A great question came up on my last post about ADD:
If a doctor/school psychologist/etc suggests that one of your kids might possibly have ADD, ADHD or something similar and would benefit from medication, how would you handle that?
First of all, as an ENTP I never say never, but I would try anything and everything to keep my children off of unnecessary medication. So what would I do? The first thing I would do is take a good hard look at what I am doing as a parent to contribute to the child’s issues. ADD is (arguably I admit) a learned behavior in most cases, either through modeling or rebellion. The best chance you have is to start with yourself. The primary care giver(s) have the most influence over the children. There is of course no exact science to raise the child you want. And truth be told, you shouldn’t try too hard to change the path of your children. But they do need to have balance, and you should attempt to teach your children self-awareness.
Secondly, look at their diet. Most children these days have diets that contain far too many unnatural chemicals, refined sugars, and hormones. These are altering our children’s physiology as well as psychology. I believe that you should eliminate refined sugars (white, brown, and worst of all high-fructose corn syrup), simple-flour carbs, and add more veggies at all costs. Moderation is important, don’t deny your kids a treat now and then that indulges them but by “now and then,” I mean as rarely as possible. If your kid doesn’t like veggies, get yourself a batch of Juice Plus + Children’s Gummies . Don’t let the smell of the veggie ones put you off. Most kids like them.
I encourage you to read the article Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, has a simple cause: poor nutrition and food additives and do some research on your own. While sugar may have been proven to not have a cause/effect relationship with behavior, it does not disprove how our brains are affected by extended exposure.
Nice article.
I think the take-home message is for parents to examine what role refined carbohydrates plays in their diets (this should be emphasized more – consider that latte with whipped topping) and the diets of their children.
Polished (‘refined’) foods cause an unnatural spike in blood factors. The cumulative effect of this on the brain and other organisms is wholly negative. Placating a high-energy child by feeding them candy does all kinds of wrong, from condoning their hyperactivity to degrading brain and other organ function.
One major toxin not mentioned in the article, though likewise concerning, is trans fatty acids, or what we commonly refer to as “trans fats”. The scientific community revealed essentially beyond doubt that these buggers cause coronary artery disease (and possibly cancer, diabetes, and more).
Trans fats are made through an unnatural process called hydrogenation, which stabilizes fatty acid chains, allowing foods to have a longer shelf life. Suffice to say, the way hydrogenation alters molecules changes the way the body handles such fats. Trans fats are entirely unnecessary in the diet, no quantity is good or safe.
To spot a trans fat, look for the words “partially hydrogenated” or simply “hydrogenated” in the ingredient list of any food item. Keep in mind that many products that claim to be “trans fat free” actually do contain trans fats. They get away with this seeming false advertising by having just a small amount in their product. The butter substitute “Brummel & Brown” is an example. On the label you’ll find a reported amount of 0g trans fats. Yet in the ingredient list you’ll see that buzzword ‘hydrogenated’. In my opinion these substances are just too dangerous to consider
Sean – I can’t believe I left out trans fats. Trans fats are killing our country and most of all our kids will be the ones that suffer. As Generation-X begins having children we are taking the easy route of prepared and processed foods where our parents (for the most part) still cooked the majority of our meals for us growing up.
Now our children are being fed prepared foods that are loaded with trans-fat poison. Be honest with yourself, do you really think that chicken that does not have to be refrigerated or cooked is in any way possibly healthy?
Everyone who cares about the future health of their children should visit http://bantransfats.com/. I support their cause.