the foundation of life-long immunity," researchers explained in Food Bioscience.⁸

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the most common antibody in bovine colostrum (BC), making up 80% to 85% of the immunoglobulin present. The Food Bioscience team noted:⁹

...

Research suggests that N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) the supplement form of the semi-essential amino acid L-cysteine  is an effective, safe and low-cost treatment option for a range of conditions, including those that are both acute and chronic.

What are the benefits of taking NAC? Not only has been it been used for three decades as an effective mucolytic agent (mucous-thinner), but it also has uses including reducing inflammation, protecting the liver, and preventing/treating drug toxicity, insulin resistance, infertility due to PCOS and more.

What Is NAC?

N-acetyl cysteine, the supplement form of cysteine, is an amino acid that helps the body create and use protective antioxidants.

While cysteine is found in many high-protein foods, NAC is only obtained from taking supplements or prescription drugs.

Because the human body can create some NAC from other amino acids, particularly l-methionine and l-serine, it is considered to be a semi-essential amino acid. That means there isnt a daily requirement of NAC that you must get from your diet, but getting higher amounts can benefit some people.

Benefits

1. Has Antioxidant Effects and Helps Form Glutathione

NAC is involved in the regulation of the glutamatergic system. In other words,...