Earlier this week, I watched this TEDx video of Robyn O'Brien who explains how, after her child started suffering from severe food allergies, she took it upon herself to find out what was going on in our food. On her way to becoming the Erin Brockovich of eating, she discovered that one in 17 kids under age three now has a food allergy, and that the U.S. has the highest rate of cancer in the world. She goes on to share details about the relationships between these health issues and the food we eat. It's a really eye-opening video and I recommend watching it.

I also corresponded with Dr. Martha Howard of ChicagoHealers.com about the relationship between ADHD and chemicals in our food. From Dr. Howard, I learned that it is now proven that pesticides in our food can nearly double the risk of ADHD in children.

Below is my interview with Dr. Howard.

What types of chemicals could contribute to a diagnosis of ADHD?

Chemicals added to food as colorants or preservatives, agricultural chemicals in ground water, pesticides on fruit and vegetables, drug residues in water, chemical pollutants from coal fired plants in the air, and chemicals such as PGEs being released into the air from wall paints are all potentially harming the brain function in children.

How do you know if chemicals are actually contributing to ADHD in your child?

Children should be tested at least for lead, mercury, PCCs, PCBs, Bisphenol A (in plastics), malathion and common food additives such as aspartame, MSG, sulfites and food dyes. Food dyes, made from coal tar, are categorized as GRAS—“generally recognized as safe” in the U.S., but are in the process of being banned in the U.K. One of the easiest, least expensive ways to determine whether reducing chemicals helps a child’s ADHD is to feed the child all organic, unprocessed foods, and make sure you have used all environmentally safe, truly nontoxic paints, bedding, etc. in your child’s room.  

Can avoiding these chemicals really reverse a diagnosis for ADHD?

Reducing or eliminating the chemicals generally will help to reverse the diagnosis. The child may also be allergic to certain food proteins, like gluten and casein, which affect brain function, so you may also need to eliminate those from the child's diet.

Which foods were found to be the most dangerous in terms of increased risk for ADHD?

Non-organic frozen blueberries, fresh strawberries and celery were found to have the highest concentrations of malathion, the chemical that showed the largest increased risk for ADHD.

Can you share tips for preventing an increased risk of ADHD from environmental factors?

1.      Buy organic foods as much as possible.

2.      Wash all produce! Running a little bit of water over fruits and vegetables is not enough.

3.      Have a diet that is high in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and organic fish, meat or chicken.

4.      Stay away from fast food, processed meats, red meat, non- organic dairy and sweets.

5.      Make sure foods are free from chemicals, pesticides, additives, artificial flavors and food dyes.

What's the best method for washing food: soap and water, the fruit/veggie sprays or the bleach in water solution?

I prefer washing fruits and vegetables with Dr. Bronner’s unscented castile soap and water.

If you are as outraged as I am about these issues, Robyn O'Brian's website has some very easy ways to speak out against the food industry. If everyone who reads this article takes a few minutes to tell our government and the companies that control our food supply that we are not okay with these dangerous chemicals, it will make a difference.