Healing Beyond Medications: Exploring the Role of Nutrition, Trauma Management, and Supportive Care in Autism Recovery

DESCRIPTION Lara welcomes Jinal, a dentist and mother of an 11-year-old son with ASD, PANDAS, ADHD, and ODD, to share her inspiring journey of healing and empowerment. Jinal recounts challenges from her son’s traumatic birth and early health issues to behavioural regressions and the limits of conventional therapies. Alongside Vicky, a naturopathic nutritionist specialising in neurodevelopmental disorders, they explore understanding each child’s unique needs, the role of nutrition and environment, and the importance of trauma management. Jinal stresses parental intuition and finding supportive practitioners who genuinely care. The episode highlights hope, resilience, and the power of individualised approaches to healing. KEY TAKEAWAYS Empowerment Through Knowledge: Parents should trust their intuition and understand their child’s unique needs rather than rely solely on conventional advice. Holistic Healing: Addressing nutrition, clean air, and trauma is key for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, acknowledging the link between emotions and health. Individualised Plans: No one-size-fits-all; each child’s symptoms, gut health, and environment must guide care. Supportive Practitioners: Ongoing, invested support matters more than high-profile names without personal care. BEST MOMENTS "I have been to my rock bottom but please don't lose hope… anybody else can also come out of it." – Jinal "We're all experts in our own children… not resisting that intuition." – Vicky "Our bodies are amazing… we just need to find the way to heal ourselves." – Jinal "Every child is different. The cookie-cutter protocols just don't work." – Jinal HOST BIO Lara Barnes, a successful woman in tech, faced behavioural, learning, and speech challenges with her son. Learning functional neurology, she transformed his symptoms and built his left brain. The Building the Brain Podcast helps parents understand how to change little lives so children can shine. GUEST BIO Vicky, mum to Rose, her autistic daughter, has a BSc in Human Biology and a passion for the human body. Initially on track to be an NHS dietitian, life changed when her daughter’s needs grew complex. She immersed herself in autism, neurodevelopment, and root-cause healing—combining science and compassion. From this came The Happy Healthy Unicorn, a supportive space for families seeking more than vague answers. Rose’s progress inspired Vicky to heal herself and now guide other families physically, emotionally, and spiritually. SOCIAL LINKS TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@braindevelopmentuk⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/braindevelopmentuk/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/larakelly/⁠ Website: ⁠www.braindevelopment.co.uk⁠