| |
| |
|
Parenting Information |
|
|
|
Our Recommended Eating Program for ADHD
Below is a copy of our eating program for Attention Deficit Disorder - ADD ADHD kids. It is not a very strict program, unless you are used to having most meals at your local fast food restaurant. The information on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder presented here from the ADD Information Library is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the expert and professional advice of your physician, psychologist, or therapist. Always seek help from qualified professionals in the field of attention deficit disorder. Always consult your physician. This program is recommended for every member of the family. It's not just an ADHD program. It's the same program that we put professional athletes and business executives on for optimized performance, with only minor changes. We have found that it really helps about 25% of the ADHD kids that try it. The most common feedback that we get from parents is, "Well, it helped my kid somewhat, but I really feel great!" Results fall into a "Bell Curve." A few will do great, a few are completely unaffected, and most do somewhat better - but it is not enough as a stand-alone intervention. Please have realistic expectations. But please try it. It just may be a big help to your family. First, what NOT to eat for TWO WEEKS: 1) NO DAIRY PRODUCTS, especially cow's milk. This is the single most important restriction. Instead try Almond milk, Rice milk, or Better Than Milk. Drink water instead of milk. In fact, drink lots of water. The brain is about 80% water, and increasing your water intake to 7 to 10 glasses per day might be helpful all by itself. Sodas, Gatorade, teas, icees, etc., do not count as water. Only water counts as water. 2) NO YELLOW FOODS. Especially Corn or Squash. By the way, bananas are white. Just don't eat the peel. 3) NO JUNK FOODS. If it comes in a cellophane wrapper, don't eat it. 4) NO FRUIT JUICES. They have too much sugar content. One small glass of apple juice has the sugar content of eight apples. Later on you can have juice, but even then dilute it with water 50/50. 5) CUT SUGAR INTAKE BY 90%. If you can, cut it down to zero. Sugar is in just about everything, but give it a try. Do your best without going crazy. 6) CUT CHOCOLATE BY 90%. No more than a single piece, once a week. 7) NO NUTRASWEET. None. Period. And while we are at it, no Splenda either. These artificial sweetners just are not made for optimal brain performance. 8) NO PROCESSED MEATS and NO MSG. Only get meats with labels that say, "Turkey and Water," etc. If the meat has chemicals listed that you can't pronounce, don't buy it. 9) CUT FRIED FOODS BY 90%. 10) AVOID FOOD COLORINGS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. See if your child is sensitive to any particular colors, such as Reds, Yellows, etc. For now, though, avoid all if possible. SUMMARY: Just eat foods that God made for a while. Eat like people did in the 1940's. Watch old Leave It To Beaver re-runs to see how the Cleavers used to eat. Go to a used book store and get a Betty Crocker's Cook Book for recipe ideas. There really are about 10,000 meals that you CAN eat, but not much in the way of "fast foods" or "convenience" foods. AFTER TWO WEEKS begin adding these foods back into your diet, one food every other day. Eat A LOT of that food every day for four days. If you have a problem with one of the foods, you will see some kind of a "reaction" within four days. The reaction can vary from big red splotches on the body to ears turning bright red to explosive temper outbursts. If there's a problem, you'll know. If there's no problem, enjoy the food.
What TO eat to FEED THE BRAIN: 1) FOR BREAKFAST SERVE HIGHER PROTEIN, LOWER CARBOHYDRATE MEALS. Say, "Good-bye," to Breakfast cereals and milk. Serve 60% Protein and 40% Carbohydrates for breakfast. Other meals should be 50% / 50%. 2) PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS might be needed to get the added protein for breakfast. They are often very helpful in the afternoon as well. Here is our favorite recipe for a Protein Shake: a) Make a cup of coffee, using one of General Mills' International Coffees, or something like that, with a flavor that you or your child will like (yes, I know I'm breaking my own rules here, as these coffees have dried milk and some sugar, but I'm trying to get your kid to actually drink the thing, and also get some caffeine mixed with the protein.). Pour the hot coffee into a blender with about 6 oz of ice. Turn on the blender for a bit. b) Add a good quality protein powder. There are many good ones available. If you can't find one that you like, ask at your local health food store. Get protein powders that are mostly protein and very little carbohydrate. Add between 15 and 20 grams of protein to the cold coffee in the blender. c) Turn on the blender again. d) Drink it up. This protein shake is helpful for a lot of people. For many small kids, and many adults, this recipe works about as well as a small dose of Ritalin (100 mg of caffeine is roughly the same as 5 mg of Ritalin). So many who might just take a small dose of Ritalin might get away with just doing this. Don't forget, though, that even caffeine can have some side effects. Every once in a while we find someone that has problems with the caffeine in the coffee. Usually, though, the caffeine in the coffee helps the person to focus better. The protein helps to feed the brain. If you find this helpful, have one with Breakfast, and one around 3 pm. If it is not helpful, then don't bother with it. 3) MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS may be helpful. Colloidal Minerals or fully chelated minerals are the best. Don't buy minerals in the grocery store. Get good minerals. 4) ATTEND, and EXTRESS from VAXA. We recommend the "Attend" product for everyone. The "Extress" is recommended in addition to the Attend for those with problems with hyperactivity and temper. These are strongly recommended. 5) FLAX SEED or PRIMROSE OIL. These are high sources of Omega oils which are very important, especially for those with Attention Deficit Disorder. Borage oils and some fish oils are good sources of Omega Oils as well. Mix about a spoonful a day of flax seed oil into foods as you prepare them, or add to salad dressings, etc. Or you can buy supplements. 6) EAT LOTS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. Eat in a healthy manner. 7) Avoid Aluminum exposure whenever possible. Try it out and let us know what you think. Oh, before you email back and ask, "Well, what can we eat?" please look through your Betty Crocker Cook Book and you'll find hundreds of recipes that will fit. It's the convenience foods that are most of the problem. Re-discover the lost art of cooking! Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.
MORE RESOURCES:
parenting - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Financially Stable Kids - Prepared for College We are all familiar with the stories that most students have when they finally get through those last days of college. Their financial states are in ruins, with accumulated credit card debt along with the student loans. Parenting - The Irrational Vocation There are some grounds to assume that a cognitive dissonance is involved in feeling that children are more a satisfaction than a nuisance. Why do people bother with parenting? It is time consuming, exhausting, strains otherwise pleasurable and tranquil relationships to their limits. How To Develop Your Babys Brain Have you ever wondered why toys for babies tend to have so many bells, whistles and lights? Or why they have so many different textures, and materials and colors? It's almost as if we want to provide young babies with a whole world of stimulation and we can't quite get it to them fast enough.Play gyms or activity gyms as they are sometimes called tend to be a firm favorite with babies from newborn up to about 12 months. Promoting Your Childs Motor Development Assuming there are no serious motor problems present, what can you, as an involved parent, do to help promote your child's motor development? To help ensure she becomes a competent, confident mover who enjoys and therefore takes part in physical activity? The answer is: Plenty!Practice is one of the most important factors involved in achieving higher levels of skill performance. But one of the most important factors involved in practice is that it not feel like practice!It's simple, really: All you have to do is play with your child. Protect your Kids Early with Safety Glasses What exactly makes safety glasses different from regular glasses? There are several reasons glasses will be rated as safe. They must not only cover the front of the eyes but also the top and sides as well so small particles can't enter the eye. Send the Kids Outside! Think back to your own childhood. Chances are, some of your fondest memories are of outdoor activities and places. Back to School; Time to Recharge The back-to-school shopping is done. Brand new pencils, colored markers, and notebooks fill my daughter's back pack. Spelling Games The following spelling games can be used by parents to reinforce spelling in children:SPELLING GAME 1: USE BOARD GAMES, SUCH AS MONOPOLYPlay any game that is normally played with dice with the child -- Monopoly, for example. The parent can continue to move her token forward in the normal way by throwing the dice, but the child must orally spell a word to move forward. Beyond the Words, a Childs Voice Voices have a way of falling into a pattern, not unlike the sound of constant rain. At first, the rain is obvious as it dramatically announces its arrival, and for a brief moment, you acknowledge the intrusion. How to Help Your Child be Successful in Kindergarten Your child's first year of school should be a fun and exciting time. Children who are comfortable with and prepared for this first school experience are more likely to have rewarding and productive years, and therefore associate positive feelings with education. Is it ADHD or Bi-Polar Disorder? Bi-Polar Disorder, or Manic Depression, is characterized by mood swings, sometimes extreme, ranging from depressed to normal moods, or from depressed to manic episodes. Manic behaviors are often very similar to "hyperactive" behaviors, including motor restlessness, irritability, temper outbursts, sleeping less, or having higher levels of energy. Parenting Your Teenager: 4 Dangerous Myths MYTH: All teens have to rebel, and the teen years will be miserable years for a family.REALITY: Teens do have to separate from their parents and families. We All Wish That Our Children Have Good Virtues, But... Are We Setting A Good Example Ourselves? We all wish that our children should not smoke or drink, should not speak lies, should not steal, should not have a violent nature, etc.. Child Abuse - Survey & Comments Beyond cases reported to authorities, little knowledge exists on the types, amount, and effects of childhood victimization. Through a national survey of adolescents, researchers examined the prevalence of sexual assault, physical assault, physically abusive punishment, and witnessing an act of violence and subsequent effects on mental health, substance use, and delinquent behavior problems. Break Free From Power Struggles You want your daughter to wear a dress to the party. She wants to wear jeans. What Do Chinese Water Torture and Arguing with Children Have in Common? Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down onto a cold, hard table, unable to move any part of your body. You can't see anything around you because your eyes are covered. A Quiz for Parents: What Are They REALLY Learning? Picture this. Your child comes home with a special assignment from school. Natural Disasters: Help Your Child Cope With The Anxiety How on earth can you help your family cope with the anxiety and fear that natural disasters strike into the heart of everyone?In early 2005, for example, the world was rocked by the tsunami in South East Asia that killed thousands and left many homeless and orphaned.Yet, at the Edinburgh International Festival yesterday I saw a group of Sri Lankan children, all victims of this natural disaster, perform a dance routine based on a play by Shakespeare. Math Facts - Try Some Fun Ways to Learn Them Memorizing math facts is a necessary part of elementary school. Flash cards and repetitive chanting have their place, but, for my children, were pure drudgery. Super Nanny - A Users Guide to Watching Super Nanny There are many things to like about the television show Super Nanny that has captured the public interest in recent weeks.First, the nanny character is very likeable, if a little scary at times.
|
| Article List | Index | Site Map |
|
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved. |
