Brain Balance

Where every child learns what it feels like to succeed

Nutrition 101

 

‘We eat to live; we do not live to eat’

 

 

The above statement may at first sound hokey; however the fundamental truth behind this philosophy is foundational to the nutrition pillar of the Brain Balance Program™. 

            

Parents First Question…

 

The first question often asked by parents is ‘why must we change our dietary habits’? It is the 21^st century and by this time it is no secret that a child’s (as well as an adults) nutritional intake is directly related to a healthy functional life. Specifically, the brain is immediately dependent upon a constant supply of specific nutrients (as well as many other factors) in order to function at optimum capacity. For example, proper nutrition supplies the raw materials needed for production of neurotransmitters which are the chemical messengers that relay signals and control brain function. Therefore it stands to reason that inappropriate or insufficient nutritional intake to the brain can have profound detrimental effects on behavior, cognitive or academic achievement, physical functions (i.e.- visual and auditory processing, gross and fine motor skills, balance and equilibrium, etc.), immune system function and more.

 

What Has Changed?

 

Changes in biotechnology has set the stage or allowed for better recognition and more frequent diagnosis of neurobehavioral disorders such as ADHD, Learning Disabilities (i.e.- dyslexia, processing disorders, etc), Tourette’s, Asperger’s, and Autism. In regards to nutrition the fact of the matter is that the composition of the diet has also changed substantially and much of it for the worse.

 

The typical meal used to be a home-cooked meal made from fresh unprocessed foods. In the last 25-30 years food has become more and more processed with tremendous increases in sugar, refined carbohydrates and the worst kind of fats. Food is all too often a pre-packaged meal filled with the aforementioned substances as well as artificial additives and preservatives, not to mention the tremendous increase in the consumption of unhealthy soda’s and soft drinks.

 

Fast Foods…

 

Unfortunately, all too often, fast foods have become a main staple in children’s diets offering only further nutrient supply depletion as they offer the lowest quality, highest processing, salt and fat content foods with … oh yes the number one and two vegetables in too many kid’s diets… greasy french fries and ketchup! These poor dietary habits can have observable negative effects on ‘typical’ children. Therefore it stands to reason that to children suffering from the aforementioned neurobehavioral disorders healthy nutritional habits is a key component to helping reduce or even eliminate many of the difficulties associated with these disorders. For example, numerous credible clinical studies continue to support the understanding that difficulties with focus, concentration, and attention are often linked to poor or improper nutritional habits. This not only refers to nutritional deficits but to food allergies, which will be discussed further on. 

 

It’s a Win Win Situation…

 

Remember, there is no downside to adopting healthy nutritional habits and there are tremendous benefits for your whole family whether dealing with current health issues or preventing future difficulties. Also keep in mind that a healthy diet does not mean giving up enjoyment of tasty foods. The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of people (including children) report that once they have adopted healthy eating habits they come to very much appreciate and enjoy the natural tastes of fresh unprocessed foods. Making healthy food choices is NOT difficult, in fact all of our families relate that the benefits become immediately evident and state that in retrospect the adoption of healthy nutritional habits is not nearly as difficult as first imagined.

 

Each Child is an Individual…

 

We also recognize that just as each child is an individual with specific needs, families also vary in degree of changes necessary to adopt long term healthy nutritional habits. For some there is an overwhelming need for comprehensive changes, for others only minor changes are found to be necessary. Either way we are committed to optimizing the benefits which can be gained through implementing healthy long term nutritional habits.

 

 

Another Common Question…

 

Another common question asked is ‘why does my child need additional supplementation (i.e. - vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, probiotics, digestive enzymes, fatty acids, etc.)? While the answer to this can be case specific, in general research continues to support the efficacy of many forms of supplementation and one can no longer dispute the numerous benefits that may be obtained through appropriate supplementation, the key word here being appropriate!

 

Our Approach…

 

The Brain Balance Program™ utilizes some of the most advanced methods available for determining specific needs of each individual child. We take extreme care to recommend proper supplementation based upon not only the symptoms or behaviors, but by looking at comprehensive blood and urine analysis. The chemistry of the body offers tremendous insight into the nutritional needs of each individual child. This allows us to address their needs through specific individualized formulas. 

 

We also take into consideration your child’s past dietary habits as well as monitor positive changes in dietary habits which allows us to adapt (e.g.- changing types or reducing amounts of appropriate supplementation needed) along the way. While there is no substitute for good healthy eating habits, proper supplementation should remain an important part of your child’s diet now and forever.

            

 

Why Does My Child Need Supplements?

 

Parents sometimes question the need for proper supplementation by stating that people never needed supplements in the ‘old days’. This may be true, however these are not the ‘old days’ when, as stated before, people generally ate healthy nutrient filled fresh cooked meals with no or minimum preservatives, additives, or processing.

 

One must also take into consideration the changes in our agricultural system. Our foods no longer provide the abundant nutrient levels once supplied in the foods of times past. The rapid turnover of crops or over utilization of our farming grounds continue to deplete the amounts of vitamins and minerals (or nutritional value) available to us in our produce (as compared to times past). It is the same with the livestock and poultry we raise for consumption. Save for organic food farms our livestock and poultry are consistently fed hormones and antibiotics as well as sub-optimal feeds which offer minimal nutritional value to the animal and is thus passed onto us.

 

Air, water, and soil pollution continue to be a major problem which affects us all, but even more so the effects of these toxins to the children suffering from neurobehavioral disorders can be quite profound. This represents another example of where supplementation can be crucial, in this case via anti-oxidants which help to remove such toxins from the body and brain. It has been recently reported that our world uses over 250 million tons of pesticides (not to mention the massive utilization of herbicides and fungicides) per year in agriculture. Again while it is obvious that these pollutants can and do have a negative effect on everyone’s health, the negative effect of these factors on children suffering from neurobehavioral disorders is even more profound and thus must be addressed appropriately!

 

Therefore one can see getting back to the basics of healthy dietary habits, while extremely important, still does not address all the nutritional needs of the children. Remember, our children’s brains are like high performance racing cars that require high performance or octane fuel (in this case healthy foods and nutrients). They simply cannot perform or function properly on sub-optimal fuel (nutrients).

 

Food Allergies…

 

Food allergies are another factor that must be investigated and addressed when considering all the factors which may be contributing to your child’s difficulties. The food allergies we are speaking of are what are called IgG delayed food allergies/ intolerances. Children with neurobehavioral delays often have intolerance to certain foods, the two most common of which are gluten (grain related proteins) and casein (a protein found in milk). All too often parents present their child stating that they have been to an allergist who reported they have no food allergies. However upon eliminating casein, gluten, and/or any other food substance that a child has been found to be allergic to (via blood analysis) the child exhibits improved attention, decreased impulsivity, better sleep, language skills, and/ or overall behaviors. How can this be if the allergist reported no allergies to be found? The answer lies in understanding the difference between conventional allergy testing and more comprehensive investigation of chemical reactions within the body.

 

My Child was tested for Allergies…

 

IgE versus IgG Reactions: Allergies are defined as specific reactions within the immune system involving antibodies which are called Immunoglobulins. Immediate responses such as hives, swelling, congestion, or difficulty breathing (related to swelling which closes off the windpipe) result from Immunoglobulin E (IgE) activity. These are the allergies which are commonly spoken of and frequently tested for by allergists. Traditional scratch tests can identify IgE trigger responses from substances such a grass, dander or peanuts for example. These are immediate and can vary in severity from annoying to deadly.

            

Delayed food allergy responses are very different and the responses to specific foods may occur anywhere from 2-72 hours after eating the trigger food. The reaction or symptoms of these types of allergy response can vary including but not limited to irritability (with occasional ‘meltdowns’), decreased ability to concentrate or focus, increased impulsivity and/or aggression, fatigue, bedwetting, and sleep disturbances. These delayed allergy responses result from what is called Immunoglobulin G (IgG) activity. Unlike IgE testing IgG must be assessed by blood test only. Keep in mind that where Immunoglobulins are involved the term “allergy” is used to describe the symptomatic response after exposure, whether it is immediate or delayed as in the case with IgG responses.

            

Your Child may have an Immature Digestive Tract…

 

Another very important factor which must be considered when addressing food allergies is poor digestive function. Poor digestive function can have various causes such as immature gut development in an infant/ child, heavy antibiotic use, yeast overgrowth, or perhaps decreased digestive enzymes (proteins which accelerate chemical reactions, in this case to break down food into appropriate size and shape molecules which can be readily absorbed into the bloodstream for appropriate utilization by the body). Recent studies have linked the lack of DPP4 enzyme (a specific digestive enzyme) with the symptoms of PDD/ Autism. Without, or with decreased, digestive enzymes partially digested proteins such as casein and gluten (the two most common allergens) may leak into the bloodstream, this is commonly referred to as a ‘leaky gut’. These partially digested proteins have odd shapes or configurations and can mimic other complex molecules such as endorphins. Endorphins are nervous system proteins that act as pain killers. These partially digested proteins, which mimic endorphins, can then bind to opiate (pain killing) receptor sites and therefore be responsible for irritability, poor eye contact, and the ‘disconnection’ you often see in people on pain killer medications. As well, just as many adults with pain killers, the children can become almost addicted to the specific food they are actually allergic to. This is why it is not uncommon to see a child who appears almost addicted to the actual foods he/she is allergic to and will actually go through some minor withdrawal symptoms upon removal of the allergen from their diet. For example many of these children are called the macaroni & cheese, cereal, pizza or bagel and cream cheese kids, all of which contain casein and/or glutens, because that is just about all they will eat. 

 

Elimination Diets…

 

Elimination of the allergen foods identified by blood test is necessary in order to help reduce or eliminate the many negative behaviors associated with your child’s neurobehavioral disorder. However, rather than having to eliminate the foods permanently, one of the keys to being able to re-introduce the triggering foods is to address and correct any underlying ‘leaky gut’ difficulties. This ability to re-introduce foods without getting the allergic response is also dependent on the balancing of electrical activity between the hemispheres (2 halves of the brain) which has a direct affect on equilibrating the immune system response, in this case reducing the hyper-immune response (allergy). This balancing of electrical activity comes as a direct result of our sensory-motor activities pillar of the Brain Balance Program™. Thus one can once again see the importance to the integrative approach when seeking to truly reduce or completely eliminate the many difficulties our children suffer from.