It’s the dreaded Childhood Split Personality Syndrome – you’ve witnessed 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 wash it down, had been finished only moments before. Your innocent, sweet, calm, cool and collected children have moved into the junk room and they are sitting on the couch watching their favorite TV show, laughing and playing happily together. As they stand there looking at their delicious bundles of joy, they can’t deny the feelings of love that wash over them. You are so delighted to have created these little holy terrors, I mean precious beings! It’s so sweet it’s a Kodak moment!
BUT you better get your joggers on and run to the camera fast because in a matter of seconds your beautiful precious kids will have been transformed into his and hers ghouls! What was once a beautiful Kodak moment has now been transformed into a hellish nightmare of screaming and screaming, children jumping from one sofa to another, your ears ringing with high-pitched cries of pain as your eyes witness a strand of hair flying. . Then a bang, with a smile and no feelings “Sorry mom, I broke your favorite lamp!” As this adorable little 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!… end of scene.
So what causes the fluctuation in our children’s behavior?
Today, we will look at his 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 can 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 children start the day eating simple carbohydrates such as 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 ever consume! But that’s another article.)
No wonder most kids act crazy and can’t concentrate in the classroom! They are bouncing from one end of the spectrum, high blood sugar, to the complete opposite of the spectrum, below normal blood sugar. This can be seen in his behavior. Simple sugars or simple carbohydrates stimulate the pancreas to secrete higher levels of insulin into the bloodstream, causing rapid uptake of the sugar into the cells. This is the effect we refer to as a “sugar rush.” Consuming simple sugars can contribute to your behavioral ups and downs, such as anger, distractibility, aggression, impulsivity, 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 medications. 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, changes in blood pressure, 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 is good for the 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 harmful chemically 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 are back to eating the way we did before going grocery shopping: organic and natural! There is likely an organic store in your area. Larger supermarket chains often have a “small” section for organic products. You can also grow your own fruits and vegetables! Start your own outdoor garden or purchase pots and place them on window sills.
It is also important to take a multivitamin and mineral supplement but be careful with dyes! Omega-3 oils, specifically fish oil, is probably the most important nutrient for an Indigo/ADD/ADHD child to 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 disorders, and display behavior 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 child 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 that is 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 down eight cups of coffee (for adults) or eight glasses of artificial juice and say hey, it’s made with water, so I got my intake. Wrong! Pure water. Simple. 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 the toxins.
The diet will consist of protein, complex carbohydrates, and fat. It is important to eat about every 2 to 3 hours, up to 3 hours before bed. 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 metabolism, so you’ll burn more fat! Your body stays fueled with the right nutrients and never gets a chance to go into starvation mode where it actually stores fat and starts cannibalizing itself by eating your muscle for energy!
It is also important that your child exercise every day. This is becoming 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 on bike rides with them, or walking, swimming, skating, etc. make it fun! Life has become too serious. Time to slow down and enjoy your kids. 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 not be 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 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
or low fat cottage cheese
Chicken
or Turkey
Tuna
oSalmon
orange clock
or haddock
Crab
Locust
shrimp
or Lean ground beef
Healthiest Quality Carbs: ORGANIC products are the absolute best and really should be considered! Please don’t load them up with saturated fat!
or baked potato
or sweet potato
or name
o Steamed brown rice
or Steamed Wild Rice
or oats
or barley
Beans
or Whole Wheat Bread
Whole grains
oCorn
strawberries
melon
apple
orange
pears
Kiwi
Healthiest quality of vegetables – ORGANIC produce is absolutely the best and really should be considered! Please don’t load them up with saturated fat!
broccoli
asparagus
lettuce
carrots
Cauliflower
or green beans
or Green Peppers
Mushrooms
Spinach
Tomatoes
Peas
or Brussels sprouts
cabbage
Artichoke
or Celery
zucchini
Cucumber
The healthiest quality of fats:
Despite popular beliefs, 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 why 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 son’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 natural 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 lieu 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 please visit my website. As always, keep smiling and play in love!