The Red Dye Free Store - Where to find products without synthetic Dyes

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

"Have you really noticed a difference when your children consume Red Dye 40?"

I can definately notice a difference when my children consume red dye 40. I can even notice minor disturbances in their behavior when they consume yellow dyes. I have gotten good at eliminating these things from their diet. No, I am not a health nut who stumbled on this diet and decided to use this to excuse my childrens' behavioral problems. I never was much of a label reader. It all started when I took my son, who was four at the time, to an occupational therapist. I was afraid he had some sort of conduct disorder. His focus was poor, his activity level was low, he looked depressed at times, and he was easily frustrated. He would kick or try to hit at me or his brothers for ridiculus reasons. At the same time, he was very bright and could read at an early age. I noticed that his behavior had changed for the worse when he was a little over three years old.
We ate the usual stuff that most American families consume. Fruit snacks, Strawberry Milk, Goldfish Crackers, etc. (all things with red dye 40). Taking him to occupational therapy was probably the saving grace that we needed. I told his therapist that I was trying to reduce the amount of sugar in his diet. His therapist mentioned, "you might want to cut out red dye 40 in his diet." I never heard about that and so I researched it when I got home. I thought I would give it a shot and stopped giving him his favorite drink, Quik Strawberry Milk (Loaded with red-dye 40). His behavior seemed to be pretty good. I went through our pantry and started eliminating everything with that dye in it. The Food and Drug Administration hasn't banned the dye and has held onto the notion that it is safe for food consumption, pharmaceuticals, and almost every product imaginable! I realized then that I didn't care what the FDA approved, but that our son was showing improvement in all areas without the red-dye 40. Every time that our son has accidentally been exposed to red 4o it is evident that his behavior was adversely affected 100% of the time - the evidence was there!

There was a study conducted in 2007 that supports the theory that Food Additives Play Role in ADHD Behavior
I found this in information in the following webpage:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/371821/new_study_supports_theory_food_additives.html?cat=70
This is an exerpt from the webpage:
"Artificial food colorings can exacerbate attention deficit and hyperactive (ADHD) behavior in children between the ages of 3 to 9 years old according to a report by British researchers Wednesday, September 5, 2007. Research for the study included testing 300 children by giving them juice with food coloring and preservatives, then identifying significant changes in behavior. The study was done by Jim Stevenson and colleagues at the University of Southhampton. The findings show that not only children with ADHD where effected, but also children in general. "These findings show that adverse effects are not just seen in children with extreme hyperactivity (such as ADHD) but can also be seen in the general population and across the range of severities of hyperactivity," researchers wrote in the Lancet Medical Journal."

I also came across this webpage:
Should Artificial Food Coloring Be Banned?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1466157/should_artificial_food_coloring_be.html?cat=5#comments
An exerpt from the article:
"The state of Maryland is considering two bills that would outlaw the use of artificial food coloring in school foods as well as require a warning label on products that contain them."
I wish all of our schools would follow Maryland's lead!

Here is another link: Dyes can double ADHD The British have conducted studies and have banned artificial dyes. America needs to do the same.

7 comments:

  1. I've had my 3-yr-old daughter on a dye-free diet for a week now. It was actually easy eliminate; I was already pretty good about what she ate, so I just cut out a few things that were sneaking in here and there (mostly treats from Grandma and Grandpa!). She has been fabulous this week - no uncontrollable, unreasonable meltdowns at all.

    Last night, she woke up with a fever, and I gave her regular (dyed) Motrin without thinking. I have been paying the price all day - she took off her shoes and threw them across a parking lot as part of a massive meltdown. My husband and I are believers, now! That Motrin went in the trash!

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  2. Kara,
    Thank you for your response! I know what you mean about the medicines! Here we are trying to make them feel better and the dyed medications that we give them wind up making all matters worse! I hope your children feel better soon! :)

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  3. This is great information. Very informative, and very mind provoking. Great job. We all need to be as wise!

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  4. Hey Thanks for stopping by my blog. So nice to meet you. We have been dye free since my post back in feb. I have seen a significant change in both my girls behavior. It is amazing. We don't eat much as far as processed foods either and we had already cut sugar out of of diets for the most part so I thought we were safe, but we found that the vitamins the girls were taking had red 40 in them. How awful.

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  5. It is always great to meet other mothers! :) Thank you for stopping by my blog too Molly. It took some time to get our children free from artificial dyes, but the rewards have been great! Take care and please help to spread the word so that we can make a difference. :)

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  6. My very mild-mannered son got ahold of his Children's Advil (grape-flavored) a few nights ago and has been a TERROR ever since. It's like he's a completely different kid. I've been in tears multiple times and don't know how to discipline him (which I've never had to think too much about before, other than a time-out here and there). My question is, would red dye stay in his system for a few days??

    Thank you!

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  7. Hi Laurie,
    Someone left a comment before that it can last up to a week for their child. Also, someone left a comment under the article Foods Without Red Dye, that Alka Seltzer took away the effects of red dye 40. When my son acted out no dicipline would work either. Try not to take is actions personally and allow him to find a place in the house that he can stay until he calms down. When I found out that it was red dye 40 causing him to act out, I told him about it and that it wasn't his fault. His self esteem improved and he is really remarkable now after staying away from all artificial dyes. I wish you the best!

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