The Dr. Feingold diet is generally used for children,
although it may be effective for adults as well. It is
intended to remove substances that some people believe
cause ADD and ADHD. According to the Feingold
Association of the United States it can also be effective
in reducing or eliminating impulsiveness, compulsiveness,
disruptive behaviors, poor self-control, abusive or
unpredictable behavior, and destructive behaviors.
They also believe it can changeworkaholic habits, chewing
on clothing or other inappropriate objects, depression,
frequent crying, irritability, panic, low self-esteem,
mood swings, impatience, distraction, inability to follow
directions, poor muscle coordination, speech difficulties,
tics, seizures, and difficulty with comprehension.
The association also states that it can help physical
problems such as ear infections, asthma, bedwetting,
and constipation, and sleep problems such as resistance
going to bed, difficulty falling asleep, and
nightmar! es.
Benefits
There are many benefits for children who eat a
balanced diet including many fresh fruits and vegetables.
Because the Dr. Feingold diet excludes many
forms of artificial additives, it may limit the amount
of processed food available to consume, leading to a
more balanced diet with more healthful food. This is
not necessarily the case however, as many fresh fruits
must be eliminated during stage one because of naturally
occurring salicylates. The diet may result in
reduced symptoms of ADD and ADHD and is
reported by the American Feingold Association to
be able to resolve other psychical, emotional, and
sleep complaints.
Precautions
When starting any diet there are some risks, especially
when beginning a diet that is very restrictive.
Although the Dr. Feingold diet does not restrict very
many types of foods, it is inflexible on the point that all
foods containing offending additives or compounds be
completely eliminated from the diet. This can limit the
availability of convenience and processed foods especially,
although many other foods are forbidden as well. It is important for all adults to get a balanced diet
that follows the United States Department of Agriculture’s
MyPyramid guidelines, but this is especially
important for children. Not getting the right amounts
of vitamins and minerals each day can have negative
effects on a child’s growth and development. This may
be a concern for children on the Dr. Feingold diet
because stage one limits many child-friendly fruits
such as apples, oranges, and grapes.
One problem some families may find when on the
Dr. Feingold diet is that it is very time intensive. For
adults who go on the diet there are significant amounts
of time required to learn all the rules of the diet, and to
learn to identify the various forbidden additives in all
of the forms in which they may appear on labels. For
parents putting a child on the diet, the time required is
even greater. Not only must the parent learn to identify
which foods are allowable for the child, but the
time must be taken to educate the child on this complicated
issue as well. This is especially true for older
children who may make more of their own eating
decisions outside of the watchful eyes of their parents.
Children have to learn which foods can be eaten and
how to read labels. They also need to learn coping
skills to be able to explain to other children and any
adults who might be offering them food (such as their
friend’s parents) which foods are not allowed. It may
be a! dvisable also to go over some skills to help
children explain to friends and classmates why they
are on a special diet in a way which is not upsetting or
embarrassing to them. Many people also choose to
make chidlren’s teachers, babysitters, and others
aware of the new diet which can take time as well.
Although there are no specific studies investigating
the social effects of the Dr. Feingold diet on children,
there are many pieces of anecdotal evidence
illustrating some of it possible negative effects. One
concern for some parents may be that being an such a
strict diet, that has to be followed all of the time
including at school and at friends’ houses, children
may feel different than their peers. It can be very
hard for children who feel or seem different than
those around them, and other children might not
understand why they cannot have the same candy, or
have to eat special meals brought from home. Another
issue brought up by some people who were on the diet
as children is that it puts children who do give into
temptation (and there are many temptations for children
on this diet) into a very difficult position. Because
the Feingold Association maintains the diet must be
followed exactly at all times to be effective, children
who have eaten something forbi! dden must decide
whether to admit it or lie to their parents. It can also
put children and parents into an antagonistic relationship
because often if the diet does not cure the disease
or disorder, it is assumed that it is because forbidden
foods have been consumed. This can lead to a negative
spiral of accusations, guilt, and anger. These problems
certainly will not occur with every child in every family,
but it may be something that parents considering
this diet for their child or children would want to
consider.
Risks
There are some risks associated with starting any
diet. Although there are no significant scientifically
documented risks for starting this diet there is some
chance that it may cause feelings of isolation in the
child because he or she feels different than those around
him or her. There is also some risk that this diet may put
significant stress on the family because it is very time
intensive and must be followed strictly. The diet may
also cause some tension in parent-child relationships
because the child may react negatively to being put on
the diet or may be tempted to eat forbidden foods.
