Frank J. Granett R.ph.
The onset of
ADHD symptoms in adults as well as children may be caused by nutritional,
physiological and environmental risk factors.
The toxic environment assessment is especially important in the young
child population prior to prematurely prescribing powerful ADHD stimulant drug
therapy. Decades ago, pregnant women
were cautioned not to drink alcohol or smoke.
In doing so, the possibility of giving birth to a healthy baby was very
good. In today's America, this warning
needs to be expanded.
Autism and ADHD have eclipsed epidemic rates.
Additionally, neuro-behavioral conditions including depression are
commonplace, with drug therapy as the primary treatment intervention. Pregnant women should understand that many
household toxins, in addition to alcohol and tobacco, are able to penetrate the
placenta and adversely affect neuro-fetal protein synthesis, which is critical
to normal behavioral health after birth.
The Environmental Working Group in conjunction with the American Red
Cross conducted a study assessing toxin levels in the umbilical-cord blood of
new born babies. The results were
alarming and signal a more comprehensive educational understanding of how
common environmental toxins negatively affect brain development in the fetus.
Another environmental toxin consideration involves the consumption of genetically modified organism (GMO) foods. Genetically engineered (GE) or GMO foods are toxic to the digestive system. GMO foods produce a toxic insect-killer substance called Bacillus thuringienis (Bt) that contributes to the destruction of the human digestive intestinal lining. Over a period of time this may contribute to a leaky-gut condition. Leaky-gut conditions are a contributing health-risk factor to the onset of ADHD as well as autism. Pregnant women should consume only non-GMO foods while pregnant to reduce the health risk of neuro-behavioral conditions in their children.
Could the increased environmental-toxin exposure during neuro-fetal development explain the epidemic diagnosis rate of ADHD and autism? Numerous independent research studies validate the importance of reducing toxin exposure in the environment as well as food to reduce this alarming trend in America. The question, as Americans, is do we have the will to hold those individuals and corporations accountable for producing toxins that directly impact the health and welfare of our next generation?
