Wednesday, June 4, 2008

I Knew It Wasn't My Imagination

Deb just sent me an article explaining actual recent studies about red Dye 40 as well as other common artificial colors. I have been saying for over a year that it was the cause of some of Noah's issues and others have been poo-pooing me. I KNOW that Noah had a better year because we have cut out the artificial colors from his diet. Now I finally have the scientific proof.

Thanks Deb for believing me and sending me this article.

I urge any parent who seem to have two different kids in the same body...sometimes perfect and sometimes crazy...to do the research yourself. I am quite sure some of you will find the same differences in your child that I have.

Noah is so funny about it. Anything he sees that has a color, he questions. He looks for it on boxes. I figure that anything with artificial color most likely isn't that healthy anyway. He doesn't seem to get that upset when he knows he can't have something. Instead, he is proud to have questioned it and discovered it himself. There are alternatives. They don't HAVE to have fruit roll-ups just because everyone else does. It doesn't take a lot of extra work to watch for the dyes, although sometimes it takes creativity. Especially in things like kids' medicines.

We have also prohibited Aaron from the same artificial colors. Even though he doesn't seem to display the same challenging behaviors, it can't hurt to keep them from him. They will both learn to watch for natural, rather than artificial sources of nutrition as they grow.

BTW, did you know that Pizza Hut sauce has Red Dye 40 in it?

5 comments:

www.frogparenting.blogspot.com said...

Hurray for this post!!!

I have felt much the same way, and that is why I quit giving my kids Koolaid--

Becky Frame said...

It is *so* not your imagination! You're right! My friend's son is allergic to red dye and has been for years - discovered through allergy testing and confirmed by his pediatrician.

Dad of Divas said...

Yikes...you know I never really thought of the connection before. I knew there were some issues and we try our best to stay away from some, but I know it is next to impossible to stay away from everything with these dyes...

Courtney said...

I may have to do this. Taylor is dr. jekyyl and mr. hyde sometimes. I wonder if that's what it is. We all ready know she is lactose intollerant and that also changes her behavior. Glad you got some validation for yourself.

Scarlet O'Kara said...

Kyla is allergic to Red 40 and we have to check everything...and I mean everything. It is in drinks, medicines, chips, lip gloss, etc...

And you can always tell when she gets something that has Red 40. She cannot controll herself and gets this "crazed" look.

I have been told that she should grow out of it between the ages of 5 and 6...but she is to the point where she refuses anything that looks red...even apples & strawberries.