This is a relevant article on the post-Easter chocolate binge time… sorry!

In 2022, I wrote an article about a US investigation finding high levels of heavy metals in some brands of chocolate, mainly being lead and cadmium (Consumer Reports, 2022).

Cadmium and Lead are toxic "heavy metals", tending to increase in levels in the body over time due to poor detoxing of these metals from the body (CDC, 2022a). Cadmium can damage the kidneys to cause kidney disease, done damage and fragile bones, and is a known carcinogen (cancer-causing chemical).

​Lead can be stored in body tissues such as bone, to cause bone conditions, and in the brain to cause headaches, brain fog, mental health conditions, and brain damage. Lead can also damage the kidneys, and can cross the placenta to damage foetuses, or cause stillbirths and infertility. Lead is also a neurotoxin, being damaging to the nervous system, the nerves, and the brain. Nerve damage from lead can cause neuropathy, or loss of nerve function, numbness and tingling of hands and feet. Lead is also suspected of being a carcinogen (CDC, 2022b).

See the link for more details of the Consumer Reports investigation and which US brands and products are affected:
www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/

Heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, but others like mercury, aluminium, arsenic and others, cause many different symptoms and issues in several different ways:

1. These heavy metals are neurotoxic, being damaging to the nervous system and brain function. This can cause mental health symptoms, and can affect brain function and moods and behaviours, including autism disorders
2. Heavy metals cause a lot of oxidative damage to the body’s organs and cells. The brain is the most susceptible part of the body to oxidative damage, leading to a lot of symptoms
3. Heavy metals have antagonistic effects against other nutritional minerals (and some vitamins too), causing increased excretion of these nutrients, and causing nutrient deficiencies. Lead, for example, causes deficiencies of calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, selenium, sulphur, and vitamin C. These deficiencies will cause a LOT of symptoms.

Heavy metals in chocolate were not only found in the cheaper brands, but also in the more expensive and allegedly higher quality brands, including some Swiss chocolate companies such as Lindt.

After these findings in the US, a class action lawsuit was filed against the Lindt chocolate company, when heavy metals were found in their products. Lindt chocolates are typically more expensive and their marketing is based on having quality ingredients and being a better quality brand. Better quality heavy metals than other brands, perhaps?!

Apparently Lindt knew their chocolate contained heavy metals, but didn’t do anything to rectify this. Hence the lawsuit. I wonder if this could be why there was almost no Lindt easter chocolate in my local shops this year? There’s normally a ton of the distinctive Lindt bunny chocolates in various sizes and flavours, but I only saw a small number of one size and type. And they were more than double the price of previous years.
How would you know if you have any heavy metals? You can get a HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) test, to look for heavy metals, and other nutritional minerals, in your hair. This is a service which I offer, including the analysis of the HTMA reports, and making any recommendations if needed.

Heavy metals are a common cause of many conditions and diagnoses, including the autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, mental health conditions, headaches and migraines, brain fog, poor memory and concentration, neuropathy and nerve issues, and more. Hence testing for these heavy metals and implementing a treatment plan to detoxify these heavy metals can reduce the levels and improve health in many ways.

Stay healthy!

References:
Body and Soul. (2025) Retrieved 20th April 2025 from https://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/.../4873e3f37de56295b11637...

CDC. (2022a). Cadmium Factsheet. Retrieved 21st December 2022 from https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/Cadmium_FactSheet.html

CDC. (2022b). Lead Factsheet. Retrieved 21st December 2022 from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/lead/health.html

Consumer Reports. (2022). Lead and Cadmium Could Be in Your Dark Chocolate. Retrieved 21st December 2022 from www.consumerreports.org/health/food-safety/lead-and-cadmium-in-dark-chocolate-a8480295550/

​A new study published November 2025 investigated the diets and other factors of many people with ADHD in 150 countries over a 28-year period, and found some interesting factors regarding some causes or treatments which can help to reduce ADHD symptoms.

The study acknowledges that food choices and nutrients are critical factors in neurological conditions, and this study looked into the individual macronutrients of protein, carbs and fats with ADHD prevalence and prevalence (Ni, Senior, Raubenheimer, Simpson & Nanan, 2025).

Some of the findings of this study included:
1. Increasing carbohydrates (from sugar, grains, fruits etc) in the diet increases prevalence of ADHD symptoms
2. Increasing dietary fats reduces ADHD symptoms and prevalence, as healthy fats can help with improved nerve function and omega-3 fats can reduce neuro-inflammation which can drive ADHD symptoms
3. Increased plant-based protein actually increased ADHD symptoms and prevalence, probably due to soy protein which is high in phyto-oestrogens which can affect male hormone balance and is known to increase ADHD in other studies. Animal proteins contain a larger range of amino acids which are beneficial in making the neurotransmitters needed for good mental health balance.

In summary, reducing carbohydrates and increasing healthy fats can be protective of ADHD symptoms and can reduce incidences, as can increased animal food based proteins. I have seen similar improvements and reduction of ADHD symptoms in many patients or children who have improved their diets and macronutrient percentages.

Improving the quality and variety of foods can improve nutrient density, reduce nutrient deficiencies, reduce digestive system symptoms which are common in ADHD, reduce food intolerances, reduce inflammation and oxidative damage which can affect brain function, improve sleep, and other health benefits.

Your food choice or nutrition intake isn’t the only driver of ADHD symptoms and mood or emotional dysregulation issues, but it’s a good start! There are many other root causes and factors involved in this complex chronic condition, which can be different in each person, and all root causes and factors need to be identified and addressed in each person in order to get further reduction of symptoms.

If ADHD symptoms can be reduced with changes in your diet, or macronutrient levels, or even with improved levels of vitamins and minerals, then ADHD is not genetic! There can be some genetic predisposition, which this study suggests, but environmental factors such as nutrition, heavy metals, toxins and chemicals, stress and trauma, and more, are modifiable and preventable factors which can be addressed to reduce and even reverse ADHD. There’s a lot which can be done to improve the health and quality of life of people with ADHD (and their families)! This is what I can help you with!

Stay healthy!

References:

​Ni, D., Senior, A., Raubenheimer, D., Simpson, S.J. & Nanan, R. (2025). Food environment with high plant-based fat supply is associated with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) protection: a global study with more than 150 countries. Frontiers in Nutrition. 12:1658228. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1658228

A scientist in the USA has proposed a new model or theory on the development and progression of Autism in a recent published study.
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While autism has been studied for a century, no single cause to autism has been found. The operative word here is “single”, as almost all published studies and research into Autism and related conditions, including ADHD, are only trying to find if ONE factor is a cause to Autism. But the studies almost always don’t find that one link is a cause in the majority of people, then the studies conclude that the one factor isn’t related to Autism, and this becomes a public belief. And that possible cause becomes forgotten.

As a result, Autism is believed by many to just be genetic, as a default fallback explanation, as there seems to be no other proven reason.

But like other symptoms and conditions or diagnoses, there is always more than one root cause or factor in contributing to the development and progression of health conditions. But it is very difficult to prove using scientific principles in published studies that more than one factor, or a combination of factors, are the causes of something like autism.

In this very recent (January 2026) new study, the author suggests that there’s a 3-stage or a “3-hit” model for the development of autism in children (Naviaux, 2025), being:

1. A genetic predisposition – as while there are hundreds of genes linked to Autism, not all children who have these genes will actually develop Autism. Hence it’s not just genetic. These genetic traits make them more susceptible and sensitive to environmental triggers, including a hypersensitivity to stress.
2. Environmental triggers – environmental factors are known to cause health issues and to also trigger genetic issues through the concept of epigenetics. Such environmental factors include pollution and toxicity, metabolic issues and other stressors.
3. Chronic exposure and hypersensitivity to stresses and other environmental factors, including toxicities, which diverts a child’s necessary brain development instead toward having to deal with the chronic stresses and other environmental toxicities.

One of the claims in this study is that up to half of autism/ADHD cases can be reduced or even prevented from supporting the mother prior to and during pregnancy, and supporting the baby in early childhood. The author of the study says “Autism is not the inevitable result of any one gene or exposure, but the outcome of a series of biological interactions, many of which can be modified”.

It might be controversial to some people that autism/ADHD can be prevented, but if we do know what the environmental triggers or toxicities are, we can reduce exposure or even eliminate those triggers, which can in turn reduce or prevent the autism/ADHD symptoms! And we DO know what those environmental triggers and toxicities are! That’s what I look for in my consultations and investigations in children or adults with autism/ADHD.

For more information on how I can help with Autism conditions or ADHD, please check out the rest of my website or use the Bookings link to book a consultation!

Stay healthy!
 
References:
Naviaux, R.K. (2026). A 3-hit metabolic signaling model for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Mitochondrion, 87:102096. DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2025.102096