Have you ever driven your child home from a birthday party feeling like he had been hijacked by the naughty monster? Outbursts of yelling, crying, and inattention seem to be intensified after the cake and ice cream indulgence. You may be attributing the change in behavior to your child being tired, however, have you considered his sensitivity to the foods in which he indulged? Maybe you find yourself discussing with his teacher or your family doctor his increase in hyperactivity around the holidays when cookies and candies are ubiquitous?
These behaviors can be linked with a common disorder in children called ADHD. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with the traits of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. It is one of the most common disorders in children. Inevitably those same children grow up to become adults with the same disorder. All age groups can have ADHD. It’s not always easy to understand the disorder and this is partly because there isn’t one single cause of ADHD. Various research studies find correlations to genetic influences, diet, food allergies, environmental toxins, and poor nutrition during infancy.
One of the most profound treatments I have utilized in my practice for ADHD is diet modification. It just so happens to be the least costly and assuredly improves your child’s overall health at the same time.
The simplest of changes in nutrition, such as cutting back on sugary snacks, could bring out the sweeter side in your child. It will even help him control challenging ADHD symptoms like impulsivity and inattention. And this diet suggestion isn’t exclusively for children with ADHD, all children can benefit from a healthier less sugar-laden diet.
So where does this leave you, in between birthday cupcakes, holiday treats, and summer ice cream? I know it may seem like a difficult, rather than simple, change. Don’t panic! The first thing to do is determine how sugar affects your child. I suggest a 10-day trial of a diet low in potential behavioral trigger foods.
Dr. Nicole’s Simple 10-day Food Challenge Plan
Step 1: Eliminate all cookies, candy, juice, crackers, and excessive fruit consumption
Step 2: Eliminate all foods with MSG additive and food dyes
Step 3: Avoid gluten-based products if possible
During this time, focus on a balanced diet of PROTEIN, FAT and NON-REFINED CARBS. Eating a diet that has a nutritional balance, as recommended below, will help improve the diversity of your child’s gut microbiome. The gut is where their genes are turned on and off. Therefore, the diet can serve to improve genetics and identify, as well as eliminate trigger foods, having a two-fold effect.
Protein sources can come from organic meat, wild fish, pasture raised eggs, nuts, and beans. Healthy fats are found in nuts, avocado, ghee, pasture raised butter and oils, and organic full fat dairy products. Non-refined carbs are root vegetables, beans, tomatoes, and berries.
Sample Menu:
Breakfast: 1 egg, avocado slices and blueberries; unsweetened organic yogurt with finely chopped nuts and berries
Snack: Celery with peanut butter; sliced veggies with guacamole; slice of organic cheese
Lunch or Dinner: Steamed broccoli with pasture raised butter and wild tuna or cod chunks; sautéed ground turkey and black beans; rotisserie chicken and cauliflower rice and beans; homemade chicken noodle soup (sneak in a few veggies)
When you have completed 10 days, reintroduce several sugary and glutenous foods in the following three days and observe any changes in behavior.
Sugar and its “alter” egos:
The following ingredients are all code words for sugar:
- agave
- corn sweetener
- corn syrup (or high fructose corn syrup)
- corn syrup solids
- dehydrated cane juice
- dextrin
- dextrose
- honey
- sc maltodextrin; malt syrup; maltose
- maple syrup
- molasses
- rice syrup
- saccharose
- sorghum or sorghum syrup
- sucrose
The final strategy would be to ask your doctor for a food allergy or intolerance panel. These blood or skin tests allow you to identify other triggers in the behavioral upheavals of your child. All of the strategies above are safe, non-toxic and can be managed without medication. Some children will still need extra support through natural supplementation or medication.
Happy investigating, parents!
