ADD and Nutrition
by
Alison
Cole
Attention deficit disorder
(ADD) can be battled from many directions. Drugs, behavior
modification, nutrition, and exercise are among the various
means with which professionals combat ADD in children. Good
nutrition is a vital part of children's health, whether
they have ADD or not. But in a child with ADD, proper
nutrition is critical. In the initial stages of ADD, taking
nutritional supplements is an alternative to
treatment.
A low blood sugar level (glucose level)
is one of the main causes of ADD in children. This
condition makes children drowsy in class and restless when
they are bored. Children with glucose deficiencies suffer a
shorter inattentive phase. You can maintain your child's
blood sugar level by making glucose part of his breakfast,
the most important meal of the day as far as children are
concerned.
For an ADD child, vitamin B is important
as it helps to free the energy in glucose. A deficiency of
vitamin B in the diet makes a child aggressive and
depressed. A child may not get all varieties of vitamin B
(there are 12 essential parts to vitamin B) from his normal
diet. A good multivitamin capsule can be used to supplement
normal food. Cereal is also a good source of vitamin B.
Iron is an essential mineral as it helps in transporting
oxygen to the cells (primarily, brain cells) through the
blood system. Iron deficiency leads to anemia. Folic acid
is essential for the formation of red and white blood
cells. Without the proper amount of folic acid in the body,
a child feels tired, irritable, and forgetful. Folic acid
is obtained from vegetables and fruits. Zinc deficiencies
also cause ADD symptoms. A lack of a sufficient amount of
zinc makes a child feel dizzy and depressed. Cereals and
peanuts are good sources of zinc.
Tags: ADD
children, ADD child, ADHD children, ADD nutrition,
Attention Deficit Disorder
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