| p>The next time your child's teacher tells you he is | | | | these essential fats it brings about a definite |
| having trouble concentrating in class, or your child | | | | improvement in school performance, memory and |
| comes home with poor grades, save the lecture and | | | | learning abilities. Did you know that making these a |
| take a look at your refrigerator instead. Most parents | | | | regular part of your child's diet can also decrease |
| are aware that there is a link between nutrition and | | | | behavioural abnormalities? Kids with ADHD especially |
| school grades, but many don't realize the damage | | | | benefit from consuming these good fats with reduced |
| malnutrition and wrong diets can cause. And if you | | | | attention deficit problems, physical aggression and |
| have a child with special needs, you need to make an | | | | disruptive behaviour. Include fresh and organically |
| extra effort to give your child the right diet. | | | | grown fruits and vegetables in your child's diet and lay |
| The wrong foods and what they can do to your child's | | | | emphasis on the daily intake of high quality protein and |
| mental capabilities | | | | essential fatty acids. |
| Undernourished children usually lag far behind their | | | | Foods to be consumed in moderation |
| peers, especially in mental abilities. Early in childhood | | | | Too often parents indulge kids, because they think |
| and infancy, malnutrition and a lack of essential foods | | | | they are too young to 'diet'. However, it's best that kids |
| in diet can lead to brain development defects. If your | | | | learn to appreciate wholesome food early in life. |
| child is displaying a marked indifference to his/her | | | | Excessive consumption of hydrogenated fats |
| surroundings, is listless, irritable, has a low attention | | | | prevents the absorption of essential fatty acids. Too |
| span, reduced curiosity and language difficulties, his/her | | | | much refined sugar and refined carbohydrates (white |
| diet may be at fault. Several research studies haven | | | | flour foods like cookies, cakes, white bread, polished |
| proven that diet is a contributing factor to mood | | | | rice, sodas, candy) in the diet also cause lethargy and |
| swings and other behavioral problems. In fact, diet | | | | lack of attention in children and this may lead to poorer |
| plays such an important role in mind development that | | | | grades. They are especially bad for children with |
| necessary learning skills like the ability to comprehend | | | | ADHD. If you want to give your child fruit juice, try to |
| visual or audio stimuli, and reading, writing and language | | | | make them fresh or use them up within one or two |
| comprehension are also severely affected. Needless | | | | days. Most ready to drink juices are flavoured and |
| to say, this translates to poor school performance. | | | | sugary. They provide only sugars and none of the |
| The right nutrition and supplements | | | | vitamins that your child may obtain from fresh fruits. |
| Are you a parent struggling to make sense of the | | | | Carbohydrates in general can be classified according |
| conflicting dietary advice available these days? You | | | | to their Glycemic index (GI). Foods with high GI include |
| are not alone. Most parents know that their kids need | | | | refined sugars, white flour, polished rice etc. These can |
| healthy food, but don't know how to ensure a | | | | cause steep rise in blood sugar levels. Such |
| balanced diet. Experts advocate a combination of | | | | fluctuations in blood sugars can be detrimental to your |
| nutrition and supplements to tackle dietary deficiencies. | | | | child especially if he/she has an attention deficit |
| Iron, zinc, essential fats, vitamins A, C, and many B's | | | | problem. On the other hand, foods with low GI help |
| have been known to boost the mental development of | | | | maintain a steady of sugar level in your child's blood. |
| school children. Supplements of these and other | | | | This can provide energy for longer periods and does |
| essential vitamins and minerals in their prescribed | | | | not cause lethargy and fatigue that high GI foods |
| doses by a nutritionist/ natural physician can be vital in | | | | trigger. You can give brown bread, lots of whole grains, |
| improving the memory and learning skills of the child. | | | | soya, muesli, oats etc as a source of low GI foods to |
| How can you be sure your child is getting these vital | | | | your children at breakfast for optimum benefits. |
| brain foods? These vitamins are abundantly found in | | | | Food allergies and Heavy Metals |
| citrus and other fruits, green leafy vegetables, whole | | | | Food allergies, food intolerances and heavy metals are |
| grains, wheat germ, brown rice, nuts and beans. Here | | | | very common and prevent children from achieving |
| are some more details: | | | | optimal growth. Parents need to know how to identify |
| - Iron rich foods include beans, whole grains, | | | | and handle these problems because they have also |
| vegetables like spinach, broccoli, meat, liver and dry | | | | been linked to aggravation of ADHD and other |
| fruits like raisins and dates. | | | | behavioural and learning difficulties like restlessness, |
| - Zinc is essential for development of immunity and the | | | | lack of concentration, aggressive behaviour or |
| brain, and can be found in beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, | | | | withdrawal. Common food allergens/sensitivities include |
| seeds, whole grains etc. Zinc supplements are known | | | | milk (especially cow's milk), eggs, soy protein, wheat or |
| to improve memory and attention spans especially in | | | | gluten, peanuts, walnuts or cashew nuts. Food |
| children with learning and behavioral disorders like | | | | additives, colors and chemicals like tartrazine, carmine, |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD. A | | | | annatto, MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate), benzoate, |
| deficiency can be seen from white marks on | | | | nitrates, sulfites etc. can also result in food allergies and |
| fingernails, poor growth, acne and mental disturbances. | | | | intolerance. Heavy metal toxicity is becoming more |
| - Calcium is vital for bone and overall growth of | | | | common amongst children living in polluted cities. Metals |
| children as well as other functions in the body. Calcium | | | | can accumulate in the brain, resulting in reduced |
| rich foods include leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and | | | | intelligence, memory and impulse control. York tests |
| dairy products. A high percentage of the population are | | | | and Great Plains Laboratory tests are available to |
| intolerant to dairy so must get their calcium from other | | | | diagnose food allergies and intolerances as well as |
| sources. Deficiencies symptoms can be muscle | | | | heavy metal toxicity. If your child has a food allergy, |
| cramps, insomnia, and nervousness. Calcium should be | | | | make sure you substitute the allergy-causing food with |
| taken with magnesium for maximum absorption. | | | | a healthy option. Stay away from foods that have |
| - Magnesium is another mineral found abundantly in | | | | additives, colors and chemicals in them. Detoxification |
| nuts, beans, tomatoes, spinach, etc. the deficiency of | | | | programs can be implemented for those children who |
| which can adversely affect the growth of a child. | | | | are high in metals. |
| Apart from health problems like allergies and asthma, | | | | Water |
| magnesium deficiency is also linked to ADHD and | | | | Water consumption by our children should be |
| other behavioral problems in children. | | | | encouraged regularly. Have them bring a bottle to |
| - Choline taken with B5 can also boost memory and | | | | school and make sure they have access to it at all |
| mental performance. An easy way to do get your | | | | times. As our bodies and brains require water to |
| child to take this is to sprinkle Lecithin granules (found | | | | optimize their function, sodas and other sugary drinks |
| at your health food store) on your food. Please make | | | | should be avoided and only pure filtered water given. |
| sure it contains more than 30% phosphatidyl choline. | | | | Pure fruit juice or freshly squeezed could be given |
| This should be taken everyday to see results. | | | | once a day and diluted partially with water. |
| - Essential fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids | | | | Dehydration signs can be tiredness, flushing of the |
| composed of essential components like | | | | face or overheating, lack of concentration, dry lips,skin |
| Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexanoic acid | | | | and mouth, thirst and constipation. If your child's urine is |
| (DHA) are extremely beneficial to children's brain | | | | very dark, then he/she is dehydrated. |
| development. These are commonly found in oily cold | | | | The role of wholesome, fresh food in boosting your |
| water fish like salmon and mackerel, oils like flaxseed | | | | child's mental growth can thus never be undermined. |
| oil, soybean oil, and rape seed or canola oil, and other | | | | Moreover, by teaching your kids to eat healthy, you |
| foods like soybeans, kidney beans, fenugreek seeds, | | | | are also teaching them a life skill, while simultaneously |
| spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin seeds and | | | | helping them get those better grades! |
| walnuts. When you supplement your child's diet with | | | | |