Mediterranean Diet helps ADHD Kids – Studies Reveal All

MEDITERRANEAN DIET HELPS ADHD KIDS- STUDIES REVEAL ALL

ADHD is thought to be affecting 1 in 20 children now in United States and 3.4% of children worldwide which has interested researchers in developing studies to examine whether dietary issues might have answers for children with ADHD symptoms and they have had encouraging results, in particular with a micronutrient rich Mediterranean diet.

Parents, families, caregivers and teachers know all the ADHD symptoms in kids that are displayed such as difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

It is a complex disorder but diet seems to be a large cause component according to their studies.

 A study looking at the potential benefits of the Mediterranean diet on ADHD wrote,” Our data support the notion that not only specific nutrients but the whole diet should be considered in ADHD.”

“Another research team – who investigated the relationship between vitamins and ADHD in young adults – found that lower concentrations of Vitamins B2, B6 and B9 were associated with ADHD and B2 and B6 were linked to the severity of the symptoms.”

Sourced from Could micronutrient supplements combat ADHD?

Could a Nutrient rich Diet for ADHD kids be the answer?

A diet rich in vegetables  and fruit has been shown to be full of micronutrients and to be a healthy option for us all but it seems as though it is particularly important for some children (and indeed some adults) who have signs of ADHD.

We all really need to be eating a Mediterranean type of diet that is rich in the right sort of fats that are essential for good health such as oily fish (like sardines, herrings, mackerel and wild salmon) nuts and seeds plus using cold pressed oils such as virgin coconut, flaxseed and olive oils.

Can a Mediterranean diet help ADHD kids?

A study from Universidad de Barcelona found that children and adolescents eating a healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet may find that the ADHD symptoms are improved or even reversed.

“Dietary patterns of the Mediterranean diet can be related to a lower diagnose of the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study.”

Sourced from Mediterranean diet linked to a lower risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

They also felt that kids with ADHD, because of the disorder, would tend to want to eat the foods containing unhealthy fats and sugar because they make them temporarily feel better, but which was causing a vicious circle.

They are not getting the vital micronutrients  such as magnesium, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamins that are so much needed because they are filling up with “rubbish” food, which makes symptoms worsen.

The study found that the Mediterranean diet supplies most of the micronutrients needed and I thoroughly endorse that.

I live in the South of France and feel very healthy and fit eating a Mediterranean diet!  I am what is popularly termed now a “pescatarian” as I do not eat meat but do eat fish!

Keeping a food and mood journal can be a very useful tool if food is thought to  be a trigger for symptoms.

Nutrient rich diet

Children and adolescents especially need a nutrient rich diet because they are growing and may in some instances need dietary supplements.This is because modern farming methods do not return to the soil the micronutrients that have been taken out by the crops, so the soil will have become trace mineral and vitamin deficient as will the crops that are grown in that soil.

The ideal thing to do is to grow one’s own vegetables and fruit then you can feed your produce naturally with organic fertilisers and be eating highly micronutrient rich food. It is not possible for everyone to do this, of course, due to lack of space, time and energy!

Even if you are lacking space it is surprising what can be grown in pots in a courtyard garden, balcony or on a windowsill.

Routine Lab testing for kids with ADHD?

I feel it is important to get lab testing done for children with ADHD symptoms to check for deficiencies that they may have in micronutrients, minerals and vitamins so that appropriate treatment can be given which may eliminate or reduce the need for medication.

ADHD Medication for kids or not?

I am not advocating cutting out medication without discussion with your health practitioner but this has certainly worked for the family in this video. I take my hat off to her for her  pluckiness! It is generally advisable to reduce ADHD type medications with a practitioner’s advice as it needs to be done gradually to avoid unpleasant side-effects.

It is so important to find the reason/cause for the symptoms rather than to opt immediately for ADHD medication for kids which may cause their own problems. More and more parents are searching for a natural therapy for their children and that is to be applauded.

Fitness before Conception

We also need parents to think before having a baby about their own health. At least one year preferably 2 years before conception, if possible, it is essential to do everything possible to get as fit as possible –

1. Diet-wise, to eat plenty of organic vegetables and fruit as well as quality proteins and fats. Cut out the fast food.
2. Drink good filtered water and cut out soda drinks.
3. Detox to get rid of toxins that have been hiding in the body especially in the fatty tissues (which also frighteningly means the brain as it consists of a high degree of fatty acids).
4. Exercise to get fit generally and have plenty of oxygen circulating in the body.
5. Restricting alcohol to give the body every chance to be at its optimum level of health.
6. Do everything possible to promote the health of parents to the optimum level so that “baby” has all the best chances possible when he or she arrives.

It is too late, or at least very difficult, to change things that have happened to “baby” when developing in the womb afterwards!!

The Importance of a Good Diet

It’s amazing how much depends on our diet and it is becoming more and more clear that finding a good healthy diet that suits you or your child, as a unique person, may be the most important thing you ever do because we need food to keep us alive and eat several times a day. If what we are ingesting is not nutrient-rich and if it also contains toxins into the bargain (for example the omni-present glyphosate) we may be poisoning and nutrient-starving ourselves slowly into ill-health and an early death!

It is especially important for children with ADHD and ADD symptoms to eat a really healthy diet, but certainly not exclusively as it affects us all..

We all need our good health and a Mediterranean diet may be a good place to start.