Tips on a healthy diet to control ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects more than 10 per cent of children in the world, and those numbers are climbing. Today, many physicians may argue that diet does not play a role in this neurodevelopmental disorder, but the consensus is in, and studies are pointing to research stating that it does.

• The one thing for certain is that children being identified with ADHD must display these symptoms for prolonged periods of time before being diagnosed.
• In today's prescription-driven medical world, sometimes that isn't the case.

• The most common treatments for children diagnosed with ADHD are amphetamine stimulants, such as Adderall and methylphenidate stimulants such as Ritalin, and others.
• These drugs come with severe warnings of side effects and can cause serious health risks.

• Many families have found that deficiencies can be as detrimental to this disorder as consuming foods that cause harm.
• It is a well-documented fact that when adults and children are deficient in certain nutrients, it creates serious health problems.
• Deficiencies are usually present in diets high in junk food and low in consumption of fruits and vegetables.

• In the 1970s a study known as the "Feingold Diet" theorised that food additives were responsible for the increase in ADHD cases.
• Dr. Benjamin Feingold, author of Why Your Child is Hyperactive, studied and promoted the elimination diet.
• This entailed the removal of food additives, flavourings and dyes in foods, among other impurities, and once removed had astonishing results.
• More than half of the children studied showed dramatic improvement.
• When these additives were then added back, the symptoms returned.

• A 2011 study found that with a restricted diet that only included whole foods such as rice, turkey, lettuce, carrots, pears, pure water,and other hypoallergenic foods that contained no additives showed miraculous results.
• One of the authors of that study, Dr. Lidy Pelsser reports: "Food is the main cause of ADHD," adding, "After the [restrictive] diet, they were just normal children with normal behaviour. They were no longer more easily distracted, they were no more forgetful, there were no more temper-tantrums."
• The study conclusively revealed that in 64 per cent of children with ADHD, the symptoms were caused by food. "It's a hypersensitivity reaction to food," Pelsser said.