Non-traditional Treatments Question

Hi, I’m not necessarily following a specific dietary intervention plan, but I do find that when I eat small meals throughout the day, like every two hours, my symptoms seem to smooth out a bit. Since food (and sugar) provides the fuel for our brains, it makes sense that making the availability more consistent throughout the day (rather than having 1 or 2 big meals, and making the body handle the process of distributing fuel to the brain on its own) would help the brain operate more evenly.
Dawn

Thanks Dawn. We find that too, in our family… also upping the protein content of meals helps stabilize mood stuff for us.

But what I was looking for was if there was anyone else for whom specific foods triggered ADHD symptoms. I follow the Feingold Program and I need to avoid dairy. I also find huge help with Fish Oil supplements which I originally took because I read it was helpful with depression (I was postpartum at the time!). When I took the supplements my “slipping gears” type of symptoms - forgetting, scrambled scheduling, lateness and procrastination - all stopped as did my tendency towards ADHD raging. Sleep patterns improved too. I don’t feel the dairy contributes to my ADHD stuff that much, but I can definitely feel the ADHD symptoms flare up when I go off the Feingold diet which avoids artificial additives (artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives) and foods high in salicylate content.

I always have to be aware of my ADHD tendencies, but with the diet and omega 3 supplementation, I don’t feel the need for meds as I did before. I didn’t know if there were any others on this board who were working the same way and just thought I’d throw it out. I still use the same coping methods with scheduling/planning/lists and having outside people help to structure.

On the support site for add’ers ADDed support there is a homeopathic bulletin board. It is an msn group. Also adult add’ers bulletin board.

Hi,
I had never heard of the Feingold diet, but I have tried Omega-3 supplements, and basically, I felt no impact at all except for fishy breath - yuck. What length of time did it require for you to follow the new diet before you noticed/detected improvements? I’m interested in looking into the Feingold diet. My son and my father both react to preservatives with angio-edema, localized swellings. It’s funny-looking if an ear or a lip swells up, but scary as all get-out if the throat swells (which has happened).

Hmmmm Can you refer me to any resources for this diet? Thanks, Dawn

An extreme chemical sensitivity to food ingredients/food additives is not classic ADHD at all. Classic ADHD is a real lifelong neurological challenge like classic epilepsy.

ADHD is treated by psychiatrists; epilepsy is treated by neurologists. That’s how the American medical system looks at the two real disorders.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/adhd.cfm

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ADHD_Bulletin_Board/

http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/noattent.htm

Study Links Damage to a Specific Brain Structure Following Closed-Head Injury With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

http://jol.rsna.org/pr/target.cfm?ID=28

I absolutely agree. If you are having swelling of the face, mouth and throat, it’s probably oral allergy syndrome a type of classic IgE immune response! See your allergist right away.

However, there is a lot of research showing that ADHD symptoms may be a result of a complicated malfunction of the immune and gastrointestinal systems. The fact is a lot of people have find significant relief of the neurological symptoms of ADHD by following dietary intervention strategies. Even with that relief, you still have ADHD, although the symptoms are managed or are manageable sometimes without meds. You can look at some of this research at http://www.feingold.org and follow the menu for scientific research. It is both interesting and frightening to me!

Enough said on that subject. I wasn’t trying to begin a debate. I find relief with dietary intervention and I was just looking to see if anyone else on this board was, like me, working both ends of the problem!!!

Altering the diet has really helped my son. I haven’t been able to get him to stick to it though so I’ve given up on that. I give him nutritional supplements that seem to be helping to some degree. I just started Gaba; I guess I’ll find out soon if it helps.

Here Here - pgd—
In a nutshell nicely said—Me thinks there be a difference between haveing ADD symptoms and having it inherently as we do—Diet may help some and not others etc—go to your medical doctor-psyciatrist or even psycologist—witch doctors have no place here