Health First: Back to School

By Dave Fuller

    Kids need more than pencils for back to school

This is the time of year when parents are out shopping for school supplies for their budding students. However school supplies are not the only thing needed for optimal performance of most children, nutrition is of vital importance. Research shows significant benefits from fatty acid supplement for children with behavioural problems and dyslexia.  The results were published in  Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry (Vol. 26, 2002).

The nutritional supplement Efalex was given to a group of eight to twelve year olds attending a special school in Northern Ireland.  Another group at the same school was given a placebo (dummy pills) There were no improvements in the placebo group after 12 weeks, but the researchers found significant improvements in the behaviour and cognitive abilities of the group using the supplement. Supplementation with formulations  including the fatty acids DHA, AA, and EPA has shown to be beneficial in open studies, but this is the first double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Essential fatty acids are the building blocks for tissues in the brain, nerves and eyes.  Supplementing the developmental requirements of vision, coordination and learning with essential fatty acids can actually offer your child a distinct learning advantage.

Dave Fuller is the Owner of Ave Maria Specialities at 1638 20th Avenue in Prince George

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us