On average 30% of foods in our daily diet are processed foods. These are foods that come in a box or a can and have many ingredients that are hard to pronounce, containing food starches, gums, preservatives, and colorings. Many processed foods have to be enriched, adding inorganic minerals and vitamins to compensate for the nutrition lost in the processing of the food. Some people believe enriched foods are good enough, and we will be able to absorb their nutrients sufficiently to benefit from them. But what about the great increase in type II diabetes in the past few years, seen especially now in children? What about the increase in Attention Deficit Disorder and behavioral problems in schools? Adults are now getting symptoms of Alzheimer's more quickly than before, and are suffering from chronic diseases earlier in life.
The first suggestion I tell parents who are struggling with a hyperactive child is to stay away from any food colorings, especially the added colorings in juices, cereals, snacks, and vitamin supplements. These food colorings affect the functioning of the nervous system. Our liver cannot break down these chemicals and they affect our neurotransmitters, and eventually our thinking ability. It is amazing the amount of food coloring found in processed foods. Significant increases in hyperactivity occur after getting 20 mg. of food coloring per day, which is much less than the amount found in many processed foods today.
When food additives are added to natural foods both physical and behavioral problems can occur. The three most common symptoms found when we get too many food additives are headaches, anxiety, and upset stomach. Common food additives to watch out for, beside food colorings, are preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and caffeine. Preservatives are found in all processed foods, and even in some of the natural foods such as fruits and vegetables. It is difficult to get all fresh food unless you grow it yourself. Preservatives prevent spoilage of food so that it can be transported from the farm or factory to our grocery stores.
The FDA generally regards each of these food additives as safe, at least in small quantities. But when combining them in foods and then looking at the potential cumulative effect, we have to realize that the more preservative and food additives we get on a daily basis, the more our liver has to detoxify. That is why headaches and bloating are common symptoms of too many food additives.
Among the many factors that shape the lives of children, nutrition often plays a critical role. What children eat during their growing years has a great effect on the way they think, learn, and act. Many studies have found, for example, that children with higher intakes of antioxidants, B vitamins and minerals do better in school than those children whose diets are lower in these nutrients. Others studies show that children who are exposed to too many environmental chemicals or heavy metals in the air and water have more trouble learning and remembering, and have more nervous system disorders.
The Feingold program is a children's nutritional program that recommends a diet based on foods that do not contain artificial flavors, preservatives, and food colorings. Numerous research studies found that symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder improved between 50 and 70% of the time while children followed this nutritional program.
One study, published in Lancet in 1985, showed that 79% of hyperactive children had symptoms improve when food chemicals were removed from their diet. Then when the food chemicals were re-introduced the symptoms returned. Sugar was found to have a similar detrimental effect as food chemicals. In controlled studies done at juvenile correctional facilities in the 1980s, they found that behavior improved in 47% of the 12 facilities that took part in the Feingold program, which included over 8000 juveniles.
Many health issues are caused by lack of bioavailable nutrition in our diet. Our digestive system tries to absorb nutrients from the foods we eat. Depending on the state of the food ? baked, broiled, microwaved, or the additives added, our body can actually get more stressed eating foods that are hard for our liver to metabolize. This is why the National Cancer Institute keeps raising the number of fruits and vegetables recommended daily to prevent cancer, and keep our immune system healthy. This is another reason we are seeing earlier signs of indigestion and heartburn in children. The foods we put in our body have so many preservatives, and chemicals, and not enough real nutrition to be beneficial.
Dr. Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D. is Naturopath and Doctor of Homeopathy in Southwest Michigan. She is the author of "Natural Choices for Fibromyalgia" and "Natural Choices for Attention Deficit Disorder". She is a professional speaker on a variety of natural health topics, and can be reached at doctoroelke@aol.com and doctoroelke@aol.com
Airbnb cleaning service Arlington Heights ..Studies on whey demonstrate it's an even better protein supplement... Read More
Whether you're concerned about cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or simply... Read More
For most people, the concept of capsulized food? usually conjures... Read More
An American culture that is marked by a chronic lack... Read More
What ancient tribes and people of the Amazon have known... Read More
Archeological records indicate that man has cultivated the olive tree... Read More
Glowing skin comes free of charge to you. Our simple... Read More
Nuts are readily available and provide a highly nutritious food.... Read More
In parts 1-4 of this series of articles titled "Take... Read More
In today's world, there's a definite need to be proactive... Read More
One of the biggest mistakes many new bodybuilders make is... Read More
Dr. Barry Sears revolutionized nutritional thinking around the world with... Read More
Evidence for the importance of fruit and vegetable intake to... Read More
Looking into statistics, we can see the average American consumes... Read More
Eating healthy is fast becoming a way of life. American's... Read More
There's no doubt--carbohydrates have taken center stage in public discourse... Read More
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin like A and E.... Read More
Can a child thrive on a vegan diet? The answer... Read More
Copyright ? 2004 priya shah Glutathione, the body's... Read More
If you are like most people, you don't enjoy the... Read More
Instead of Butter: Use top quality, cold pressed, extra virgin... Read More
A flood of scientific evidence about fish oil points to... Read More
Here's a conundrum: While experts agree that high cholesterol and... Read More
Is the thrill gone? Has the thrill gone out of... Read More
You are what you eat is a simple, time tested... Read More
reliable maid service Winnetka ..Understanding What a Low Cholesterol Diet isBasically, in order to... Read More
Do you notice your child putting off going to the... Read More
Images of "protein powder" containers with accomplished bodybuilders on their... Read More
Do you know your ph? By getting ph strips at... Read More
People who consume too much alcohol have good chance of... Read More
(Part 1 of a Special 5 Part Series on Body... Read More
The word cholesterol has become synonymous with poor health. Indeed,... Read More
How Can... Read More
Sugar intake is a real concern for people who've had... Read More
Because I believe diet and exercise are so important, I'm... Read More
Eating orange mean absorbing vitamin C to our body, is... Read More
A lot of people I've talked with about health supplements... Read More
During the past thirty years there has been a steadily... Read More
It is amazing to be able to say I am... Read More
The quality of food we eat (or lack thereof) has... Read More
I know that the headline is a oldie, but it... Read More
Essential fatty acids are the number one recommendation for anyone... Read More
According to the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis... Read More
So, what is new about this that you already don't... Read More
If you're suffering from constipation, you are no doubt looking... Read More
In large part, you're in control of your health, not... Read More
I'm going to be a bit radical here, but know... Read More
Did you know the average American gains 5-7 pounds every... Read More
You wouldn't judge a book by its cover, would you?You... Read More
Sprouts not only taste good, but they are also a... Read More
Nutrition |