• 25 Aug, 2024
• Mary Wu

How Nutritional Tweaks Can Positively Impact Autism: Mary Wu on Boosting Brain Power, Gut Issues to Glowing Health, and Sustainable Wellbeing

Magazica: Hi, Mary! Welcome!

Mary Wu: Hello! Thank you very much for having me here and giving me a voice regarding what I do. I’m so grateful for that.

Magazica: At Magazica, we believe that experts like you, with your philanthropic personality, must have a voice. Can you tell our readers a bit about your background and what led you to become a nutritionist, weight management specialist, HR manager, and specifically your focus on nutrition in connection with autism?

Mary Wu: How did I become an HR manager? I’m really good at listening to people. When I came to Canada and worked as an assistant, people would always come to me for advice. I was good at listening and giving sound advice, so I thought, why not use this skill to help more people in HR? I’ve been an HR manager for 21 years.
Regarding nutrition, I stumbled upon it by chance. About eight years ago, I started experiencing severe digestive issues and was in and out of the doctor’s office every month. I was on antibiotics and medication that messed up my gut health. I had to take tablets before every meal to keep the food down, and I was fed up with the limited diet and reliance on medicine.
I asked my doctor if there was a natural way to manage my condition, but the doctor said I had to take the medicine for the rest of my life. Around that time, my husband was diagnosed with high cholesterol and was on medication. The biggest turning point was when my son was diagnosed with autism. He struggled with short-term memory issues, meltdowns, and frustration, which caused me extreme stress and heart palpitations.
I needed to find a solution. My family had a history of health issues—my mom had cancer, my mother-in-law had ovarian cancer, and my father-in-law had high blood pressure and cholesterol, eventually leading to a stroke.
I saw what my loved ones went through, and it was a lot of suffering. When you see your loved ones going through that, you feel helpless because you just follow whatever the medical system tells you. Unfortunately, all three of them passed away. This put fear in my mind because I thought, “My husband has cholesterol, I have digestive issues, and my children are young. What’s going to happen to us if we don’t make any changes?”
I decided to be proactive rather than reactive to avoid chronic illnesses. I prayed to God to send me someone who could help, and that person came in the form of a nutritionist. A family member had worked with this nutritionist and introduced her to me. I was proactive, doing research and trying to change our diet, but it wasn’t working. So, I decided to talk to the nutritionist.
We made a decision as a family to change our lifestyle together. The nutritionist educated us, which was different from the brief interactions we had with doctors. She explained why we had health issues and what we needed to do to reverse them and lead a healthy life without relying on medication.
We started implementing her strategies, focusing on diet, lifestyle changes, stress management, sleep, exercise, community, and supplementation. In six months, my digestive and gut issues were resolved, and I was off medication. It’s been eight years now, and I haven’t taken any medication. My husband’s cholesterol was resolved in a year, and he has maintained it without medication for seven years. My son, who struggled with memory issues and meltdowns, is now thriving. He’s 19 and studying to be a massage therapist.
I went back to study nutrition to understand how everything works. I realized there’s so much knowledge to share with people about preventative measures to avoid chronic illnesses. My goal is to educate people to be proactive rather than reactive. We invest in many things, but we often neglect our health. Investing in health today will pay off in the future, allowing us to enjoy life without aches, pains, or medication.
Unfortunately, more young people are experiencing chronic illnesses that used to affect older individuals. Nutrition can help with that. I’m passionate about health and want to educate and teach people that minor changes can lead to major results.

Magazica: Fantastic! As I was listening, I realized our readers will find your story fascinating. You turned chaos into order by being proactive. You were in a messy health situation, but you made a complete turnaround. Not only did you do it passionately, but now you’re helping others. There’s a lot of mental strength, resilience, and proactivity in your journey. You mentioned education, diet, stress, sleep, exercise, community, and supplements for vitality and optimal health. Let’s start with nutrition.
In your experience, healthy eating is a big part of nutrition. What are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about healthy eating?

Mary Wu: One misconception is that healthy eating is boring. It doesn’t need to be boring. Think about what you’re investing in. If you think it’s going to be boring, then it will be. But if you see it as beneficial in the long run, you’ll have a different mindset and approach. 80% of your health is related to what you’re eating.
People often say it’s genetics, but very few health issues are genetic. Most are lifestyle-related. For example, my mom had high blood sugar, but I don’t because I made changes in my life. Another misconception is that it’s too late to make changes. It’s never too late. Any change you make puts you ahead of those who haven’t made any changes.
We live in a busy society, and people often say they have no time to cook. They buy pre-made meals, but these often contain chemicals. The longer the shelf life of a product, the shorter your shelf life. Many products have ingredients we don’t recognize, which are chemicals that harm our bodies. I’m not judging anyone because I did the same as a busy mom. But we need to start looking at what we’re putting inside our bodies.
Foods marketed as healthy are often not. The healthiest foods are those you make at home. We need to go back to basics. I give my clients simple recipes that don’t take long to make. Even if you don’t have time, you can do prep work on your days off. I do most of my cooking on weekends and bulk cook to freeze meals.
I store food in glass containers and freeze them in portions. Avoid plastic as it can seep into the food when heated. This way, when you’re busy, you can defrost and heat up your home-cooked meals, knowing they’re healthier than store-bought options.
Even if you buy food, choose proper restaurants where you can order protein and vegetables. Simple things like pre-cutting salads or pre-boiling eggs can save time. Marinate meats and freeze them for quick cooking later. These small tips make a big difference in taste and nutrition.

Magazica: Glass containers, pre-boiling, vegetable sticks, and marinated meats are great tips. You can also marinate fish.

Mary Wu: Exactly. Clients often feel bored eating unfamiliar foods. It’s easier to tweak their existing diet for better health benefits. This way, they don’t feel like they have to completely change their life, making it easier to adopt healthier habits.

Magazica: You have already touched upon the next question in various ways, but for our readers’ sake, I’ll ask it. Many of our readers have very busy schedules. What are some simple time-saving tips to incorporate healthy meals into their daily routines?

Mary Wu: Definitely. One tip is to do bulk cooking on the weekends. Do your grocery shopping and prepare meals in advance. For example, you can portion and chop meat, then freeze it in small Ziploc bags. This way, when you need to cook, you just take out a bag and cook it without much prep work.
Defrost food in the fridge in the morning so it’s ready to cook by evening. Crockpot cooking is also very healthy and convenient. You can put your ingredients in the crockpot in the morning, and by the time you come back in the evening, the food is ready. It cooks at low heat, maintaining the integrity of the nutrients and juices.
Another tip is to pack leftovers the night before. This way, in the morning, you can grab your lunch and go. Smoothies are also a great option for a quick, nutritious breakfast. You can make fruit or vegetable smoothies and add protein powder. Adding ginger, an antioxidant, can boost your health.

I recommend keeping frozen fruits and vegetables in your freezer. They are often more nutritious than fresh ones because they are picked at peak ripeness and then frozen. Fresh produce, on the other hand, is often picked before it’s ripe and loses nutrients during transport. Letting fresh produce ripen in the sun can improve its taste and nutrient content.

Magazica: I’m already having a paradigm shift regarding frozen vegetables and fruits. No one explained it this nicely to me.

Mary Wu: Yes, frozen fruits and vegetables are a great option. You can buy frozen berries and vegetables, and cook them whenever you need. These simple tips can make your life much easier.

Magazica: There is so much conflicting information online. How can readers identify reliable sources for accurate information regarding health and nutrition?

Mary Wu: The first step is to consult professionals like us who have the education and experience to guide you. For research, start with reputable sites like the Canada Food Guide, which provides visual representations of balanced meals. Other reliable sources include UnlockedFood.ca, Half Your Plate, Diabetes Canada, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Obesity Canada, and the National Eating Disorder Information Centre. For more in-depth information, you can refer to WebMD and Mayo Clinic. Always ensure the credibility of the authors, as anyone can post information online.

Magazica: For someone looking to lose weight healthily without losing energy and vitality, what are some key principles they should focus on beyond just calorie restriction?

Mary Wu: Calorie restriction alone doesn’t work. I struggled with my weight my entire life. My doctor advised eating less and exercising more, but it didn’t help. Weight gain can be due to various factors like stress, poor sleep, unhealthy eating, sedentary lifestyle, medication, or health conditions like PCOS or menopause. In our practice, we look at the root cause of weight gain. It’s essential to address these underlying issues rather than just focusing on calorie restriction.
Hormonal imbalances, digestive issues, and gut problems can also cause weight gain. There are many factors, and it’s essential to identify the root cause. Focus on being healthy because when you address these issues, your weight will naturally start to go down. It’s not difficult to lose weight; it’s challenging to maintain it. People often focus on losing a specific amount of weight, but once they reach their goal, they revert to old habits and regain the weight. Education and making the right choices are crucial.
Supplementation is often necessary due to nutrient depletion in our food. The soil today is deprived of nutrients because farmers continuously cultivate the same plots without allowing the soil to rejuvenate. As a result, the nutrient content in our food has significantly decreased. For example, you need to eat 26 apples today to get the same nutrients as one apple in the past.
Supplementation helps fill the nutrient gaps. For instance, low energy levels can be due to poor sleep, stress, or low B vitamins. Eating foods high in B vitamins and taking supplements can help. However, supplements should complement a healthy diet, not replace it. Eating junk food and relying on supplements won’t give you good health.
Balance is key. You can indulge occasionally without feeling deprived. Choose healthier options like dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. Aim for an 80/20 balance—80% healthy eating and 20% occasional treats.

Magazica: You have a very hands-on experience with how nutrition and autism are connected. Could you enlighten our readers on that and how changing or tweaking nutrition can help a person on the spectrum?

Mary Wu: Absolutely. My son was diagnosed with autism around eight to nine years ago. As a parent, I tried my best to help him. Initially, I bought packaged meals, thinking they were healthy, but I realized we needed to change the sugar in his diet. Many children eat sugary foods at school, leading to higher incidences of ADHD and hyperactivity. The first step is to eliminate sugars and go back to natural foods.
At birthday parties, children are often served pizza, hamburgers, cake, cookies, and pop—all high in sugar. A can of pop contains 13 spoons of sugar. Instead of juice, which is concentrated sugar, give them the fruit itself. Fruits have fiber, which is good for digestion and slows down the absorption of fructose.
Processed foods in boxes or packets should be eliminated. Instead, incorporate fresh fruits like berries, which are high in antioxidants, and fresh vegetables like carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumbers, and radishes. These can be paired with hummus for a healthy snack. Apples and pears are also great options due to their high fiber content.

Magazica: It was such an insightful conversation with you. I had some big paradigm shifts regarding nutrition and what to eat. Going the nutritionist way is cool and interesting, not boring. Thank you very much for that. Hopefully, our readers will benefit immensely from it. Thank you for being with us.

Mary Wu: You’re most welcome. The key is to take the first step and do something for your body. Stay open to new ideas and remember that our bodies are designed to heal. We just need to do the right things to help them. At my age, I’m in great health, and we can all achieve that by taking the first step.

Magazica: Fantastic. That’s the point you started with—education. We need to educate ourselves to eliminate misconceptions and move forward. Thank you very much for this.

Mary Wu: You’re most welcome.