Artificial Food Coloring Is Evil (Part 2)

The U.S. Food & Drug Agency (FDA) is holding hearings over the next two days on artificial food coloring in our food supply and the effect it has on children with ADHD. They have asked for a panel of experts to present evidence of a link between these artificial dyes in food and ADHD in kids, with possible recommendations on policy changes like warning labels on food. Believe me, I’m pleased to see the attention it is getting which means more parents are learning about the harmful effects of artificial food colors. Here are the links to some of the mainstream media coverage of it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/health/policy/30fda.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704471904576228550619608050.html

http://www.usnews.com/mobile/articles_mobile/fda-panel-examines-possible-links-between-food-dyes-adhd

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/food-dyes-hyperactivity/story?id=13221478

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-rainbow-of-food-dyes-in-our-grocery-aisles-has-a-dark-side/2011/03/21/AFyIwaYB_story.html

http://healthland.time.com/2011/03/28/does-food-dye-make-kids-hyper-an-fda-panel-will-investigate/

I am not holding my breath that the FDA will actually ban the dyes, in fact I know they won’t. Maybe a warning label, but I doubt it would be stern enough to draw any attention from unsuspecting consumers. Yes, I’m cynical when it comes to our FDA actually doing something that is good for us, the consumer. They lean more toward protecting the food and drug manufacturers that will put a lot of money against any initiative to ban or label their products with artificial dyes. After all, their future job security at these consumer packaged goods companies are at risk if they do their present job at the FDA correctly. Yes, the job exchange program between food and drug manufacturers and our FDA and CDC happens all the time…and it’s been going on for years.

All that really needs to be done is have some of the high level decision makers at the FDA feed their kids a diet filled with these toxic food dyes for two days and monitor their behavior at home and school. Then take them completely off the dyes for a few days and see the dramatic difference. And it does not ONLY affect kids with “sensitivities” like some media outlets are reporting. You don’t have to have ADHD or autism to be affected by these dyes. Read my original post to learn more about them and how they are manufactured.

https://healingautismandadhd.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/artificial-food-coloring-is-evil/

I’m sure if food and drug manufacturers do have to put a disclaimer on their packaging we will see some really awful television ads renaming their artificial food dyes to something like “natural colorful additives”.  You may think I’m being sarcastic, but have you heard how the Corn Refiners Association (corn farming industry) has renamed High Fructose Corn Syrup to “Corn Sugar”?  And they even have the audacity to say that corn sugar is handled the same by your body as sugar or honey. HA!  You can read just how our body processes that artificial sweetener in my post below. This deceptive marketing is tolerated by our FDA.  Enough said.

https://healingautismandadhd.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/just-say-no-to-high-fructose-corn-syrup/

Autism, Anger & Acceptance

Sometimes circumstances beyond my son’s control can get so frustrating; for him, and for me. Today I found myself very angry and frustrated after my son’s Taekwondo instructor told me that he may not have my son take his color belt test this week with his class. He’s concerned that my son won’t hold it together and focus during testing and talked about having him do a make up test. This took me by surprise because my son is not always consistent, but pulls it together for testing and takes it very serious. After all, this is his 3rd degree red belt testing, which makes it his ninth color belt test. He’s never held him back and not let him test. Why now?!  The only thing I can imagine is he’s worried about his reputation if he lets my son test and it doesn’t go well.

I’m in my kitchen preparing dinner and it hits me like a freight train. I’m not angry with my son’s instructor. I’m angry with autism. There are days that I curse autism and today is one of them. It’s not fair that my son works hard at Taekwondo but will have bad days like today due to circumstances beyond his control. The winds were blowing today and his allergies were peaking. He had to attend class with itchy eyes and when his allergies are bad, he can’t focus. He can’t hold his body still and impulses are out of control.  Damn wind, allergies and yes, autism!

My son does not understand why he is not earning his stripe that he needs to qualify for testing. He keeps correcting what his master asks him to work on and he takes it seriously. It’s going to break his heart if he can’t test with his class, which of course has me  now chopping onions in tears. And the tears weren’t due to the onion vapors.

My son has his great days and his not so great days. Mostly, he is more neuro-typical than not. But autism lies beneath the surface and pops its ugly head out very unexpectedly. This always catches me off guard and forces me stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and just accept the cards my son has been dealt. Despite it all, he’s a wonderful, humorous, boy with a passionate view on life. I love that kid with all my heart and accept him for who he is, autism and all.