Impact of Nutrition On A Child's Focus, Attention, and Behavior

As I am teaching my little guys throughout the day whether it be academic homeschool time, character training, spiritual formation lessons, or random yet divine teachable moments, I want to do all I can to set them up for success! I know a large part of that includes prioritizing proper nutrition.

I recently listened to a seminar on how diet and nutrition impact your child's focus, attention, and behavior given by Cyndi Ringoen, a Certified NeuroDevelopmentalist who provides professionals and families with neurological, educational, and developmental information regarding learning and the brain. She is the current President of the International Christian Association of NeurDevelopmentalists (ICAN).  Here are a few main points from my notes that I thought might be helpful to share! My own thoughts are in blue. (*Let me clarify I am not a nutritionist, dietician, doctor, or "food expert" in any way but am sharing information that I believe to be credible.)

• Women use to study cooking as a science because it was the essence of keeping your family healthy. They took pride in understanding food. Then processed food came in vogue, and there was the invention of the microwave which made cooking faster and easier. This caused a generation to lose about 75 years of food knowledge that was not passed down.  

• Some children are majorly affected by food. Try the following diet routine and watch to see if it helps improve a child's behavior, focus, and attention. High protein breakfast. Quality snacks at 10:30am and 3:30pm. High water intake. No processed carbs until after 2pm.

• If your child has had multiple doses of antibiotics, there is a good chance much of the good stuff in the gut has been depleted. Every neurotransmitter that is in your gut is also in your brain. It's why when you get scared, you can feel it in your stomach. There is a direct correlation between a healthy gut and brain function. It's why when a child is constipated, toxins are building up and can effect behavior. (The gut issue is why I always give my boys a week's worth of kids culturelle during any antibiotic; I didn't get this tip until my second child and was always so frustrated no one told me sooner! )

• Read labels! 
• High fructose corn syrup is like poison to the brain and a behavioral killer for most kids. (I began to learn enough about HFCS that two years ago I decided to work toward becoming a primarily HFCS free home. It didn't happen overnight but I think in making slow changes, it naturally has become a part of our lifestyle.)
• Stay away from soy because it impacts the hormonal balance of children. (I had started to feed my boys soy hot dogs until I discovered soy contains estrogen and was made aware of the possible hormonal effects that Ringoen is talking about here.) 
• Cut out artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and dyes. Never put artificial sweetener into your child; they are neurotoxins to the brain. Real sugar would be better. (Never is a strong word, but there was zero hesitation in Ringoen's voice.)
• The fewer ingredients on a label the better. Now because there are so many ingredients in food, your body can not sift through them all to see what is good for you and what is not. Our bodies use to be better able to "crave" what they needed. (When I diligently apply this, I've found myself craving vegetables if I haven't had my daily intake! That's crazy to me!)

Ringoen went on to discuss various behavioral issues in children that can be connected to nutrition and helpful specific diets. She recommended having your child's vitamin D levels checked as well as insisting both thyroid levels be checked if you discern that there might be a physical problem related to behavior issues. I couldn't help but think about a conversation I had with a mom who spent years in frustration over an unmotivated child and even saw numerous doctors. It was not until much later down the road they finally discovered  he had a thyroid disease.

I'm currently watching a series of videos for a Healthy Kids Virtual Summit. Look for me to share some tips I pick up and also things we do in our home to teach our little guys about nutrition and the importance of living healthy!

Update: I've loved hearing some feedback...

• "Truvia and nectress are both good options as well. They are natural sugar substitutes that are calorie free and artificial free."

• "I love the "real food" recipes on 100 Days of Real Food! We have cut out most processed food and can tell a big difference!"