The Feingold program, also referred to as the Feingold diet, is a system of shopping and eating that helps you determine if certain foods or food additives are causing undesirable symptoms, then teaches you how to replace those additives with healthier alternatives. Originally used to help allergy sufferers, the Feingold diet may also be beneficial to those with ADHD, asthma and a number of other medical, psychological and behavioral conditions, according to the Feingold Association of the United States.
Background
Dr. Ben F. Feingold, born in 1899, was a pediatrician and chief of Allergy at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco who developed the KP diet, now called the Feingold diet, during the late 1960s and early 1970s after noticing a negative reaction to certain food additives in patients suffering from allergies, according to the Feingold Association. Feingold discovered that his diet helped not only those suffering from allergies, but also about half his pediatric patients diagnosed with hyperactivity.
Two Stages of the Feingold Program
The Feingold Association's "Behavior, Learning and Health: The Dietary Connection," referred to by members as "The Blue Book," outlines the two stages of the Feingold program. The first stage eliminates products containing aspirin and aspirin-like chemicals called salicylates, artificial colorings and flavorings, aspartame and several synthetic preservatives. Stage 2 reintroduces salicylates one by one, testing each one for tolerance. The other eliminated ingredients remain off limits.
Program Materials
The Feingold program provides resources designed to eliminate the guesswork involved in removing the potentially harmful ingredients. These include an approximately 200-page shopping guide containing a list of approved foods in every category; a fast food guide updated yearly and a Feingold Program handbook with recipes and sample menus. As of 2010, the basic program materials package costs $82.50. The Feingold Association provides financial aid on a case-by-case basis to those who cannot afford the materials.
Evidence
Much of the research performed specifically on the Feingold diet took place during the late 1970s and early 1980s and failed to prove the effectiveness of the program. In 1982, the National Institutes of Health held a conference to determine its position on "defined diets," including the Feingold diet. The panel concluded that while parents and caregivers noted a positive change in behavior after using the diet, controlled scientific studies did not produce the same results. However, the panel also concluded that the studies did not adequately address the role of diet in hyperactivity.
A 2010 study performed by LM Pelsser and associates at the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands concluded that an elimination diet might be effective at reducing physical symptoms of ADHD -- including headaches, stomachaches and unusual thirst -- and notes that further research is needed. Results were published in the September 2010 issue of the European Journal of Pediatrics.
Considerations
The Feingold program materials are not a substitute for medical advice. Do not stop medications without first talking to your physician, as this can cause withdrawal symptoms and other dangerous effects. The Mayo Clinic website explains that a diet that eliminates too many foods may rob the body of many vitamins and nutrients. Speak to a nutritionist before starting any elimination diet.
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