Increased Risk of Breast Cancer

DID YOU KNOW…Birth Control Pills contain the same synthetic hormones as HRT.
If a girl age 12-18 starts on the birth control pills – she has a 400% increased risk of breast cancer… age 18-24… a 200% increased risk of breast cancer… age 24 or older… a 100% increased risk of breast cancer… do we really want to add synthetic hormones to a developing system of a young female?? If she is being put on birth control pills to correct menstrual problems or to clear up acne, instead look at nutritional needs, balancing hormones naturally & cleaning up her environment first…

So often people do not know of an alternative way to balance the body and we can help you help your body.  Call us.

Building a Future

Building a Future

moore inf

Here is BJ's story...BJ Blahnik, 36, and his wife Victoria live in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They have two sons, Emmitt, who is 4 and Trevor, who is 2. BJ also has a Leader Dog, Goober, from Leader Dogs for the Blind. BJ grew up with a daily challenge of having a visual impairment called Retinitis Pigmentosa. This degenerative disease was discovered when he was about 12 years old. Originally, BJ was told he would be totally blind before he turned 18. Through a trial of Vitamin A from another brand, BJ was able to prolong the use of his vision and still has a little remaining today, about 5 percent. BJ’s mission in life is to help others navigate through their life’s challenges and discover you do not need to live a life of “Why Me?”. BJ was forced to retire from his career due to his vision and had to begin a life of being on disability pay and the challenges which come with little income to provide for his family. BJ is now an inspirational speaker, a Lions Club member and a volunteer for Leader Dogs for the Blind.

BJ joined the Shaklee team in August 2014. He was introduced to Shaklee by his friends Jason and Jessica Pickett. After first trying the products, he noticed a change in his health. BJ was already using other supplements to help battle his cholesterol levels as well as a few other health concerns. Upon noticing a difference in his health, by simply changing brands, it became BJ’s passion to understand what Shaklee was really about. BJ became very enthusiastic about telling others how Shaklee was making a difference in his life. BJ decided to begin building his own business. “There are many challenges in life,” BJ says “However, it is up to me to break down the barriers and say Why Not Me.” BJ became a Shaklee Director in September 2015 and looks forward to being a future Presidential Master Coordinator.

POSITIVE THINKING SOMETIMES STARTS WITH NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Most of you have heard of the monumental work written by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale called, The Power of Positive Thinking. The book was first published in 1952. Since that time it has been translated into over forty languages and has sold two million copies. I would say that the book was fairly successful! Wouldn’t you?

Prior to the writing of that book there had not been much of a PMA (positive mental attitude) market in the publishing industry. In fact, the whole motivational speaking, seminar business with its positive, upbeat outlook on life is a fairly new industry, historically speaking.

Though many have read Dr. Peale’s book on positive thinking, not many people know the story behind it. It came at a great price.

Dr. Peale had been working on the book for a long time and was very discouraged. He even became so convinced that no one would be interested in reading such a book that one night he threw the entire manuscript in the garbage. He told his wife, Ruth, not to take the book out of the garbage can; he was finished with it and he did not want anything else to do with it!

He had been reading the book to her at night and although she told him that it was very, very good, he believed those words of praise and encouragement were just coming from a loving wife who was devoted and committed to him.

Ruth decided she would abide by her husband’s wishes; she would not take the manuscript out of the trash can. However, the next day she did something very unusual. She picked up the trash can with the manuscript still in it (keeping her word not to take it out of the trash can) and took it to a publisher. Well, the rest is history. The publisher loved the book and it has gone on to be a classic in literature.

The part of that story that speaks to me most is where he was so discouraged with his work that he did not think anyone would be interested in what he was writing. The reason it speaks to me so much is because that is reality. We all do things on a daily basis that we feel are mundane and unimportant and will not make a bit of difference to anyone. Yet, to someone else, it could be the very thing that changes the course of their life and destiny.

In more recent times, one of my own heroes, Zig Ziglar, has said, “Positive thinking will not make you do anything but, it will help you do everything better.” Zig used Dr. Peale’s concept and took it to a whole new level. I am sure you have been influenced sometime in your life by someone who believed in the power of positive thinking, positive talking, positive believing and positive living. It makes life so much better!

We live in a world that is full of negativity. I have often thought that the ratio of negative people to positive people must be about ten to one. But that’s okay. Just like you, I choose to be the positive one!

The next time you are discouraged that something is not going your way or is not working out like you want it to, remember this story. There is long-term power in believing in what you do even if you face discouragement in the short-term. I know how valuable positive thinking is in my own life and I am sure you do, too.

Thank you, Ruth Peale, for having the courage to be positive and believing in your husband and friend, even when he was not able to do so in himself. We have all benefited greatly from your decision to “take out the trash”!

Tip: Positive thinking sometimes starts with negative thoughts!

Have a great week! God bless you!

Dr. Robert A. Rohm

https://www.personality-insights.com/tip-positive-thinking-sometimes-starts-with-negative-thoughts

Help Your Cells Repair and Protect Against Daily Damage

The Power of Probiotics

The Power of Probiotics

By Carolyn Brown, MS, RD

You’ve probably heard the term “Probiotics” tossed around recently on labels and in the news. I swear by them and recommend them to many clients. People tend to think of bacteria as something to get ride of, but actually a huge amount of the bacteria in your body are the good guys, in face your gut is home to over 500 bacterial species or Probiotics. And a lot of the times, if you take antibiotics or just generally have a pretty processed diet, many of these good guys get wiped out.

Here’s the “good bacteria” 101:

1. Probiotics help with digestion and help break down nutrients. So if you have any tummy issues, whether chronic or acute, Probiotics can help.

2. They are also major immune boosters. The more Probiotics in your belly and along your digestive tract, the harder it is for the bad bacteria and viruses to get in. Probiotics also make a compound called bacteriocins which researchers think may quash harmful bacteria.

3. Research is showing that Probiotics may benefit everything from GI issues from constipations and diarrhea to IBS to ulcerative colitis and Chron’s, as well as mood disorders and depression. When I’m feeling off, whether from traveling or a little too much fun, I make sure that Probiotic is getting in my supplement regimen daily.

Find powerful Probiotics in Shaklee’s “Optiflora” and the “Life Energizing Shakes”

Bed Sores

Bed Sores …When I worked as a junior nurses' aide at Stamford (CT) hospital, we were taught to be aware of bedsores developing on our patients' backs. We were instructed to tell the medical staff right away. 
Bad news. So in 1999 when I got a call from the nurse, John C, who ran a group home for the elderly, that my mother was developing a bedsore, I knew enough to be concerned. He never called unless it was serious. 
  My mother had been bedridden for weeks due to pneumonia. The pink spot had turned to red and then began to break down. Nothing the nurse did showed any signs of stopping or reversing the damage. 
  When I got off the phone, I had a thought. Shaklee had recently come out with their Enfuselle line of nutritionally based skin-care products, which I was using.   One is called C&E Repair. I knew it had helped with sun-damage on my face. 
I took some over to my mom and requested they try it. John C said they had tried all sorts of creams and nothing had worked. But I asked him to try it.
  Good news. I got a call a few days later that the bedsore had closed up and began to lighten in color. And then it was gone. 
  A few weeks after I started using this product a friend asked me what I was doing to my face, and please to get her some. More recently another friend who swears by an expensive brand has made the change and is very pleased (and she looks great!).

-Peg 

Yeast Infections Gone!

I'm rather excited to tell you about a success I've experienced that I can only attribute to the Pre & Probiotic! I've been struggling with chronic yeast infections for well over a year. Just last Monday I was back to the Dr to make sure, again, that it was yeast & make sure, again, that I was doing everything right in the treatment. I was told, again, that it was hormone related & just keep treating it each month & it would resolve once my son stops nursing. However, with this super busy week I never made it to pick up my medicine. In fact I totally forgot about it until today because I'm suddenly completely free from symptoms! Nothing else has changed except the addition of the pre/Probiotics a couple of weeks ago.
I will so gladly trade the monthly trip to Walgreens for my "treatment" for my new favorite supplement - & it's about the same price! And, after only two weeks?? Imagine what will be different in two months!
I hope you don't think this is too much of a personal issue to share with you! (and probably Don, now that I think about it) It's just very encouraging for me to see the quick, dramatic results where 15+ months of allopathic treatment has failed & I had limited faith in other options. That has changed ;)

Best to you, Tama

Reflux and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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Reflux and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

"I had been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Esophageal Reflux over ayear ago. I was given a prescription for the reflux condition, but tried to control the IBS with diet - no dairy products, roughage, chocolate, caffeine, etc. In other words, taking

the fun out of eating! Even then I had flare ups and be on a liquid diet for several days to allow my intestinal tract to settle down. I lost about 15 pounds in a short time.

Optiflora was a Godsend when Shaklee introduced it. Chris recommended I take 2 Optiflora capsule and 1 Herb Lax with the prebiotic to start with. I soon cut back to one capsule and only teaspoon of the prebiotic powder and been taking that each night at

bedtime ever since. My condition has subsided - no diarrhea, bloating, or cramping. I can eat anything as long as I don't overdo it and have not had a spell of IBS for months.

By adding 3 Stomach Soothing Complex after meals, I no longer need a prescription medicine for the Reflux condition either. All thanks to Shaklee's wonderful research and commitment to "the best".

Awesome Health at Age 70+

I am so grateful for Shaklee nutrition. I have used Shaklee supplements since I was a teenager. I had an awesome Mom who was always looking for the best supplements for her family. When she found Shaklee supplements, she knew she need look no further.

That was a while ago! I am now in my 70’s and feel like I am in my 40’s. The majority of people my age are on 6-8 medications for cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, ect. I am on none!

Most people my age are sedimentary. I walk 3-4 miles almost every day, I weight train with my trainer at the gym 3 days a week for an hour, and I practice yoga and take 2 yoga classes weekly.

One day at the gym, while doing arm pulls, my trainer said, “Wait, I want to take a picture of your back muscles!”

Exercise, good diet of fresh veggies and fruits, AND Shaklee products is the winning combination for awesome health all through my life.

-Suzanne Chaney

Save Money and Take the Chemicals out of your Home

Basic H more info

Save Money and Take the 

Chemicals out of your Home

editor: This is from a friend, but applies to all of us.

Placing my order today for my second bottle of cleaner. Your thinking that's no big deal why are you posting about that. I'll tell you. I ordered my first bottle in July 2014. That's 14 months ago. This one bottle has lasted that long and has replaced all my other cleaners. I mop with it, clean the bathrooms, kitchen, dust, put in our wiper reservoir in our vehicles, clean windows, feed my plants and so much more. What I love is the space I now have under my kitchen sink. This one bottle has replaced our multi purpose cleaner, floor cleaner, plant food, shower cleaner and so much more. The price is right also, under $13 SRP and it makes 48 gallons of cleaner. Plus the greatest benefit of all, we have removed the toxic chemicals from our house. Studies have shown that our cleaning products can affect our children and their learning and concentration abilities. Nikki Foreman has dyslexia already, why would we expose her to something that could be pair her learning ability even more? Our cleaning products should NOT put our kids at risk. As parents we should do anything in our power to keep them healthy and safe. (Idea: Giving the cleaning kit as a baby shower gift is an awesome way start the baby out in a toxic free home

Cleaners made a Huge Difference

Check out for more info

Children s Health - ADD and Chemicals

January 29, 2010

Chemical Exposure Linked to Attention Deficit Disorder in Children

A study of New York City students found that phthalate exposure was linked to behavioral problems 

CHEMICALS AND CONCENTRATION:
Children exposed to phthalates in the womb are more likely to develop problems with attention.

Children exposed in the womb to chemicals in cosmetics and fragrances are more likely to develop behavioral problems commonly found in children with attention deficit disorders, according to a study of New York City school-age children published Thursday.

Scientists at Mount Sinai School of Medicine reported that mothers who had high levels of phthalates during their pregnancies were more likely to have children with poorer scores in the areas of attention, aggression and conduct.

Children were 2.5 times more likely to have attention problems that were “clinically significant” if their mothers were among those highest exposed to phthalates, the study found. The types of behavior that increased are found in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and other so-called disruptive behavior disorders.

“More phthalates equaled more behavioral problems,” Stephanie Engel, a Mount Sinai associate professor of preventive medicine and lead author of the study, said in an interview Thursday. “For every increase of exposure, we saw an increase in frequency and severity of the symptoms.”

 The connection was only detected for the types of phthalates used in perfumes, shampoos, nail polishes, lotions, deodorants, hair sprays and other personal care products. No behavioral effects were found for the phthalates used in vinyl toys and other soft plastics.

A federal law that went into effect a year ago bans phthalates in children’s vinyl toys and other products. But there are no U.S. restrictions on phthalates in cosmetics and other personal care items. They are, however, banned in cosmetics sold in Europe. Manufacturers of the products maintain that the chemicals are safe after being widely used for about 50 years.

Scientists said the study has uncovered a new problem that could be related to phthalates - effects on a child’s developing brain. Until now, most research has focused on their potential to block male hormones and feminize boys or contribute to male reproductive problems.

“Clearly environmental toxicants play a role in child neurodevelopment, and phthalates, in particular, have been understudied in this area,” Engel said.

Dr. Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician at Mount Sinai and director of the Children's Environmental Health Center, called it “a new area of concern” about phthalates.

“Clearly it needs to be replicated, as does any study that breaks new ground, but the study itself is very well done and very credible,” he said.

The research involved 188 children between the ages of 4 and 9 who were born between 1998 and 2002, according to the study published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Most were from East Harlem or the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and three-quarters of them were low-income.

The children’s scores were based on the answers that their mothers provided to standardized questions commonly used by psychiatrists and other clinicians to help diagnose attention deficit disorders. The mothers responded to 130 questions designed to detect problematic behaviors on a 4-point scale ranging from “never” to “almost always" and to 86 questions on another test designed to measure cognitive function, such as memory. 

Some effects were stronger in boys than girls, but the associations to the chemicals were still considered significant in the girls, Engel said.

The researchers did not use doctors or other clinicians to evaluate the children. Instead, the findings were based on the mothers’ evaluations.

"A parent's report about a child's behavior is certainly subjective,” Engel said. But she added that mothers have been found to be very accurate in assessing poor conduct, aggression and attention problems.

The mothers were tested for phthalates during pregnancy, the most sensitive time for a child’s brain development. In a study published last year, Korean researchers linked childhood exposure to phthalates to ADHD.

Shanna Swan, a University of Rochester epidemiologist whose research linked phthalates with feminized genitalia in baby boys, called phthalates a “complicated picture” for scientists to unravel because there are many different compounds and so many potential effects to look for. But she said she found it “very interesting” that Engel and her team found “so many negative associations” for the phthalates with low molecular weights – the ones used in personal care products.

Swan was surprised that most of the effects were correlated with a phthalate metabolite, called MMP, that is found in the lowest concentrations in people.

“It is not a metabolite usually thought of as toxic,” said Swan, director of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. 

The researchers said they do not know how prenatal exposure to phthalates may lead to behavioral problems. But they theorize that it may be because the chemicals disrupt thyroid hormones, which are critical to an infant’s brain development.

In April, the Mount Sinai team reported effects in the same group of children when they were newborns. The girls - but not the boys - with high exposure to phthalates had differences in alertness and orientation, two indicators of neurodevelopmental effects in infants, according to that study published in the journal Neurotoxicology. 

The new study raises the question of whether phthalates and other hormone-disrupting chemicals could be playing a role in the increasing rate of attention deficit disorders diagnosed in children. Phthalates have been around for about 50 years, and it is unknown whether people’s exposure has increased.

“The percentage of kids diagnosed with behavioral problems has increased over time and it’s not clear why,” Engel said. “It would be a stretch to attribute it all to endocrine disruptors. There are probably multiple different causes.”

Nearly every human tested has traces of phthalates in his or her body, and women are most highly exposed.

“There is sufficient evidence to be concerned about phthalates, and it’s prudent to reduce exposure as much as possible,” Engel said. “But they are so ubiquitous right now it’s hard to eliminate exposure without regulatory action.”

Engel said people should “press legislators” to restrict phthalates in adult, as well as children's, personal care products.

Fetuses are “uniquely vulnerable, particularly for  endocrine disruptors,” she said. “But we are very concerned about the problem of post-natal exposure as well. The kids continue to be exposed as they grow up.”

Consumers who want to learn more about the ingredients of their brands of cosmetics can use a database compiled by the Environmental Working Group at http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php
However, manufacturers don't always list phthalates on their labels.

Phthalates are solvents that are often used in cosmetics because they help retain fragrances and help lotions penetrate the skin. Many nail polish manufacturers have already eliminated phthalates, which had been commonly used to make the polish flexible and durable.

The principal author of the study was Mary Wolff, director of Mount Sinai’s Center for Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research. The team also included two researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a Cornell University scientist.

PS from Claudia: I think there is great hope for the laws to change, much like they have done in EU countries–which now regulate and ban phthalates from cosmetic products. If you’d like to explore how safe the products you have in your house right now, there is a partial list at Cosmetic Database which ranks baby products according to how many chemicals are in them. It has many, but not all, manufacturers on there and I’ve found it very helpful!
This is a great time to lead a charge against shady business practices…so if you, dear reader, look forward to a challenge and sticking it to the man, then link over to The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to find out how to advocate for changing the laws that govern (or, not govern as the case may be) the cosmetic industry. Believe it or not, only one state (California!) has any type of protection on the safety of our skin care products.

This bill faced tough opposition from major cosmetics companies including Mary Kay, Avon, Estee Lauder, L’Oreal, Neutrogena, Proctor and Gamble and Johnson and Johnson.

Leaving the Corporate World - what a journey

Congratulations to Laura Evans, New Master Coordinator!

Leaving the corporate world was a real leap of faith for me. But it has made all the difference for me and my family.

For 25 years, I chose to sacrifice time with my family for my career. But five years ago, I felt led to make a change. The seed was planted when I lost weight with Shaklee 180®. I was on the road doing presentations for Shaklee Distributors and I thought, ‘I could do this for myself…hosting meetings, talking with people about Shaklee.’

So I started thinking about it, praying about it, talking about it and I came to a decision that enough was enough! It was time for me and for my family…I was ready to live on my own money from my own business. And the timing was perfect because I knew I wanted to be a part of the incredible growth I saw in the future for Shaklee.

Getting Started

I decided to get started by purchasing an existing Shaklee business. My first thought was to buy a business that was already at Master Coordinator…after all I thought, ‘I’m a leader, that’s where I see myself.’ But every opportunity fell through.  I knew that I was being directed to shift my time and shift my focus so that my family is first…and I knew that something had to be waiting just ahead for me.

Finally, a “paid as” Executive Coordinator position in Canada became available that was downline to Roland Oosterhouse and Mary Oosterhouse (Presidential Master Coordinators). It wasn’t clear to me at the time but I am thankful it happened just this way because I had to build to Master myself and I learned the lessons from doing that work to help me teach my leaders.

Setting a Vision

When I first started, I felt like I didn’t have anyone to talk to…the only people I knew all worked at Corporate or were already Distributors! But I did have a goal…Presidential Master Coordinator. That is the level of impact, influence and income that I envision for myself.

So I started to and continue to speak where I want to go. I refer to myself as a Presidential Master Coordinator and I manage my business from that standpoint. That mindset also shifts how I interact with potential customers and partners. Having the perspective of a Presidential Master informs my attitude. It isn’t what can I get out of someone but rather how can I help them achieve their goals.

And because I  view myself as a Presidential Master, my mindset for my team is, ‘I am looking for who will be the next Masters on my team…I’m looking for those leaders now!’

From Corporate Mode to Relationship Building

Believe it or not my corporate experience did not automatically translate to building my Shaklee business. I needed a whole new skill set and mindset to attract people topartner with me versus hiring and leading employees. One of the things that helped was I really started to take to heart building relationships. Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” People are buying because of you…if they don’t have trust in you…they may buy once but it won’t be a sustained relationship. I’m building for long-term. I really had to learn the art of asking questions. I have struggled so much with remembering to ask questions that I keep a question mark written on the inside of my wrist to remind me!

Having Fun

Having my own business has transformed my family relationships. One of the first things I did when I left corporate was to go on a field trip with my son Jack…the first time in 20+ years of being a mom that I was able to do that.

Jack told me he likes my schedule now because I can pick him up from school – before he had to go to an after school program — and we get the opportunity to talk. This decision has made such a big difference in our relationship.

Financially the decision has worked out for us, with the savings in after school programs and flexibility. Now with the growth in my business, my gross income with Shaklee as a distributor is now in line with a corporate paycheck…so I am on my way!

I want people to know that no matter where they start with Shaklee, they can do this too. I’ve had the same things happen that others have had happen to them…people who don’t call back, no shows for events…I have been nervous to present at an event and had to circle the parking lot until I could psych myself out and do it.

But what has helped me is that I made that decision. So I go back to that decision and stay positive, leverage each experience and focus on what I’m good at — caring for people and creating relationships. Plus this is SO much fun! I love meeting new people, talking to them, getting to know them and helping them succeed…I don’t miss the corporate life, at all!

Dreams

Dreams are very scary to go after,  But only those who are willing to take risks will realize their dreams.  It is not easy for anyone to move forward on a dream.  Please, don't be the one who looks back and says I wish I had, instead be the one who says I am so glad I did.

Homone Replacement Therapy Alternatives

HRT Alternatives

Just wanted to let you know that I was on HRT (following a complete hysterectomy due to a diagnosis of cancerous tumors and cysts) for 2 years, did NOT feel good, gained

weight, etc. so when we came into your down-line via John and Genevieve in '94, I studied up on all the supplements that I needed and QUIT the HRT. Many people thought I was crazy, but I am here to tell you today.....there is NO OTHER WAY to go as far as I'm concerned. I have had NO symptoms, i.e. hot flashes, etc. and lost 50 pounds on I Love Dieting (which I have now kept off for almost 2 years today known as Shaklee 180). 

When we heard the news today about that study, I just said "HOORAY" - I did the right thing.  I knew Shaklee's calcium would do more for my bone density than anything the

doctors could offer me. And, now I have my almost 90-yr-old mother as a good example of what Shaklee can do for us. With her doctor's permission, I took her off of the seven prescription drugs she was on about 7 years ago. The doctor was wanting to put her on Fosomex(?) and I told him NO - I have a young friend that was almost killed by that

drug. She called me when she was desperate.....that she was NOT refilling her prescription and could I please bring her whatever she needed to take. She called me 3

days later to tell me she had slept through the night without having to change her nightclothes or bed linens (due to sweating) for the first time in....she couldn't remember

when. 

When she went back to her doctor 2 months later, he could not believe her excellent health status. ALL her blood work was great - everything - and today she looks 10 years younger than she did 5 years ago.  Back to mother....she has only seen the doctor for physicals for the last 6 years, except

for last month when she "found" herself on the kitchen floor and couldn't get up. After someone came to help her up, she went to the doctor the next day and he could find NOTHING wrong. Every year at her physical her doctor tells her she's in better health than he is and to just keep on doing what she's been doing. All she's on is Shaklee.  —-Ella H

Acid Reflux

 I experienced acid reflux prior to Shaklee and was told to use Tagamet. I was given a diet plan - no fried foods etc. Then came Shaklee -- and I began to experiment on Shaklee products, since I did not want to take Tagamet indefinitely. I listened to lots of tapes and was told about calcium/magnesium being a natural tranquilizer. I would chew Vita-cal (about 3 or 4), and sometimes other calcium products before going to bed and found that it helped a lot. That, along with watching my diet, I was able to eliminate Tagamet completely. I remember visiting the Doctor the following year for a checkup --- she was impressed with my condition until I told her that I had not used Tagamet in months!! She was surprised and asked what I was doing -- when I told her about Shaklee --- she just replied "whatever works" -- and closed my file!!! I smiled and walked away - never to see her again!!  Barbara K

Is Nutrition Better Than Drugs for ADHD? 

Which Nutritional Approaches Work Best?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

 

I came across a headline in our local newspaper recently that said “Try Nutrition, Not Drugs, for ADHD”. The article made claims like “No good evidence exists to support the ADHD disease hypothesis” and “…on numerous occasions we have seen ADHD symptoms completely disappear without medication”.

As a scientist, I am always a little skeptical about bold claims that run counter to established scientific wisdom. However, the authors of this article implied that their claims were based on a 2012 article in Pediatrics, which is a highly respected journal in its field, so I decided to investigate the article (Millichap and Yee, Pediatrics, 129: 1-8, 2012).

The article was written by two pediatricians with extensive experience treating children with ADHD. The article turned out to be a pretty thorough review of the literature on nutritional approaches for controlling ADHD. It did not approach the rigor of a meta-analysis study. Rather, it is what I refer to as an “interpretive review”. By that I mean that the clinical studies were interpreted in part on the basis of their clinical experience in treating children with ADHD.

Interpretive reviews can be either good or bad, depending on the objectiveness of the reviewers. In this case, I was familiar with many of the clinical studies they reviewed and found their interpretations to be accurate, so I decided to share their conclusions with you.

Is Nutrition Better Than Drugs For ADHD?

They reviewed all of the major nutritional approaches that have been used over the years to control ADHD. Let me start by saying that they are not wild-eyed proponents of “a nuts and berries diet cures all”. In fact, they use medications as the primary intervention for most of their ADHD patients. They advocate dietary approaches when:
 
1)     Medicines fail or there are adverse reactions (side effects).
 
2)     The parents or the patients prefer a more natural approach.
 
3)     There are symptoms or signs of a mineral deficiency (more about that below).
 
4)     There is a need to substitute an ADHD-free healthy diet for an ADHD-linked diet (Simply put, if the child’s diet is bad enough, there are multiple benefits from switching to a healthier diet – a possible reduction in ADHD symptoms is just one of them.)
 
I will summarize their key findings below:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The authors reported that a number of studies have shown that children with ADHD tend to have low levels of essential fatty acids, especially the omega-3 fatty acids. They cite several studies which showed significant improvement in reading skills and reductions in ADHD symptoms when children with ADHD were give omega-3 supplements, but also noted that other studies showed no effect. They postulated that some children may benefit more from omega-3 supplementation than others.

They routinely use doses of 300-600 mg of omega-3s with their ADHD patients. They find that this intervention reduces ADHD symptoms in many children, but does not completely eliminate the need for medications.

My Two Cents: I have previously reported on the improvement in reading skills and reduction in ADHD symptoms when children were given omega-3 supplements. In both cases, it was the children with the lowest omega-3 levels who benefited most. No surprise there. Whether it will help your child is anyone’s guess. However, it is a natural approach with no side effects. It is certainly worth trying.

Food Additives

The current interest in food additives and ADHD originated with the Feingold diet. The Feingold diet eliminated food additives, foods with salicylates (apples, grapes, luncheon meats, sausage, hot dogs and drinks containing artificial colors and flavors), and chemical preservatives (e.g. BHA and BHT). It was popularized in the 1970s when some proponents claimed that it reduced ADHD symptoms in 50% of the children treated. After clinical studies showed that only a small percentage of children actually benefitted from this diet, it rapidly fell out of favor.

However, Millichap and Yee pointed out that more recent studies have shown that the subset of children who responded to the Feingold diet were not a “statistical blip”. A recent review of the literature reported that when children with suspected sensitivities to food additives were challenged with artificial food colors, 65–89% of them displayed ADHD symptoms.

My Two Cents: I have previously reported on the effects of artificial food colors on ADHD. The studies I reviewed in this article reported that up to 28% of children with ADHD were sensitive to the amount of artificial food colors in the typical western diet and that removing those food colors resulted in a significant improvement in ADHD symptoms. Plus, those studies were just looking at food colors – not the hundreds of other food additives in the average American child’s diet.

I consider food additives to be problematic for many reasons. Even if doesn’t reduce their ADHD symptoms, eliminating as many of those food additives as possible is probably a good idea. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Just replacing processed foods and sodas with fresh fruits and vegetables and with low fat milk and natural fruit juices diluted with water to reduce their sugar content might make a significant difference in your child’s ADHD symptoms.

Food Sensitivities

Even natural foods can be a problem for children with food sensitivities, and it appears that there may be a large percentage of hyperactive children with food sensitivities. Millichap and Yee reported that elimination diets (diets that eliminate all foods which could cause food sensitivity) improve behavior in 76-82% of hyperactive children.

Even though this approach can be very effective Millichap and Yee don’t normally recommend it for their patients because it is difficult and time-consuming. The elimination diet is very restrictive and needs to be followed for a few weeks. Then individual foods need to be added back one at a time until the offending food(s) are identified. (They reported that antigen testing is not a particularly effective way of identifying food sensitivities associated with hyperactivity)

My Two Cents: I have previously reported on the link between food sensitivities and hyperactivity. I agree with Millichap and Yee that elimination diets are difficult and view this as something to be tried after all other natural approaches have failed. However, if there is a particular food that causes hyperactivity in your child, identifying it and eliminating it from their diet could just be something that will benefit them for the rest of their life.

Sugar

This is a particularly interesting topic. Many parents are absolutely convinced that sugary foods cause hyperactivity in their children, but the experts are saying that clinical studies have disproven that hypothesis. They claim that sugar has absolutely no effect on hyperactivity.

Millichap and Yee have an interesting perspective on the subject. They agree that clinical studies show that a sugar load does not affect behavior or cognitive function in small children, but they point to numerous clinical studies showing that the reactive hypoglycemia that occurs an hour or two after a sugar load adversely affects cognitive function in children, and that some children are more adversely affected than others.

My Two Cents:  Reducing intake of refined sugars in your child’s diet makes sense for many reasons, especially considering the role of sugar intake in obesity. If your child has a tendency towards reactive hypoglycemia, it may also reduce ADHD symptoms.

Iron and Zinc Deficiency

Millichap and Yee reporting some studies suggested that iron and zinc deficiencies may be associated with ADHD symptoms, and recommend supplementation with an iron or zinc supplement when there is a documented deficiency.

My Two Cents: A simpler and less expensive approach would be a children’s multivitamin to prevent the possibility of iron or zinc deficiency. Of course, I would recommend that you choose one without artificial colors, preservatives and sweeteners.

A Healthy Diet

Millichap and Yee closed their review by discussing a recent study in Australia that reported a significant reduction in ADHD symptoms in children eating “Healthy” diets (fish, vegetables, tomato, fresh fruit, whole grains & low fat dairy products) compared to children eating “Western” diets (Fast foods, red meat, processed meats, processed snacks, high fat dairy products & soft drinks). This is the dietary approach, along with omega-3 supplementation, that they recommend most frequently for their patients.

My Two Cents: I wholeheartedly agree. In fact, if you and your family were to follow a “Healthy” diet instead of a “Western” diet it would likely have numerous health benefits. Plus, you are automatically removing ADHD triggers like food additives and sugar from your child’s diet.

The Bottom Line

A recent review of natural approaches for controlling ADHD symptoms (Millichap and Yee, Pediatrics, 129: 1-8, 2012) is both good news and bad news. The good news is that there are multiple nutritional approaches that can significantly reduce ADHD symptoms. These include:

• Use of omega-3 supplements. They recommended 300-600 mg/day.

• Removal of food additives (particularly food colors) from the diet.

• Identification of food sensitivities and removal of those foods from the diet.

• Reducing the amount of simple sugars in the diet.

• Elimination of iron and zinc deficiencies if they exist (Iron deficiency is relatively common in American children. Zinc deficiency is not.) Alternatively, I recommend a children’s multivitamin to prevent iron and zinc deficiencies in the first place.

• Eating a healthy diet rather than a Western diet. This also has the benefit of reducing the amount of food additives and sugars in the diet.

The bad news is that each of these approaches seems to work only in a subset of children with ADHD. That means:

• If you are a parent who is interested in a natural alternative to ADHD stimulant medications this means you may need to be patient and try several natural approaches until you find the one(s) that work(s) best for your child. The benefit of making the effort is that all of these approaches will also improve the health of your child in other important ways, and none of them have any side effects.

• Unfortunately, the physician with only about 10 minutes to spend with each patient (which is increasingly the medical model in this country), may not have time to explore natural options. Medications are much easier to prescribe. You may need to be the one who takes the responsibility of exploring natural alternatives for your child.

 

     These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

 

Dr. Steve Chaney
Health Tips From the Professor
stevechaneytips@gmail.com
www.healthtipsfromtheprofessor.com