Does what you eat really matter and is there a relationship between food and behavior? Yes! There are so many statistics that verify this, but you are what you eat. Could poor food choices even be the cause to some allergies and psychological conditions? There is a growing awareness that certain foods, including additives, artificial ingredients and GMOs are triggering aggression, learning problems, hyperactivity such as ADD and ADHD in children and even bipolar conditions. Some research-based facts include:
- Children who skip breakfast are less able to distinguish similar images, show increased errors and have slower memory recall.
- Children who are undernourished in vitamins and nutrients have lower cognitive test scores and are more likely to be suspended from school, have difficulty getting along with their peers or have trouble making friends.
- Children who have better nutrition miss less school, have better behavior and are more attentive in class.
There was a two-week trial in Worcestershire, England at Barnabas School that banned 27 food additives. The staff noticed a marked improvement in both the students’ behavior and their concentration levels in just two weeks. Parents reported that their children behaved better at home and even slept better. In New South Wales, Australia at Palmers Island Primary School, they provided an additive-free breakfast for students and made suggestions for chemical-free lunches and dinner. The students were reported to be less aggressive and more cooperative. “We found difficult children created much less of a disturbance” said the principal who noticed changes within three to four days. The families also reported that they were more harmonious and there was less fighting among siblings. Another report from Australia found that children in daycare who ate highly processed foods were more likely to bully and injure others on the playground.
The link between artificial food, behavior and learning problems was first reported by Benjamin Feingold MD, a pediatrician and Chief of Allergy at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Francisco. And a trial done by Boris and Mandel of Cornell Medical Center reported that 73 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD responded positively to a diet that eliminated all artificial ingredients. They stated that, “…Through a simple elimination diet, (ADHD) symptoms can be controlled.”
Here is a video that demonstrate an experiment that was done with younger kids and what they ate:
So what should we stay away from when possible? Always read the ingredient label and try to avoid: food colors (i.e. Blue 2, Yellow 5, Red 40), nitrates (lunch meat), excessive sugar because cancer feeds on sugar, any GMOs which are unfortunately in most wheat, soy and corn products today unless they are organic, anything artificial such as sweeteners (i.e. aspartame), preservatives (i.e. BHA, BHT) and flavorings such as MSG.
The GAPS diet addresses what are more healthy choices and it also speaks to the relationship of the gut flora, overall health and brain function. It is a must read. Here’s to better eating!
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