Dietary Regimens and Nutritional Supplements

Dietary Regimens / Nutritional Supplements: Food Allergies / Restrictions, Omega-3 Fatty Acids

One area we often find as a causal factor in behavioral problems is diet. Brainchild Achievement Center uses specific dietary supplements and protocols for biomedical intervention, based on numerous studies that link nutritional deficiencies with hyperactive or inattentive behavior.

Our protocol is designed to eliminate reactions cause by these deficiencies. We take a brain-based neurological approach combined with a dietary / supplement regimen.

Neurological Causes of Food Allergies

The premise is that the right side of the brain regulates the immune system. A child with a right hemisphere weakness would be susceptible to auto-immune/allergy types of issues, which can present as food sensitivities.

We find that children, especially those with ADD, ADHD and Autism, tend to be very susceptible to these allergic food reactions. Certain foods in the diet tend to cause behavioral problems. We try to indentify those foods that are causing the problems, and remove them from the diet to positively affect the behavior.

Allergic Reaction-Causing Food Types

The foods that we see that cause the most symptoms fall into three main categories:

1. Highly processed / high sugar content foods - a correlation between attention and blood sugar levels has been shown

2. Specific food allergies / sensitivities, like peanuts, milk, eggs
   or gluten.

3. Artificial dyes, colors and sweeteners - common in things like Kool-Aid or Hawaiian Punch

   Dr. Benjamin Feingold, creator of the popular Feingold Diet, found that ADHD was linked to food dyes in the early 1970's. An independent, 32 page report about food additives and colorings, and their effect on ADHD, was published in 1999 by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI.) The report cites 17 controlled studies that found that diet adversely affects some children's behavior, sometimes dramatically. Most of the studies focused on artificial colors, while some also examined the effects of milk, corn, and other common foods. The simple removal of these additives and food items from the diet can show improvement in a large percentage of children.  The CSPI lobbied to have many food additives removed, and that labels include warnings that a product contained these items.

Symptoms that may be Due to a Food Allergy

It is important to note that not all symptoms display as typical allergic (histamine) reactions, i.e. runny nose, wet eyes or red skin, but rather as behavioral (IGG) reactions such as hyperactivity.

1. General symptoms:

   • Fatigue

   • Anxiety

   • Depression

   • Insomnia

   • Food cravings

   • obesity

2. Infections:

   • Recurrent colds

   • Urinary tract infections

   • Sore throat

   • Ear infections

   • Yeast infections

3. Ear, nose and throat:

   • Chronic nasal congestion

   • Postnasal drip

   • Fluid in the ears

   • Meniere’s syndrome

4. Gastrointestional:

   • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

   • Constipation

   • Diarrhea

   • Abdominal cramping

   • Ulcerated colitis

   • Crohn’s disease

   • Gallbladder disease

5. Cardiovascular:

   • High blood pressure

   • Arrhythmia

   • Angina

6. Dermatologic:

   • Acne

   • Eczema

   • Psoriasis

   • Canker sores

   • Hives

7. Rheumatologic:

   • Muscle aches

   • Osteoarthritis

   • Rheumatoid arthritis.

8. Neurologic:

   • Migraines and other headaches

   • Numbness.

9. Miscellaneous symptoms:

   • Asthma

   • Frequent urination

   • Teeth grinding

   • Bedwetting

   • Infantile colic

Behavioral Problems May Actually Be Allergic Sensitivities

A lot of attention has been focused on diet and nutrition and its effect on children with ADD/ADHD and ASD. Gluten and casein seem to be the most common food elements that tend to cause behavioral symptoms due to allergic reactions when foods are combined.

Studies* suggest, and research supports, that children on a gluten-free casein-free diet show signs of improvement. When gluten and casein are processed by the body, they can be broken down into opiate-like substances that can cause cravings, addictions and behavioral symptoms when used in combination.
 

These symptoms appear in children with diets that include highly processed and/or fatty foods, such as:

• Macaroni and cheese

• Pizza

• Bagel & cream cheese

• Lunch meat / cheese sandwiches

• Cereal and milk

Additionally, we advise that foods, vitamins, drugs and toothpastes that contain artificial coloring/dyes, artificial flavorings and artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame, saccharin, sucralose), should be eliminated from the child's diet.

For additional information, read Dietary Recommendations.

Even Well-fed Children can be Nutritionally Deficient

It is estimated that 95% of all children have a nutritional deficit. While they may be eating well, the foods themselves may not be as nutritionally dense as they need to be to satisfy the all of the child's nutritional needs.

Therefore, we use nutritional supplementation to counteract any nutritional deficiencies that may be causing symptoms in the child,
for example:

• Fatty Acid Deficiencies - although the typical American diet is high in the Omega-6 family of fatty acids (found in corn, sunflower, canola and safflower oil, margarine, vegetable oil and shortening), most Americans children are highly deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids.
  
  Learning specialists now believe many childhood behavior and learning problems are associated with omega-3 deficiencies.
  
  Omega-3 fatty acids are not one single nutrient, but a collection of several, including EPA and DHA. High levels of both are found most readily in coldwater fish. Americans tend to eat less fish than those in other parts of the world, which may be one reason so many of us are deficient in these essential nutrients.
  
  Omega-3 fatty acids occur naturally in a variety of foods other than fish. some food are high in EPA, some in DHA, and some in both or other nutrients. The source of supplemental omega-3 that we may recommend is dependent on the individual deficiencies of the child, as is determined in our testing phase. 
   

• Essential Nutrient and Mineral Deficiencies, including:

  • Magnesium

  • Zinc

  • Calcium

  • Vitamin D

  • Vitamin B - Thiamine

* Source:
Christison, G.W., and K. Ivany. 2006. "Elimination diets in autism spectrum disorders: any wheat amidst the chaff?" J Dev Behav Pediatr. 27(2 Suppl):S162-S171.
Cornish, E. 2002. "Gluten and casein free diets in autism: a study of the effects on food choice and nutrition." J Hum.Nutr.Diet. 15(4):261-269.

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