Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is a common problem for children and adults alike. Most people are diagnosed at a young age and, oftentimes, before a child can actually demonstrate the difference between educated decisions and impulse decisions. Once a diagnosis is suspected, many foods can and should be eliminated from the diet to enhance the quality of life for the individual involved. The most common problem is the tolerance of foods varies from one individual to the next; however, a set of known foods gives the caregiver of a child with ADHD or an adult a starting point for creating a diet and removing the trigger foods.
Actual Foods in the Diet
Foods containing cow's milk are known to be a contributing factor of disruptive behavior in children and adults with ADHD. The American Pediatric Association suggests that many children may be allergic to dairy products, and avoiding the intake of all dairy products for even a short period of time can lessen the occurrence of symptoms.
Junk foods, which are high in sugar and carbohydrates, have properties that may actually keep the brain from functioning properly. Sugar in and of itself is a known problem, and foods which contain sugar naturally are more difficult to moderate, but watching the foods that are high in sugar additives are definitely a must when trying to eliminate trigger foods.
Fish is another food that can be included as a trigger food for those who suffer from ADHD. It is thought that certain fish contain high levels of mercury, which is not safe or healthy for anyone. But, a child or adult suffering from ADHD may actually be even more severely affected. Generally, any food that is wrapped in some sort of plastic or cellophane is suspect.
Known Food Additives
Starting with caffeinated products, the list of foods that increase the onset of symptoms of ADHD is long and, to most, quite surprising. Caffeine is actually a stimulant and may not be good for anyone, but for the ADHD sufferer, the symptoms are usually multiplied. Again, sugar or foods in which sugar either occurs naturally or has been added can make it difficult for an ADHD individual to focus and cope with impulse control.
Foods containing simple carbohydrates like white rice and white bread are tricky at best for an individual with ADHD. Citric acid also is known to interfere with some medications that are often prescribed for individuals suffering from ADHD. And, foods containing chili powder or made with apples, cloves, grapes, oranges, peaches, peppers (both bell and chili), plums, prunes and tomatoes are all foods that we never think about tossing into a recipe but can make it difficult for an individual with ADHD to cope on a daily basis.
Hidden Additives
The most prominent food additive that remains on the list as a problem for those suffering from ADHD is food coloring. Food coloring is found everywhere, and often no one even realizes that the incidence or amount of food coloring added to every day foods is astronomical. Even people who know to watch for food coloring tend to know that red and blue are trigger colors; however, yellow is often times an issue as well. Fruit juices often contain too much sugar. Generally speaking, people tend to think that foods in their natural state are sufficient. However, many fruits contain sugar, and then once they are processed and put into juice form, more sugar has been added to make it taste less bitter, thus causing increased problems from those who have ADHD.
Other hidden additives are artificial sweeteners. Simply replacing sugar with an artificial sweetener is not the answer. The artificial sweeteners are typically not any easier for the ADHD person's body to handle.
Processed meats contain many hidden chemicals that can be triggers for impulsive actions and overactivity. Hydrogenated oils are one additive that most of us are clueless about when it comes to when and where it is found and in what amount.
Finally, other hidden additives come into the body in the form of metal. Amalgam dental fillings are 50 percent mercury and extremely toxic for this reason alone. This type of dental filling also contains a toxic amount of copper and nickel. Nickel is commonly used in dental braces and for dental crowns. Cadmium is toxic as well and can be found in dental fillings and cigarette smoke, just one more reason to avoid secondhand smoke. Many pesticides and herbicides contain toxic amounts of heavy metal.
