The Dangers of Feeding Children Toxic foods

Sugar

The taste for sugar is acquired through eating sweeter and sweeter foods. It can be lost, though usually with some resistance, by gradually reducing the level of sweetness in food and drinks (for motivation, see chapter 10 for the effects of sugar on the body).

The best of course is not to start your children on sweet things in the first place. All they actually need to drink is water – and what a gift it is to your child to get them used to drinking water every day from an early age! They don’t need fruit juice (remember that most fruit juices, unless you squeeze them yourself, have been pasteurized which renders them almost utterly devoid of nutrition. You may as well drink sugar-water!).

Don’t give sweet things as treats – cola, sweets, chocolates, biscuits and cake. Cola drinks are especially bad as they contain caffeine, an addictive drug. Breakfast cereals are also often laden with sugar. Of course it suits food manufacturers to help children develop a sweet tooth at an early age! Instead, give them slow-releasing, unsweetened whole-grain cereals for breakfast or even root vegetables such as cooked, mashed butternut or sweet potato; fresh fruit for snacks and tasty, well-presented raw vegetables. Offer these as part of very meal, especially ones that are naturally high in sugar like carrots, peas and cooked sweet potatoes (check blood type lists). Don’t start, or get out of, the habit of ending every meal with something sweet and only have sweet (healthy!) desserts as an occasional treat.

Eating excessive sugar promotes hyperactivity and aggression in children. Many studies have been done on schoolchildren and the effects of sugar on their learning abilities and moods. Some schools in the USA are starting to ban fizzy drinks and sweets in their tuck-shops, because of the results of studies done on the link between behavior and sugar-consumption in young offenders. See chapter 10 for further details on sugar and its effect on the body.

Wheat and milk

Both of these foods can be very harmful to sensitive individuals. Poorly-digested protein fragments from gluten (wheat) and casein (dairy) can enter the bloodstream because of a deficiency of 3 nutrients – zinc, vitamin A and essential fatty acids (assist digestion of protein in the gut). These protein fragments can mimic endorphin chemicals in the brain that can actually damage the brain, and lead to behavioral problems in children. Increased levels of these protein fragments are present in the blood and urine of children with autism. Breast milk is naturally high in vitamin A and essential fatty acids and is vital in limiting a child’s chances of developing sensitivity to milk. Children with O- and A- blood types are generally even more sensitive to dairy products and giving them dairy products should be avoided as much and for as long as possible. The same applies to giving wheat to O-blood type children. Rather find or bake bread with different flours and cereals that don’t contain wheat.

As soon as your child is weaned, start supplementing his or her diet. Companies are now making supplements optimally balanced for children. See chapter 15 for more information.