Download They Are What You Feed Them

At least the past two generations should have had it, and now it’s finally here. “It” is a
book for parents, parents-to-be, students, teachers, school and prison administrators,
educational physiologists, and anyone who cares, or should care, about what they and
others are eating. They Are What You Feed Them will answer many questions
concerning how what we eat can influence our personalities as well as our physical
bodies.
A Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics,
University of Oxford, UK, founding director of FAB (Food and Behaviour) Research, and a
former teacher, Dr. Alex Richardson is one of the world’s leading experts on the effect of
nutrition on psychological phenomena. Always interested in the practical benefits of her
investigations, she works closely with educational and health practitioners as well as
support groups and charities, such as the Autism Treatment Trust and the Dyslexia
Research Trust. She says that she has written this book to share her discoveries on how
diet can affect children’s behaviour, learning and mood, and that although they are
relevant to all children, she has found that these findings may be especially important to
those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
Dr. Richardson tells us that the material for her book comes not only from rigorous
scientific research, but also from anecdotal evidence provided by persons who deal with
LD students on a regular basis, and especially from mothers. Why? In addition to the
fact that many mothers have done their own extensive research to find out what works
best for their own children, the lack of professional investigation is amazing:
Truly independent research looking into how food can affect behaviour really has
been extraordinarily limited, because, apart from a few charitable trusts, nobody has
been prepared to fund this kind of work. There is just no profit in it for the
companies – and Government agencies and other conventional funding bodies have
been either too blind, too conservative, or maybe too much ‘under the influence’ to
look into this rather important area. (p. 27)
But while important to the improvement of individual lives, this book is vitally important to
the improvement and safety of society itself. Better diets can reduce anti-social behavior.
Various studies done in prisons have revealed the following:
 A study by Bernard Gesch for the charity ‘Natural Justice” revealed that
offences fell by more than 25 percent in the group receiving active (nutritional)
supplements. (p.81)

In one study more than 20 years ago involving 3,000 imprisoned juveniles,
snack foods were replaced with healthier options, reducing the inmates’
consumption of refined and sugary foods. There followed a 21 per cent
reduction in antisocial behavior over 12 months, a 100 per cent reduction in
suicides, a 25 per cent reduction in assaults, and a 75 per cent reduction in the
use of restraints. (p.82)
Why haven’t these studies been followed up by governments? And why has it taken
major psychological associations in both the USA and the US all this time to finally
actively pursue this field of investigation? We have seen a dramatic rise in criminal
behavior and in the incidences of LD manifestations since the end of World War II when
the use of refined and processed foods was introduced as a part of our regular diets.
Today they often constitute almost the entire food intake of many persons. Good nutrition
is vital for various mental functions like attention, cognitive functions, coordination and
memory as well as for physical wellbeing, such as maintaining healthy hearts within less
obese bodies. Think of the savings to society if we needed fewer prisons. Fewer mental
health facilities. Not so many hospitals.
In her chapter devoted to a review of the LD spectrum, “What’s the Problem?,”
Richardson reminds us that a diagnosis is only a description; it is not an explanation.
She assures us that genes are not destiny – and it’s worth pointing out that families often
share dietary habits as well as genes! (p. 54)
In order to help evaluate the claims made by the food, health food, and diet industries for
their products, she offers guidelines in the chapter entitled, “Facing the Facts”. You need
to teach these kinds of evaluation techniques to your children, too. Read food labels
together when you go shopping. Become informed consumers.
She tells us that there are three basic problems in children’s diets today:
 bad reactions to some artificial food additives, like colorings
 an “addiction” to simple carbohydrates, like sugar
 ingestion of too many bad fats, and not enough of essential fats
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Regarding the latter, it is good to remember that our brain is 60% fat. This is one of the
reasons why the type of fat we take into our bodies is so important. Dr. Richardson takes
us down to the molecular level to show how our bodies metabolize this core food group.
Fats are very different. Good fats lead to mental and physical health. Bad fats can result
not only in obesity, but also in poor neural transmission, which in turn affects both
voluntary functions (like thinking) and involuntary processes (like heart beat). Some cities
in the US are considering banning the use of the bad, trans fats in their restaurants. The
fast food giant, Kentucky Fried Chicken, has said that it will stop using them. All good
news for our children and us if these kinds of measures really do become widely adopted.
The fats that the brain does need to function effectively are called essential fatty acids.
And it is vital that we include these nutrients in our diets, because as with vitamins, our
bodies cannot manufacture them from other substances. There are two main kinds of
essential fats – omega 6 (of which we usually get plenty) and omega-3 – which many of
us are lacking. Seafood is our best source of the crucial omega-3 fatty acids needed for
healthy brains (and hearts, and joints)..
Richardson was the lead researcher on the Oxford-Durham Study, carried out with the
help of Durham Educational Authority in England. This was the first randomized,
controlled, double-blind placebo trial of dietary supplementation with Omega 3 fatty acids
in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (dyspraxia), and it revealed the
following:
 Reading progress was three times greater than would be expected for normal
children of the same age. By contrast, children receiving placebo treatment made
progress only at the expected rate for their age.
 Spelling progress was twice as great as would be expected for normal
children of the same age. By contrast, children receiving placebo treatment made
progress at less than half the normal rate, falling further behind their normally
achieving peer group.
 ADHD-type symptoms fell markedly (this was true of difficulties in attention and
concentration as well as hyperactivity and impulsivity). The size of this effect was
similar to the reductions usually achieved by stimulant medication. (p. 252-3)
What about supplements? She cautions us that “supplements can be useful – but as with
drugs, my view is that these should be a last resort, not the first option. Remember that
your child’s physiology has been shaped by evolution. It’s used to dealing with foods, not
isolated nutrients, and natural foods always contain numerous different ingredients in
combination, as a package.” (p.99) It is always best to get your nutrients from fresh food.
Dr. Richardson, who has the delightful style of never talking down to her audience while
providing detailed and understandable explanations, takes us through a step by step tour
of the alimentary canal, where our first stop is the mouth. We learn about the digestion
that begins here, and the importance of chewing each mouth full into a fine paste before
swallowing. Children mimic the behavior of others, so be sure to set a good example
yourself.
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Sliding through the esophagus down into the stomach we come to understand why we
shouldn’t drink too much during our meals. It dilutes the acid that is produced to ensure
the proper break down of food. She recommends drinking a ½ hour before and/or after
the meal to avoid thirst.
Then down into the intestines where digestion continues, the process of getting the
nutrients into the bloodstream occurs, and waste materials are passed down and out.
There are some fascinating insights here, and detailed descriptions that are at times both
visual and olfactory. They will greatly help to reinforce your resolve to feed your family
properly.
Dr Richardson stresses the importance of MICROnutrients (including vitamins,minerals,
essential fatty acids, antioxidants) and illustrates the possibilities for disease if these
essential elements are missing. We’ve all heard about scurvy, a condition that can result
from the lack of vitamin C. But did you know that vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin,
together with magnesium, is essential for getting calcium into your bones? You might
drink plenty of milk and eat lots of yoghurt, but without these micronutrients, you are not
improving your chances of being spared osteoporosis. But there’s some good news. If
you get enough of bright sunlight in the summer, always taking care not to burn, you
should be able to store enough of this vitamin to last you through the darker days of
winter.
MACROnutrients are your major food groups, the proteins, fats and carbohydrates. She
recommends a reasonable proportion of these would consist of 1/5 protein, 1/3 fat, and ½
carbs. But, she cautions, the type and quality of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates
that your child consumes matter infinitely more than the overall quantities. (p. 71)
Throughout her book, Richardson takes pains to point out that while dietary changes can
improve behavior, learning and mood, these are not a substitute for other approaches,
and that we still need a great deal more research into the effects of diet on mental health.
Over and over again she stresses not to begin any major changes in diet without first
consulting your child’s doctor. What might appear to be a food allergy might prove to be
something else, and your child might be spared having to relinquish some cherished
foods.
If you read the book from cover to cover, you will run into a lot of repetition. No doubt this
is for the benefit of the reader who initially wishes information only on a specific topic.
The book is carefully structured and provides an excellent cross-referencing system for
just this purpose. And as many readers will already know, repetition is a great aid to
learning.
For some there will be the usual differences in British versus American spelling to
contend with (e.g. behavior/behaviour), and some differences in terminology (in the UK,
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squash is not only a sport, it is also a rather noxious orange drink marketed especially to
children).
And while you are reading or browsing, don’t avoid consulting the excellent appendix and
the references and resources section. They provide not only important elaboration on
some of the topics broached, but they also point you in the right direction if you wish to
continue your research into a specific area.
Some prime points to take away:
- eat fresh and in season
- know where your food is coming from and what, if anything, has been done to it to
improve its shelf-life in stores
- avoid the use of over-refined foods with their colorings and additives (this will save
you lots of time and money when you go to the grocery store)
- always consult with your child’s doctor before introducing major dietary changes
- be sure to vary your menus
- introduce new foods slowly and with respect for your children’s preferences
- involve your children in meal preparations
- offer choices
- be sure to explain why we eat certain things, and how these are necessary for
good functioning bodies and minds
- set a good example for your children to follow
The bottom line is that basically there are no quick fixes. Adopting healthy eating habits
takes time, patience, and planning. Not what we like to hear in this era of pill-popping,
‘miracle cures’, but then who wants to have their child receive a diagnosis of ADHD,
autism, or any of the possibilities along the LD spectrum? And should we have a child
who has received such a diagnosis, do we not want to employ the best techniques to help
that person achieve their highest potential? But she doesn’t leave us to fend for
ourselves. Strategies on how to win over your family to healthy eating and recipes to try
with them are also provided.
The information contained in this book is of great value to all of us, not just children. But
children are the most vulnerable among us, and Dr. Richardson has rightly directed her
attention here.
All of Dr. Richardson’s profits from the sale of this book will go directly to the Food and
Behavior Research Trust (http://www.fabresearch.org/ ) to help fund further investigations.
All of her research into the importance of nutrition is independent of any commercial
influences or interests. A copy of this book can be ordered via amazon.com. If you
access this site via http://www.fabresearch.org/view_item.aspx?item_id=250, a portion of
the sale will also be donated to the Trust by amazon.
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Dr. Alex Richardson; HarperCollinsPublishers. Ltd.; 2006; ISBN-13 978-0-00718225-1
Reviewed by Susan van Alsenoy, Educational Support Committee Chair for the
Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas.
[email protected]
http://studentswholearn.fawco.org
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