Pure Living Family

09/03/2026

Hope is not naive. Sometimes, it’s all you have to go off of. 💙

If you’re a parent who has ever been told, “That’s just autism,” I want you to hear this conversation.

I recently sat down with Greer McGuinness from BIOMEDICAL HEALING FOR KIDS! to talk about looking beyond a diagnosis and seeing the whole child.

We talked about things like gut health, sleep, inflammation, nutrition, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic health — and why every child deserves to be understood as an individual.

Because what helps one child may not help another.

Sometimes the next step isn’t doing more.

Sometimes it’s finding more clarity.

Tracking symptoms. Looking for patterns. Asking better questions. Exploring appropriate testing. And continuing to seek understanding when something doesn’t feel right.

For so many parents, the hardest part isn’t the lack of effort.

It’s the endless trial and error.

If you’ve ever felt exhausted, discouraged, or overwhelmed trying to figure out how to best help your child, please know:

You are not alone. And hope still has a place in your journey. 💙

The full conversation drops Saturday.

If you’d like the link when it goes live, comment HOPE below. 👇

08/25/2026

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08/09/2026

The federal government is accepting public comments on the 2026-2028 Autism Strategic Plan right now. The deadline is August 20, 2026.
I submitted ours. And I want every special needs parent, caregiver, teacher, and clinician reading this to do the same.
My name is Shawn Blymiller. I am the founder of Pure Living Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting parents of children with autism, PANDAS/PANS, and other chronic illnesses. I am also the father of an 11-year-old nonspeaking boy with autism named Theo. I testified before the federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee in April 2026 and I have been fighting for families like ours ever since.
Here are the six things we asked the federal government to do.

Build real accountability into the plan
Strategic plans without measurable benchmarks are just good intentions. Families who have waited years for action need to know that federal commitments come with teeth and that our voices are actually being heard.
Center profound autism in research and service design
Nonspeaking and profoundly autistic individuals have been left out of most research because they do not fit the convenient participant profiles. The families carrying the heaviest burdens receive the least guidance. That is backwards and it has to change.
Build autism.gov into a real navigation system
Parents of autistic children spend hundreds of hours navigating broken, fragmented, contradictory systems with no map. A centralized resource built with input from families living the most complex presentations would change everything.
Treat caregiver mental health as core infrastructure
You cannot pour from an empty cup. A depleted parent cannot advocate, navigate systems, or show up fully for their child. Caregiver wellness is autism policy. We invited the committee to partner with community organizations like PLF as formal delivery partners for respite and mental health services.
IDEA must fund Spelling to Communicate and Rapid Prompting Method in schools — now
This is the one that keeps me up at night. Theo is 11, nonspeaking, and entering puberty. His aggression is increasing because he cannot communicate. Our family cannot afford $200 per day for this type of education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act must recognize Spelling to Communicate and Rapid Prompting Method as legitimate, reimbursable communication methods in every school district in this country. Every year we wait is another year a nonspeaking child sits in a classroom with things to say and no recognized way to say them. This is not a research question. It is a civil rights question.
Recognize wellness coaches as part of the solution to the provider shortage
Psychiatrists and developmental pediatricians have years-long waitlists. Certified functional medicine coaches — trained through programs like the National Board of Health and Wellness Certification — are already filling that gap in communities across the country without federal recognition or reimbursement. That has to change.

Now I am asking you to add your voice.
You do not need to write a formal document. You do not need to be an expert. Two sentences about your experience as a parent, a caregiver, a teacher, or a clinician will be read by the people making these decisions. That is not a small thing. That is democracy working the way it is supposed to.
📧 [email protected]
Subject line: Public Comment on the 2026-2028 IACC Strategic Plan
Deadline: August 20, 2026
Please share this post so it reaches every special needs family who needs to see it. The more voices in that inbox, the stronger the record becomes. And the stronger the record, the harder it is for decision-makers to look away.
Our children are counting on us to be loud. 💙
Shawn Blymiller
Founder, Pure Living Family Foundation
purelivingfamily.com
501(c)(3) Nonprofit · EIN 88-1015327

08/08/2026

What if the key to your child's progress has been in their gut all along? 🧬
This is one of the most important episodes we have ever released on the Pure Living Family Podcast and we could not be more honored to share it with you.
Shawn sits down with Dr. James B. Adams — President's Professor at Arizona State University, Director of the ASU Autism and Asperger's Research Program, author of more than 150 peer reviewed scientific papers, and an autism dad who redirected his entire career after his daughter's diagnosis in 1994 because he refused to accept that nothing could be done.
Here is what stops most people in their tracks.
Researchers transferred gut bacteria from a mouse with autism symptoms into a perfectly healthy mouse. That mouse began displaying autism behaviors. Not because of genetics. Not because of environment. Because of gut bacteria alone. This is published peer reviewed science and it changes everything about how we think about autism.
In this episode Dr. Adams covers what 25 years of research has actually shown about what moves the needle for kids with autism including the specific gut bacteria driving aggression, self injury, and obsessive behaviors, the vitamin and mineral deficiencies found in roughly 75% of autistic children, the results from his landmark microbiota transfer therapy clinical trials where autism symptoms reduced by nearly 50% and kept improving two years after treatment ended, and an at home urine test families can order right now to identify what is happening in their child's gut.
He also shares something deeply personal. His daughter went from being unable to speak to living happily with support, enjoying her day program, and thriving in her own home. Progress can be slow, nonlinear, and still deeply meaningful.
This is the episode we wish someone had handed us eight years ago. Please share it with every special needs parent you know. 💙
🎙️ Watch or listen here:
https://youtu.be/mq-J1nwnMIc
🧬 $50 OFF DR. ADAMS' GUT-BRAIN TEST
Use code PLFF$50 at autismdiagnosticslab.com
Valid through October 31, 2026
🔗 autismdiagnosticslab.com
🔗 purelivingfamily.com

What if the key to your child's progress has been in their gut all ...

08/06/2026

What if the key to your child's progress was in their gut? 🧬
We have been sitting on this one for a while and we are SO excited to finally share it with you this Saturday.
Shawn sat down with Dr. James Adams, PhD, a researcher at Arizona State University who has spent 25 years studying the connection between gut health and autism. His landmark study showed autism symptoms reduced by nearly 50% and the improvements kept growing two years after treatment ended. Not months. Years.
Here is something that might stop you in your tracks.
Researchers once transferred gut bacteria from a mouse with autism symptoms into a perfectly healthy mouse. That healthy mouse began displaying autism behaviors. Not because of genetics. Not because of environment. Because of gut bacteria alone. This is published peer reviewed research and it changes everything about how we need to think about autism.
Dr. Adams is not just a world class scientist. He is an autism dad. He built his entire research program because his daughter was diagnosed in 1994 and he refused to accept that nothing could be done. Sound familiar?
In this episode we cover the specific gut bacteria that Dr. Adams has identified as drivers of some of the most difficult behaviors in autism including aggression, self injury, and obsessive behaviors. We also talk about what families can do about it right now, including an at home urine test Dr. Adams developed specifically for autism families.
This is one of those episodes you will want to share with every special needs parent you know.
The full episode drops THIS SATURDAY on the Pure Living Family Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 🎙️
Tag a special needs parent in the comments who needs to hear this. And if this community has ever meant something to you, sharing this post is one of the best ways you can support our mission. 💙
🔗 Dr. Adams at home diagnostic test: autismdiagnosticslab.com�🔗 Learn more about our community: purelivingfamily.com

07/16/2026

⚽️ Is anyone else sad the World Cup is almost over?

Keep the soccer excitement going by supporting our local professional women’s team, the Utah Royals, with Pure Living Family!

We’re inviting families raising children with special needs to join us for an evening that’s about so much more than soccer. It’s an opportunity to meet other parents who understand your journey—without having to explain it.

No judgment.
No awkward conversations.
Just friends who get it.

Whether your child is autistic, has a disability, or faces other unique challenges, we’d love to have you join us for a fun night of community, connection, and cheering on the Utah Royals together.

🎟️ To claim your free ticket, sign up here:
https://purelivingfamily.com/pages/utah-royals-game-family-night-event-july-18th

We have 50 tickets available, and they’ll be claimed on a first come, first served basis.

We can’t wait to meet you and spend the evening together. 💙

07/14/2026

Introducing the BZ Athletic Performance Tee — breathable, moisture-wicking comfort built for every workout. Available in Black, Charcoal, and Silver, sizes S–3XL.

For a limited time, 100% of proceeds from this shirt go to the Pure Living Family Foundation's Dad's Campaign, supporting ketamine group therapy for fathers raising special needs kids. Every purchase makes a real difference. 💪

Shop now and give back.


Shop here:

07/11/2026

🎉 Utah Royals Family Night Event! ⚽

Pure Living Family is thrilled to invite families of children with special needs to join us for a night out at a Utah Royals soccer game on July 18th!

✅ 50 complimentary tickets available
✅ Family-friendly atmosphere with accommodations for diverse needs
✅ A great opportunity to connect with other special needs families
✅ Enjoy professional women's soccer in a fun stadium setting

Spots are limited to 50 families and will be given out first-come, first-served. Sign up now to reserve your spot!

👉 Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfCC9-xivXVJG1jI8FtdRigZd6LUn1d61HUSwN0yrceObS8Cg/viewform

Register your family for Family Night at the Utah Royals game - Saturday, July 18th, 2026. Spots are limited to 50 tickets!

07/03/2026

What I told the federal government about autism and what it means for your family.
This spring, I stood before the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) and shared our son Theo's story. Theo is nonspeaking, he wasn't eating, and his body was in a state of war with itself. The clinical system had very little to offer us.
What we found through relentless research and an incredible community of parents and practitioners is what we now call The Theo Protocol — and I believe it can help your family too.
Here's what we covered with the federal government:
🌿 Gut-Brain Axis & FMT — Theo went from refusing all food to eating a wide variety after F***l Microbiota Transplant. The research is real. The outcomes matter.
🔬 Neuroinflammation & Stem Cell Therapy — Inflammation may be driving symptoms for many children. We're advocating for clinical access to therapies that are already showing promise.
🗣️ Spelling to Communicate (S2C) — Every mind deserves a voice. Nonspeaking doesn't mean nothing to say. We need insurance and schools to recognize this.
These interventions didn't come from a doctor handing us a pamphlet. They came from parents who asked questions the system wasn't asking.
If you're newly navigating a diagnosis — or you've hit a wall after years in this world — there is more to explore. The research is moving. The community is strong. You are not alone.
Read the full post at the link below 👇
📖 https://purelivingfamily.com/blogs/news/what-i-told-the-federal-government-about-autism-the-theo-protocol

Our IACC testimony on autism: FMT for food restriction, neuroinflammation, stem cell therapy access, and Spelling to Communicate for nonspeaking children. The Theo Protocol.