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                    Is your child having problems in math class? A study in the 
                    June 2001 issue of Pediatrics indicates that diet may 
                    be a factor.  
 The 
                    scores of four standardized tests -- math, reading, verbal 
                    ability and performance -- were evaluated for a sample of 
                    5,398 children between 6 and 16 years old. Scores for the 
                    tests were derived based on age groups and test scores were 
                    compared to cases of iron deficiency.   Children identified with iron deficiencies scored much lower 
                    in math than children with normal iron levels. Iron-deficient 
                    children with anemia averaged 86.4 and iron-deficient children 
                    without anemia averaged 87.4 on the math test, compared to 
                    a 93.7 average for children with normal iron levels. Also, 
                    a greater number of iron-deficient children (with and without 
                    anemia) scored below average in math than children with regular 
                    iron levels.
 Iron deficiency was more prevalent in adolescent girls than 
                    boys. The researchers believe that this may be due to a combination 
                    of poor diet and menstrual blood loss. Be sure your child 
                    is getting enough iron naturally in his or her diet; some 
                    of the best sources of naturally occurring iron include red 
                    meat, poultry, beans and whole grains. Coffee, tea and excessive 
                    consumption of high-fiber foods decrease the body’s ability 
                    to absorb iron.  Reference: Halterman JS, Kaczorowski JM, Aligne CA, et al. Iron deficiency 
                    and cognitive achievement among school-aged children and adolescents 
                    in the United States. Pediatrics June 2001:107(6), 
                    pp 1381-1386. Talk to your doctor of chiropractic for more information 
                    on the essentials of a proper diet for you and your children, 
                    or visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html. 
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