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Additives and toxins and their effect on mood and behaviour in ADHD/ADD – By Bernie Mertens
By Bernie Mertens - Nutrition and Behaviour MSc. Registered Nurse BSc (Hons) Key points: -The role of additives and toxins within our food -Defining processed and “ultra-processed foods” -The impact of good nutrition on physical, mental and brain health -How nutritional quality can affect mood/behaviour in children and adults Words such as “natural” and “organic” are often associated with positive health outcomes, which provide an untarnished or authentic perception, provoking positive...
The benefits of Lion’s Mane for mental wellbeing – By Bernie Mertens
By Bernie Mertens, Nutrition and Behaviour MSc. Registered Nurse BSc (Hons)This article will include: A basic understanding about the health claims of mushrooms An explanation of Lion's Mane and current research Current guidance about dosing and formation The health benefits of medicinal mushrooms is a pretty hot topic at the moment. Mushrooms are vegetables, yes (and if you’ve read any of my other blog articles, or have a basic grasp if nutrition in general, you’ll be fully aware of the...
Why Children’s Diets Matter for their Mood and Behaviour – By Dr Alex Richardson
By Dr Alex Richardson, BAHons, D.Phil (Oxon), PCGE, FRSA Adequate nutrition is absolutely fundamental to mental, as well as physical, health and wellbeing. Children’s diets have to provide not only the energy needed to power their brains and bodies, but also all the ‘raw materials’ needed to support their growth, development, ongoing maintenance and repair. Nutrition also affects gene expression and regulation, and influences all cell signalling throughout the brain and nervous system – so it...
Additives and preservatives and their impact on sleep in ADHD – By Bernie Mertens
By Bernie Mertens, Nutrition and Behaviour MSc, Registered Nurse BSc (Hons)Key points: -Sleep is crucial for proper restoration and recovery and is needed for the body to be able to function at its best. -Our nervous system regulates sleep and the body relies on the production of hormones/neurotransmitters to help it maintain a healthy sleeping pattern/good quality sleep which can be difficult to maintain for those with ADHD/ADD. -Additives/preservatives have the potential to reduce...
Feeding better sleep in children with ADHD, ASD and related conditions – by Dr Alex Richardson
By Dr Alex Richardson, BAHons, D.Phil (Oxon), PCGE, FRSADifficulties achieving sufficient sleep are particularly common in children with behaviour and learning difficulties – affecting up to 70% of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and 50% of those with clinical-level ADHD,1 and adding to parent-reported difficulties in emotional self-regulation, behaviour and learning.2 This brief article considers the evidence that improving nutrition can benefit children’s sleep, and with it,...
What Constitutes a Healthy Diet? – By Bernie Mertens
By Bernie Mertens, Nutrition and Behaviour MSc. Registered Nurse BSc (Hons)Pretty much all the food (and drink) we consume are catalogued in some way. Whether it’s based on product type or ingredients included, it’s all a way of categorising food for the ease of consumer recognition. Some given labels are broad and more scientific than others, including “macro-nutrients” or “micro-nutrients”[1]. Others, although maintaining a scientific standpoint, may be more easily identifiable, such as...
The Benefits of Breathing Techniques for Autism and ADHD – By Anna Marie
By Anna Marie, MSc Nutrition and Behaviour, Midnfulness coachBreathing techniques have long been recognised as a powerful tool for improving wellbeing and managing anxiety. This is particularly true for individuals on the autism spectrum, who may experience heightened levels of stress and anxiety. The repetitive nature of breathing exercises can have a calming effect on the nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing feelings of overwhelm. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits...
Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diets and the Autistic Spectrum – What’s the Evidence? – By Dr Alex Richardson
By Dr Alex Richardson, BAHons, D.Phil (Oxon), PCGE, FRSAMost parents of children on the Autistic Spectrum have heard about, if not tried implementing, a Gluten-Free (GF) or Gluten-Free, Casein-Free (GF-CF) Diet. By contrast, official dietary guidelines and most mainstream health practitioners say there’s no good evidence that a GF-CF diet (or any other kind of dietary intervention) - has any benefits for Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This brief article attempts to clarify what is a...
The Importance of Micro-Nutrients in Relation to Mental Health – By Bernie Mertens
By Bernie Mertens, Nutrition and Behaviour MSc. Registered Nurse BSc (Hons)Just working out how to function in everyday life can be tough. The brain is a powerful and multifaceted tool that, if working at full potential, has the ability to regulate the influx of dense emotions and control complex networks around the body. Feeding the brain what is needs for optimal function can be challenging even for typically programmed individuals, and often it is impacted by pressures of everyday life...