Twenty-five years ago, way back in 1979, Lendon Smith, M.D., host of a television show called The Children's Doctor, and one of the nation's most prominent pediatricians, wrote a book titled Feed Your Kids Right, which we have appropriated for the headline on this article. In his book, Smith suggests that most illness is the result of improper nourishment. Therefore, he says, "concentrate on the foods that contain ... beneficial nutrient[s]." Among these, he lists the following:
Vitamin A, necessary for skin and membrane function, skeletal development and good vision
B complex vitamins, important for the conversion of foods to energy, as well as for nerve tissue, skin, hair, eyes, mouth, and the liver
Vitamin C, which detoxifies poisons, has antiviral and antihistamine properties, and is needed by the adrenal glands to produce the hormones needed to fight stress
Vitamin D, which is particularly worthwhile following a bone injury or during periods of extra need, such as rapid growth in infancy, adolescence and pregnancy and lactation
Vitamin E, which performs as a scavenger of pollutants and also has antioxidant properties
Vitamin K, needed to accelerate blood clotting
Fatty acids, a deficiency of which may be signaled by dry skin, eczema, brittle hair and nails, or weight problems
Calcium, required for bones, teeth, muscle and nerve function Magnesium, which has a regulating or calming effect and has been found beneficial for the hyperactive, restless child Phosphorus, which works synergistically with vitamin D and calcium
Iron, essential for the manufacture of red blood cells Zinc, which may be linked to fertility in males Manganese, found to reduce the frequency of convulsion in those who suffer from seizures
Copper, which works with iron to make hemoglobin Chromium, needed in glucose metabolism
Iodine, the absence of which will lead to a goiter and decreased thyroid function
Potassium, which has been linked to proper cell function and muscle strength
Selenium, sulfur, molybdenum, cobalt and other trace elements
If anything has changed over the past quarter of a century, it hasn't been to detract from but only to heighten the importance of Smith's message. For example, Smith stresses food sources for these nutrients, relegating supplements to a backseat.
Today, it is recognized that relying on food alone does not work for a large swath of young people. The easy availability of fast food, sweets and other questionable food choices-coupled with a sharp drop in the exercise/activity level of America's children-has led to an overfed, undernourished generation. Supplementation may be required just to maintain nutritional underpinnings.
Meanwhile, consider the plight of (perhaps) "overmedicated" kids. As Aviva Romm, C.P.M., A.H.G., and Tracy Romm, Ed.D., point out in their book, ADHD Alternatives, "Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a phenomenon of the late 20th century. At no point in history have such large numbers of children [been] thought to be diseased on the basis of what some might call unruly behavior." The authors note that through the 1980s there was a relatively steady annual output of about 1,700 kg of Ritalin. "Beginning in the early 1990s, however, Ritalin production rose sharply," according to the authors, "with a record production of 13,824 kg in 1997,90% of which was consumed in the United States. This dramatic 700% increase led pediatrician Barry Diller to conclude that, since 1990, the number of adults and children diagnosed with ADHD in the United States alone has risen from about 900,000 to almost 5 million."
Given the steep climb in such a short time, the Romms-and they are not alone-mistrust the correctness of many of these diagnoses. They ask, "How many fidgets and squirms are too many?" And, they argue, it is sometimes easier to blame the child rather than the school when kids stop paying attention.
If pharmaceuticals are not the answer, however, what is? For the Romms, as for Smith, it starts with food. They declare, "Nutritional deficiencies, hypoglycemia, food allergies, high sugar consumption, caffeine, food additives, artificial ingredients, and low protein intake have all been implicated in childhood behavioral problems:" They also recommend the use of nutrient and herbal therapy.
There are many herbs that may be useful in dealing with ADHD. In their book, Kids, Herbs, Health, Linda B. White, M.D., and Sunny Mavor, A.H.G., suggest the following:
Calming herbs like lemon balm, chamomile, skullcap, hawthorn, oats, oat straw and oat seeds
Adaptogens, including schisandra (called wu-wei-zi in Chinese), Eleuthero senticosus (more widely known as Siberian ginseng, even though it is not a member of the Panax genus) and licorice root
The authors also recommend essential fatty acids, magnesium and massage (in one study cited by White and Mavor, massage proved more effective than relaxation therapy in getting adolescents diagnosed with ADHD to become happier, less jittery and more "on task").
- Feed Your Kids Right: Dr. Smith's Program for Your Child's Total Health by Lendon Smith, M.D.
- ADHD Alternatives: A Natural Approach to Treating Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by Aviva Romm, C.P.M., and Tracy Romm, Ed.D.
- Kids, Herbs, Health by Linda B. White, M.D., and Sunny Mavor, A.H.G.
Provided Courtesy of Whole Foods Magazine
