Bringing in a New Year

Happy 2011! This time of year we always wonder what's in store for us. I didn't eat my black eyed-peas, so I might be off to a bad start. (but they're not SCD legal, and my husband won't touch them, so what to do?)

When I first started this blog, about 20 months ago, I thought I would have a lot more research type posts and pages up. I also thought I would have all of  "Our Story" pages done. So much for that....people plan, God laughs. I really don't know what this year will bring. My schedule is going to be nutso for the next four months and my posts might be sporadic. But I still have to eat, so I should be able to get a few recipes up at least.

I got a chance to speak at our local natural food group about the role of food and children's mental health. My new "Food and Mental Health" page is the link page I made as a hand out. There are so many more links I hope to add to it, for adults and children. As a mother who has watched my child's health overcome what the medical community has thrown their hands up and said was impossible, I think it's vital the public is made aware of the information on food and mental health. Research confirms there is a link for many people, not all, but MANY. The fact that mainstream medicine still considers this voodoo is in my opinion, an irresponsible atrocity. (the mother grizzly bear in me really comes out here).

Some items of note on the "Food and Mental Health" page:

In the journal article titled " Mercury exposure, nutritional deficiencies and metabolic disruptions may affect learning in children. "  This article discusses many of the additives in the modern diet that cause nutritional deficiencies. Mercury can be found in trace amounts in high fructose corn syrup and can contribute to zinc deficiency.

In the journal article "A good-quality breakfast is associated with better mental health in adolescence", found that the more food groups the child ate for breakfast, the better the mental health. So much for just the usual bowl of cereal.

In the Times article "Wheat-free diet gives food for thought", they discuss a wheat free diet for Dyslexics. There is a school for dyslexics in England. One student was temporarily put on a wheat free diet by his doctor for digestive issues. The child's reading level jumped. So the school tried the diet and 77 percent of the students made a significant improvement. Many dyslexics also have ADHD, and there are a few medical studies linking Celiac's disease as a co-morbid condition with ADHD.

This post is linked to "Fightback Fridays" at the Food Renegade.