Download ADD-ADHD and Nutrition

ADD-ADHD and Nutrition *
By Elizabeth Pavka, PhD, RD, LD/N
Did you know that your brain is 3% of your body weight? Did you know your
brain consumes 20% of the oxygen and 25% of the blood glucose in the body? Did
you know that a dried out brain is 60% fat by weight? In other words, your very small
brain requires a disproportionately high amount of oxygen, blood glucose, and good
quality fats to keep it running well. In this article I share a bit about nutritional
approaches to Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), as well as a great book on the
subject.
Let’s begin with oxygen. Many children, who have trouble sitting still in
school, can focus and learn so much better after they’ve been allowed to exercise
intensely. That provides the brain with more oxygen. Second, many children who
have trouble learning in school eat a bowl of sweetened cereal with milk and a glass
of juice for breakfast. This type of breakfast does not support focus and concentration
well. By adding 2 eggs or 2 good quality hot dogs or a piece of leftover chicken or a
high protein smoothie shake, and replacing the juice with a piece of whole fruit, that
child can often function so much better for the whole morning at school. Protein
stabilizes blood glucose levels and provides the needed amino acids which the body
converts into neurotransmitters – substances that allow brain cells to communicate
with each other.
Third, some foods for some children diminish their ability to focus and
concentrate, and increase their “energy”. Sugar is certainly one, as are all the foods
with artificial flavors and colors. Have you noticed holiday times, when these foods
are more available, many children are more “hyper”? Other nutritious foods can, in
some children, create reactions that irritate the brain and decrease brain function.
Fourth, in the past 20 years Americans have been eating low-fat, no-fat foods. That
significantly contributes to diminished brain function, because enough good quality
omega-3 fats are essential for healthy brain function. If you’d like a checklist of
indicators of essential fatty acid imbalance, send me an e-mail request.
Here’s one of my favorite books on this topic --“Healing ADD: The
Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the 6 Types of ADD” by
Daniel Amen, MD. Based on many years of clinical experience and being the father
of two children with ADD, Amen defines 6 types of ADD: Type 1 -- Classic ADD -the person is inattentive, distractible, disorganized, hyperactive, restless, and
impulsive; Type 2 -- Inattentive ADD -- the person is easily distracted with a low
attention span, but not hyperactive and often appears sluggish or apathetic; Type 3 -Overfocused ADD -- the person is an excessive worrier, argumentative, compulsive,
and often gets locked in a spiral of negative thoughts; Type 4 -- Temporal Lobe ADD
-- the person has a quick temper, rage, with periods of panic and fear; Type 5 -Limbic ADD -- the person has moodiness, low energy, is socially isolated, with
chronic low-grade depression and frequent feelings of hopelessness; and Type 6 -“Ring of Fire” ADD -- the person is angry, aggressive, sensitive to noise, light,
clothes, and touch, as well as inflexible, and experiences periods of mean,
unpredictable behavior.
Amen explores a wide variety of approaches including foods, vitamin and
mineral supplements, amino acid supplements, neuro-feedback, and prescription
medications. Here’s a quote I particularly like: “ADD in all its types can affect
multiple generations. Understanding family history in light of the ADD types can
bring healing and hope for generations of families to come” (p.170).
* © Elizabeth Pavka, PhD, RD, LD/N, is a wholistic nutritionist with 28 years’
experience. She provides nutritional counseling, teaches classes, and speaks before
professional and lay audiences. Contact her at 828-252-1406 or
[email protected].