Color Johnny Hyperactive
with color; it brings pleasure in countless ways. |
- Color is an important part of food — alerting us to the time when fruit is ripe, making it easy to obtain needed vitamins and minerals by selecting a diet made up of foods of different colors. But Mother Nature didn’t stop with mere eye appeal; she saw to it that foods which are good for us also taste good. Does that mean healthy eating simply requires us to follow our eyes and palate?
Unfortunately, this approach, which has served humanity well for thousands of years, has recently been upset by the wonders of modern food technology.
The problem began when a chemist first discovered how to change coal tar oil into brightly colored liquids which then found their way into virtually everything we use, including food. Chemists have managed to unlock some of the secrets of nature’s flavorings, and can now come very close to mimicking the real thing.
All this is great news for food manufacturers. Synthetic colors and flavorings are cheap and remain stable in food. Today most food colors are made from petroleum, and flavorings can be made from thousands of natural and artificial chemicals. So what’s wrong with a bit of petrol in your popsicle? Does it matter that cherry gelatin doesn’t contain any cherries, and grape drink mix has never been near a grape? And if fluorescent cereal will get breakfast into little Johnny, do we really need to be concerned? Unfortunately, we do.
Humans have a remarkable ability to tolerate exposure to harmful substances, but we’re not identical, and some of us can handle more than others. In a world where neither our water nor our air is pure, where food is laced with pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones, where excessive processing has removed essential nutrients and fiber, many of us are already having a tough time coping. Then add three of the more troublesome chemicals: synthetic food dye, artificial flavoring, and antioxidant preservatives, and feed them to a small child. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Johnny might have a physical reaction to such a chemical stew, for example: stomach ache, bed wetting, hives, poor muscle control, or ear aches. He could have a behavioral reaction: becoming easily frustrated, overactive, aggressive, excessively talkative. Or he may have a hard time paying attention in school, reading a story, remembering a spelling word, doing a math problem, or writing.
Johnny may be a normal child who is merely sensitive to some of the abnormal substances in the food or environment. The first place to begin is to rule out chemical sensitivity and, fortunately, this is not as difficult as it sounds if you start with the Feingold Program.
For more information, call The Feingold Association at (631) 369-9340 Monday-Friday between 10-3 Eastern Time or send us an e-mail
554 East Main Street Suite 301
Riverhead, NY 11901
(631) 369-9340
This article was originally published in Pure Facts,
the newsletter of the Feingold® Association of the United States.
February 27th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
While I am troubled by the misdiagnosis & overdiagnosis, I can’t go so far as to agree with those that say that ADHD doesn’t exist. The genetic link is obvious in my family. My 19 y/o nephew (brother’s child)suffers greatly from the socia/language/communication issues associated with severe ADHD, my 11 y/o nephew (sister’s child) has Asperger’s Syndrome, and my own child has Autism. Some resources to consider: “The ADHD/Austism Connection,” by Diane M Kennedy and “Reweaving the Austistic Tapestry: Autism, Asperger Syndrome and ADHD,” by Lisa Blakemore-Brown.
February 27th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
I am certainly not saying autism doesn’t exist.
My argument is that children who don’t fit in the “box” in today’s society are often labeled and sometimes even medicated. I’m not okay with this and feel the need to speak out. I know it’s not a popular stance but it’s one I stand behind. I’ve taught far too many kids with this label. Looking back, I realize they didn’t have a disorder. They were simply children with different learning needs…Some visual/spatial, some gifted, some with learning disabilities, etc…Some were reacting to chaos at home or additives in their diet. It’s a very complex issue that, in my opinion, needs to be looked at with a critical eye.
Just last year I tutored a very active (normal) 5 year old boy with above average intelligence. He went to kindergarten where he was bored out of his mind, and wouldn’t you know it..by the 3rd month of school they had labeled him ADHD and had him on meds.
I’m arguing that we fix the system and the problems associated with traditional education rather than just to fix children don’t need to be fixed.
February 27th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Sorry..that last line was supposed to say that we NEED to fix the system…not the kids.
February 27th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
P.S. I would also ask whether or not your extended family typically eats a diet of processed foods that includes food dye, high fructose corn syrup, and other additives. Even adults can be affected by these additives. I know I am..I react to food dye and HFCS just like my son does.
Food reactions are very real. So are nutritional deficiencies. Children (and many adults) today simply aren’t getting the fuel they need for their body to run properly–especially their brains.
Fish oil combined with the Feingold Diet (even for adults) might make all the difference in the world.
I do agree about genetic disposition to certain learning styles. I’m a visual/spatial, gifted adult and my little one is a carbon copy of me!!
Visual spatial people are often disorganized too which is associated with ADHD. Then you’ve got the whole right vs. left brained argument…
I’m not saying we’re not all different. I’m saying that we have to look at the whole child and the educational environment along with the home environment.
In my experience, food and beverages are almost always overlooked, and I find this tragic.
There are some more thoughts!