Yesterday the papers and newsreels were full of the story about ADD and ADHD being a genetic disease and not down to “bad parenting” after all. I feel this statement is a little alarming, bad parenting aside ADD and ADHD cannot just be blamed on bad genes, much like cancer, heart disease and for that matter any other disease can. As I stated before in a previous blog post “genes load the gun, environment pulls the trigger”. ADD and ADHD are just a different manifestation of being exposed to a poor environment, like an adult might get breast cancer or heart disease form being exposed to environmental chemicals or free radicals and inflammation.
Some kids that get fed nothing but junk food loaded with sugar, artificial sweeteners, colouring, preservatives and pesticides; and food that is devoid of nutrition, vitamins, minerals and essential fats may become obese, some may develop asthma or atopy, whereas others may develop ADD and ADHD.
Of course there are genes that will expose certain children to a greater risk of having ADD and ADHD, but those genes are not necessarily “switched on” or “turned up” unless exposed to a poor environment. Conversely those genes can be “switched of” or “turned down” if exposed to the right environment.
Kids should be fed what they are designed to eat – meat, fish, eggs, poultry, seafood, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes. If this were the case i’m sure we would rarely see cases of ADD and ADHD.
