Better Nutrition: Back-to-school bingo?

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Back-to-school bingo?

James Gormley

September means back-to-school. One of my nicest memories was going to the Woolworth five-and-dime with my mother and picking out brand-new marble "composition pads" and #2 pencils. I still remember the smell of the notebook paper and pencils, and look on that time fondly.

Although I preferred Jules Verne to geometry, and really loved my summer vacations, I still was excited at the beginning of each new school year. I think it had something to do with the seemingly unlimited possibilities for learning and success, fun and friendship. A clean slate.

Not every child has it as relatively worry-free as that, unfortunately. Some 3-4 million American children and teens are now believed to suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Now while no one is questioning whether ADHD is a true disorder (inattentive-type, formerly called ADD, or hyperactive-impulsive-type) -- it most certainly is -- one could question the meteoric rise in identified cases of attention deficit disorder. Are the diagnoses increasing astronomically or is the true number of properly diagnosed conditions increasing at that rate?

According to Dr. Mary Ann Block, the author of No More Ritalin -- Treating ADHD Without Drugs (Kensington, 1996) and of this month's ADD feature ("ADD -- Attention Deficit or Nutrition Deficit," p. 42), "We have an ADHD industry. The people running this industry are making a great deal of money from it. I would not object to money being made if the problem were actually being fixed or cured, [but] unfortunately that's not the case." In fact, the prescribing of Ritalin has grown over 600 percent since the 1990s.

Since about 80 to 85 percent of ADHD children receive drugs, we could well wonder if the nutrition and ADD connection was just recently made.

The answer is a resounding "No!" Books and chapters abound on this connection: Dr. William Crook on excess sugar (1987 and 1991); Dr. Leo Galland on artificial ingredients (1988); Dr. Cass Ingram and Judy K. Gray, M.S., on calcium/omega-3-fat deficiencies and food colorants (1994); Dr. Howard Peiper (1997); and yours truly on DHA supplements and ADHD (1999).

As we approach the back-to-school time, let's all look more closely at artificial food colors and preservatives (call the Feingold Association: 703-768-FAUS), excess sugars (go to Dr. Crook's website www.candida-yeast.com) and possible omega-3 and calcium deficiencies. If you have someone you love with ADHD, you might be able to get him or her off the Ritalin rollercoaster; if your children have not been diagnosed with it, you can safeguard their overall health by providing a cleaner, purer diet.

So they can get back to Jules Verne. Or is that Harry Potter?

In good health,

James Gormley has served as a managing editor for two of the most respected medical journals in the U.S., and as a social sciences/medical editor in book publishing. His award-winning articles cover important issues, keeping readers informed of the latest breakthroughs in nutritional approaches to optimal health.