Issue 20 | Gut Feelings

Reframing Picky Eating: From Survival Mode to Nourishment

Picky Eating Is a Symptom

Picky eating is often treated as a behavior to be corrected, something to work around with tricks and therapy. But in my practice, picky eating is a message from the body.

It’s a symptom. A sign that the system doesn’t feel safe. That the gut is inflamed. That the nervous system is protecting instead of engaging.

Trying to do food therapy on an inflamed gut is like trying to renovate a house while it’s still on fire. You’re forced to play by the rules of a disordered microbiome, rules that demand beige, familiar foods and reject anything truly nourishing.

I don’t do food therapy. It has its place, but that’s not what your child needs right now. First, we calm the system. We reduce inflammation. We support detoxification. Only then does the body begin to ask for real food, and only then is your child able to receive it.

When the Inflammation Calms, Connection Can Return

At first, parents come to me stressed about what their child won’t eat and how every meal feels like a struggle. But when healing begins, the changes go far beyond the plate.

A parent shared this moment with me after we'd been working together for a few months. It made my year!:

Out of nowhere, [my son] came up to me and said, ‘I love you, Mom.’ He’s never said that to me before. Of course, I know he loves me, but it’s the first time he was able to express it.

That shift didn’t come from speech therapy or behavior charts. It came from removing inflammatory inputs, supporting digestion, and giving the nervous system space to connect. When the body no longer feels under threat, the child can finally reach out. That’s the real breakthrough.

Gentle Structure that Unlocks Healing

I often hear, “But how do I get my child to try something like meat stock?” It starts with safety and structure.

I use calm, personalized strategies rooted in ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) to help children approach new foods without pressure. 

Each step is designed to reduce threat and increase a sense of control. When a child knows what to expect and feels safe in that environment, their body begins to regulate. And once there is safety, digestion improves. Healing begins.

And time and again, parents are amazed when their child starts asking for the very food they once rejected.

This is for the kids who won't eat

If you already downloaded my picky eating guide, you already know that small shifts can change the tone of your day.

But if you're navigating autism symptoms and wondering whether nutrition therapy is even possible when your child barely eats, I want you to know this: it's not only possible, it's essential.

Picky eating is not a reason not to start. It's exactly why you should start. It's your child's body telling you that it's overrun with imbalanced gut bacteria that are serving their own interests, not your child's. 

As the body begins to calm, so do other symptoms. The fog starts to lift. Emotional regulation improves. The child who was always there begins to emerge, with more clarity, more presence, and more connection.

Schedule a free strategy session to talk about what’s possible for your child, and how to start.

With care and conviction,
Lubna

PS - This newsletter is not medical advice nor a substitute for 1:1 care with a trusted practitioner!