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I have been diagnosed with ADD resently (I’m 38) go figure. My child was found to be ADHD and ALD. does anybody know if these are genicly related ? Is there testing for adults for ALD ?

Hi,
I have ADD, my daughter has ADHD and my son has ADHD with some autistic symptoms. We are managing all of us with dietary intervention. I started working with diet just so I was eating the same thing as my kids, and lo and behold my symptoms began to clear up (along with other nagging physical problems like chronic joint pain and sinus infections!). The rest of my lingering ADD symptoms (raging and absent-mindedness) began to clear with Omega 3 supplementation. Every once in a while I think I should probably do a trial with meds, but right now everything is in a good balance. I slip most often during the weekends when I’m off my regular schedule and my family is off theirs too! I’m glad to have a place for adult issues instead of just our wacky and wonderful kids!

Also, Stephen, I’m not sure what you were asking was genetically related, but ADHD and ADD do run in families and a vast number of people with ADD/ADHD also have LD.

Laurie,

I am ADD but I went the medication route first with really good results. Now that things are under control, I’d like to try your method. Could you tell me what are the dietary guidelines or what resources you used?

Hi Craig,

It’s funny you wrote that. I did diet first and I’ve been wondering (even though things are really good) if I shouldn’t try a meds approach!

With the dietary intervention, I did everything backwards. I sort of fell into it! I’ll tell you my approach and then I’ll recommend the easy way. In college I became physically ill all the time and quickly realized I could not tolerate tomatoes and cut them out with good results. Then I took dairy out to help my two asthmatic children and my asthma was “cured” and more physical complaints were improved. I was intrigued by the effects of diet, but hadn’t linked them to my ADD. Then I was introduced to the Feingold Program through my children’s pediatric allergist. The effects were miraculous for my children and for me.

The Feingold Association provides guidlines for removing petroleum additives (artificial colors, flavors, antioxidant preservatives, and fragrances) as well as foods containing salicylates (a natural aspirin type compound). If you get a good improvement, after 4-6 weeks you can “test in” the salicylates which include things like tomato, apple, orange, grape, peppers, and more. If there are further food intolerance or sensitivity issues, the program offers guidelines for removing those items too. It’s basically a really good, sound, structured elimination diet.

The Feingold diet along with dairy free (dairy free is more for asthma and GI symptoms than ADD) and a really good quality omega 3 supplement has taken me from a disorganized, forgetful, raging, unhappy person to a really sane and balanced type. I hardly know myself! The Feingold Association has a pretty helpful website at http://www.feingold.org or you can call at 1-800-321-3287. The basic program is pretty easy. You avoid the fruits and veggies with salicylates and they give you a shopping guide for everything else. A lot of times its just a matter of choosing a different brand of something you normally eat. Pretty painless except for the first shopping trip which takes twice as long as normal. They even tell you which fast foods are okay!

If you give it a try, post and let us know if it works for you.

Laurie

May I ask what your dietary intervention consisted of? We think our daughter may have ADD and we’d love to see if a change in her diet makes a difference.
We know to avoid all things including medicine with red dye. I think I might have it as well.

Hi,
I went to the Feingold site and found a lot of helpful stuff. Since I have been researching ADD, (I have gone to a doctor and been diagnosed by a GP,) my mom has wondered if there is a connection between serotonin and ADD. Women who lack serotonin suffer from severe PMS. Vitamins that help are the B vitamin, 5-HTTP, etc, that increases serotonin. This site confirmed the connection. Thank you!

The original diet Feingold worked on was called the Kaiser Permanente diet. Originally asthma was treated in some cases by removing salicylates (the problem was known as salicylate-aspirin sensitivity). While doing this they found that some behavioral problems (like hyperkinesis) were also “cured.” Originally only about 1/3 of hyperactivity cases were cured and another 1/3 improved. Then Dr. Feingold removed petroleum based additives (preservatives like BHT, TBHQ, and BHA, artificial colors, flavors, fragrances.) With this the success rate soared.

The program now helps people with ADHD and Autistic Spectrum Disorders (also asthma, betwetting, apraxia, migraines, etc.) by providing a structured program that in the first stage removes all artificial colors and flavors and removes the “BH” preservatives and removes foods high in salicylates (like tomatoes, apples, oranges and grapes). Oddly, many people find that the foods removed in this first stage are favorite foods and sometimes in kids you find that they have self-limited the diet to these foods. (My own kids lived on apple juice and ate oranges daily!) It helps to have the Association’s “buying guide” because manufacturers are not legally required to list these additives in every case. The guide has a list of foods that has been researched to be free of the stuff!

After there is a good response for 4-6 weeks, the program guides you in “testing back in” salicylates one at a time. Or if the results are not as expected or are erratic, it can guide you in looking at other additives that may be problematic.

It is really common even for medical doctors to believe the diet involves removing red dyes. This is, I believe, why so many doctors think that DI does not help. They tell people to take out red dye, and there’s no improvement, so the diet doesn’t help. One set of research shows that there may be an enzymatic deficiency that makes it hard for some of us to process phenols which are found in high amounts in the “artificials” and in the salicylate foods. Just one theory, but it may be why the Feingold diet works so well.

My feeling is that following the diet for even 6 weeks can help “take out the static” so you can really see what’s going on. For instance. After a few weeks on the diet, my kids improved a great deal, but we found horrible behavioral swings on Thursdays which we traced to our Weds. night habit of picking up a soda on the way home. My kids turned out to be very sensitive to corn syrup also. It does help too, even if you use meds for the same reason. It brings everything down so you (or your kids, or your spouse) can see more clearly what’s really going on! You’d be surprised!

The program costs about $75 initially which seem steep until I think of how many times I was seeing a doctor for chronic sinus infections and a chiropractor for constant joint pain which also miraculously cleared up along with my ADHD symptoms! The $75 definitely is cheaper in the long run! It’s worth looking into as a first defense or in support of meds in fighting the ADHD grind.

I was…45…and the son I thought was ADHD turned out to be depressed and the creative son is ADD My husband showed depression
What a challenge to live in a house with all of us…We are all leader as well
interesting … OOPs talking about me again.

Welcome to an exciting world if you accept yourself. I went to an ADD meeting in Sydney Australia 2 years ago …I thought I am in the right place…This is like a cocktail party with no BOOZE
karen downunder

you sound so sane…we are going down the diet track right now…years ago
interesting …sinus infections….thank you for incouraging me.. karen downunder

me too has it helped?

what is 5 whatever…I believe you are right about the connections..I have several staff who have PMS (pretty mean sister) I see the add symptons in them at those times…

Thank you…16 years ago I way on the diet you speak about….I am so different when on that diet..when I was in hosiptal having my son…I was on the same diet, when I return home after 2 weeks with a baby…I was so different and peaceful…only latest till I stops watching what I ate…my son would be restless too. If only I have keep to it.. I revisit the diet again 6 years ago…oh the pain etc as I eliminated… TIME TO GO BACK ON THE DIET…

I know, every once in a while I go off (too many late nights, travel, etc.) and then instead of getting right back on the program I luxuriate in not thinking about it. Then I fall apart, get distracted, forget everything, lose my temper at everything and generally turn into an ADD monster and think “Oh yeah, that’s why I do that diet thing.” When the ADD stuff is my “own” I can justify not staying on the diet, but when it affects my family I feel really bad (like when I get distracted and don’t show up in my daughter’s classroom on my volunteer day - aaargh!) I really do feel so much better when I stay away from my food “triggers.”

las thank you for your response…I am convicted I soooo need to get back on the elimination diet and just kept to it….oh the ttought of the pain of withdrawl
….my mentor Mark is working with me with the chemicals.
I have been to one doctor and due to see another re the allergies etc.
keep you posted if you are interested are in Australia ?

Can you write more about your diet and how did you find out about it.

Thanks

I read more there is more than enough info
thanks

What are the dietary interventions that you have tried. I am just newly diagnosed with ADD. I have a grown son with ADD, two brothers, two or three nephews. You’d think I could have figured it out. Oh well … . Now on to dealing with it.

Oops, on closer look, I saw that you are discussing the Feingold diet!!! It helped my son a lot. He still needed medication as well but I sure noticed when he slipped off of his diet. It looks as if some new factors have been added. I don’t remember the apple juice, etc. on the list.

Thanks!

Ann