Information and articles on Adolescent Nutrition from the blog of the GetzWell Pediatrician group.

Adolescent Nutrition

Information and articles on Adolescent Nutrition from the blog of the GetzWell Pediatrician group.

ADD & ADHD: Does diet make a difference?

Although Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are the most studied and diagnosed psychiatric disorders affecting children, there is still little consensus about the root causes of the disorders and their appropriate treatments.   According to the CDC, almost 10% of all children in the United States have received an attention deficit disorder diagnosis.  Treatment of the telltale symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders (including chronic inattention, frequent distraction, impulsivity, fidgeting and difficulty controlling behavior) now accounts for a significant proportion of all drug use in children between the ages of 4-17.  In fact, there are now 17 different drugs approved to treat ADHD, contributing to a multibillion dollar ADHD industry.  However, a new study conducted by Radboud University Medical School and the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands1, presents compelling evidence that this blanket pharmacological approach to ADHD is misguided.  According to Dr. Lidy Piesser, the author of the study published in last month’s The Lancet medical journal, up to 64% of children who experience symptoms of ADHD might actually be experiencing sensitivity to foods.

Kids in the Kitchen

Most parents avoid letting their kids get involved in the kitchen because of the negative images they conjure up: giant clouds of flour, eggs smeared from one end of the counter to the other, peanut butter hair-do’s. However, a whole host of studies from organizations as diverse as the American Heart Association and the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University strongly encourage parents to reconsider their children’s roles in helping to prepare the family meal.

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria and yeast that live in our intestinal tracts and help support not only good digestion and optimal absorption of nutrients but our overall health and well being.  It sounds strange, but these single cell organisms affect us in ways we can hardly imagine and which modern science is now beginning to elucidate.  Probiotics may help promote healthy mood, keep us from sniffling and sneezing, and bind toxins and heavy metals (like mercury) in order to better excrete these poisons.  By the time we are adults, 3-4 lbs of our body weight is accounted for by these organisms alone!  However, most of us in modern industrial society do not have an optimal mix of intestinal bacteria due to antibiotics, antacids, stress, lack of sleep, fast food, and hydrogenated oils, among other culprits.