To the Editor: I am concerned that the recent articles on salicylate diets, 17 June, may be seen as a current position statement on the usefulness of a low chemical elimination diet. An elderly psychiatrist colleague said in 1976, “In 20 years time many parents will not be giving their children red cordial but scientists will still be discussing the issue!” The discussion continues, not because diet has no role, but because the issue is complex. On the one hand one meta-analysis cited … [Read more...]
Evidence base for Tolerating Troublesome Foods
Following are some important aspects of the developing of thinking over time:- 1975 I began work using the Feingold diet Realised that the diet itself needed investigation I collected data on what families reacted to and tolerated. 1976 Reported in letter to Medical Journal of Australia 1976, 2:248 Collated world-wide research on what others were reporting tolerated and not tolerated. 1977 Produced a Diet manual in 1977 1978 Reported findings in Australian Family Physician article … [Read more...]
Publications and presentations by Joan Breakey 1977 – 2012
1977 Breakey J Study of diet and hyperactivity ICD Post Congress Paediatric Seminar Breakey J Hyperkinesis and its implications for the food industry. AIFST Annual Convention Brisbane Breakey J A manual for the additive free low salicylate diet. Brisbane 1978 Breakey J Dietary management of hyperkinesis and behavioural problems. Aust Family Physician 1978;7:720 4 Breakey J Food and behaviour. Presentation to the Nutrition Society of Australia, Brisbane From 1979 to … [Read more...]
History of Joan’s work with diet and ADHD
Joan Breakey M AppSc BSc DNFS Cert Diet TTTC. APD [Accredited Practicing Dietitian] My experience of work in the area of Diet and ADHD now spans 35 years. Work began in 1975 in Queensland, after Feingold’s Hypothesis in the US First group closely followed - 75 families – reported in Australian Family Physician 1978. I also followed up diet use in self help groups, attending meetings and discussion groups for over 20 years, meeting or hearing from many families allowing … [Read more...]
Evidence base for food sensitivity
There are two important parts to the evidence for the low additives and natural chemicals elimination diet when beginning diet investigation for suspected food intolerance. See the attached articles for detail on this complex issue. Basic research We need to remember that we are dealing with adverse reactions to foods or food chemicals that most people tolerate. So the early research was experimenting with just what to exclude at the same time as doing double-blind placebo-controlled … [Read more...]
Question from Chiara
Question: This site is exciting for me to discover. I recently diagnosed myself with tyramine sensitivity, which I may have had for months or years. My main symptom was moodiness. This was virtually impossible to connect with diet until I started keeping a food diary after a particularly strange and sudden onset. One day I was talking to my husband and became extremely angry, for no reason. It felt like someone had turned a switch in my brain and was flooding it with “mad.” As a scientist, I … [Read more...]
Food additives that cause reactions
What are the food additives and natural chemicals considered suspect in Australia, UK, USA, and Canadian research? Artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, some added natural colours, as well as naturally occurring salicylates, amines and monosodium glutamate. Many researchers exclude perfumes. Here I want to share some findings about added colours and flavours from over 20 years of practice in this area. The detail is presented in my thesis and in my book “Are you food sensitive?” I … [Read more...]