Hemp seeds.

Nutritional Recommendations

Fresh non-organic produce has been found to have very high levels of pesticides. Although organic food is slightly more expensive, is it worth paying a little extra for that peace of mind? Food co-ops are popping up all over the place. They only put a 10% mark-up on the wholesale price they bought it for. The more we buy organic, the more likely the prices will start dropping, even in supermarkets. And why not start growing your own food? It could be worth it in the long run. To find out where these co-ops are check out: sustainweb.org, cooperatives-uk.coop and colc.co.uk/Cambridge/ccda.

When organic produce is not available, foods that have less pesticides include: aubergines, peppers, frozen peas, cabbages, garlic, leeks, radishes, marrow, turnips and sweetcorn. Eating seasonal produce also reduces your exposure to anti-fungal and anti-bacterial chemicals mainly used to extend shelf-life. Wash ALL fruit and veg, even if it claims to be ‘ready-washed’ (36). Remove the outer leaves of lettuces also. Lettuces need more pesticides and chemicals because they lose their structural integrity quickly.

ESSENTIAL FATS

The Government has proposed to spend 300 million pounds on children and adolescents with mental health problems (37). How much of this will go into educating people about basic nutrition remains a mystery. If the government knew about essential fatty acids (EFA’s), basic supplementation and the toxic overload we have already discussed, the money could be spent on things such as setting up healthy canteens at schools, or even employing nutritionists to teach children nutrition and healthy food preparation. (since writing this Jamie Oliver has done something towards this. Check out the website www.feedmebetter.com.

Essential fatty acids are vital in childrens growth. They provide a plethora of nutrition and brain support that exceeds all other foods. Alpha-linolenic acid (Omega 3) and linoleic acid (Omega 6) are the two fats that form two of the 50 essential nutrients our body needs. The rarer and most important oil, Omega 3, can mainly be found in oily fish (sardines, mackerel), flax seeds, hemp seed and other seeds and nuts. It is easily absorbd by the young body when in fish oil form. Junior Maximol is one of the better 'childrens supplements' in liquid form. It also contains the natural sweetner Xylitol and Lecithin which encourages proper brain development, amongst other vital nutrients. Omega 6 is found in good quality vegetable oil, nuts and seeds. We usually get more Omega 6 in our diet unless we love fish or flax seeds, but there is one seed (and oil) that holds the perfect balance for humans.

The hemp seed is a unique food. It contains all the essential amino acid proteins in a balanced ratio – which are vital to a vegetarian and vegan diet. Soya comes close, but loses some of these nutrients during processing. The hemp seed shell contains high amounts of dietary fibre, which is vital for digestion. The main nutritional advantage is the balance of essential fats – omega 3, omega 6, omega 9 and GLA, which are useful in hundreds of conditions. Omega 3 is mainly found in oily fish, omega 6 in vegetable oils, omega 9 in olive oil and GLA in evening primrose oil. But hemp has them all in a ratio that is designed for us humans. Hemp oil is “natures most perfectly balanced oil” according to author and nutritionist Udo Erasmus. It also contains vitamin E, minerals and life giving chlorophyll.

Flaxseed (linseed) oil is richer in Omega 3, so a mixture of hemp and flax oil is recommended for children if vegetable oil is already used in the diet. Keep the oil in the fridge after opening. Do not cook with it because it destroys the EFA’s. Use it on salads and dressings. One or two teaspoons per day is enough. Higher Nature produce an Omega 3 supplement for children that is sweetened with Xylitol and has a fruit flavour, called SmartFish. In human brain development and function, scientists and nutritionists agree that essential fats play an important role in helping with conditions such as dyslexia, hyperactivity, ADD, dyspraxia (affects movement and memory), autism and other conditions. All of which are related to the phenomenon of the psychic children. EFA’s have also been found to help correct criminal behavior and show marked improvement in various mental illnesses. Symptoms of EFA deficiency include excessive thirst, dry skin, brittle hair and nails and blood sugar problems. Look out for these with your children.

NATURAL NUTRITION

In Chinese medicine theory, children with ADHD and related conditions are deficient in Yin. Yin represents the calm and receptive dimension of personality (37). A whole food diet plays a large role in building Yin essence. As we have seen, refined sugar and grains, pesticides, additives, preservatives, colourings and toxins all contribute to these conditions and deplete Yin, and thus need to be eradicated from the diet. Specific nutritional remedies that help, if given on a long term regular basis include sea vegetables (Nori, Arame, Hijiki, Kelp, Dulse, Kombo, Wakame), which supply a wealth of vital minerals essential in calming the body and mind, and can be cooked into stews and soups; also, many ADHD children have benefited from taking kelp tablets on a daily basis (ibid).

Foods such as spirulina, tempeh, almonds and butter help build the Yin essence. Omega 3 oils also can help. ADHD is also frequently made worse by parasitic infections. Colloidial silver and aloe vera gel can help with this; garlic is often used, but can eat up the precious yin essence due to its fiery nature. Children can often grow out of these conditions if proper dietary and emotional support is constantly available. The best book I’ve found that describes all these aspects is Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford (ISBN:1-55643-220-8). Colloidial silver is an incredible anti-bacterial and anti-viral substance, and well worth looking in to. It will soon be available on www.newhuman.co.uk.

Micro-algae such as spirulina and chlorella are useful in childhood nutrition. Both are high in Omega 3’s and GLA oils. GLA is important in general growth and development. Spiriluna is recommended for those that were not breast-fed, in order to help hormonal and mental development that may have never occurred because of lack of vital nutrition during infancy (39).

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