I didn’t know there is a difference. (There is)
I also didn’t know you could offend someone by using them interchangeably. (You can)
Not to be flip, but my limited exposure to Autism was the same as many people my age… the movie “Rain Man”. (I didn’t have a clue)
It was 2014 and that misconception was about to change. (It’s been a wild ride)
My friend, Randy Margrave, a pharmacist and father, was the only other guy who showed up for cigar night. It was miserable that night. Rainy and cold. The perfect night for not going out after a long day’s work. But I needed the down time. So did Randy, apparently.
I had just walked away from a nearly 14-year business relationship and was looking for something new. I wanted to stay in the natural products industry as I was (and am) a big believer in the benefits of vitamins and supplements, enzymes, botanicals, and pre and probiotics. I enjoyed formulating products that helped people. I enjoyed the challenges of marketing such products. It was (and is) good to know that I’m not just earning a living, but that I am helping thousands of people that I will never even meet.
Randy and I began to talk, and he was excited to tell me that he had finally (after nearly 3 ½ years) been granted a patented for his herbal/vitamin/mineral blend that was yet to have a name. He told me about it was created to help his twin boys with the struggles they had.
Both found it difficult to sit still or pay attention for very long. Seemed like little boy stuff to me. But then he described the sensory issues and meltdowns that one of them had. The anxiety, the fears, the trouble sleeping. Not exactly debilitating, but it made life more challenging than it need be for a little kid.
He also told me about Dr. Betul Hatipoglu, the physician from the Cleveland Clinic’s main campus. He told me about her son and her family’s journey with Autism. It was far worse than anything I had ever heard of. (Remember, I still was thinking “Rain Man”) Her son was self-injurious, non-verbal, and couldn’t sleep more than a few hours at a time. As a result, he was unhappy and unhealthy. It wasn’t a matter of “managing” him so the family would have it “easier” or so he would require “less effort”. Simply adapting to his needs would not have been good for him. He was trapped and unhappy.
So, together they began to search “autism supplement”, “supplements for autism”, “supplements for autistic kids”, “natural products for autism”, etc. Dr. Hatipoglu, being an Endocrinologist, had a particular interest in the Endocannabinoid system and the way medical marijuana worked. But, she wanted to avoid the stigma associated with medical marijuana and wanted to find other botanicals that would offer the help she was looking for. Dr. Hatipoglu and I talk about that in an interview on The Spectrum Reporton our YouTube page.
Together, they created an herbal/vitamin/mineral blend that took 3 ½ years to patent. During the patent process Randy was making capsules in his compounding pharmacy and giving it to families that he knew. The results were great! As I said above, that’s where I came into the picture. I helped create a product around their patented blend and went to work marketing and reaching out to families.
We try to offer helpful information when we find it and we support organizations that also try to offer help and support through services, information, and great products. Some of it is great but it doesn’t apply to everyone.
And then I bumped into the autistic versus autism debate. I didn’t know there was one. And, as I dove in, I quickly realized that I could observe and listen to both sides. But I can’t really understand either side. I can only try to be helpful and treat everyone with dignity.
The quote, “We don’t want to make your children “manageable”. We want to help them be who they are.”, comes from our desire to help support natural calm, focus, and sleep that doesn’t diminish the creativity and intelligence of a person. We don’t want to sedate; we want to support balance.
Besides, our products aren’t autism supplements.
Anandanol is a blend of three types of passionflower, CoQ10, B6, and magnesium glycinate. We add a digestive enzyme to help break down the ingredients. It’s a simple, clean formula that many people find helpful and it’s a great CBD alternative if you’re worried about ambiguous laws or have safety concerns.
Anandanol is for anyone who needs the support. (Ages two years and up).