I have recently become an avid viewer of a huge resource of professionals talking about diet and wellness for children with neurological issues, particularly autism, on the Dan Website. This recent article, published in August 2008, supports many of the concepts the Dan speakers address. Quote, "..a diet deficient in folate and vitamins B12 and B6 demonstrated significant deficits in spatial learning and memory..." I am not in the medical profession, and IM is my personal passion, but I think parents interested in helping their children should also look at diet and exercise and (to be politically correct!) discuss this with your doctor.
IM is a movement oriented program. Through exercise, we change the brain. It seems strange to the newbie that clapping your hands and tapping your feet can actually increase your ability to read by grade levels! But it can! There is undeniably a connection between the physical and the mental!
In terms of diet, I can frequently tell when a young person has skipped a meal by their inability to replicate their previous best performance no matter how hard they try. With a nutritious snack in house, their scores can almost immediately improve. It's a great opportunity for them to see clearly that diet impacts mental processing. Don't skip breakfast before the big test!
