Controling behavior with diet

Holly - posted on 01/21/2009

This is all great information! Thanks for sharing! I'd take out all white flour and sugar. My kids seem so much more focused now that we use agave nectar and honey instead of sugar. We have also switched to rice milk, which they love. There is a great section on how food effects you in the book "Eat This and Live" by Don Colbert. He talks about the artificial food colorings and things other contributors mentioned above.

Also, she may just be bored! Is she in gifted and talented? I remember when I moved from Alaska to North Carolina in 4th grade, Alaska was 2nd in the nation and NC was 48th in the nation as far as school rankings. I was the smartest kid in class and loved it. My brother, however (in 3rd grade) tore his papers into little bits and blew them in the air for a year straight. He was so bored! He failed every assignment that year but got a 98% on the 4th grade entrance exam bc he just already knew everything he was being taught.

Crystal - posted on 01/18/2009

Hello, my bub is still only 8 moths old, so we are only starting foods. So far she seems to have mood swings and temper tantrums when foods with silicilates are introduced; mostly those with bright colours. When she has 48 hrs back on formula (she was allergic to my milk as well..) she is a different baby altogether. I find it amazing that food has these types of reactions and have found a list of additives will prob have to keep her away from later. her dietian reackons it is all the processing and changing of foods make up so the last longer on shelves. My husband has a intolerance to wheat and gluten, if he has consumed to much in a week, he becomes sleepy and cant even keep a conversation going. Then needs to spend a week without wheat, gluten or yeast and he is back to noraml. Very hard to arrange 'creative' meals for though.   

Lisa - posted on 01/15/2009

Diet is a big issue. Many kids have undiagnosed food intolerances that affect their behavior and then get labeled with attention problems. Check all your food labels and try cutting out any artificial sweeteners & colors. For us, it's Corn Syrup and HFCS that sends my 3yo into a 2 day tantrum. If you want to go all out, check out this site for actual plans on determining if it could be diet related: http://www.feingold.org/. It's a lot of work, but worth it if you can figure out her triggers. Omega-3s are great too! I don't know much about oils, but have heard they do wonders. Good luck!

Kristina - posted on 12/04/2008

I know that in my partners family there is an allergy to yellow #5. My partner, his older sister and one of his brothers, all have had reactions to it. My partner and his sister get a real full blown allergic reaction, like swollen throat itchiness adn sweating, vomiting etc. But his brother just gets REALLY really hyper when he eats it. He is also the one that apparently has ADD. Personally I think that if he were to just chaneg his diet, say cut out dies and sugars...he would find he didn't need speed [aka aderrall] to concentrate.



So, I guess I would try to eliminate some of those nasty food additives and see ho wshe does.



I also agree with the omegas..I just noticed last week my niece and nephew had chewable tablets.

Brenda - posted on 12/01/2008

I don't know much about essential oils, except that if you find you get a headache or other negative feelings from a particular scent, then you don't need that one.

The Omega's are key and also, water. Both are key to a happy brain. Plus diet.

I noticed when my daughter was in third grade she had some focus problems, different foods for breakfast created different behaviours. I spoke with the teacher to make sure that a bottle of water was allowed on her desk at all times.

Gloria - posted on 11/21/2008

I am a homeschooling mom, and I have been using essential oils for the last 9 years. They have really helped us. 20 years ago I heard about a Japanese study. When lemon oil was diffused in the work place, 50% fewer errors were made. Instead of diffusing a large amount in the air, I bought terra cotta pendants that I put different essential oils on. That way the oils are diffused around me. Lemon, tangerine, lavender, frankincense, and vetiver are some suggestions. What works for you may be different from what works for us. As far as nutrition goes, Omega-3 fatty acids really help. Also, both kids like NingXia Red juice - they can't seem to get enough of it, and it really helps nourish them both. This free website http://www.oil-testimonials.com/4538 includes testimonials that you may find helpful, too.