| "Feeding" the ADD brain. | | | | changing the diet "cures" the brain. There is much |
| The foods available in markets today are colorful | | | | overwhelming evidence that what we eat along |
| and appetizing thanks to artificial dyes, flavoring | | | | with natural supplements and/or herbal remedies |
| etc that are all chemically enhanced to make the | | | | can greatly reduce the symptoms of ADD. |
| food last longer too. All these foods are the type | | | | There are the type of nutrients those suffering |
| of food we consume everyday from the simple | | | | ADD are usually short of: |
| macaroni and cheese we eat as TV dinner to | | | | - "B" vitamins |
| cute looking party cakes for our child's birthday. | | | | - Tyrosine |
| Not long ago, World News Tonight on ABC | | | | - Zinc |
| featured a segment about food dyes and the | | | | - Iron |
| possible connection to ADD. The Center for | | | | - 5-HTP |
| Science in the Public Interest asked the FDS to | | | | - Calcium |
| ban artificial coloring in all U.S. foods. According to | | | | - Magnesium |
| them, they claimed that artificial coloring was | | | | - DHA |
| contributing to the rise of ADD in kids. This is a | | | | Certain product can help in feeding the brain's |
| controversial claim and one that probably needs | | | | neurotransmitters. A good multivitamin, preferably |
| further research. | | | | in liquid form that absorbs better can also be |
| But what if it's true? There have been cases of | | | | taken. One product to consider is -be-Calm - this |
| parents who have tried everything to curb their | | | | has quite a positive effect on taming ADD |
| children's ADD symptoms to no avail. Yet when | | | | symptoms. ( |
| they changed the diet and restricted the foods | | | | Food with low glycemic index is a good type of |
| that contain artificial coloring and other non-natural | | | | food that can be introduced to your child's diet. |
| chemicals, symptoms began to subside. Magic or | | | | Gylcemic index is calculated ability to process |
| pure coincidence? | | | | sugar from the food, as the body has no way of |
| There are many harmful substances out there | | | | knowing if the food processed is high or low in |
| that can bring terrible side effect to the human | | | | sugar. It is then advisable to take food that have |
| brain. Toxins or neurotoxins are the kind of | | | | low glycemic index so that the body processes |
| substance that can propel the brain to act out | | | | the sugar slowly. This in turn will lead you to |
| violent and aggressive behavior. The website | | | | choose foods that are low in sugar, whole grain |
| foodnews.org has more information on foods | | | | and replacing artificial sweetness with natural one. |
| contaminated by toxins. | | | | - Whole grains, fruits and veggies |
| The first step you should take in managing ADD | | | | - Cultured dairy foods or non-dairy sources of |
| is to manage what goes into your system. This | | | | calcium |
| includes protecting yourself from over consuming | | | | - Wholesome protein sources such as free range |
| food that contains artificial colorings. One should go | | | | meats, poultry, and legumes |
| for food that will bring benefit to the body. | | | | - No hydrogenated oil or deep fired oils - instead |
| You could start with keeping a log of what you | | | | use fish oil supplements, flax oil, etc. |
| and your family is eating. Once you have some | | | | - Water, water, water - believe it or not, most of |
| sort of baseline, you could keep track of the | | | | our kids are dehydrated! |
| symptoms that appear soon after eating. For | | | | This process of observing food that causes ADD |
| example, if your daughter has a habit of eating | | | | is no task that can be done overnight, let alone |
| Fruit Loops every morning, and soon after | | | | seeing the result. It is often not easy to give up |
| becomes explosive, try taking the food away, but | | | | on food that you have gotten use to eating |
| its replacement may be just as bad as the cereal. | | | | many-many years in a short period of time only. |
| What you will find is that an ADD diet is nearly | | | | Careful observation of diet and implementing a |
| impossible - you'd have to get rid of just about | | | | healthy eating habit can be rewarding for ADD |
| any food around! | | | | sufferer and even the whole family. |
| Medication artificially manipulates the brain while | | | | |