How cutting out certain food Additives could curb ADHD (and cancer too).

Cases of allergies, asthma, ADHD & Autism are surging among  U.S. children.  A U.S. Government survey claims that 1 in 10 U.S. children now have ADHD.  This is a dramatic increase from several years earlier.  ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) makes it difficult for children to control impulsive behavior and pay attention.  Approximately 2/3 of the children diagnosed with ADHD are on some form of prescription medication.

Scientists are exploring whether these conditions are related to exposure to toxic chemicals that are common in most of the processed food that fills our supermarkets, homes & school cafeterias.

We all know that Junk food is bad, but when money and time are tight, fast, readily available processed food is often the cheapest way to put calories into your kid’s belly.  These fast foods are often riddled with unhealthy ingredients that experts think may contribute to, and worsen, ADHD.  The most common are:

• Sodium Benzoate, a preservative (e.g., found in soda)
• Blue #1 and #2 food coloring
• Green #3
• Orange B
• Red #3 and #40
• Yellow #5 & #6

If your child has ADHD-like symptoms, first be sure your child has been given an age appropriate assessment to rule out that his or her “acting out” is actually normal.  Then implement the following strategies as they often work exceptionally well in treating this condition.

• Eliminate most grains and sugars from your child’s diet.  Even organic and whole grain can cause problems.  Give him/her a “grain holiday” and see if behavior improves.
• Replace soft drinks (whether diet or regular), fruit juices, and pasteurized milk with pure, clean non fluoridated water.  While you may believe fruit juices are a healthy alternative to soda, they really aren’t and need to be avoided.
• Avoid all processed foods, especially those containing artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
• Minimize the use of nearly all processed fats, especially trans- fat as they disrupt nerve cell intercommunication.
• Clear your house of dangerous pesticides. Pesticides are not chemicals to preserve life. To the contrary they are created and used to end it by killing bugs and weeds.  Pesticide exposure has been linked to ADHD.
• Avoid commercial grade washing detergents and cleaning products and replace them with naturally derived cleaning products with no added dyes, perfumes, softeners.
• Increase omega 3 fats by taking a high quality animal based omega-3 oil.  Krill oil is the best for this as it is more easily absorbed.

*information obtained from ewg.com, mercola.com, feingold.org & gapsdiet.com

Making sure you’re getting enough sunlight exposure to have healthy Vitamin D levels is a crucial factor in treating depression or keeping it at bay. One previous study found that people with the lowest levels of Vitamin D were 11 times more prone to being depressed than those who had normal levels. Vitamin D deficiency is actually more the norm than the exception, and has previously been implicated in both psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Vitamin D receptors have been identified throughout the human body, and that includes in your brain. Researchers have located metabolic pathways for Vitamin D in the hippocampus and cerebellum of the brain, areas that are involved in planning, processing of information, and the formation of new memories.

Sufficient Vitamin D is also imperative for proper functioning of your immune system to combat inflammation, and other research has discovered that depressed people tend to have higher levels of inflammation in their brains.

Vitamin D is paramount to optimal thyroid function, and depression is a well-known symptom of low thyroid function. Be sure to ask your doctor to check your “25-OH vitamin D” level (NOT “1,25-OH vitamin D” level). Although normal range is 30 to 100, studies have shown that people with levels in the 70-80 range have the lowest incidence of flus/colds, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and diabetes. Levels should be monitored periodically since vitamin D is one of the few vitamins that can reach toxic levels, and of course, you want to make sure you are never deficient in vitamin D. 

by Mila McManus MD

Now that school is finally out and we will all be spending more time outdoors, I believe the time has come to debunk the sunscreen myth.

Sunlight elevates our mood and exposure to it is crucial for optimal health for a number of reasons, with Vitamin D production being the most important.  Vitamin D is one of the most effective anti-cancer vitamins and can be produced in the skin through exposure to U.V. light. It is essential for a strong immune system that helps protect us from, and ward off, cancer(s). It is also very important for maintaining strong and healthy bones.

Toxicity of Sunscreens

Sunscreen ingredients, such as Zinc Oxide and Oxybenzone are linked to cancer. Absorbing chemicals through the skin can be more dangerous than ingesting them orally. The reason for this is that when chemicals or medications are applied directly on the skin, they are not broken down by the strong acids of the stomach before reaching the bloodstream, and they bypass being metabolized by the liver on initial entry.  Moreover, the aluminum content in these carcinogenic ingredients commonly used in most sunscreens will stay in the body forever, accumulating as a heavy metal toxin.

The survival of the sunscreen industry is reliant upon keeping us ignorant and afraid of the sun.  None of us would ever consider eating sunscreen, yet we follow the advice of the medical “establishment” that reports continually that many of us will suffer from skin cancer without it. “Experts” recommend applying generous amounts of the products every few hours. It has been shown that strict sun protection exacerbates Vitamin D deficiency. Sunscreen creates an actual physical barrier and blocks your skin’s ability to produce Vitamin D by more than 95%.

So, now that we have determined that sunscreen is full of known carcinogens and provides a physical barrier against the production of the amazing cancer fighter Vitamin D, what is the best solution to having optimal Vitamin D levels?

Sun Safety Solutions

The best solution is healthy tanning. This does not mean that we should all go out and get as much sun as we want. Caution must be exercised and the key is avoiding a burn.  This means that we should limit exposure initially until we accumulate some brown pigment, called melanin, which gives the skin brown color and protects it naturally from burning. As the skin becomes well tanned, a person can increase their exposure with little risk of cancer. If burning does occur, apply coconut oil or aloe vera overnight and miss a day or two of sun exposure to allow the skin to recover. In the middle of summer, when the sun is very strong, avoid the midday hours or wear lightweight, light colored clothing that covers the skin and a wide brimmed hat.

Have a Happy and Healthy Summer!