Diet For ADHD - Follow These Three Rules And Give Your Child A Much Better Advantage
Diet For ADHD - Follow These Three Rules And Give Your Child A Much Better Advantage
There are now so many plans for an ADHD diet that it really is difficult at times to know what to follow. The most famous elimination diet of all is that of Dr. Feingold which was developed about thirty years ago. It still has many followers and many critics too. His diet for ADHD consists of basically eliminating all the preservatives, food colourings and artificial sweeteners from all the kids' food. This is quite difficult to do and maybe that is one of the reasons why it has had such varied results.
All the research now points to simpler changes which can reduce hyperactivity, and improve concentration and attention spans, so this is the way to go. School meals were changed at Appleton High School in Wisconsin and behavior problems were drastically reduced.
The first simple rule I always follow in a diet for ADHD is to give the kids a protein rich breakfast. Research done by the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent medicine certainly support this principle in that they found that their kids were much less disruptive, did better at school because of increased attention spans.
The best breakfast then is one where you give preference to proteins and complex carbohydrates. That means using eggs, whole grain cereals with fruit on top. Also you can give them yogurt with some oatmeal and raisins in it or whole grain bread. The idea here is that proteins will help to stabilize blood sugar and will also help to create amino acids which in turn help the brain transmitters to work better.
The second rule I follow is to avoid all packaging and boxed food as far as possible. Somebody once remarked that if the food comes in a box or packet, you should avoid it. That means we have to favor fruit, vegetables, nuts and other healthy snacks plus water instead of fizzy pop.
The third rule I follow in a diet for ADHD is to make sure that the kids are getting enough healthy fats. As our brains are made of 60% of these kinds of fat, then we need to ramp up on the Omega 3 essential fatty acids. These have been shown over and over again to have a positive impact on brain functioning.
You can serve more fish such as salmon and tuna, flaxseed oil as dressing and also nuts. However if your kids do not like fish at all and if you are worried about levels of mercury, then a pharmaceutical grade Omega 3 is just as good.
In my view, there is no need to go overboard and try the elimination diets, rotation diets and all the other fads that have hit the scene. Every child is different and some experimentation is necessary but following the above rules on diet for ADHD should make your life much easier. It will also give your child a much better chance and a much healthier life too.
If you would like to know more about ADHD diet and natural treatment options, why not visit my site where I have set it all out for you. ADHD Medications - Are You Getting The Full Story And Giving Your Child The Best Possible Treatment? The ADHD Test - Your Must Know Guide Before You Take Your Child For Testing Medications For Attention Deficit - Safer And More Effective Solutions To Protect Your Child Attention Deficit Disorder Diet - Looking for A Realistic Solution to Help Your Child Grow Child Custody And You - What You Should Know Child Custody Law When Do Children Know The Meaning Of "No!" ADHD Natural Remedies - Looking At The Best Ways To Treat Your ADHD Child Natural Treatment of ADHD In Children - Looking At the Best And Safest Options For Your Child Hyperactive Children - Helping Them Grow Up To Be Well Adjusted Adults Hyperactivity In Children - How To Give Them the Best Possible Chance in Life Helping A Hyperactive Child - Getting the Solution Right To Raise A Great Kid Smoking During Pregnancy And How It Can Damage Your Child