| We are what we eat. Moreover we need to be | | | | supply today. |
| more careful about what we put in our children's | | | | Children are the most vulnerable victims because |
| mouths. Studies have shown that we have | | | | they are often fed these additives from infancy. |
| reason to be concerned about the relationship | | | | What many people do not realize is that these |
| between food and behavior. | | | | chemicals can produce a host of different |
| Our food is depleted of nutrients because of | | | | reactions in different people. Most studies on food |
| changes in agricultural practices adopted in the | | | | additives have been done on separate and |
| seventies. What we eat is contaminated by | | | | individual items. |
| additives. We also tend to over process our food, | | | | The safety of one item does not guarantee the |
| thus further depleting it of nutrients. | | | | safety of the product in which multiple additives |
| First, changes in agricultural practices have | | | | are combined. Certain combinations can trigger |
| changed the nature of our food. In his book, | | | | allergic reactions in sensitive children; others may |
| "Anticancer: A New Way of Life," Dr. | | | | not be affected at all. |
| Servan-Schreiber locates the paucity of omega | | | | Third, our modern food processing procedures |
| fatty 3 acids in our modern diet in the dietary | | | | strip foods of important nutrients. Commercially |
| changes of our modern cows. Grass pastures are | | | | grown vegetables have been stripped of 87% of |
| naturally rich in omega 3's. The replacement of | | | | their nutrients. Refined white flour, for example, |
| grass pastures with battery farming in the | | | | has only 2 or 3 nutrients while unbleached whole |
| seventies has changed our cattle feed from grass | | | | wheat flour has more than 60. |
| to a mixture of corn, soy and wheat which are | | | | Foods processed in cans are heated at high |
| wholly devoid of omega 3 fatty acids. | | | | temperatures. What this means is that natural |
| Battery farming has literally taken omega 3 out of | | | | enzymes are destroyed. In our modern culture, |
| the human food chain. Research has shown that | | | | we do not eat enough raw foods which are filled |
| children with ADHD have lower concentrations of | | | | with natural, life supporting enzymes. |
| omega 3, specifically DHA in their bodies, a | | | | We need to become more conscious of whole |
| situation that has already been linked with an | | | | foods cooked at home: bread baked with |
| increased risk of depression and brain | | | | unbleached whole wheat flour without additives, |
| deterioration. | | | | soups and salads made with organically grown |
| Researchers have also linked the doubling of fatty | | | | fresh garden tomatoes and greens harvested not |
| tissues in children between 1970 and 1990 to the | | | | weeks ago, but moments ago. |
| change in the character of milk coming from corn | | | | We have traded the immediacy of "live"foods for |
| fed cows. | | | | convenience and we have contaminated our |
| Second, most of us are unaware of the added | | | | children with a culture of food allergies and |
| components in our food like emulsifiers, | | | | sensitivities. ADHD and various behavior orders in |
| preservatives, thickeners and additives. According | | | | children are on the rise. We can change this |
| to Dr. Janet Starr Hull, there are over 14,000 | | | | situation by returning our children to whole foods |
| man-made chemicals added to the American food | | | | that are free from chemicals and additives. |