OT: EFA's for ADHD - Long
Nicky
I received the following article from an iridologist and thought you might
find it interesting.
Nicky
Royal Princess of Kalon
_______________________
EFA for ADHD
By Helke Ferri, excerpted from Vitality Magazine, April 2000
Research on Essential Fatty Acids give New Hope for ADHD, Hyperactivity and
Even Depression
Between 1976 and 1993, the learning disabilities of children in the United
States increased threefold. Curiously ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder), dyslexia and dyspraxia (serious clumsiness and difficulty in
navigation) are typical diagnosis for children in North America, much less
so in Europe and virtually absent in the rest of the world - especially in
Japan, a fully industrialized Asia nation. Yet Japanese children raised in
North America are affected like Americans.
In 1981, solutions to this riddle were published in Medical Hypotheses
(Vol.7) by a grandmother, Vicky Colquhoun, and her daughter Sally Bunday in
the United Kingdom. Neither had any scientific training, but they had acute
powers of observation of their own dyslexic children. Their work, after a
decade of ridicule, derision, and the silent treatment from professionals,
has initiated a revolution in psychiatry.
Ritalin the modern answer
ADHD is usually treated with stimulant medication such as Ritalin because it
appears to calm down children. Sales of this multi-billion dollar drug has
increased by 400 per cent since 1995. What parents may not know is that
there isn't much difference between Ritalin and crack cocaine. In 1995 the
US Drug Enforcement Agency warned doctors about the common chemistry of
cocaine and Ritalin.
In January of this year the American Medical Association expressed alarm
about the fact that children as young as 2 year-old are put on Ritalin and 5
year-olds are on Prozac.
The long-term effects on the growing brain are unknown as no long-term
studies have ever been conducted. Evidence does however exist to show that
long-term use of Ritalin significantly reduces blood flow to the brain,
disrupts growth hormones, and can cause depression and insomnia.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Grandma Vicky and her daughter Sally noticed that their ADHD kids were more
thirsty than other kids, but that a lot less urine was produced as well.
Where did all that water go? Also ADHD kids suffered from asthma and dry
skin and dry hair far more often than other kids. They founded the
Hyperactive Children's Support Group in the UK and observed these children
very carefully. They dove into the technical literature on the biochemistry
of water absorption.
Soon they learned that skin is waterproofed through the action of essential
fatty acids which - like all vitamins - must be replenished daily through
food. They concluded that ADHD children were loosing water rapidly through
their skin because the waterproofing mechanism was not working. There was a
chronic depletion of essential fatty acids in these children. Their skin was
also less protected against infection and allergic reaction, hence the
frequency of asthma and eczema. As they continued their search, they learned
that essential fatty acids (EFAs) from food are converted through the liver
and gut metabolism into polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), a very
important type of fat.
The PUVAs are the most important brain food without which perception,
cognition, memory, attention, spatial behavior, and the eyes simply cannot
work properly.
Vicky and Sally drew 2 important conclusions:
1) hyperactivity must be due to a deficiency of EFAs (the omega 3 and
omega 6 fatty acids);
2) these kids cannot convert the EFAs in their diet into the long chain
polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUVAs) that the brain requires.
EFAs as Brain Food
Dr. Jackie Stordy at the University of Surrey, and Dr. David Horrobin, began
proving in the late 1980'' that a lack of essential fatty acids triggers
these learning disabilities as well as schizophrenia. So, Vicky and Sally
were right: while the regulation and mechanism of brain development are
genetically guided, the enzymes that build the brain and facilitate all
mental activity cannot do their work without the EFAs and their PUFAs.
Then research took off like a rocket. The British government followed 17,000
children from entry into school for several years. Children who were
identified with learning disabilities were supplemented with EFA - with
immense success.
In 1995 in the US, Purdue University did controlled studies providing
incontrovertible proof of the EFA hypothesis. It was found that human breast
milk was rich in EFAs, but infant formula contained virtually none -
resulting in highly significant differences in IQ. In 1998 EFAs was added to
infant formulas at last.
With biochemists studying EFAs all over the world now, discoveries are
piling up at an amazing rate. Clinical depression, arthritis, osteoporosis
and certain autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, all are being
associated with depleted levels of EFAs and PUVAs.
What are EFAs?
Humans need more fat, but what they don't need are excess calories. There's
a crucial distinction between structural fat and storage fat (blubber).
Structural fat contains EFAs, and is a major component of cell membranes,
internal organ, brain and nervous system tissues. Omega-3 and omega-6 are
the two families of EFAs. For optimum health, we need a balance of both
omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids at a ratio of approximately 1:1.
EFAs in your diet
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in flax, mustard and hemp seeds, walnuts and
soybeans. In particular, they are abundant in fatty fish from cold water:
salmon, herring, eel, sardines, mackerel, trout, and halibut.
Omega-6 fatty acids are found in flax, pumpkin, hemp, sunflower, sesame,
grape seeds, as well as walnuts, peanuts, soybeans, brazil nuts, pistachios,
almonds, wheat germ, safflower and rice bran. Nut should be organically
grown and raw (preferably soaked first to remove an enzyme inhibitor) and
oils cold-pressed, unrefined, and protected from heat and light. Highest
amounts of omega-6 oils are found in evening primrose, borage and black
currant seed oils and spirulina.
The Niacin/EFA Connection
Canada's grand old man of medicine, Dr. Abram Hoffer of BC, has published
extensive evidence showing how and why he cured so many schizophrenics with
niacin therapy in his 50-year medical career. Niacin helps preserve the EFAs
and PUFAs which he further added to his patients' diets through meals high
in fish and fresh vegetables and health oils. Today his books are among our
most reliable guides for action: he explains for example, how all fried
foods, especially deep fried stuff, kills the EFAs and PUFAs. Sugar does the
same. In fact, all processed and refined foods are the enemies of the brain
and the nervous system, the saboteurs of healthy development and the killer
of out children's God-given creativity and mental health.
If your child is on Ritalin and you want to follow the Hippocratic
injunction ".first do not more harm", you will need to get instruction on
how to take her off it slowly. Simultaneous provision with an EFA supplement
has been shown to be protective against the negative effects of Ritalin. If
your child has been diagnosed with one or more of these learning
disabilities, researching the literature cited below will prove helpful.
Hippocrates advised, "Above all, let food be your medicine." Today, medical
science is finally beginning to get the message.
Further Reading:
? www.srvitamins.com (Dr Zoltan Rona's web site).
? Canadian Schizophrenia Foundation, 16 Florence Avenue, Toronto, M2N 1E9
Tel: (416) 733-2117 (for taped lectures by Dr. D. Horrobin and information).
? Fats that Heal - Fats that Kill, by Udo Erasmus, Alive Books, 1995.
? Dr Hoffer's ABC of Natural Nutrition for Children, by Dr. Abraham Hoffer,
1999.
? Healing the Hyperactive Brain, by D. Lyon, 2000.
? Depression Cured At Last, by S. Rogers, 1997.
? Phospholipid Spectrum disorder in Psychiatry, by Peet, Gen & Horrobin,
Marius Press, UK, 1999 (available via Brittnell's, Toronto).
Disclaimer: The information provided is for education purposes only. It is
not intended to diagnose or to prescribe. The choice of treatment is a
decision made by you. Natural remedies that work for some may not work for
everyone. You should always consult with your physician if you have any
doubts.
This article was prepared for you by Siu-Lan Choy.
For more information on natural health and vitality visit www.enrich.com
watchman
This url may be of interest..
http://www.biochemimbal-behavior.com Who loves ya. Tom
--
Jesus was a Vegetarian! http://www.nucleus.com/watchman
Iron In Disease http://www.waste.org/~lanshark/vegan/iron.html
Iron In Disease http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol5no3/weinberg.htm
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