The Feingold Diet and Hyperactivity in Children

Many years ago, I saw a doctor on television who was discussing children who had been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). At the time, this doctor said that he had treated about 400 children so diagnosed and found diet to be the problem in all but one of the children. (The one exception, it turned out, had a heart murmur, which was causing the hyperactivity. Treating the heart murmur treated the hyperactivity.) I cannot remember the doctor's name; however, there was one doctor who adhered to this same philosophy that diet can contribute to a child's hyperactivity and that a change in diet can be used to treat the disorder. The doctor was Ben Feingold, M.D., an allergist and pediatrician in San Francisco, who developed what is known as the Feingold Diet. For those parents searching for a more natural alternative to treating their child's ADHD, this may very well provide an answer.

In 1973, Dr. Feingold introduced the diet on which he had been working since the 1960s. His theory was that at least half of the children diagnosed as hyperactive would experience an improvement when foods containing additives, such as food colors and flavors were removed, along with other additives that you may never have considered.

One such additive is salicylate. This group of chemicals is related to aspirin and naturally occurs in some plants, such as poplars. Aspirin and foods containing salicylate, Dr. Feingold stated, should be avoided by the child suffering from ADHD. Some foods containing salicylate include: apricots, berries, cucumbers, grapes, limes, lemons, oranges, plums, prunes, tomatoes, and any wintergreen flavors.

Sugar, of course, has long been labeled a cause and/or aggravating factor of ADHD. At one point, the New York Institute of Child Development in New York City discovered that by eliminating all sugar and focusing instead on frequent snacks of all-natural, high-protein foods that within 2-3 weeks the children were no longer hyperactive. Feingold does not necessarily advocate the elimination of all sugar from the diet, except in those cases where the child just cannot handle any sugar at all. He found that moderation is the key. He also discovered that many sugary treats contained other additives that were almost as harmful if not just as harmful as the sugar itself.

Among these harmful additives are the ever-popular "Yellow No. 5" and "Red 40." Most consumers just assume that these are added for color, which they are, and think no more about them. However, these additives are made from petroleum (crude oil). Need I say more? Another synthetic flavoring is "imitation vanilla flavoring." Imagine my shock when I learned that one source of this flavoring is the waste product produced by paper mills.

Dr. Feingold also discovered that many preservatives added to our processed foods can cause problems, as well. Three in particular -- BHA, BHT, and TBHQ -- are, like the food colorings, petroleum-based. The problem for the consumer is that these synthetic preservatives may not be specifically listed on the packaging and instead billed as "anti-oxidants" due to the fact that they prevent the foods from spoiling (called "oxidizing"). Other additives can also be a problem; e.g., sodium benzoate, nitrites, and sulfites. Furthermore, MSG can cause real problems for adults as well as children. (I have several friends who must avoid MSG at all costs, because it can cause such things as headaches -- even migraines -- to upset stomachs.) Then there are the artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame. The Feingold Diet eliminates these from the child's diet.

The Feingold Diet is not just simply a program of elimination and substitution, however. It is a comprehensive plan designed to help the child suffering from ADHD. According to their website, the Feingold Program "is a new way of shopping and eating that combines old-fashioned nutrition with modern convenience." Any parent of a child suffering from ADHD will want to look into this particular program as a possible solution. You can find a complete outline and discussion of the Feingold Diet on their website at: Feingold Association of the United States. Any such nutritional program should be pursued in cooperation with your child's pediatrician. The parent should also realize that following such a program will, of necessity, involve the entire family; however, eating more naturally and eliminating many of the synthetic additives found in so many processed foods can benefit everyone in the family.

References:

Feingold Association of the United States.

Brickman, Mark, and Sharon Claessens. The Natural Healing Cookbook. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1981.