NUTRITION AND CHILDHOOD DISORDERS:  WHAT EVERY PARENT TODAY SHOULD KNOW

The Health of Today’s Children

Today, we have an epidemic on our hands.  Sadly, it’s our children who are suffering the most from this health crisis. 

In fact, it is now estimated that children in today’s generation will actually be the first generation that will not outlive their parents. 

How could this be happening?

Currently, we have an exponential rise in adult onset illness, like diabetes and obesity; showing up in children as young as 1 year of age.  We also have statistics that show 1 in every 110 children has a learning disability like dyslexia, autism or PPD.

What in the world is going on here?  The answer is quite simple, actually.

Certainly there are many different environmental factors involved, but they key component is nutrition.

You are what you eat.  We hear that phrase all of the time, yet- it is a phrase that we constantly ignore. We deny that there is a profound link between what we eat and how we feel, everyday.

What Do Our Children Eat?

Think about it.  What does your child eat on a daily basis? If your child is on the SAD (Standard American Diet)  it’s a safe bet to say that your child is eating a lot of the following:

• Chicken Nuggets
• Cheeseburgers
• Pizza
• Hot Dogs
• Bagels
• Macaroni and Cheese
• French Fries and High Fructose Corn Syrup-laden Ketchup
• Artificial Colors and Dyes
• Hormone and Antibiotic Infested meats, dairy and eggs
• Excessive amounts of Gluten
• Excessive amounts of Dairy
• Excessive amounts of Eggs

What is the SAD Diet doing to Our Children?

When we eat a diet that is full of processed, denatured foods, we are going to live in a body that is ridden with disease.  It is obvious that the above food list is not what our ancestors ate 50 years ago and strays far away from Great Grandma Betsy’s wisdom: “Eat your fruits and veggies everyday!  Stay away from sugar, it will rot your teeth.”

The body can not complete it’s normal functioning on a diet consisting of Hostess Ho- Ho’s , Fritos and “McFrankenstien” Nuggets.

In the nutrition world, we have seen profound positive effects with children both physically and emotionally when reducing or eliminating the above foods and simply giving the child more fruits and vegetables and less processed, foods and sugar.  If you suspect your child is sick, take a look at what’s in your cupboard, it may give you some clues as to why.

So, the next time you are in line at the fast food drive thru or your local grocery store, take the time to pay attention to what you’re eating.  You will give the gift of health eating to your child.  Frankly, it might just save your child’s life.

IS SODA A DRUG?

Hello everyone!  I’m Christie Korth your favorite, fun-loving holistic nutrition expert, author, and founder and director of Happy & Healthy Wellness Counseling.   My mission today is to permanently change your relationship with soda.  Why is your relationship with soda so important?   We know Coca Cola  took the cocaine out of Soda almost a hundred years ago, but surprisingly, as far as your body can tell….not too much has changed.  Confused?  Take a look to see how your body reacts to America’s most consumed beverage and how the reaction is similar in the way your body reacts to one of the most addictive, deadly drugs….  

Have you ever wondered why Soda comes with a smile? It’s because it gets you high. Yes, in 2011, despite the absence of cocaine, soda junkies everywhere are unsuspectingly subjecting themselves to a “high”.  By simply drinking what is known as a  staple beverage in the Standard American Diet (or SAD, as I prefer to call it) we are playing a deadly game of Russian Rulet with our health and exposing ourselves to diseases the more that we indulge in this commodity.

By now, I am sure you are wondering what I am talking about.   What is the good old culprit responsible for these highs? It's none other than....Sugar!  But- this is not just any old sugar that we are talking about here.  It is the mother of all sugars…high fructose corn syrup!  I suppose the good folks at Coke figured, why not try something cheaper, and perhaps switch to a substance that was obviously not illegal. And so voila, after near 100 years of consumption, we have an alarming rate of childhood and adolescent onset diabetes, hypoglycemia, obesity, digestive disorders, skin conditions, osteoporosis, candida, cancer.  These conditions are all linked to access sugar consumption. If you are an avid soda drinker, your life depends on this.  Please read on.

Every day, millions of Americans reach for a coke, some in hopes of curing that three o’clock lull one may experience after lunch when their energy levels feel zapped, while others have reported routinely drinking up to three liters per day!  More alarmingly, children drink these beverages in school and at home.  A child’s body is no match for the sugar rush that soda produces.  This seemingly innocent little routine has taken most of the public by storm, sending people down the Diabetes-Hypoglycemia Highway at full speed.  The end result riding down the sugar highway is devastation in one’s health, yet the beverage companies continue to receive advertising grants in the form of government funding toppling in the billions.  Meanwhile, health promoting advertisements, such as the FDA’s Healthy Food Pyramids slogan for “5 A Day” (signifying that one should consume a combination of five fresh fruits and vegetables a day.) received little or no media attention.  No wonder the public is in the dark.  Everyone has been brainwashed by advertisements to eat a food we know is not healthy.

What Happens To Your Body When You Drink A Soda?

• In The First 10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. (100% of your recommended daily intake by the FDA) You don’t immediately vomit from the overwhelming sweetness because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor allowing you to keep it down.  Clever trick by the scientists that make soda!  Insert twilight zone music here:  “do-do do-do do-do do-do”…I believe my food should made by a chef or purchased from an organic farmer-not scientists.  Chemicals are not food.  This is common sense that is often overlooked.
• 20 minutes: Your blood sugar spikes, causing an insulin burst. Your liver responds to this by turning any sugar it can get its hands on into fat. (There’s plenty of that at this particular moment)
• 40 minutes: Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, as a response your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked preventing drowsiness.  Here comes your sugar high!
• 45 minutes: Your body ups your dopamine production stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain. This is physically the same way heroin works, by the way.
• 60 Minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, providing a further boost in metabolism. This is compounded by high doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners also increasing the urinary excretion of calcium.
• 60 Minutes: The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play.  It is now assured that you’ll evacuate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that were headed to your bones as well as sodium, electrolytes and water.  Not only is the soda an “empty” simple carbohydrate, it robs your body of many other essential vitamins and minerals, as well.
• 60 Minutes: Pay attention to your bladder, by now it is almost certain you have had to urinate as a result of your kidneys trying to excrete this mystery substance as soon as possible.  When your body does not recognize a substance, it is very quick to send the appropriate signals to your body to digest rapidly.  This is viewed as a state of emergency.  It is as if the body is saying to your brain, “Help-Get this out of here fast-it’s doing us not good at all and it’s invading our nutrition supply!”  Hence the need to use the bathroom an hour after soda consumption.  While you were in the bathroom, you have now lost all of the water that was in the Soda. Sadly, not before infusing it with valuable nutrients your body could have used for vital functions.  Such as maintaining the ability to hydrate ones system or build strong bones and teeth.  This is how soda drinking can lead to osteoporosis.  The phosphates in the soda leech the calcium out of your blood and bones.
• After the fiasco in the bathroom, you will surely be overjoyed to learn that this will all be followed by a caffeine crash in the next few hours. (An added bonus: Count on the caffeine crash to occur in as little as two hours or less if you’re a smoker.) But, hey, have another Soda; it’ll make you feel better.  And so another sugar ride on the sugar highway begins. 

3 Quick Tips for Avoiding A Ride on The Soda Highway:

1.  Drink plenty of water.  If water is your beverage of choice, after awhile, you will stop craving sugary drinks.  If you can replace one cup of soda per day with a cup of water you have the right idea.  Over time, this will allow you to quit or cut down on your soda consumption.

2.  Make a Pact:  Make your own soda.  If you want soda, only allow yourself to have it if you allow yourself to make it.  For example, try club soda, with agave nectar, fresh lemon and lime juice and presto:  you have made your own Sprite.  Don’t love Sprite?  Try sparkling seltzer with fruit juice for a fruity soda. 

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Attacking Anxiety and Depression with Nutrition

With all of the medications available for depression today, has anyone ever wondered why there are more people depressed today than ever?  Major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.

Approximately 40 million American adults ages 18 and older, or about 18.1 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have an anxiety disorder.  That is pretty alarming!  Even more shocking - major Depressive Disorder is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15-44.

The numbers are mind boggling.  Everyone knows someone who had felt depressed at one time or another- and let’s face it- no one can be happy all of the time.  But to be depressed a majority of the time- well that’s not okay. 

Think of the economic repercussion this has on our country, with so many people unable to be productive in society.  The numbers are staggering.  Of course, when it comes to health- money should never be the main issue.  People would be so much happier if they could be apart of a healthy work and home environment with lots of love, great nutrition and exercise.  While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32.5

The Problem with Medications:

There is no doubt that modern medicine has made astronomical advances in recent decades.  Our diagnostic medicine has improved, therefore less people succumb to common illnesses like colds, measles and chicken pox, but outside of that- if you look around, you will see America is a pretty sick country.  In fact, out of 40 of the most populated places in the world, the United States ranks a horrible 37 for its dilapidated healthcare system.  Meaning that we are one of the sickest countries in the WORLD!  No wonder people are depressed!  Those are some pretty sad statistics! 

The trouble with using medications for depression is that it is simply a band-aid approach and nothing else.  In most cases, the medications do not work and now you are left with having to wean off of an ineffective drug and try to deal with the depression and anxiety again.  It’s a roller coaster ride that I know all too well!

The Good News:

Depression and Anxiety can be managed just as well - if not better with nutrition.  For example - did you know that brown rice can help heal depression?  There are also a whole host of supplements that can help!

Eicosapentaenoic acid (ethyl ester [E-EPA])

These oils are very high in omega-6 fatty acids, but the recommended diets otherwise lack important omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). A high intake of omega-6 fatty acids relative to omega-3 fatty acids and an inadequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids (e.g., from fish and fish oils) have been associated with increased levels of depression.12 People who eat diets high in omega-3 fatty acids from fish have a lower incidence of depression and suicide

Folic acid (for folate deficiency)  

A deficiency of the B vitamin folic acid can also disturb mood. A large percentage of depressed people have low folic acid levels.24 Folic acid supplements appear to improve the effects of lithium treating manic-depressives.25 depressed alcoholics report feeling better with large amounts of a modified form of folic acid.26 Anyone suffering from chronic depression should be evaluated for possible folic acid deficiency by a doctor. Those with abnormally low levels of folic acid are sometimes given short-term, high amounts of folic acid (10 mg per day).

Iron (for iron deficiency)

Iron deficiency is known to affect mood and can exacerbate depression, but it can only be diagnosed and treated by a doctor. While iron deficiency is easy to fix with iron supplements, people who have not been diagnosed with iron deficiency should not supplement iron.

Vitamin B12 (for B12 deficiency)

Deficiency can create disturbances in mood that respond to B12 supplementation.20 Significant vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with a doubled risk of severe depression, according to a study of physically disabled older women.21 Depression caused by vitamin B12 deficiency can occur even if there is no B12 deficiency-related anemia.22

Vitamin B6 (with oral contraceptives)

Oral contraceptives can deplete the body of vitamin B6, a nutrient needed for maintenance of normal mental functioning. Double-blind research shows that women who are depressed and who have become depleted of vitamin B6 while taking oral contraceptives typically respond to vitamin B6 supplementation.31 In one trial, 20 mg of vitamin B6 were taken twice per day. Some evidence suggests that people who are depressed—even when not taking the oral contraceptive—are still more likely to be B6 deficient than people who are not depressed.32

5-HTP

Disruptions in emotional well-being, including depression, have been linked to serotonin imbalances in the brain.78 Supplementation with 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) may increase serotonin synthesis. Researchers are studying the possibility that 5-HTP might help people with depression. Some trials using 5-HTP with people suffering from depression have shown sign of efficacy.79 80 81 82 83

Fish oil (EPA/DHA)

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, particularly DHA, are needed for normal nervous system function. Depressed people have been reported to have lower omega-3 fatty acid levels (for example, DHA) than people who are not depressed.  Low levels of the other omega-3 fatty acid from fish, EPA, have correlated with increased severity of depression.44 In some double-blind trials, supplementation with various amounts of fish oil was beneficial for the treatment of depression

L-tyrosine

The amino acid L-tyrosine can be converted into norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that affects mood. Women taking oral contraceptives have lower levels of tyrosine, and some researchers think this might be related to depression caused by birth control pills.51 L-tyrosine metabolism may also be abnormal in other depressed people52 and preliminary research suggests supplementation might help.53 54 Several doctors recommend a 12-week trial of L-tyrosine supplementation for people who are depressed. Published research has used a very high amount—100 mg per 2.2 pounds of body weight (or about 7 grams per day for an average adult). It is not known whether such high amounts are necessary to produce an antidepressant effect.

Melatonin

This supplement might help some people suffering from depression. Preliminary double-blind research suggests that supplementation with small amounts of melatonin (0.125 mg taken twice per day) may reduce winter depression.70 People with major depressive disorders sometimes have sleep disturbances. A timed-release preparation of melatonin (5–10 mg per day for four weeks) was shown to be effective at improving the quality of sleep in people with major depression who were taking fluoxetine (Prozac), but melatonin did not enhance its antidepressant effect.71 There is a possibility that melatonin could exacerbate depression, so it should only be used for this purpose under a doctor’s supervision.

SAMe

S-adenosyl methionine is a substance synthesized in the body that has recently been made available as a supplement. SAMe appears to raise levels of dopamine, an important neurotransmitter in mood regulation. Higher SAMe levels in the brain are associated with successful drug treatment of depression, and oral SAMe has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for depression in most,72 73 74 but not all,75 clinical trials. Most trials used 1,600 mg of SAMe per day. While it does not seem to be as powerful as full applications of antidepressant medications76 or St. John’s wort, SAMe’s effects are felt more rapidly, often within one week.77

Change your Diet!

Although some research has produced mixed results,1 double-blind trials have shown that food allergies can trigger mental symptoms, including depression.2 3 People with depression who do not respond to other natural or conventional approaches should consult a nutritionist, like myself to diagnose possible food sensitivities and avoid offending foods.

Restricting sugar and caffeine in people with depression has been reported to elevate mood in preliminary research.4 How much of this effect resulted from sugar and how much from caffeine remains unknown. Researchers have reported that psychiatric patients who are heavy coffee drinkers are more likely to be depressed than other such patients.  

However, it remains unclear whether caffeine can cause depression or whether depressed people were more likely to want the “lift” associated with drinking a cup of coffee. In fact, “improvement in mood” is considered an effect of long-term coffee consumption by some researchers, a concept supported by the fact that people who drink coffee have been reported to have a 58–66% decreased risk of committing suicide compared with non-coffee drinkers. 

 Nonetheless, a symptom of caffeine addiction can be depression.7 Thus, consumption of caffeine (mostly from coffee) has paradoxically been linked with both improvement in mood and depression by different researchers. People with depression may want to avoid caffeine as well as sugar for one week to see how it affects their mood.

There is evidence that people with major depression may have insensitivity to insulin and impaired glucose tolerance.8 Whether treatment of impaired glucose tolerance helps depression is unknown, but a doctor can order laboratory tests to detect such abnormalities, and initiate treatment as appropriate.

The amount and type of dietary fat consumed may influence the incidence of depression. Previous studies have found that diet regimens designed to lower cholesterol levels may reduce death from cardiovascular disease, but may also heighten the incidence of depression.9 Does low cholesterol cause depression? It appears not, since studies have shown no adverse effect on mood in people taking cholesterol-lowering drugs.10 11 The connection more likely has to do with the balance of fats in the diet. Diets to lower blood cholesterol usually focus on restricting total fat intake while increasing the intake of polyunsaturated fats (e.g., corn and soybean oils). These oils are very high in omega-6 fatty acids, but the recommended diets otherwise lack important omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). A high intake of omega-6 fatty acids relative to omega-3 fatty acids and an inadequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids (e.g., from fish and fish oils) have been associated with increased levels of depression.12 People who eat diets high in omega-3 fatty acids from fish have a lower incidence of depression and suicide.

For More Information:

If you or a loved one are suffering from the ills of depression, reach out for help!  As a holistic nutritionist, I specialize in finding the root cause of your health condition and treating it with nutrition.  I also look closely at the emotional components of illness, whether its origin is physical or mental.  Counseling is an important component to holistic care.  For more information, please visit my website: www.happyandhealthywellness.com or call (631) 835-5003.

Healthnotes 2009

The World Health Organization. The World Health Report 2004: Changing History, Annex Table 3: Burden of disease in DALYs by cause, sex, and mortality stratum in WHO regions, estimates for 2002. Geneva: WHO, 2004.

Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of twelve-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27.

WHO World Health Report of 2000

4 Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford

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The World Health Organization. The World Health Report 2004: Changing History, Annex Table 3: Burden of disease in DALYs by cause, sex, and mortality stratum in WHO regions, estimates for 2002. Geneva: WHO, 2004.

Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of twelve-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R). Archives of General Psychiatry, 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27.

WHO World Health Report of 2000

4 Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford

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Christie is the founder and director of Happy & Healthy Wellness. Through her work, she helps people make better food and lifestyle choices. She specializes in digestive disorders and conducts gluten-free cooking classes, health food store tours and lectures. She also works closely with her local Celiac Support Group and isthe Corporate Nutritionist for Brain Balance Achievement Centers.  She designs nutrition protocols for children who are afflicted with ADHD, Autism, Asperger's and Dyslexia and trains the doctors at Brain Balance Centers across the country on various topics to better serve the children the company serves.  Further, Christie is also author of Healing IBD with Whole Foods:  A Survival Guide for Those with Crohn’s and Colitis. Christie received her training to practice Health Counseling at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which is the only nutrition school integrating all the different dietary theories—combining the knowledge of traditional philosophies with modern concepts like the USDA food pyramid, the glycemic index, the Zone and raw foods.  She is a Certified Health Counselor through Columbia University's Teacher's College. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Holistic Nutrition from the Clayton College of Natural Health. Christie is also Certified as a Group Facilitator from Adelphi Universtiy. 

Contact Christie: 

Phone (631) 835-5003

www.happyandhealthywellness.com