| As more and more studies show the relationship | | | | utilize the lutein that naturally occurs in vegetables. |
| between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | | | | For our body to obtain lutein it can actually use, it |
| and intolerances to certain food substances, more | | | | is better to consume foods with lycopene, |
| and more children go on specific diets to address | | | | zeaxanthine, and other pigments that the body |
| the nutritional basis of the disorder. Among these | | | | can convert into bio-available lutein. |
| ADHD diets is the glutein-free diet, or Sara's Diet. | | | | The lutein-free diet is often recommended when |
| Sara's Diet is based on the gluten-free, casein-free | | | | the GFCF diet does not work, and is as simple to |
| diet (GFCF) in that all wheat and dairy products | | | | follow as the GFCF diet. All foots containing gluten, |
| are forbidden. However, the diet also eliminates | | | | casein, lutein, and artificial additives are removed |
| food with lutein, a natural pigment found in some | | | | and replaced with nutritious, lutein-free foods. You |
| vegetables and fruits. The diet was first | | | | can either remove lutein-containing foods slowly |
| formulated when experts discovered that some | | | | or immediately, but nutritionists recommend the |
| children who went on the GFCF diet without | | | | latter to make it easier to see if the diet is |
| removing lutein experienced allergic reactions | | | | working. Food supplements like omega-3 fish oils |
| when they ate food with lutein. The allergic | | | | and vitamin B, and healing foods like coconut and |
| reactions would cause a metabolic imbalance that | | | | aloe, help the immune system calm down and |
| interrupted neurotransmitter activity, causing | | | | ease the body's natural detoxification abilities. |
| inattention, hyperactivity, and the other | | | | As the immune system becomes more stable, |
| symptoms of ADHD. | | | | the child experiences a healing process through |
| There are many foods that naturally contain | | | | which the body gets rid of toxins and restores |
| lutein, including red peppers, spinach, peas, egg | | | | balance to the metabolism. However, this is where |
| yolk, mustard, leeks, and Romaine lettuce. It is | | | | the difficult part begins. Aside from experiencing |
| difficult to say how much lutein these foods | | | | the withdrawal symptoms of gluten and casein |
| contain because the amount depends on factors | | | | loss, your child can also experience certain |
| like soil quality, exposure to light, and the period of | | | | temporary problems as toxins get flushed out. |
| the year. Certain vegetables like melon, cucumber, | | | | These include cold-like symptoms and flu-like |
| and tomato do not have lutein but instead contain | | | | symptoms. It might be worrisome at first, but |
| pigments like zeaxanthine and lycopene, which the | | | | the emergence of these symptoms is a sign that |
| body metabolizes into lutein. | | | | the diet is working. |
| Lutein is actually not a bad substance per se; in | | | | Before putting your child on the lutein-free diet, |
| fact, it is known to improve eyesight and work as | | | | please consult your physician or a nutritionist and |
| a natural antioxidant. However, children with ADHD | | | | ask for a diet plan. Going on Sara's Diet without |
| become more sensitive to lutein when they don't | | | | proper planning and expert advice may lead to a |
| have gluten and casein in their bodies. Researchers | | | | vitamin A or vitamin D deficiency, which will only |
| also believe that the human body is unable to | | | | trigger symptoms of ADHD. |