In the '70's when my oldest daughter was four years old, she was diagnosed with what was called "hyperactivity" back then. Today, the diagnosis might have been "ADHD" (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or "ADD" (attention deficit disorder).
I'm not an advocate of putting children on medications to control behaviors now, and I wasn't back then, either. In an effort to help my daughter by natural and alternative methods, I started researching. Keep in mind, we didn't have the internet back in the '70's. We had libraries. And bookstores. (What I wouldn't have given for the internet back then!) After thousands of pages of reading, and almost as many pages of notes, I chose to eliminate refined sugars, bleached flours, artificial flavors and artificial colors from her diet. The results were amazing - and successful!
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disordes
Before her diet change, she would have periods where she just couldn't sit still. She would talk a mile a minute and would rush from one toy to another. It was as if she had a motor inside that was stuck on high speed! She also had behavior issues. You could see an immediate change in her after a piece of candy. She would be calmly sitting in her chair, reading a book (yes, she read at 4 years old). I would give her a small piece of candy. Within minutes, her foot would start tapping, then her legs couldn't be still. She would wiggle and squirm in her seat. She would then get up and walk around, then run and literally bounce off the walls. This would go on for an hour or more before she would start to wind down - and crash. Once I adjusted her diet, we no longer had the extreme behavioral highs and lows. She was just a "normal" kid.
Back in the '70's we didn't have "natural" or "organic" stores where I lived. Nor was this type of food available at the chain grocery stores, as it is today. Everything had to be made from scratch. I learned to make my own fruit roll-ups, crackers, breads, cakes, cookies and (yes) candy. It took a little more time than opening a box to cook dinner, but it was so much healthier for both of my children. They still had treats like the other kids. But I knew exactly what ingredients went into those treats. I used to take my kids trick-or-treating on Halloween. They would collect the candy, give it all away to their friends and we would go home and eat "good" treats. They had the fun of going from door to door, and they knew they couldn't eat the candy that was put in their bags. And they were ok with this.
I have a grandson who has been diagnosed with ADHD. He is currently on medications for his condition, but my daughter limits his intake of refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors as she limits the sugar intake of these items for all of her children. As always, it is up to the person - or parent - to decide if an alternative method is right for their family.
ADHD and Hyperactivity - Foods to Avoid
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