A recent review of studies has led some researchers to conclude that a healthy diet with certain supplements could provide an alternative to drug therapy for children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The information comes at a time when there is a shortage of ADHD drugs available, providing parents with an option in cases where no drugs are available to them or their child has unfortunate reactions to medication.

Dr. J. Gordon Millichap and Michelle M. Yee reviewed over 60 studies of diet-based interventions for ADHD before concluding that a low-fat diet that includes whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products could have comparable effects on the disorder as drug therapy. They also mention that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplements seem to help as well. In the studies, typical western diets high in sugar and saturated fats were often associated with the development of ADHD. However, the researchers stipulate that it’s possible that children with ADHD might naturally tend to gravitate towards junk food.

The researchers also dispelled certain dietary myths that many parents of children with ADHD subscribe to. They found that diets free of food coloring and salicylic acid (a food preservative) only helped the occasional child with the disorder. They also discovered that studies concluding that refined sugar exacerbated symptoms of ADHD were fundamentally flawed, and that no such connection could be made. Although one study they point to showed that children did not seem to get aggravated by sugar when it was preceded by a high-protein meal. Regardless of the lack of data, they note that the idea of sugar being bad for ADHD is so ingrained in society that it’s unlikely it could even be dispelled at this point. In addition, the elimination diet, oligoantigenic diet (removing most allergens), and additive-free diets could not be correlated with any improvement in children and were described by the researchers as “complicated, disruptive to the household, and often impractical.” Nevertheless, children with allergies in addition to ADHD did exhibit benefits to diets that restrict food coloring, preservatives and certain types of foods. Lastly, diets treating iron and zinc deficiencies were found to help a small number of children with confirmed deficiencies.

Despite the researchers’ findings, they say that a healthy diet in addition to medication is the most effective way to treat children with ADHD. They mention that the data on omega-3 and omega-6 supplements promising, but there is no indication that they could effectively treat the disorder on their own. Nevertheless, children with unpleasant reactions or a lack of access to the drugs could find relief through diet-based intervention.

Do you have a child with ADHD?

‘Healthy’ Diet Best for ADHD Kids [ABCNews]

ADHD: Diet might matter, but less than many parents think [USAToday]

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PregnancyWeekly.com

Going back to work can be difficult when your newborn is cooing and crying for you each day you’re gone, but working during the baby years could give your health a boost. A recent study questioned mothers on their overall health and found that working moms reported better health and less depression than their stay-at-home peers.

Over a thousand mothers from a variety of states in the US were asked to complete periodic interviews beginning in 1991 that followed them through their child’s infancy, preschool years, and up to the elementary school years. Mothers reported on any feelings of depression and rated their overall health on a scale of “poor,” “fair,” “good,” or “excellent.” In addition, they were asked about conflicts between their family life and work, and how involved they were in their child’s education. All the working mothers were more likely to rate their overall health as “excellent” and reported lower levels of depression, however the mothers who worked part-time had fewer conflicts between work and family life. The mothers who worked part-time also reported as much involvement in their child’s schooling as the stay-at-home moms. Romantically, the mothers all reported the same level of contentedness in their relationships, revealing that work had little to no effect on intimacy with their partners. The differences in health and depression completely disappeared by the time the children were in school.

The findings should come as reassurance for mothers concerned about going back to work and it suggests that working part-time might be an optimal situation for mom and baby. It’s believed that stay-at-home moms might have higher levels of depression due to a feeling of isolation. Even if you decide to stay-at-home full time, taking a class or meeting up with other moms on a regular basis could help relieve feelings of being alone.

Do you plan to stay-at-home, work part-time, or work full-time once your baby arrives?

Working Mothers Are Healthier, Study Finds [LiveScience]

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PregnancyWeekly.com

There’s an interesting article that ran in the New York Times last week about the increasing number of mothers using sleep aids. If you have a newborn, that might sound absurd at a time when you find yourself falling asleep at every turn. Brace yourself, because these tired days into sleepness nights don’t necessarily end when the baby can sleep through the night.

The Sleep Foundation has released some startling statistics concerning women and sleep. The average woman aged 30-60 only gets approximately 6 hours and 41 minutes of sleep on week nights. They are more likely than men to encounter sleep difficulties. Nearly three in ten women use some type of sleep aid at least a few nights a week. There are many possible reasons for them but sleepless nights are an increasingly common phenomenon, particularly among mothers.

“Did I send that e-mail to my client? Is the permission slip for
pictures due today? Do Carrie’s dance shoes still fit? Is Girl Scouts on
this week?” These are the kinds of thoughts that Susan Stoga runs through when she should be sleeping.

Dr. Katherine M. Sharkey, a sleep medicine expert provides an accurate assessment of what’s going on: “There’s no release valve to let things fall by the wayside during the day, and that’s creeping into women’s night. So they’re waking up in the middle of the night with a million things
running through their heads: things that may not be earth shattering,
but it’s real stuff and it causes serious sleep deprivation.”

Dr. Meir Kryger, director of sleep medicine at Gaylord Hospital in Connecticut, says that women, “are really paying the price in sleep for their current role in society.” She’s talking about the way women today often have to juggle motherhood, work full-time, and then are expected to clean the house, cook all the meals and the list can go on to include many other roles.

“I think so much of what drives it is our need for control,” says Ana Marie Alessi, a single mother from New Jersey. “We feel like it’s our job to anticipate any variant on The Day, much
less The Life — If it rains will I need to change my schedule so I can
drop off my kid and he doesn’t need to ride his bike in a downpour? We
try to ward off anything that can interfere with the Good Day.”

When sleep’s elusive, there are many ways to help alleviate the never-ending thoughts. Daily exercise, a diet that includes carbohydrates in the evenings, and meditation or breathing exercises are just a few examples. There is no one-solution-fits-all, however, so it’s important to find which methods work for you.

Do your thoughts keep you up at night? What kind of things do you do to get back to sleep?

Sleep Medication: Mother’s New Little Helper [NYTimes]
Women and Sleep [NSF]

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PregnancyWeekly.com

Women who were labeled high risk during pregnancy due to preeclampsia or gestational diabetes can gain valuable health benefits by breastfeeding. Two studies released this week have shown that breastfeeding lowers blood pressure and stabilizes blood sugar.

Breastfeeding tied to lower blood pressure risk [reuters]

Long-term implications of gestational diabetes for the mother. [NIH]

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PregnancyWeekly.com

A new study reveals how important it is to consume a healthy diet before becoming pregnant. Researchers found that women who consumed a balanced, Mediterranean-style diet were less likely to give birth to babies with a number of birth defects. The study compared the diets of 3,824 mothers of children with birth defects with the diets of 6,807 mothers of children without them.

Birth defects covered in the study, such as neural-tube defects, only occur in less than 0.1% of all births, but their effects can be devastating. Fewer babies are born with neural-tube defects thanks to a government push to encourage women to take folic acid supplements. Folic acid is a necessary B vitamin in the formation of the spinal cord. However, after the results of this study, the researchers involved are speaking out about the importance of eating healthy foods and not just relying on supplements.

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and “good fats,” such as Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, are the main components of a healthy, Mediterranean-style diet. Women who consumed such a diet before becoming pregnant lowered the risk of having a baby with cleft lip by one-third, cleft palate by one-quarter, and spina bifida by a fifth. Researchers compared women on a healthy diet to women who consumed a diet high in meat, fat and sugar. Dr. David R. Jacobs, a professor of public health at the University of Minnesota said of the results: “We have evolved to eat food. We have not evolved to eat supplements. If you would like to be healthy, the better way to do that is by getting what you need from food rather than isolated compounds.”

What kinds of foods do you eat on a regular basis?


Healthy Diet Could Lower Risk of Birth Defects [HuffPo]

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PregnancyWeekly.com

Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar (34) gave birth to her first child with fellow actor Freddie Prinze Jr. in September of 2009. She recently opened up to Health magazine about being a mom to 2-year-old Charlotte, staying fit and the surprise of going into labor at the gym.

How did you keep fit when you were pregnant?

You didn’t!

You seem so confident. Do you ever have moments of insecurity?

If you were ever to put a famous woman’s body on your fridge for inspiration, whose would it be? 

What picture would it be?

How will you raise your daughter so she has a healthy outlook?

What has been your favorite age?

Is there a way you speed up the quality time with your family?

How do you keep from getting too stressed out?

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Secrets to a Healthy Life [Health]

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PregnancyWeekly.com

Good mood? Check. Glowing skin? Check. The list of reasons
to include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet is always growing and this week new
benefits for your developing baby may have been found. Babies whose mothers took
omega-3 supplements during pregnancy were better able to fight the common cold, according to one recent study and a study in mice revealed that babies of mice
that consumed a diet rich in omega-3 were less likely to develop breast cancer.

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PregnancyWeekly.com

It can monitor blood pressure from upper arm with the push of a button. The automatic memory function records the last 120 measurements in 4 groups for efficient tracking. The unit contains a Last 3 Results Average feature that automatically calculates average readings stored in memory as well as an Irregular Heart Beat Detection, which alerts the user when heart rhythm is either 25% faster or slower than the average rhythm detected during the measuring process.
Dimensions: 2.9 x 4 x 3 inch
Black and white display
LCD Size: 2.8 x 2 inch
Accuracy of BP: +/- 3mmHg
Pressure Test Range : 20mmHg~300mmHg (2.7kPa-40kPa)
Pulse Rate Range : 30-180 Beats/Minute
Pulse Accuracy : +/- 5%
Measures Blood Pressure and Pulse Rate with display of date and time
Reports systolic and diastolic pressure along with date and time
Stores measurements with date and time
120 Memory Storage with date and time
Can create upto four user groups
Automatic Pressurization and smart depressurization
Very accurate and reliable
Fuzzy logic
Detects irregular heart beat
Memory recalls function of previous measurements
Automatic Power off
Very Large LCD Display with display of average of last three readings
Easy to use and portable
Method of measurement: Oscillometric
Low Battery and Error indicators
Blood Pressure Measurement in mmHg or Kpa. (Option)
SFO Healthy Life Fully Automatic Arm Blood Pressure Monitor, Pulse Rate, irregular beat detection, AC Adapter, Free TrackMyBP Software

Group Prenatal Care: Finding Strength In Numbers [NPR]

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PregnancyWeekly.com