Managing behaviour through diet?

The connection between food intolerances and behaviour is an evolving area of research. There is a growing body of evidence that dietary changes can have a significant impact for children who have ADHD, frequent tantrums and other behavioural problems.

Food reactions can often be dose dependant, meaning that a small amount of the food may not cause a reaction. However if a trigger food is regularly consumed, the chemical build up can cause symptoms to develop after a few hours or days. This is why it is so important to work with an experienced practitioner as we can conduct appropriate tests to identify likely triggers and work with you to implement a suitable elimination diet. Changing what you eat can result in remarkable changes, and an improved quality of life for many families.

It is common to see families address these problems once the school gets involved and complaints are made. A lovely and common comment from the mother of one of my child patients recently said “We are so glad that her teacher has no more complaints about her performance and attention in the classroom. Thanks again!” Another client commented on a Facebook post about food intolerances and behaviour that, “Well, we all know this was our child before you made him a nice little boy LOL.”

Dinner time or tantrum time?
The most widely recognised connection between food and behaviour relates to both food intolerances or sensitivities and salicylates. Preservatives, artificial colours and other additives can at times be problematic as well. Food intolerances have been linked to behavioural and mood issues including tantrums, irritability, hyperactivity, defiant behaviour, aggression, depression, mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks, and difficulty concentrating. Headaches, tiredness, burning urine, bed wetting, sleeping problems, skin rashes, respiratory issues, diarrhoea, constipation and complaints of a sore tummy are some physical issues that children with a food intolerance suffer from. It is estimated that at least half, if not more, of children with ADHD have food sensitivities which impact their behaviour.

With the ever growing number of processed foods available in supermarkets across the country, and parents that are time poor and do not have the time to cook, it’s not surprising that many feel that behavioural problems are increasingly common.

The most common offenders for negatively influencing a child’s behaviour when it comes to food intolerances are gluten, casein, eggs, and citrus fruits. If one of these foods are problematic it is essential that you are very strict with diet, and totally remove all of the foods, as even a teaspoon of an offending food will cause a reaction.
With salicylates it is slightly different, most children can tolerate a certain amount of salicylates in their diet, but it is when too many salicylate foods are consumed that you will start to have problems. I describe it as being similar to a funnel: the funnel can cope with a certain amount of liquid, but if you pour in too much liquid, it cannot cope and it flows out all over the top. Children with salicylate problems have similar reactions to what we have discussed earlier with food intolerances. However, there are also a few key differences. Salicylate reactions can result in red ears and cheeks, skin rashes, night and day wetting. You will find that your child will really crave high salicylate foods such as strawberries, blueberries, grapes, watermelon, sultanas, and tomato sauce. If your child does really crave a particular food, and you do notice that they react after it, just check and see if it is a high salicylate food.

Foods containing high levels of salicylates include:
• Vegetables: tomato and tomato products, gherkins, radish, spinach, capsicum and cucumber.
• Fruits: Dried fruits, most berries, oranges, apricot, rockmelon, red skinned apples, cherries, peaches, nectarines and plum.
• Other foods: Honey, bacon, bone broths and fermented foods.

Gut-brain connections
Connections are now starting to be established between the gut and other behavioural issues including depression, anxiety, ADHD and even autism. As many food intolerances are a result of poor gut health, eliminating these foods and allowing the gut to heal is having a positive impact for many families.

Written by Sharon Hespe. Sharon is a Food Intolerance Specialist. She has a clinic in Sydney where she sees private patients and as well conducts Skype and phone consultations, with children making up almost 30 % of her patients. When you are dealing with the symptoms of food intolerance it is important to build a relationship with your practitioner that is practical and understanding. Sharon is a degree-qualified naturopath who believes in open and honest communication with her clients allowing for better treatment and better results. All treatments that Sharon provides are tailor made to your needs and symptoms. With just a few small changes you can feel better and live a happier and healthier life. Contact details; [email protected],www.sharonhespe.com.au