Guest guest Posted March 28, 2000 Report Share Posted March 28, 2000 A woman I work with has a son who is hyperactive. She has asked me whether vegetarianism/veganism would help his condition and in what way. I'm obviously keen to say yes, but have no evidence to back this up! I've just tried a search of the 'net but the only references I can find are on the sites of food supplement companies, and frankly some of the advice they've been giving out leaves a lot to be desired!! Can anyone help? Thanks, Cathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 28, 2000 Report Share Posted March 28, 2000 Hi Cathy, I'm new to the list (so, Hello everyone!), and was simply going to lurk awhile and get the feel for the group before jumping in, but your question is a great one and I'd like to help! Here's what I have found on your query: First, processed foods and food additives seem to be causally linked to hyperactivity in children. Additives include food dyes, which have been shown to be a common allergen - especially in children - and some a carcinogen, preservatives, and flavor 'enhancers' - such as MSG. While the FDA maintains the additives in commercially produced foods are safe, studies continue to prove otherwise. Your co-worker, at the very least, should move toward a whole foods diet for her family -- eliminating as many processed foods as possible. Eliminating sugars (particularly products containing the all-too-familiar processed white sugar our country is so fond of) for her hyperactive child is a MUST. This includes sodas, candy, cereals laden with sugar, and even fruit juices. Additionally, MOST of the populace is lactose intolerant past childhood. And dairy products don't just cause upset stomachs for some people, they can trigger asthma symptoms as well. Because dairy is a mucus causing food, it contributes to respiratory dysfunction. These tidbits of info are just the tip of the iceberg!! I strongly suggest the following books for fabulous information: " May All Be Fed - Diet for a New World " : John Robbins : ISBN 0-688-11625-6 " Healing With Whole Foods " : Paul Pitchford : ISBN 0-938190-64-4 " Milk - The Deadly Poison " : Robert Cohen : ISBN 0-9659196-7-6 *** Mr. Cohen also has a website with great info -- http://www.notmilk.com Also see: http://www.drweil.com Search for " hyperactivity " and you'll find useful info. (Or search for anything else you might be interested in.) NOTE: While Dr. Weil suggests a diet which includes fish, and implies Vegans may suffer from Vitamin B12 deficiency without supplementation, he DOES offer good sound advice I DO agree with in other areas. I hope this has been a LITTLE help to you and wasn't too long winded. Suzy Sikora suzy http://sgsikora.homepage.com -- " Remember that this is a country founded by slave owners that wanted freedom. " --- George Carlin ________ NetZero - Defenders of the Free World Get your FREE Internet Access and Email at http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 28, 2000 Report Share Posted March 28, 2000 Cathy, I also thought that a vegan diet would certainly help in combating hyperactivity in children, but I was sure that I'd read it somewhere, sure enough, Paul Pritchford in his Healing with Whole Foods - great book, by the way - says that children who eat poor-quality red meats are usually aggressive & /or emotionally stressed because meats are high in a fatty acid - which becomes hormone-like in the body. Positive results in elimination of refined sugars (duh!), other refined foods, and foods with chemicals & preservatives. He also recommends that the child eat sea vegetables (my 7 year old brother just loves the veggie rolls I make with norri seaweed) and omega-3 and GLA oils (Flax & borage oils). I hope this helped! Alicia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2000 Report Share Posted March 30, 2000 Dear Suzy and Alicia Thank you both very much for the information. To be truthful, I don't hold out a lot of hope for my co-worker's conversion, you know how some people are just died-in-the-wool (pardon the expression!) junk-fooders? The one and only time I ever went to her house it was 8am and her son was eating a packet of bright orange corn chips. BUT, she did ask, so maybe there's a glimmer of hope and I can't possibly pass up the chance of educating someone to the cause! So thanks again, this list can always be relied upon to come up with the goods! Cheers! Cathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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