Friday, October 24, 2008

Foods That Conquer ADHD - Discover the Best and the Worst Foods For ADHD KidsBy Svetlana Gibarac

Adopting a brain healthy diet for ADHD can be a huge asset in a your fight against this disorder. Find out about some of the best and worst choices for foods for ADHD kids.
The following foods are ADHD diet super stars:
Nutrient rich foods. Fruits and vegetables should form the bulk of anyone's diet. Lightly steamed, in soups, raw as snacks and in salads, they are perfect foods for ADHD kids. Blueberries are especially supportive of brain health.
Omega-3 fatty Acids. ADHD kids are often low in them and deficiency has been linked to everything from impulsive behavior to aggression, dyslexia, depression, and temper tantrums. Get Omega-3s from low-mercury fish and from fish oil supplements.
Ground flax seeds and nuts. Flax seeds and nuts, especially walnuts, are rich in fatty acids and lignans, often lacking in our diets. Throw a tablespoon of ground flax seeds in a fruit shake-- it won't taste any different, but it'll be thick, creamy and super healthy!
Make sure your child avoids:
Foods with artificial colors and preservatives. Recent studies have demonstrated a connection between food colorings and preservatives and hyperactivity and inattention. From bans in the UK to warnings on foods containing them in the EU, everyone is waking up to the dangers of artificial additives. So encourage you child to pass up on electric blue frosting!
Junk foods. We all know that sugar and empty calories are bad for us. But ADHD kids' bodies have additional issues when processing sugar, which make tit hard for them to deal with the stressful effects that a high sugar meal can have on the brain. Leave candy bars and soda out of their diet. They have no nutritional value and may aggravate ADHD symptoms.
"Bad" fats. Trans fats and saturated fats have been linked to all sorts of degenerative diseases, from heart disease to various cancers. Skip anything deep fried and anything that has partially hydrogenated fats in it.
Wheat and dairy products. Gluten and casein can provoke allergic responses in some kids. And it's not just allergies that are problematic: sensitivities to particular foods may also alter enzyme function in the brain, affect the production of neurotransmitters and histamine release. Many parents have seen a difference in their child's behavior when they've excluded gluten containing grains and dairy product from their children's diets. Make millet, quinoa, oatmeal instead; encourage your child to try rice, almond, soy or hemp milk.
Diet for ADHD can be amazingly effective but there are a few things you must keep in mind if you are really committed to making it work.
You have to give it time. Improvements will not happen overnight. Doctors generally say that improvements can be expected between three and six months after starting on the diet.
Realize that brain health is a family affair. While there are certainly specific allergy considerations for each ADHD child, diet for ADHD supports brain health and overall health. The entire family will benefit from it! Eating fruits and vegetables is not a punishment and is not something that the child should do in isolation!
Most importantly, it's the combination that's effective! No single thing will make a difference by itself; it's the overall approach that supports brain health and helps diminish ADHD symptoms. Diet is just one part of the answer.
Eating the right foods for ADHD is a huge step in the right direction, but it's only a step. ADHD is a complicated disorder and it must be attacked on many fronts simultaneously. Diet for ADHD is most successful when combined with additional modalities such as behavior therapy, changes in the family and home environment, as well as homeopathic remedies to address certain specific ADHD symptoms.
There is no reason why your life has to be a daily battle with frustration and embarrassment of ADHD. If you are ready to read more about how natural remedies can help with ADHD symptoms, visit http://www.adhd-treatment-guide.com/ Join the thousands we have already helped and visit us now.
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