| Most of us know if we eat healthy we're more likely | | | | phenomenon was also highlighted in the movie, Super |
| to be healthy. But how often do we relate what we | | | | Size Me. Here, an experiment was conducted with |
| eat to our behavior, and more importantly perhaps, the | | | | emotionally disturbed children who were put into a |
| behavior of our children? In a talk I recently gave about | | | | different school that served only organic foods and |
| nutrition I had used several examples of every day | | | | healthy snacks. Soda machines were replaced with |
| foods to bring my point home about what is really in | | | | water vending machines. Candy machines were |
| the foods we are eating, that we may be unaware of. | | | | replaced with healthy choices. Before long the |
| One of these foods was children's breakfast cereal. A | | | | behavior of these problem children became exemplary, |
| conventional brand listed sugar as the first ingredient, | | | | even better then the other school children who were |
| and therefore a main ingredient. Yet every parent | | | | still eating nutritionally void junk foods. |
| knows that after eating sugar kids are likely to go off | | | | Similar results have been found in studies performed in |
| the deep end and become hyperactive and | | | | prisons. For instance, a study conducted by Bernard |
| misbehave, followed by the sugar low that causes | | | | Gesch, a physiologist at the University of Oxford, |
| irritability. | | | | showed aggression and fighting were reduced |
| So why are we feeding our kids sugar first thing in the | | | | considerably among inmates when healthy foods |
| morning? Are we helping them to start their day on | | | | were replaced with conventional and junk foods. Food, |
| the wrong foot? Among other toxic and possibly | | | | it seems, is becoming a reliable predictor of future |
| disease causing ingredients, there were 3 different | | | | violence and crime in children, and even adults. This |
| food dyes in this cereal. Food dyes have been linked | | | | phenomenon implies remarkable possibilities for great |
| to hyperactivity, reduced mental capacity and several | | | | improvements relating to our level of crime in society, |
| forms of disease, including asthma and cancer. | | | | the over crowding of prisons, and in fact our entire |
| Reading the ingredients in this one food got me thinking | | | | judicial system over time. This transforms our food |
| more about the ever increasing incidence of ADD and | | | | choices, once thought of as a personal issue into a |
| ADHD in children, and the behavior problems that | | | | social issue as well. |
| parents and teachers are so well aware of. Is it | | | | When adding crime and violence to the strong links |
| possible that by simply changing what we feed our | | | | already known to exist between food and ADD |
| children we can relieve and perhaps eliminate | | | | ADHD, obesity and related health problems and other |
| hyperactivity and other behavioral problems in children? | | | | diseases in children, there is even more cause to |
| Increasing evidence indicates the answer is Yes. | | | | consider changing what our children eat. With this |
| An article entitled You Do What You Eat, in the | | | | increased evidence becoming difficult to ignore there is |
| September, 2005 edition of Ode Magazine reported | | | | a wave beginning in schools across the country |
| mounting evidence that food directly affects the | | | | toward healthy and organic lunches and snacks for |
| behavior of children. Studies show when eating a diet | | | | their students. Schools who participate are finding |
| high in sugars, saturated fats, food dyes, pesticides and | | | | students becoming more well behaved, happier, |
| preservatives, children will exhibit aggression, | | | | healthier and better able to learn, and their test scores |
| restlessness and even explosive behavior. When this | | | | show it. With these results being so favorable, the |
| food is replaced with healthy, nutritious foods the bad | | | | question becomes, is our school system ready for |
| behavior disappears or is greatly reduced. This | | | | change? |