Hyperactive (ADHD) children’s diets.

It shocked me, as I’m sure it shocked everyone who heard the tragic news, that a 13-year-old Esquimalt girl died last week from a severe allergic reaction after eating some fast food.

The seven-day menu which I have devised is based on Doctor Ben Feingold findings that aspirin containing food, preservative, artificial food colourings and flavours lead to hyperactivities in children.

Any parent can relate to the loss of a child – be it from a car crash, a case of meningitis or the accidental consumption of a drug from a water bottle, as happened to 22-year-old Zoë Read a week earlier. Yet the sudden death of Carley Kohnen, who died after eating a burrito, really hit home for me.

Aspirin is the name of the drug acetylsalicylic acid and some foods contain salicylates, Doctor Ben Feingold found that by removing foods that contain salicylates from hyperactive (ADHD)children’s diets, their hyperactive (ADHD) condition improved. Foods that contain salicylates are almonds, apples, apricots, blackberries, boysenberries, cherries, cucumbers and pickles, currants, dewberries, gooseberries, grapes and sultanas, nectarines, oranges, peaches, plums and prunes, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, tea, soft drinks.

My youngest son is about her age and he too carries the burden of a potentially life-threatening allergy. It’s not clear what allergen killed Carley – she had allergies to peanuts and dairy products – however it is clear that she lapsed into anaphylactic shock and never recovered.

Doctor Ben Feingold went on to find further that by removing artificial colourings, flavourings and preservatives, that this also help the condition of hyperactive (ADHD) children. This is why I have kept to organic whole foods in my menu.

Further research has found that children with hyperactivity (ADHD) also lack certain vitamins and minerals especially zinc.

Her death reminded me that the very same thing could happen to my son, Ben. It also reminded me of the three times when I thought it would.

It is for this reason that I have tried to provide plenty of whole grains, seafood and legumes in my seven day menu which have high zinc content.

Artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame have been linked to hyperactivity (ADHD) in children; this is why they are omitted from my seven day menu.

The scariest occurred about 10 years ago. I was called to his sitter’s house because he was having trouble breathing. I arrived to find him with his face swollen and mucous trickling from his nose, the only obvious sign of moisture on his dry, bumpy, cracking skin. So I drove him to a clinic about five miles away as he moaned from the back seat, “I’m dying, dad.”

Many children with hyperactivity (ADHD) also have allergies to certain foods, I have kept dairy and wheat products from the menu just to be on the safe side, as they are common foods that cause allergic reactions. Although meat does not cause any hyperactivity (ADHD) problems I have omitted it from the menu, it contains a lot of chemicals such as antibiotics because of the way that meat is produced. I feel that we can get more beneficial and healthier protein from fish and seafood.

I had the sinking feeling that he might be right. That drive to the clinic was the longest five minutes of my life.

I tried to keep the menu from repeating itself too much, just to keep it interesting and to avoid having too much of one food type which could cause allergy problems later on in life.

Another time, the family was flying to California on Southwest Airlines when the flight attendant starting handing out bags of peanuts. We didn’t realize until then that peanuts are the airline’s signature treat. Ben, then about five, reached for a bag before anyone could stop him. I’m still not sure if he’d gotten some peanut residue off his face or if the aroma from 100 little bags of peanuts was to blame, but he had an uncomfortable flight. When we pointed out Ben’s problem, the airline was kind enough to serve raisins on the next three flights we took – and I don’t recall anyone complaining.

All the food is organic so that no chemicals are consumed and there is plenty of mineral water so that the child is well hydrated.

In conclusion, if a child has been diagnosed with hyperactivity, ADHD or attention deficit disorder (ADD), this or a diet similar to this is a good drug free way to improve or even cure their condition. It would also be wise to avoid produces that also contain salicylates such as suntan lotion, perfumes, cosmetics, soap and lubrication oils.

The third crisis flared up at home. I arrived to find half the local fire department in the living room attending to Ben, who had almost no blood pressure. He had eaten a confection from a supermarket bakery that the server assured Ben’s mom didn’t contain peanuts. I suspect the girl must have misheard the question – because the treat was oozing with peanut butter.

Seven day menu for hyperactive children:

1. Day 1.
   
   
• Breakfast: Organic Porridge with cinnamon made with water not milk and no sugar or artificial sweeteners.
  
  Organic Banana and vanilla Soya shake.
  
  
• Morning Snack: A handful of walnuts.
  
  
About 10 years has passed since Ben and his parents had a scare like that. A lot has changed since then – not the least being that his mother and father are each now married to another spouse. What hasn’t changed is the danger peanuts present to Ben. We’ve always tried to stress that he must be vigilant – although the last thing we want to do is make him paranoid.
• Lunch: Organic Rye salad sandwiches with Soya spread (no cucumber).
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
• Afternoon Snack: A handful of peanuts.
  
  
• Dinner: Grilled salmon, boiled organic new potatoes with organic green beans.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
Not long ago, I caught a PBS documentary about David Vetter, a boy who had no immune system and who lived his life in a plastic bubble. Simple exposure to the environment could kill him (and eventually did when he was 12). The gravity of his situation weighed on his psyche, casting him into a profound depression that might well have killed him had the germs not done so.
• Dessert: Organic Oatmeal pancakes.
  
  
• Evening Snack: Julienne carrots.
  
  
2. Day 2.
   
   
• Breakfast: Organic Courgette omelette made with organic eggs.
  
  Organic Cranberry juice.
  
  
Ben is much more fortunate. His good fortune, though, has led to some complacency. On occasion, he has gone places he shouldn’t without his EpiPen. That’s the saddest part about Carley’s death – her life-saving medicine was in her school locker. She was very vigilant about her condition, her parents told a local newspaper, but she let her guard down and it cost her life.
• Morning Snack: A handful of cashew nuts.
  
  
• Lunch: Poached trout on a bed of millet.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
• Afternoon Snack: A handful of peanuts.
  
  
• Dinner: Organic chickpea curry with organic brown rice.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
Ben can only vaguely recall one of his brushes with anaphylaxis. Yet he’s smart enough to realize that peanuts represent a real threat. In a few weeks, he’s leaving on a trip with his school band. It will be the first time he’s gone anywhere for any extended time without at least one of his parents. I’m scared to death.
• Dessert: Organic pear sprinkled with cinnamon and grilled.
  
  
• Evening Snack: Julienne red peppers.
  
  
3. Day 3.
   
   
• Breakfast: Smoke mackerel.
  
  Organic Mango juice.
  
  
Of course, I have to let him go. The world is a dangerous place. He just has to navigate one extra danger that most of us don’t have to think about.
• Morning Snack: A handful of hazel nuts.
  
  
• Lunch: Scrambled organic eggs on an organic jacket potato.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
• Afternoon Snack: A handful of walnuts.
  
  
Estimates vary, but about one per cent of the population in industrialized countries have a life-threatening allergy. The most prevalent by far is to peanuts, although shellfish and dairy products are also common. Theoretically, the human body can develop a severe allergy to any protein.
• Dinner: New England fish chowder (made with no cream, milk or salt just good fish stock).
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
• Dessert: Organic pineapple slices.
  
  
• Evening Snack: Slices of celery.
  
  
4. Day 4.
   
   
• Breakfast: Organic Rice cakes (no salt) with organic peanut butter (no salt or sugar).
  
  Organic pineapple juice.
  
  
In the U.S. about two million people are allergic to peanuts. About 100 die every year. That’s about a one in 20,000 chance per year or a one in 200 chance over 100 years.
• Morning Snack: A handful of pecan nuts.
  
  
• Lunch: Veggie burger and a bed of organic salad (no tomatoes or cucumber).
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
I suspect that those seemingly favourable odds are because people with peanut allergies learn from a young age to be careful. Improvements in food packaging and general education are also helpful. Shortly after Ben was diagnosed, I recall a woman indignantly telling me that it is impossible for someone to die from an allergic reaction to peanuts. I now encounter less of that insensitivity to people with food sensitivities but it’s still there.
• Afternoon Snack: Handful of hazel nuts.
  
  
• Dinner: Vegetarian organic chilli serve on a bed of millet made with organic kidney beans and Soya mince.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
While the mechanisms behind these allergies still aren’t fully understood by medical science, the problem can be stated simply – such as peanuts are poison to some people.
• Dessert: Baked organic banana coated with natural yoghurt.
  
  
• Evening Snack: Julienne carrots.
  
  
5. Day 5.
   
   
• Breakfast: Sliced organic pears with natural bio yoghurt.
  
  Organic carrot juice.
  
  
Unfortunately, they are a cheap and nutritious food for everyone else. I used to love peanuts but I haven’t wanted to eat one for years... [read more]
• Morning Snack: A handful of cashew nuts.
  
  
• Lunch: Smoked Herring on a bed of organic brown rice.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
• Afternoon Snack: A handful of brazil nuts.
  
  
• Dinner: Vegetarian green tofu Thai curry served on a bed of organic brown rice.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
• Dessert: Organic melon slices.
  
  
• Evening Snack: Julienne red peppers.
  
  
6. Day 6.
   
   
• Breakfast: Toasted organic Rye bread with pilchards (no tomato sauce).
  
  Organic pineapple juice.
  
  
• Morning Snack: A handful of walnuts.
  
  
• Lunch: King Prawns on organic rice cakes (no salt) with sesame seed dressing.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
• Afternoon Snack: A handful of pecan nuts.
  
  
• Dinner: Organic mixed bean stew served with toasted chunky rye bread.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
• Dessert: Organic cranberry ice crush.
  
  
• Evening Snack: Slices of celery.
  
  
7. Day 7.
   
   
• Breakfast: A bowl of organic puffed rice with vanilla Soya milk.
  
  Green Vegetable juice.
  
  
• Morning Snack: A handful of hazel nuts.
  
  
• Lunch: Organic winter vegetable soup with rye croutons.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
• Afternoon Snack: A handful of brazil nuts.
  
  
• Dinner: Grilled tuna served with organic spring onions and mashed potatoes.
  
  Plain mineral water.
  
  
• Dessert: Organic exotic fruit salad made with kiwi fruit, star fruit and lychees.
  
  
• Evening Snack: Julienne carrots.