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Nov

2024

ADHD and Breakfast Cereals

ADHD and Breakfast Cereals
or

What Are You Feeding Your Children For Breakfast?

Are you giving them cereal or other foods that cause ADHD? And then having to give them an ADHD drug (Vivanase, Ritalin, Concerto or some such) for dessert?

Recently, I have been visiting with some relatives and then some friends whose children are on some of these mood altering drugs for ADHD. Real problems with ADHD and breakfast cereals. I discovered what both of these children were having for breakfast, by asking a few simple questions, . Almost always it’s breakfast cereals like Froot Loops!

What Is The Impact Of Synthetic Food Dyes On Children?

Here are some articles that quickly show and track how food dyes in cereals and other foods impact behaviour in children with ADHD.
Truth is, they help cause and often exacerbate ADHD.

“Research in both animals and humans has shown synthetic color additives such as red dye 40 to have links to ADHD symptoms and other neurobehavioral conditions.”

Medical News Today (25 February 2022)

(https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/red-dye-40-adhd)

“A report released in April 2021 by the state of California—with contributors from UC Berkeley and UC Davis—confirmed the long-suspected belief that the consumption of synthetic food dyes can cause hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral issues for some children.”

Berkeley Public Health (24 May 21)

https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/news-media/research-highlights/new-report-shows-artificial-food-coloring-causes-hyperactivity-in-some-kids

Artificial Coloring In Breakfast Cereals

Here are some children’s cereals that contain food colouring (dye):

Trix: Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1

Fruity Cherios: Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1

Fruity Pebbles: Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Yellow 5, Blue 2

Fruit Loops: Red 40 and Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1

Quaker Life Multigrain Cereal, Cinnamon: Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 5, Yellow 6

Cinnamon Toast Crunch: Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1

Apple Jacks: Red 40, Yellow 6, Yellow 5

A simple search on Google will show what each of these dyes (synthetic colours) are used for and further what they can do to the human body:

Red 3 (erythrosine)
“This dye is often used in decorated cookies and candies, especially seasonal varieties. In 1990, it was found to be a carcinogen in animals and the FDA banned it for use in cosmetics and topical drugs because it can cause thyroid tumors.”

Red 40
“This dye is one of the most commonly used food dyes and is contaminated with cancer-causing substances like benzidine, 4-aminobiphenyl, and 4-aminoazobenzene. Studies suggest that long-term exposure to benzidine may increase the risk of bladder cancer. The European Union banned Red 40 from food in 2022, but it's still allowed in the U.S., and hasn't been evaluated for health risks since 1971. Some studies suggest it may pose a risk to brain development in children, hyperactivity, and even cancer.”

Yellow 5
“Exposure to Yellow 5 can damage human white blood cells, and cells exposed to the highest concentration may not be able to repair themselves. This could make tumor growth and diseases like cancer more likely.”

Blue 1
“This dye is found in thousands of food products, including baked goods, candy, and beverages. An unpublished animal test suggested a small cancer risk, and a test-tube study indicated the dye might affect neurons. It also causes occasional allergic reactions”

There are hundreds of other foods that contain these toxic dyes. All are types of ‘foods’ that are largely marketed to children in effect bypassing mom and dad as the decision makers! Here are some cereals and other foods and products with artificial dyes. All of the products listed below (foods and other products) contain more of these ADHD causing synthetic colours.

Skittles

M&Ms
Jelly Beans

Starbursts

Flinstones Vitamins (and most chewable vitamins)

Gatorade

Powerade

Red Bull

Monster drinks

Kool-Aid

Grape Drinks

Hawaiian Punch

Pop Tarts

Pickles
Honey

Mustard

Gum

Nerds

Mountain Dew

Mac’n Cheese

Eggos

Doritos

Pudding Snack Packs

Jolly Ranchers

Some BBQ Sauce

Cherry Pie filling

Eye Shadow

Lipstick

Nail Polish
(Most Cosmetics)

Conclusion

As I mentioned above, the reason for this particular article is that I’ve seen far too many parents - close relatives and others feeding their children these foods and as a result wondering why said children are so wild and crazy.

One particular niece has a son that she has been feeding Fruit Loops for breakfast for most of his life, consequently acting crazy without his meds. When visiting recently I fed him 2-3 eggs for breakfast each morning and voilá, he was quite fine.

Reducing hyperactivity by avoiding these food dyes is not easy. Kids are so used to eating the junk and these foods are so addictive it’s difficult for mom to listen to the complaining while trying to transition to a healthier lifestyle. ADHD and Breakfast Cereals with additives can be a real problem for kids once they get to school.

Additionally, the biggest problem with these ADHD drugs is that they are extremely addictive thus difficult to withdraw from.

Prevention is far better than trying to cure the disastrous effects of ADHD drugs.

Jun

2024

Are Schools Pushing Drugs?

For many years it has somehow become a right of Schools to push drugs for ADHD and the like or insist children take drugs.
In my words they, “push” drugs on children. In North America anyway.

I’ve heard this story for years from others: Recently, a niece of ours felt she had to put her son on some ADHD drug after being called to the school a number of times because her young son was disruptive in class.

A tiny bit of background. She feeds him Fruit Loops cereal for breakfast. I’ve asked a lot of children in the last few years, ages 10-16 or so, what they have for breakfast. A lot of boxed cereal, muffins or fast food. These foods are devastating.

What is in these foods that makes a need for schools to push drugs?

Fruit Loops: Additives:

Natural Flavours: When unspecified this is usually something like MSG which can be very damaging.

Red 40: synthetic food dye, very toxic and linked to hyperactivity in children. (Banned in several countries)

Blue 1: Synthetic food dye. Linked to allergies and hyperactivity

Yellow 6: Cancer and hyperactivity

BHT: (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) synthetic preservative linked to cancer and other health problems.

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil: high in trans fats - linked to heart disease.

So, you feed your kid something that causes hyperactivity or ‘so called ADHD’. And then … you have to give him drugs to counter the chemicals in the food that make him hyperactive.

Children Should Be Active

Another part of the problem is that no young boy should be asked to sit still in a classroom for hours at a time. They should be moving most of the day as they have way to much energy to burn just naturally, without adding destructive chemicals into the mix. The girls as well. There are no end to studies showing this.

The link here talks about this in relation to homework (which should be outlawed) but the principle is the same: Parent Co.

Why schools so insistent on pushing drugs like ADHD?

All that said, though, why would a teacher or school faculty member have anything to say about administering drugs to a child in their care. But that has been going on for some time, I think.

The medical industry, which includes psychiatrists, is trained on the basis of ‘symptom - pill’, ‘symptom - pill’. What pill should be used for what symptom? This has long since filtered down into public schools in the USA and Canada. Health nurses in schools then even teachers are weighing in and judging whether a child should be on some anti anxiety or ADHD drug.

Our Addiction to Drugs

A close relative who is a doctor in a fairly upscale town, told me a story about an associate. This goes back about 20-25 years. This associate, a doctor, moved into the town. Set up practice. He was of a mind that he didn’t want to hand out drugs willy-nillly. A patient would come in with a cold. Doctor tells him or her that the cold will be gone in 10 days whether or not they are taking a drug for it. Patients didn’t want to hear this. “Just gimme the drug!”

Within a year this doctor packed up and left. The patients just wanted their pills. They would see the advertising on the Television and tell the doctor what they wanted.

It’s much worse now. So many people feel they are educated on the subject of symptoms and drugs from watching the pharmaceutical ads on TV.

All this makes good sense for Home Schooling Your Children

So, why would you send your kid to a bunch of drug pushers. (read: public schools)

Another major issue with putting your kid on an ADHD drugs or something similar is that once they reach adulthood there is a strong possibility that the are going to switch to some stronger or more damaging drug. Or even just keep doing drugs. This is a very real situation, particularly with Ritalin.

“It’s an important issue for parents whether the use of stimulant medications like Adderall to treat ADHD in children puts those children at risk for later substance abuse.”
Child Mind Institute

Do your own research. Don’t just listen to doctors or school staff. Ask questions.

Your child’s brain is developing until they are 25. Life is tough enough - why make it more difficult.

Benefits of Homeschooling

The beauty of home schooling is that your child can learn in a couple of hours a day, much more than he or she does sitting in a classroom for 6-8 hours. Absolutely no reason for an 8 year old boy to be tortured by forcing him to sit in that chair all day. There are dozens of homeschooling resources online and elsewhere. It has become much more ‘mainstream’ than it was 30-40 years ago.

The Classical Learner (https://classicallearner.com/) is a great one. There are many more though. The whole homeschooling thing has been growing like mad the last few years.

Children want to learn!

There are those wanting to make the education of their kids way too complicated. Kids want to learn. Biggest thing I found is to just put interesting stuff in front of them and stand back.

If you are nervous about the subject and want read a couple of books, I would suggest pretty much anything by John Taylor Gatto or John Holt. Gatto was a teacher in some of the rougher parts of New York City for 30 years. Got awards and everything.

If you got this far and have read this article, then you are at least curious about alternatives to public schooling. Please take a minute and look through some of my other articles so that you can educate yourself on the dangers of these types of drugs.

Conclusion

So, if you don't want your kids in Schools Pushing Drugs for ADHD and the like then figure out how to home school them. And for gosh sakes, get them away from Fruit Loops!

Jun

2024

Guns, Drugs and Big Pharma – A Common Thread

Guns, Drugs, and Big Pharma - Common Threads

Every time I’m around police of any sort and have a chance to ask a certain question, I do.

I’ve asked this question of SWAT teams in Toronto, Canada and Sheriffs in small towns in the US of A. And the answer is pretty consistent. Almost word for word, really.

The Question

First time this came up was at a small trade show I was working in a town in Southern Oregon. The fellow in the booth next to me was a Sheriff. Doing some publicity. He came in one morning and told me that there had been a ‘gun’ incident the night before that he had to attend.

I asked him, "How many gun incidents are drug or alcohol related?” He looked at me kinda funny, like I was a few bricks shy of a load or something. He replied, “All of them!” He expounded but that was basically it.

A more recent conversation with a SWAT cop when I was working at the Royal Winter Fair last November in Toronto. There had been an incident - some sort of demonstration earlier in the day at the Fair and they were walking around keeping at eye on things. They were chatty so I asked the one guy the same question- his reply was almost exactly the same. He gave me the same ‘Are you an idiot?’ look and said, “All of them?”

(As an aside: He went on to tell me that of the several gun incidents that they get each week, and all of the guns that they confiscate, not one has been previously owned by a legal gun owner.)

It is quite well known now, pretty much general knowledge, that some key side effects of anti-depressants are things like, depression, suicidal ideation, and violent outbursts.

Robert F Kennedy Jr. is running for President of the United States - and I’m kinda hoping he wins. Not too fond of other options.

Kennedy, in one of his talks pointed out that a proper investigation into the causes of school shootings and such, has never been done. This is pretty scary. The pharmaceutical industry makes mucho dineros from their drugs. If a study like this was done and discovered that a major contributor to these violent shootings in schools and otherwise was their drugs, the shit would hit the fan.

Billions of Big Pharma’s dollars would just evaporate.

(Note: A very large percentage of of gun homicides are committed by inner city gangs and the like.
“Gun involvement— in gang related homicides increased from 73% in 1980 to 92% in 2008 (figure 41)” https://bjs.ojp.gov/)

There is no monitoring system for the Pharmaceutical Industry. Many think that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) actually regulate and monitor the drugs manufactured. This is a fallacy. They never do any of their own testing on the drugs produced by the drug companies. They read the summaries of the testing. At best someone will review some of the research details.

A good book covering this aspect of the FDA is ‘Bitter Pills’ by Stephen Fried.

So, what is the common thread here? Of all this gun violence? Does anyone really know. Lots of anecdotal information. Lots of fingers pointing. Lots of people really certain as to what the answer is. But most of that ‘certainty’ is based on emotion.

Not any actual research. In fact as I pointed out earlier here, the Pharmaceutical companies are likely terrified of a proper investigation into causes of gun violence in relation to their drugs.

There is no doubt at this point that gun crime, school shootings and such things are inevitably connected to drugs.

Get rid of the guns and you will still have children on drugs for depression that cause worse depression and more severe symptoms such as suicidal ideation.

One of the issues with the R&D on drugs produced by pharmaceutical companies is that they really don’t know how these drugs work. They don’t have to show this for FDA approval.

Here is an excerpt from ‘Bitter Pills’:

“He said the the FDA and the drug companies don’t know how most of the drugs we take actually work. For FDA approval, the companies simply need to prove that their products do work somewhat better than a placebo, a sugar pill It is helpful to be able to offer an informed guess as to whey they work, but it isn’t required. For example the Floxin package insert said the drug was ‘thought to exert a bacterial effect on susceptible micro-organisms by inhibiting DNA gyrase**’.

“Bitter Pills” by Stephen Fried Page 29

(**gyrase: a bacterial enzyme)

There is no doubt at this point that gun crime, school shootings and such things are inevitably connected to drugs.

Big Pharma has a lot to answer for.

Jan

2024

Play and Homeschooling – What fun!

The Importance of Play

I’ve read recently a number of books on home schooling, education and also some references on exercise. With these and other references, there is a definite stress on the subject of ‘Play’. And the importance of just having fun in what you are doing.

I just finished reading The 5 Hour School Week by Aleena Amuchastegui. A pretty good sales pitch on home schooling. Already sold on the subject long since, I’ve been availing myself of some more recent texts on the subject. Including a more recent one by John Taylor Gatto.

And there is some interesting information has come to light recently regarding the dangers? of exercising in a less than light mood. Well, not ‘dangers’ exactly but … Apparently the stress of exercising while ‘serious’ is not nearly as effective as when one is treating like it play.

I’ve often used exercise to lift myself out of some rather serious moments in my life. That said, I DO find ‘play’ is a much better way to do study, exercise or just do life.

In the book, 5 Hour School Week, the author shows how her children changed so much being home schooled. All the stresses weighing the family down seemed to lift, just fly away. It was still work but the children were learning because they wanted to not because they had to.

These children will never need Ritalin or any mood altering drugs. I don’t know what the stats are on home schooled kids vs. industrial schooled kids regarding drugs like Ritalin but I’d put money on the fact that it is pretty rare with home schoolers.

One, they don’t have the stresses and two, they don’t have a staff trained to watch for certain indications that, in their minds would warrant the prescribing of a mood altering drug.

I’m a huge proponent of home schooling. I have two sons that were mostly home schooled. All the arguments against these two men, just don’t stand up to the results. And this goes by far for the majority of home schooled kids.

Social Skills or Relationships

They generally have better social skills than most industrial educated kids. Lots of reasons, one being that they generally have social intercourse with more different age groups. I noticed that my youngest was more than comfortable at a very young age keeping up a conversation with an adult. And fine with kids his own age.

Parents Qualifications

There is no shortage of websites, blogs, and groups that help parents with a curriculum. If you want to go that route. Younger children, it is more like, ‘what do you want to learn today?’

The basic math skills, grammar, reading and writing come pretty easily. Beyond that, there is so much now online…!

If you read through other articles, posts and pages on this website, you will see that I’m more than a little against drugs. They have their place. Most people aren’t going to get a tooth pulled without some freezing. I’d rather be knocked out to have my appendix removed.

Giving a child a drug like Ritalin because he or she can’t sit still, when they really should not be sitting still, well, that’s just a crime. Children can learn very quickly if you let them. Very quickly.

Reading

Stressing about when a child is reading is pretty silly. Generally, they will read when they are ready and want to. As one of the authors above stated, one child will read at four years old and the other at 7, 8 or 9. At 14 or 15 years old, you will not be able to tell which learned at what age.

It is not a competition.

If homeschooling is something that you have thought about, don’t discount it out of hand. Do some reading. The four books that I recommend here are very good. And there are some great websites and blogs out there. Do your homework before you decide.

Don’t read all the negative stuff.

If you were looking to get your car fixed, you would look for a successful mechanic. Check out some successful homeschoolers.

Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto

Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto

The 5 Hour School Week by Aleena Amuchastegui

how children learn by john holt

Jul

2023

The Lost Art of Looking – Observation

Observation - Looking - A Lost Art

The majority of people just don’t look.

This is a bit of a rant.

I know way too many people that will only ‘see’ things through the filter of the media. Whatever science the media claims to be so, then that is so, no matter what they see in from of them.

I’ve noticed this quite dramatically over the last three years. A friend’s daughter who I chat with from time to time is fourteen years old. She is in a public high school and gets ostracized from groups because she actually observes things. She says to me “People just don’t look!” She does find it a bit tough but she refuses to compromise with what she sees in front of her.

Like a doctor friend of mine that for most of his career was constantly being investigated by the Ontario College of Physicians. He would not randomly give out drugs. He had stacks of books in his office on healthy ways to solve medical problems. Big Pharma, I’m sure hated him for this. And believe it or not they control, at least partially, the ‘Health’ government entities. Like the CDC and FDA in the United States and Health Canada.

I’m pretty sure that there was no one at some pharmaceutical company sitting there specifically saying “We gotta get this doctor!” But the people in Health Canada and the FDA and the like that get supported or get bonuses from Big Pharma are supported and get bonuses because they target people like my doctor friend.

This was taken to the extreme over the last few years. If any doctor had a cure or suggested alternatives or even questioned the position put forward by politicians and Big Pharma, they were immediately censured. And censored. And these attacks, cowed others so that they would fall in line.

When a politician cites ‘everybody knows’ and I know dozens of people that disagree with what that politician is stating, then we have a problem. The problem is that way too many people listen to what that politician is saying instead of observing for themselves what is going on around them.

If one has a different opinion or even better, that person does some research or looks around to see if something is true or not, if they, in any way question what the leading politicians or media says, they are slammed, one and all, as being ‘anti-science’.

One size does not fit all.

One cannot generalize.

There are knowledgable doctors and learned scientists that disagree with much of what is put forth currently by politicians, the media and Big Pharma.

Climate Change

Vaccines - Viruses

War - Russia - Ukraine - USA

Don’t question any of these things.

Common knowledge in a troubled marriage: “there are two sides to every story.”

But, again, people don’t want to look.

I think, sometimes, that this has a lot to do with our education system. Dumbing us down. Growing up I was astounded as to how well read my father and his generation were. And now I’m astounded as to how well read my generation are compared to the current generation. It is so easy to con people that don’t know history.

There is a great book on this called Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto. A fairly short read. And brilliant.

There is a quote attributed to Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), I’m pretty sure this is not exactly what he said:

“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it,
unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”

But to do this, you have to look. Sometimes, as silly as it seems, one has to practice looking. Something as simple as going for a walk, talking to someone new. Get away from newsfeeds and the like. It’s refreshing. One finds out how wonderful people are.

The Art of Looking.

If you would like to do some proper research in spite of what your 'friends' might say, here is some good reference material. List of books/authors

Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto

Inconvenient Facts by Gregory Wrightstone

Dissolving Illusions by Suzanne Humphries, MD

ADHD and Breakfast Cereals or

What Are You Feeding Your Children For Breakfast?

What Is The Impact Of Synthetic Food Dyes On Children?

Artificial Coloring In Breakfast Cereals

Conclusion

Are Schools Pushing Drugs?

Are Schools Pushing Drugs?

What is in these foods that makes a need for schools to push drugs?

Children Should Be Active

Why schools so insistent on pushing drugs like ADHD?

Our Addiction to Drugs

All this makes good sense for Home Schooling Your Children

Benefits of Homeschooling

Children want to learn!

Conclusion

Guns, Drugs, and Big Pharma - Common Threads

The Importance of Play

Observation - Looking - A Lost Art

ADHD and Breakfast Cereals
or