It’s the dreaded Childhood Split Personality Syndrome – you’ve seen it, but are you aware that you could possibly be to blame for it all? Without knowing it, of course.
Let me set the scene.
Breakfast, which consisted of bagels, with butter and jam, a bowl of sugary cereal, and a glass of artificial fruit punch to go with it, was finished only moments before. Your innocent, sweet, calm, cool and collected children have moved into the junk room and are sitting on the sofa watching their favorite TV show, laughing and playing happily together. As they stand there watching their delicious bundles of joy, they cannot deny the feelings of love that wash over them. You are so delighted to have created these holy little terrors, I mean precious beings! It’s so sweet it’s a Kodak moment!
BUT you better get your joggers on to run towards the camera fast because in a matter of seconds your beautiful, precious children will have been transformed into his and her fiends! What was once a beautiful Kodak moment has now morphed into a hellish nightmare of screaming and screaming, children jumping from couch to couch, your ears tingling with shrill cries of pain as your eyes witness a lock of hair flying . Then a crash, with a smile and no feelings “Sorry mom, I broke your favorite lamp!” As this adorable boy soars through the air once more!
And just think, a few moments ago you were thinking about how cute they were and how you should probably give them another sibling. But because of what you are witnessing, the impulsive thought has vanished! Now you hear yourself screaming: “I brought you into this world, I can take you out!”
Okay, maybe you didn’t say it, but we all know you certainly were thinking it!… end of scene.
So what causes fluctuation in our children’s behavior?
Today, we will look at your diet. This article will focus on some dietary interventions for Indigo/ADD/ADHD children. These children are very sensitive people, they are sensitive to their surroundings, what clothes they may wear and the food they eat. For kids (and adults) to focus, they need to have nutritious foods that improve their energy and focus. Most kids start the day eating simple carbohydrates like waffles, muffins, donuts, pop-tarts, bagels, cinnamon rolls, and sugary cereals. (By the way, these products often contain MSG. An addictive little additive that no one should be consuming! But that’s another article.)
No wonder most kids behave like crazy and can’t concentrate in the classroom! They are bouncing from one end of the spectrum, high blood sugar levels, to the complete opposite of the spectrum, below normal blood sugar levels. This can be seen in their behavior. Simple sugars or simple carbohydrates stimulate the pancreas to secrete higher levels of insulin into the bloodstream, causing rapid absorption of sugar into the cells. This is the effect we refer to as the “sugar rush.” The consumption of simple sugars can contribute to your behavioral ups and downs, such as anger, distractibility, aggression, impulsiveness, hyperactivity, etc. to the opposite extreme of feeling distracted, tired, confused, and inattentive. Hmm? I wonder if a change in diet is better than drugging our children with Ritalin. I’m here to say YES it is!
Dr. Allen Buresz: “In 1996, the World Health Organization warned that the excessive use of Ritalin has reached dangerous proportions. Hopefully, with the correct information, you will be able to avoid the use of Ritalin or other similar drugs. The use of these drugs on a long-term basis is questionable. The safety of such long-term use is simply unknown, but many dangerous side effects have been on the rise. Ritalin, for example, can cause seizures and suppress growth, or it can cause angina, blood pressure changes, depression, or any of a long list of serious side effects.
Dr. Robert Mendelsohn MD – “No one has ever been able to show that drugs like Cylert and Ritalin improve the academic performance of children who take them… The student is drugged to make life easier for his teacher (and some parents). not to make it better and more productive for the child.”
I believe that food can be used as medicine and that our diet does matter a lot! It’s good for your body and mind to avoid eating simple carbohydrates, anything made from refined or white flour, such as pasta, bagels, white bread, and cereals. Stop eating chemically harmful processed foods and pre-packaged foods. Do you know what’s in them? It is imperative to start reading the labels of the foods you are feeding yourself and your children. I know, now you’re thinking, great, so what do we eat? Well, we go back to eating as we did before going shopping at the supermarket: organic and natural! There is probably an organic store in your area. Larger supermarket chains often have a “small” organic section. You can also grow your own fruits and vegetables! Start your own outdoor garden or buy pots and place them in window sills.
It is also important to take a multivitamin and mineral supplement but beware of dyes! Omega-3 oils, specifically fish oil, is probably the most important nutrient an Indigo/ADD/ADHD child should take. Dr. Stoll’s book The Omega-3 Connection is highly recommended reading! A Purdue University study showed that children low in Omega-3 essential fatty acids are much more likely to be hyperactive, have learning disabilities, and display behavioral problems. Omega-3 deficiencies have also been linked to dyslexia, violence, depression, memory problems, weight gain, cancer, heart disease, eczema, allergies, inflammatory diseases, arthritis, diabetes and many other conditions.
Here are some food options to implement in your home. This change that is taking place within your family unit is a lifestyle change. You must do your part, if your child can’t eat something, your whole family must make the decision that they can’t either. This will support your child in a very loving way instead of making him feel like he is being punished. If your son feels that he is being denied food because he sees you eating it, he will eat it behind your back. How can you tell a child that something is not good for him and you eat it?! You MUST lead by example, especially with these kids!
The first most important substance required for the human body is water. Pure natural water and lots of it! Nutritionists recommend a minimum of 8 eight-ounce glasses a day, more if you’re active. That doesn’t mean you can have eight cups of (adult) coffee or eight glasses of artificial juice and say well, it’s made with water, so I got my intake. Wrong! Pure water. Easy. There’s no way to avoid it! It is best to avoid substances that dehydrate the body, such as caffeine and alcohol. If you consume dehydrating products, then you need to consume even more water to flush out toxins.
The diet will consist of proteins, complex carbohydrates and fats. It is important to eat about every 2 to 3 hours, up to 3 hours before bedtime. This works out to eat about 6 times a day. Yes, I know this sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t due to the small portions. When meals are eaten this way, it actually increases your metabolism, so you’ll burn more fat! Your body stays fueled with the proper nutrients and never gets a chance to go into starvation mode, where it actually stores fat and begins to cannibalize itself by eating muscle for energy!
It’s also important for your child to exercise every day. This is getting more and more rare with all the new technological advances that are being made. Children learn by example. If you don’t exercise, in most cases they won’t either. Start going for bike rides with them, or walking, swimming, skating, etc. Make it fun! Life has become too serious. It’s time to slow down and enjoy your children. They are only with you for a short time. Enjoy it while you can, you only have a few years to make a big impression as a parent. Always remember that you teach your children, your children will teach their children!
Each meal will consist of a protein, a complex carbohydrate and a vegetable. Eating this way requires discipline and planning ahead. Precooking and canning for a few days really helps cut down on time in the kitchen. The serving size of each will be the size of your palm. Example: You selected a piece of chicken for a meal, if you were to place the piece of chicken in your hand, it would be no larger than the size of your palm. The following lists are useful little tools to get you started. They are by no means the only things you can eat!
Healthier quality proteins: The first two listed are the best options (in my opinion), the next ones if you must consume animal products. If your child refuses to eat, don’t force him! There are many other foods available that can provide the required daily protein intake.
or Protein Powder
o Soy-based products
o Egg whites or substitutes
o Low-fat cottage cheese
Chicken
or Turkey
Tuna
o Salmon
orange roughy
or Haddock
Crab
Lobster
shrimp
o Lean ground beef
Healthiest Quality Carbs: ORGANIC products are absolutely the best and really should be considered! Please don’t load them with saturated fat!
or baked potato
or sweet potato
or yam
o Steamed brown rice
o Steamed wild rice
or oatmeal
or barley
Beans
or Wholemeal Bread
Whole grains
oCorn
strawberries
cantaloupe
apple
orange
pears
Kiwi
The healthiest quality of vegetables – ORGANIC produce is absolutely the best and really should be considered! Please don’t load them with saturated fat!
broccoli
asparagus
lettuce
carrots
Cauliflower
or green beans
or Green Peppers
Mushrooms
Spinach
Tomatoes
Green peas
or Brussels sprouts
cabbage
Artichoke
or Celery
zucchini
Cucumber
The healthiest quality of fats:
Despite popular belief, not all fats are bad. Saturated fats are bad for you, while unsaturated fats, in moderate amounts, can actually be good for you. For example, one of the reasons fish is such a healthy food is because it contains essential fatty acids.
or safflower oil
or sesame oil
or Lawyers
You are the guardian of your child’s land, change his diet and watch him flourish in every area of his life instead of poisoning him with drugs. It’s time to take control of our lives and get back to basics. Eat as naturally as possible. You can find all kinds of great books with very healthy recipes. Do some research, your kids are worth it!
IMPORTANT: Use this information at your own risk. This information should not be used in place of proper medical advice. If there are problems, always consult your doctor.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected] For more articles and healing tools, visit my website. As always, keep smiling and play in love!
