This topic
is a response to several demands and enquiry as regards the role food plays in
behaviors, moods, addictions, etc.
Special
attention will be given to what parents should watch out for especially as
children are returning to school.
Our food has
changed so drastically in the last few decades it is no wonder that
food-related behavior and learning problems in children are increasing.
What is
clear is that children not only behave better but concentrate better, follow
instructions better, and remember more when they eat healthier food. It should
be noted that concentration, following instructions, and memory are fundamental
building blocks of the learning process and vital for success at school.
Moms and
Dads certainly intend to do the best for their children, and part of this can
mean feeding them “regular food” that won’t set their children apart from their
friends. But in doing so, our children are being sabotaged in ways that make it
difficult for them to perform school tasks successfully.
They’re fed
processed foods that can make them aggressive and difficult to control. Then,
as if that weren’t bad enough, they are penalized for their inability to learn
and their out-of-control behavior.
According to
Dr. Russell Blaylock, high sugar content and starchy carbohydrates lead to
excessive insulin release, which in turn leads to falling blood sugar levels,
or hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia causes the brain to secrete glutamate in levels
that can cause agitation, depression, anger, anxiety, panic attacks and an
increase in suicide risk.
In children,
hypoglycemia often leads to hyperactivity. It can cause violent and aggressive
behavior in both children and adults. In older people, there can be mental
confusion.
Dr Joseph
Marcola says Americans spend about 90 percent of their food budget on processed
foods, which contain a staggering number of artificial food additives,
preservatives, colors and flavor enhancers.
The result
of the above is witnessed daily in the killings that are becoming a regular occurrence
in schools all over America.
Dr. Joseph
Marcola has researched extensively and written several articles on the dangers
of Mono-Sodium Glutamate (MSG) which is a taste enhancing chemical additive
found in many processed foods. Many seizures in children and adolescents have
also been traced to the consumption of MSG.
Child behaviour
and learning difficulties are an ever-increasing problem in the UK and other
developed countries. Conditions like ADHD, dyslexia and Autism Spectrum
Disorders have reached record levels, as have anxiety, depression and related
disorders. Many more children show milder forms of the same kinds of issues,
leaving parents, teachers and health professionals struggling to cope.
According to
Dr. Mercola, the above has prompted the NHS to warn parents and advised them to
limit their children's intake of additives if they notice an effect on
behavior.
Issues
ranging from obesity and other eating disorders, alcoholism and other substance
use disorders, antisocial behaviour, and other mental health conditions in which
impulsivity and poor self-control play a key role, such as ADHD are all
trace-able to poor diet.
“Diet is important not only for
physical health, but also for optimal mental development and functioning.
Scientific evidence shows this, but clear and reliable information on this kind
of research is not easily available to many people who are interested in its
practical applications.” – Food & Behavior Research (2013)
Dr. Scott
Graves sums diseases this way “The two causes to most diseases are
toxicity and deficiency..”.
Yes! Most of
the food given to children of school age contains substances (toxic) which are
harmful to the overall health of the children, and most times the food are also
deficient in the nutrients needed to aid the health of these children.
Deficiency
is equally dangerous as toxicity. According to Dr. Graves, “removing toxins is
not enough, our bodies need good nutrition to be able to rebuild and repair
properly. This is the most critical
aspect for restoring and maintaining good health”
The quality
of food ingested by an individual determines the quality of the individual’s
health. Food quality is greatly measured by its nutritional content. Foods that
are low in nutrients confer low-value on the body.
A good suggestion to maintaining quality in
food is the consumption of food as close to nature as possible. This can be
achieved with appropriate cooking methods, emphasizing the consumption of raw
foods (smoothies, vegetables, juices and salad) and avoiding additives and
other chemicals used in taste enhancement.
What
Parents Should Watch Out For:
The
following is an in-exhaustive list of what to avoid when feeding your children:
1. Refined Sugars:
One study that measured the visible effects of sugar consumption gave kids the
amount of sugar equal to one soda. As a result, their test scores went down. In
fact, one hour after consuming the sugar, they made twice as many mistakes. The
sugar-loaded students also showed more "inappropriate behavior"
during free play.
As explained
above by Dr. Rusell Blaylock sugar has a profound influence on the brain
function, and hence your psychological function. When consumed in excess
amounts, the body releases excess amounts of insulin, which in turn causes a
drop in your blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia in turn
causes your brain to secrete glutamate.
According to
Dr. Joseph Mercola, glutamate is a “messenger molecule” that serves an
important function in your body. However, when excess amounts of glutamate are
excreted it can wreak havoc with your brain and nervous system, causing a
variety of side effects such as agitation, depression, anger, anxiety and panic
attacks.
The
glutamate produced in your body is identical to the flavor-enhancing monosodium
glutamate (MSG), which is added to thousands of food products that boost your
body’s glutamate load even higher. The moderate use of non-processed honey,
stevia, dates, raisings are suitable and healthy alternatives to sugar.
2. Cow Milk:
Children of school age barely complete a day without dairy milk in their diet. Milk
is good but the dangers of dairy milk outweigh its benefits.
Cow milk has
been seriously compromised for commercial reasons with growth hormones and
other substances which may inhibit the absorption of calcium and other minerals
in children.
According to
Dr. Linda Folden Palmer, D.C. of the Natural Child Project: “Dairy's high
calcium causes relative deficiencies in magnesium and other bone-building
minerals, and its high phosphorus and animal protein reduces calcium
availability.” Don’t be deceived by the adverts/commercials.
No other
animal in the animal kingdom drinks milk beyond childhood. No other animal
suffers from osteoporosis, except the occasional pet raised on human meals. Weak bones can be mis-diagnosed for
restlessness during classes as the child will be unable to sit or maintain a
consistent position appropriate for his/her age.
Generally,
the use of plant-based milk with the help of your blender or Soyabella machine
is cost effective and is a healthy alternative for every family. Milk can be
home-made from nuts like tiger-nut, coconut, almond, organic oat, etc.
3. Additives
(Artificial Colors/Preservatives): Research has shown that the food additives
used in hundreds of children's foods and drinks can cause temper tantrums and
disruptive behavior.
A Government-funded study confirms what many parents have
long suspected about the effect of chemicals put into sweets, biscuits and
foods. Colorings in products such as Smarties, Jelly Tots and fizzy drinks
could spark behavior changes in up to a quarter of toddlers.
Another study by
the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency in 2007 showed that the consumption
of foods containing dyes could increase hyperactive behavior in children.
The Food
Commission (UK) wants a ban on the additives and says the colorings tested have
been restricted in other countries to protect children.
Below are
the responses from the regulators of the industry and the people making all the
money:
A spokesman for the Government's Food Standards Agency said
the research was not conclusive. Nestlé Rowntree, which makes Smarties, Fruit
Pastilles and Jelly Tots, said food additives it used were permitted by
European and UK laws and any additives or colours had been tested to the
highest standards. GlaxoSmithKline, which produces Ribena, said: 'We certainly
wouldn't use any additives unless they were approved as safe.' Burton's Foods,
which makes Jammie Dodgers, said its biscuits contained only half the amount of
Carmoisine stated in legal guidelines. Cadbury Trebor Bassett, which makes
Maynard Wine Gums, said: 'Carmoisine is a permitted colouring which has been
used for many years.' Campina UK, which produces Yazoo Milk Drinks, said it
used only approved ingredients.
What would
you believe? How important is your child’s mental and physical health to you?
There is a huge difference in taste and quality in most of these products when
compared with what is consumed here in Nigeria where we have relaxed
regulation.
The Indomie
consumed in Nigeria is higher in MSG and has a better taste than the Indomie
consumed in the UK and other parts of the world where they have strict
regulations. Same goes for products from the dairy giants that responded above.
You will
find artificial colors in in sweets, drinks, takeaways, cereals and many
processed foods,in yoghurts, icecreams, popcorn etc,. You may have to ELIMINATE
these from child’s diet ESPECIALLY if the child is already showing behaviors
you consider worrisome.
Irritability,
temper outbursts, oppositional defiance, restlessness and difficulty falling
asleep are the main behavioral effects of additives.
But parents
rarely realize that food chemicals can be associated with many other effects
including arguing with siblings, making silly noises, speech delay, anxiety,
depression or difficulty concentrating. Additive-free children are generally
calmer, happier and more cooperative.
Parents of
asthmatic children are usually unaware that sulphite preservatives (220-228) in
foods such as dried fruits, sausages, cordials and some fruit drinks are
irritants to the airways.
4. Sodium
Benzoate: Sodium benzoate is a preservative found in carbonated
beverages and fruit juices, condiments, candies and many other products. It has
been implicated either separately or together with artificial colorings for
causing or aggravating ADHD symptoms, and is best avoided.
The lunch
pack of most children of school age is usually stuffed with carbonated drinks,
packaged drinks and the rest. Health conscious schools place an outright ban on
the inclusion of these drinks in the lunch pack for pupils and advocate that
parents replace these drinks with fruits and water.
5.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): This is from Dr. Joseph Mercola;
MSG is used in countless foods in
your supermarket, local restaurants, school cafeterias, and more. Everything
from soup to crackers to meats may contain it because MSG, as dangerous as it
is, makes food taste good and it is dirt cheap, just like sugar.
There are a couple of main reasons
why MSG is one of the worst food additives on the market. First, as Dr.
Blaylock explains in his book Excitotoxins:
The Taste that Kills, MSG is an excitotoxin, which means that it acts as a
poison that overexcites your cells to the point of serious damage. MSG is non-discriminatory
in its destructive path and can cause serious side effects throughout your
bodily systems, including:
Cardiac
Circulatory
Gastrointestinal
Muscular
Neurological
Visual
Respiratory
Urological/genital
Skin
Other studies have confirmed that
early exposure to MSG and other excitotoxins can destroy neurons in a crucial
part of your brain, which can lead to gross obesity.
The second part of the equation is
that MSG can be literally hidden in food labels, under names like broth,
casein, hydrolyzed, autolyzed, natural flavors, and more, making it extremely
difficult to identify.
Instant
foods and artificial seasonings are usually laden with MSG. Instant foods are
tasty for children and easy for moms but destructive to the body. Again, the
choice is yours!
THOUGHTS AND
SUGGESTIONS
1. Anti-hypoglycemic
diet is your best bet when dealing and preventing behavioral problems in
children, as well as for the prevention of neurological diseases such as
Alzheimer’s.
2. Feed your
children with a healthy diet that includes lots of fresh, locally-grown organic
vegetables and fruits.
3. GRADUALLY
and TACTICALLY replace snacks with fruits using snacks as a reward for eating
fruits until they can completely go off all the un-healthy snacks.
4. Make
their diet rich in Omega-3-Oils
5. Avoid
foods with preservatives, colorings, artificial flavorings and other foods
which are harmful such as dairy, sugar, white flour, white rice, and others.
.
6. Avoid
anything with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and ALL artificial sweeteners
7. Limit MSG
intake by avoiding most processed foods
Ensure your
children observe play time in the open to give them moderate exposure to the
sun for Vitamin D to ensure the absorption of minerals. Most schools don’t have
play grounds in Nigeria anymore. It has serious effects on the mental health of
children of school age.
Questions and queries can be sent to alabipd@gmail.com.
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