Rushing for Birthday Sugar
My youngest son O will soon be turning one; a whole trip around the sun. As I prepare for the influx of sugary snacks, chiefly cake , I'm reminded of the common scapegoat of parents with hyperactive children, "Oh, must have been all that sugar she ate." In recent history, sugar has become somewhat of a boogie man. The media likes to portray it as the source of all our health woes: weight gain, diabetes, heart disease; the list goes on and on. The weight (pun intended) of sugar's importance on health is still somewhat debated within science (and a discussion for another day). It is clear that moderation (as with all things) is key. But one thing is for certain: it doesn't cause hyperactivity in children. Let's discuss the history of this myth. Near as I can tell, the myth began with the publishing of Feingold diet in 1973 by Benjamin Feingold, M.D. His diet advocated for the avoidance of salicylate, artificial food coloring, and artificial flavors as a...