Diet plays a very important role in our day to day life. As we all know we need a balance of everything in our life we also need to balance of what we eat, how we eat and how much we eat. As per the best nutritionist in Mumbai, every individual have different requirements according to their condition and lifestyle. There are different kinds of diet for every condition and some need a specialized diet like a gluten-free diet or a keto diet or a vegan diet etc.
Children who have Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or Autism have different requirements and their needs and nutrients will also depend on their symptoms there health and how they response to different food and nutrients.
Parents and care takers of such kids are busy in managing the medications and taking them for different classes and behavioral management programs and in all of this nutrition takes a back seat.
If we correct and select the right kind of food and nutrients which are essential a lot of their symptoms can improve and help them to lead a better life which they deserve to live.
Well in this children have leaky gut syndrome and due to which food is not fully digested and does can get through the gut lining and come in contact with the immune system, triggering an immune response and creating inflammatory chemicals that can affect the child’s learning and behavior, and just because of this leaky gut there is a huge loss of nutrients which causes mal absorption resulting in the imbalance of the brain and nervous system.
For most children eliminating gluten and casein from their diet helps them to improve their symptoms. The diet which removes two proteins: casein which is found in all milk and dairy products as we all know, and gluten, which is present in barley, rye, wheat, and some brands of oats important for growth. It helps with improving symptoms like behavior, speech, and social skills. It is because these children are not being able to fully break down the casein and gluten and then it gets undigested and leak through the intestinal walls and into the bloodstream. This can lead to problems with behavior, speech, and social skills as when they do, the proteins may reach the brain.
It is important to increase omega 3, zinc, Iron and Magnesium in the diet of such kids and eliminate simple carbohydrate and sugar from their diet.
Omega 3 fatty acid plays a huge role in children in developing their brain. 60 percent of their brain is made up of fat and DHA which is one of the types of omega 3 fat and is very important when it comes to structuring of the brain and eyes. OMEGA-3 deficiency can elevate certain ADHD related symptoms like developmental delays, poor motor development, language and communication delays, impaired cognitive function, mood; behavioral disorder and others like mucosal tissue problems, skins conditions, poor hair quality, etc. DHA (over EPA) is associated with mood, behavior, eye contact, hyperactivity, language, attention, focus, communication and EPA is more for skin, hair, nails, mucosal tissues, inflammation and immunity.
PROBIOTICS maintain healthy flora in the gut, prevent harmful growth overgrowth of pathogens and yeast and produce healthy nutrients.
VITAMIN D If deficient has to be supplemented to get within the normal range. Vitamin D is needed Calcium absorption and also for bone health. Deficiencies can cause: developmental delays and learning disabilities, delayed tooth eruption, frequent infections, eczema, chapped lips, etc.
ZINC deficiencies can contribute to the following symptoms: picky eating, poor eye contact, pica (eating non food substances), sensory processing disorder, delays in growth or language, skin conditions, low muscle tone, inflammation and infections, elevated toxic metals. Zinc deficiency could also be because of vitamin A deficiency. Zinc is necessary for the function of retinol binding protein which transports vitamin A from liver to tissues where the vitamin is utilized
MAGNESIUM helps calm the nervous system. When magnesium is deficient, some of the following can occur: ADHD symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention, mood dysregulation, irritability, sleep disruption, restless sleep, memory loss, etc.
There are certain super foods which we can include in their daily diet to help them improve their symptoms and overall well being.
Here listing the top 5 super foods:
- Pumpkin seeds:Pumpkin seeds are a good source of Zinc, Magnesium & Iron which will help improve focus & attention, overcome the delayed speech, growth & developmental delays.
- Flaxseeds:Flaxseeds are rich in Zinc & DHA which will help improve attention and eye contact.
- Walnuts: Walnuts are a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids which is important to overcome communication delays & improve his attention and improve eye contact.
- Buckwheat:Besides being a gluten-free cereal, buckwheat contains zinc, magnesium, iron, vitamin B6 and panthotentic acid -which are the nutrients essential to improve attention, address communication delays, and boost immunity.
- Banana: Banana is a good source of Vitamin B6 and Magnesium which will help with improving attention, communication and language. Biotin in banana also helps reduce yeast overgrowth and address the giggling. Banana is also a source of tryptophan, which helps in inducing sound sleep.
Therefore, there are certain things that have to be considered while planning a diet for such children’s where we keep in mind all their symptoms, there likes and dislikes, thus having an opinion from the best nutritionist in Delhi about what the nutrient that will benefit them and help improve their symptoms.