Kids' Mental Health Begins With Diet

May 6-12 is Children's Mental Health Awareness Week — yet many still are not "aware" that a child's diet has a lot to do with mental health. Even fewer understand that mental health really begins in the colon. That's right, the colon. About 80% of our immune system lies right within the gut, and our gut has its own nervous system, connected to our brain. In fact, about 90% of the serotonin in us is produced by our gut, and all other classes of neurotransmitters found in our brain are also in our gut. (Hyman MM. The UltraMind Solution: Fix Your Broken Brain by Healing your Body First. 1st ed. Scribner; 2008) What is wrong in a child's gut has a huge impact on what is wrong in the head. In situations where a child has a mental challenge like autism, this gut imbalance has to be corrected for any healing to occur:

• Candida and pathogenic bacteria must not be fed — refined sugar has to be eliminated.
• Inflammation has to be reduced — fruits, vegetable juice, and omega-3 fats are all anti-inflammatory foods.

In fact, the vast weight of science indicates that long-term health (including mental health) requires a plant-based diet, like The Hallelujah Diet. Cleaning up chronic infections and toxins and adding effective doses of anti-inflammatory nutrients (cod liver oil and vitamin D are great) help, too. They allow the brain to function correctly. Heal the body and the brain will get well, too! Have you read Dr. Michael Donaldson's article on diet and autism? Comment below!