Control ADD-Eat The Right Food

Without giving second thoughts, we easily reach for foods in supermarkets that we find easy to prepare. We even buy them for the sake that they look good in the eyes of our children thus making them eat these food is a breeze. We forget that these foods are simple to prepare and even look appetizing due to the fact that they possess artificial food flavorings and dyes.

Not long ago, World News Tonight on ABC featured a segment about food dyes and the possible connection to ADD. The Center for Science in the Public Interest asked the FDS to ban artificial coloring in all U.S. foods. According to them, they claimed that artificial coloring was contributing to the rise of ADD in kids. This is a controversial claim and one that probably needs further research.

The suspicions that ADD is related to artificial preservatives cannot be denied even if there is no hard evidence in medical science to support this claim. This is because parents of children with ADD experience a decline in ADD symptom when they try to restrict they children’s diet from food containing artificial coloring and other non chemical.

And what about other toxins that are affecting your kids? High levels of certain neurotoxins have a negative impact on the brain and are thought to cause violent or aggressive behavior. These chemicals are everywhere nowadays. Then there are the pesticides in the foods we eat.

You should be cautious from now on food or anything that can cause the brain more harm, even if the FDA strongly believes that there is no connection between ADD and food. Foods with artificial colorings are those that you should take more precautions on and try to eat more healthier and natural food.

The habit of keeping track of food eaten by your family will bring you valuable information on what food should be avoided and what food should be eaten more. Cutting down on certain food will make some symptom of ADD subside. For example, if you notice that your child’s tendency to explode in the evenings have something to do with the macaroni and cheese lunch you often serve during lunch then try replacing the dish with something else more on the healthy side.

Symptoms of ADD can subside with eating healthier food and cutting down on food that can cause harm to the brain. Using medications for treatment is not curing the disorder but manipulating the brain unlike getting a dose of good food, natural supplement and herbal remedy.

People with ADD usually have a lack of the following nutrients in their diets:
- "B" vitamins
- Tyrosine
- Zinc
- Iron
- 5-HTP
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- DHA

While no one vitamin is going to satisfy all of your child’s symptoms, there are
certain products that do a better job of feeding the brain’s neurotransmitters. Along with a good multi-vitamin (preferably a liquid form that absorbs more efficiently), you might consider Neu-be-Calm – this has quite a positive effect on taming ADD symptoms.

Food with low glycemic index is a good type of food that can be introduced to your child’s diet. Gylcemic index is calculated ability to process sugar from the food, as the body has no way of knowing if the food processed is high or low in sugar. It is then advisable to take food that have low glycemic index so that the body processes the sugar slowly. This in turn will lead you to choose foods that are low in sugar, whole grain and replacing artificial sweetness with natural one.
- Whole grains, fruits and veggies
- Cultured dairy foods or non-dairy sources of calcium
- Wholesome protein sources such as free range meats, poultry, and legumes
- No hydrogenated oil or deep fired oils – instead use fish oil supplements, flax oil, etc.
- Water, water, water – believe it or not, most of our kids are dehydrated!

When we start implementing good eating habit and avoiding food that introduces harmful substance to the body and brain, don’t expect to see the positive side effect overnight. One needs careful observation and persistence in order to really make this work. You will soon see that a well balance diet will not only benefit those with ADD but the whole family too.