Forgo food colorings and preservatives
Alternative treatments may help manage some symptoms associated with ADHD, including:
difficulty paying attention
organizational problems
forgetfulness
frequently interrupting
The Mayo Clinic notes that certain food colorings and preservatives may increase hyperactive behavior in some children. Avoid foods with these colorings and preservatives:
sodium benzoate, which is commonly found in carbonated beverages, salad dressings, and fruit juice products
FD&C Yellow No. 6 (sunset yellow), which can be found in breadcrumbs, cereal, candy, icing, and soft drinks
D&C Yellow No. 10 (quinoline yellow), which can be found in juices, sorbets, and smoked haddock
FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), which can be found in foods like pickles, cereal, granola bars, and yogurt
FD&C Red No. 40 (allura red), which can be found in soft drinks, children’s medications, gelatin desserts, and ice cream
Avoid potential allergens
Diets that restrict possible allergens may help improve behavior in some children with ADHD.
It’s best to check with an allergy doctor if you suspect that your child has allergies. But you can experiment by avoiding these foods:
Modalities:
Some small studies indicate that yoga may be helpful for people with ADHD. Research published in 2013 reported significant improvements in hyperactivity, anxiety, and social problems in boys with ADHD who practiced yoga regularly.
Some early studies suggest that tai chi also may help improve ADHD symptoms. Researchers found that teenagers with ADHD who practiced tai chi weren’t as anxious or hyperactive. They also daydreamed less and displayed fewer inappropriate emotions when they participated in tai chi classes twice a week for five weeks.
Spending time outside may benefit children with ADHD. There is strong evidence that spending even 20 minutes outside can benefit them by improving their concentration. Greenery and nature settings are the most beneficial.
A 2011 study, and several studies before it, supports the claim that regular exposure to outdoors and green space is a safe and natural treatment that can be used to help people with ADHD.
Behavioral or parental therapy
For children with more severe cases of ADHD, behavioral therapy can prove beneficial. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that behavioral therapy should be the first step in treating ADHD in young children.
Sometimes called behavioral modification, this approach works on resolving specific problematic behaviors and offers solutions to help prevent them. This can also involve setting up goals and rules for the child. Because behavioral therapy and medication are most effective when used together, it can be a powerful aid in helping your child.
Parental therapy can help provide parents with the tools they need to help their child with ADHD succeed. Equipping parents with techniques and strategies for how to work around behavioral problems can help both the parent and the child in the long term.
What about supplements?
Treatment with supplements may help improve symptoms of ADHD. These supplements include:
Chemical culpritsSome researchers have found that there may be a link between food dyes and hyperactivity. They continue to study this connection, but in the meantime, check ingredient lists for artificial coloring. The FDA requires these chemicals to be listed on food packages:
When an influential study combined synthetic food dyes with the preservative sodium benzoate, it found increased hyperactivity. You might find sodium benzoate in carbonated drinks, salad dressings, and condiments. Other chemical preservatives to look for are:
Dyes and preservatives may be worth taking a look at, but it should be noted that in 2011, the FDA reports that studies have not yet proven a connection between synthetic additives and hyperactivity.
Simple sugars and artificial sweeteners
The jury’s still out on sugar’s effect on hyperactivity. Even so, limiting sugar in your family’s diet makes sense in terms of overall health. Look out for any kind of sugar or syrup on food labels to eat fewer simple sugars.
Salicylates
When does an apple a day not keep the doctor away? When the person eating the apple is sensitive to salicylate. This is a natural substance abundant in red apples and other healthy foods like almonds, cranberries, grapes, and tomatoes. Salicylates are also found in aspirin and other pain medication. Dr. Benjamin Feingold eliminated artificial dyes and flavors and salicylates from the diets of his hyperactive patients in the 1970s. He claimed 30 to 50 percentof them improved.
Allergens
Like salicylates, allergens can be found in healthy foods. But they might affect brain functions and trigger hyperactivity or inattentiveness if your body is sensitive to them. You might find it helpful to stop eating — one at a time — the top eight food allergens:
Source: Mayo
Alternative treatments may help manage some symptoms associated with ADHD, including:
difficulty paying attention
organizational problems
forgetfulness
frequently interrupting
The Mayo Clinic notes that certain food colorings and preservatives may increase hyperactive behavior in some children. Avoid foods with these colorings and preservatives:
sodium benzoate, which is commonly found in carbonated beverages, salad dressings, and fruit juice products
FD&C Yellow No. 6 (sunset yellow), which can be found in breadcrumbs, cereal, candy, icing, and soft drinks
D&C Yellow No. 10 (quinoline yellow), which can be found in juices, sorbets, and smoked haddock
FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), which can be found in foods like pickles, cereal, granola bars, and yogurt
FD&C Red No. 40 (allura red), which can be found in soft drinks, children’s medications, gelatin desserts, and ice cream
Avoid potential allergens
Diets that restrict possible allergens may help improve behavior in some children with ADHD.
It’s best to check with an allergy doctor if you suspect that your child has allergies. But you can experiment by avoiding these foods:
- chemical additives/preservatives such as BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), which are often used to keep the oil in a product from going bad and can be found in processed food items such as potato chips, chewing gum, dry cake mixes, cereal, butter, and instant mashed potatoes
- milk and eggs
- chocolate
- foods containing salicylates, including berries, chili powder, apples and cider, grapes, oranges, peaches, plums, prunes, and tomatoes (salicylates are chemicals occurring naturally in plants and are the major ingredient in many pain medications)
Modalities:
Some small studies indicate that yoga may be helpful for people with ADHD. Research published in 2013 reported significant improvements in hyperactivity, anxiety, and social problems in boys with ADHD who practiced yoga regularly.
Some early studies suggest that tai chi also may help improve ADHD symptoms. Researchers found that teenagers with ADHD who practiced tai chi weren’t as anxious or hyperactive. They also daydreamed less and displayed fewer inappropriate emotions when they participated in tai chi classes twice a week for five weeks.
Spending time outside may benefit children with ADHD. There is strong evidence that spending even 20 minutes outside can benefit them by improving their concentration. Greenery and nature settings are the most beneficial.
A 2011 study, and several studies before it, supports the claim that regular exposure to outdoors and green space is a safe and natural treatment that can be used to help people with ADHD.
Behavioral or parental therapy
For children with more severe cases of ADHD, behavioral therapy can prove beneficial. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that behavioral therapy should be the first step in treating ADHD in young children.
Sometimes called behavioral modification, this approach works on resolving specific problematic behaviors and offers solutions to help prevent them. This can also involve setting up goals and rules for the child. Because behavioral therapy and medication are most effective when used together, it can be a powerful aid in helping your child.
Parental therapy can help provide parents with the tools they need to help their child with ADHD succeed. Equipping parents with techniques and strategies for how to work around behavioral problems can help both the parent and the child in the long term.
What about supplements?
Treatment with supplements may help improve symptoms of ADHD. These supplements include:
- zinc
- L-carnitine
- vitamin B-6
- magnesium
- Homeopathics
- Essential Oils
Chemical culpritsSome researchers have found that there may be a link between food dyes and hyperactivity. They continue to study this connection, but in the meantime, check ingredient lists for artificial coloring. The FDA requires these chemicals to be listed on food packages:
- FD&C Blue No. 1 and No. 2
- FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine) and No. 6
- FD&C Green No. 3
- Orange B
- Citrus Red No. 2
- FD&C Red No. 3 and No. 40 (allura)
- toothpaste
- vitamins
- fruit and sports drinks
- hard candy
- fruit-flavored cereals
- barbecue sauce
- canned fruit
- fruit snacks
- gelatin powders
- cake mixes
When an influential study combined synthetic food dyes with the preservative sodium benzoate, it found increased hyperactivity. You might find sodium benzoate in carbonated drinks, salad dressings, and condiments. Other chemical preservatives to look for are:
- butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
- butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
- sodium nitrate
- tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)
Dyes and preservatives may be worth taking a look at, but it should be noted that in 2011, the FDA reports that studies have not yet proven a connection between synthetic additives and hyperactivity.
Simple sugars and artificial sweeteners
The jury’s still out on sugar’s effect on hyperactivity. Even so, limiting sugar in your family’s diet makes sense in terms of overall health. Look out for any kind of sugar or syrup on food labels to eat fewer simple sugars.
Salicylates
When does an apple a day not keep the doctor away? When the person eating the apple is sensitive to salicylate. This is a natural substance abundant in red apples and other healthy foods like almonds, cranberries, grapes, and tomatoes. Salicylates are also found in aspirin and other pain medication. Dr. Benjamin Feingold eliminated artificial dyes and flavors and salicylates from the diets of his hyperactive patients in the 1970s. He claimed 30 to 50 percentof them improved.
Allergens
Like salicylates, allergens can be found in healthy foods. But they might affect brain functions and trigger hyperactivity or inattentiveness if your body is sensitive to them. You might find it helpful to stop eating — one at a time — the top eight food allergens:
- wheat
- milk
- peanuts
- tree nuts
- eggs
- soy
- fish
- shellfish
Source: Mayo
