Before I give you an idea of what the Feingold Diet is, I
would like to discuss the symptoms and behaviors that the Feingold Diet has been known
to address which includes: marked hyperactivity, impulsive actions, compulsive actions,
emotional concerns, destructive behaviors, poor self-control, disruptive behaviors,
aggression, depression, nervousness, mood swings, low tolerance for frustration,
irritability, overreaction to touch, pain, sound or lights, low self-esteem, impatience,
inability to follow directions or listen, poor muscle coordination, seizures, tics, eye
muscle disorder, dyslexia and reading problems, speech difficulties and disorders,
difficulty writing or drawing, auditory or visual memory problems, difficulty in
comprehension and short term memory, difficulties in reasoning, ear infections, asthma,
bedwetting (enuresis), daytime wetting, stomach aches, headaches, migraines, hives,
rashes, eczema, leg aches, constipation, diarrhea, congestion, nightmares and bad
dreams, difficulty falling asleep, restless or erratic sleep, and suicidal thoughts.
The Feingold Diet was named after Ben F. Feingold, M.D., a physician who was Chief
of Allergy at Kaiser-Permanente Medical Center in San Francisco, California in the
1960’s. The Feingold Diet eliminates artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, Aspartame
(Nutrasweet, an artificial sweetener), and artificial preservatives BHA, BHT, and TBHQ,
and foods that containing salicylate (pronounced Suh-LIH-Suh-Late). Salicylate is a
group of chemicals related to aspirin. The Feingold Program incorporates the Feingold
Diet but also eliminates fragrances and non-food items, which contain the chemicals
previously listed.
Since 1976, there has been in existence a parent support group for families using the
Feingold Diet. The Feingold Association of the United States is an outstanding
organization which has excellent resources on their website which can be found at: www.feingold.org. This wonderful organization has medical documentation available on
their website which supports this therapy. I would highly recommend parents consider
this non-invasive therapy as a method of addressing symptoms listed above. The
Feingold Association of the United States can be reached at: 554 East Main Street, Suite
301, Riverhead, NY 11901, FAX (631) 369-2988. They have program materials
available for purchase, which guides consumers through the Feingold Program for
$69.00. One book on the subject is Why Can’t My Child Behave? By Jane Hersey,
Director of the Feingold Association.
