Impacts of Synthetic Dyes: Interview with Whitney Cawood

Impacts of Synthetic Dyes: SGF Interviews Whitney Cawood

Recently, Specially Gifted Foundation had the privilege of hosting an interview with Whitney Cawood, one of the creators and producers behind the upcoming documentary, To Dye For: The Documentary.  This documentary follows the personal journey of Whitney and her husband Brandon as they discover their child’s life altering sensitivity to dyes and embark on a mission to raise awareness about the impacts of synthetic dyes.

As a nonprofit organization that serves families caring for children with disabilities, SGF recognizes the significance of this documentary in providing valuable information and resources to our community.  By sharing this interview and upcoming documentary with our audience, we join Whitney and Brandon in their efforts to raise awareness, empower families to make informed decisions, and advocate for policy change to protect the well-being of our children and loved ones.

First, Meet the Creators Behind the Documentary

Impacts of Synthetic Dyes: SGF Interviews Whitney Cawood

Brandon Cawood

Director, Director of Photography, Editor, Sound Engineer, Photographer

Impacts of Synthetic Dyes: SGF Interviews Whitney Cawood

Whitney Cawood

Director, Casting Director, Production Manager, Researcher

Brandon and Whitney are also proud parents to a son who just turned 6 and a daughter who is 3 years old.  SGF first connected with Brandon and Whitney a year and a half ago in search of a videographer for an in-person gifting experience and fundraiser videos.

It was during this call that they mentioned the documentary they were working on.  We were immediately fascinated.  Each of us have researched, in one form or another, the impacts of synthetic dyes.  In addition to concern for the general population’s consumption, we brought up how their research and documentary could be a great resource to individuals with disabilities and families caring for children with disabilities.

It was an honor to connect with Whitney after all this time to be able to share some valuable information about the documentary, research on the risks associated with the use of dyes, and ways to start removing dyes from your home in a way that is not overwhelming.

Where the Journey Began

Whitney shared with us the inspiration behind creating the documentary, which stemmed from their own experience with their son’s sensitivity to dyes.  When their son was between ages 1-3, they began noticing issues.  He was struggling with impulsivity and aggression.  They tried behavior therapy and spoke with several doctors, but were advised to hold off until he was a few years older to have a deeper assessment.

He was enrolled in a Mother’s Morning Out program at a local church at this time.  However, his behavior issues eventually led to him being kicked out of the program.  Whitney began searching for foods that cause behavior problems and came across suggestions to remove wheat, dairy, and dyes.  Within 48 hours of removing them, 98% of his issues had been resolved.

After 30 days, they reintroduced wheat and there were no changes and then the same outcome after giving him dairy.  However, once he was reintroduced to dyes, he immediately reverted back to his former behavior.

They immediately started removing dyes from their home.  Although they did not consume a lot of products with them, even a small amount was enough to cause extreme behavior issues in their son.

After witnessing this dramatic change in their son’s behavior upon removing dyes from his diet, his parents felt compelled to document their journey.  Whitney said it was a tough decision to put their faces and their story out there, but they felt led to educate others about the potential effects of synthetic dyes and advocate for policy change to address this concern.

Not all children have the same reaction, but they felt that even if it’s something small like taking the edge off and making any activity easier for a child then it’s worth it.

This is their testimony and experience to share.  There are so many individuals and families who will benefit from this film who will then go on to join them in their pursuit for policy change.

Filming To Dye For: The Documentary

Brandon is very proficient in video but had never made a film like this.  Going into this project, they soon realized they would have to invest a lot of their own personal finances to get it rolling.

This journey began 2 and a half years ago.  During this time, they have raised around $25,000, held 2 fundraising campaigns, and had over 300 backers come together to support the film.

A lot of travel has taken place to meet with leading experts and other families eager to share their experiences.  It all started with their visit to Emily Snow in Utah.  Whitney had read an NBC article written about her and knew she wanted to connect.  Then they met with Dr. Rebecca Bevans, in Arizona, who has a viral TED talk about the effects of synthetic dyes.

From there they traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).  CSPI is a nonprofit, and our health watch dogs basically, and proved to be an incredible resource for Whitney and Brandon.  They also interviewed a former CSPI scientist in Virginia, and a mom in Oklahoma and Texas before heading overseas to Europe.

While in London, they interviewed the researcher responsible for the implementation of warning labels in Europe.  Whitney pointed out a common misconception that dyes are banned in Europe; they’re actually not banned.

For starters, Europeans’ palates are different from most Americans.  They don’t typically like the sugary cereals and pop tarts, or at least not as much as we do in America.  Dyes were more common there before Dr. Jim Stevenson conducted a study on the impacts of dyes in children.  This study prompted the European government to do a larger study.  Based on their findings, the EU requires a warning label.

A lot of manufacturers have chosen to pull the dyes out of their products rather than use the warning label.

After London, they flew to California to interview Senator Wieckowski, New Jersey to interview a child advocate, Ohio to interview Dr. Joel Nigg (ADHD and synthetic dye expert), and then Utah to interview an influencer Karalynn Call.  Karalynn is the Founder and CEO of Just Ingredients, Inc.

Impacts of Synthetic Dyes: SGF Interviews Whitney Cawood

Discovering Impacts of Synthetic Dyes

Throughout the interview and filming process, Whitney and Brandon continued to learn more effects of synthetic dyes and the associated dangers.  When Whitney first began her research, she became overwhelmed and had to quit.  She was shocked the first time she heard dyes being referred to as a chemical and some being a byproduct of petroleum; it did not seem realistic to her.

The next shock came when she learned that in 1990, the FDA decided red 3 caused cancer after tests on animals provided evidence that it caused cancer in animals.  The FDA reacted and banned the use of red 3 in cosmetics and dermally applied drugs, but it was already on the permanently approved list for food.

They said they would get around to it.

Here we are 34 years later and it’s still in food.

It’s in Pediasure.  It’s in medication.  Red 3 is not used as often as red 40, but the fact that it’s used in children’s products is concerning.  Many children are medication dependent and don’t have a safer option.

They have had a lot of parents reach out with heartbreaking stories.  One case is a mother of a child with epilepsy that takes medication daily with red 3 in it.  She does not have any other options for prescriptions.

Antibiotics often have dyes, too.  Amoxicillin is one example, but Walmart carries an option that is dye-free.  Generic medications are usually the ones that are dye-free.  Whitney and Brandon advise that you call around to different pharmacies to see if they provide dye-free options when you have to pick up a prescription.  Unfortunately for specialty drugs with a patent, there’s not usually a safer alternative.

Research states that dyes can cause neurological issues in children and adults.  Although there’s not been as many studies on adults as there are children, there’s still a lot of anecdotal evidence suggesting adults can be impacted.  It’s also not only the children that react that should be our concern.  Many dyes have other issues; a few are listed below.

→ Red 40 is known to increase colitis and can exacerbate IBS symptoms

→ Yellow 5 & 6 contain carcinogenic components

→ Yellow 5, 6, and red 40 cause a lot of allergies

→ Red 3 and yellow 5 can be genotoxic, which means they can damage DNA and in turn lead to tumors and cancer

You can find some great dye-free options for food and products at Costco, Aldi’s, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods.  There’s a good swap for 99% of items, with medications being the one thing that makes it difficult to provide alternatives for.  However, if you have a local compounding pharmacy, they can help sometimes to provide a safer option.

What to Expect + a Trailer Teaser

Whitney said they have really tried to make the documentary easy to understand and entertaining, all while trying to get as much content in as possible with as many experts as possible.  In just shy of 90 minutes, you’re going to know a whole lot about dyes.  Whereas without it, it would take you a long time to collect this amount of quality research.

The film is science based and story driven.

So, it’s half story and half science.  One reason is because everyone loves stories, right?  They’re relatable.  You remember stories better than you remember a fact.

A lot of health documentaries have a reputation for being draining and stirring up panic.  This film is taking an approach that will give parents and individuals a moment to pause, soak in the information, point them directly to a solution, and empower them along the way.

Watch the trailer below to get a sneak preview of the documentary.

The Problem Is Priority, Not Lack of Care

Now, there may be many people and organizations out there that, unfortunately, don’t care; however, this is not the primary issue.  They simply are not prioritizing it.

Just because it is approved by the FDA, it does not mean it is safe.  Whitney suggested that we have to police our own food.

In the US, there’s not as much motivation for reviewing chemicals that have been previously approved to see if they pose a threat today.  In Europe, they spent over a million dollars on the study, and it’s all because of Dr. Jim Stevenson’s research.

Whitney said they are motivated by the group of parents, Mothers Against Drunk Driving.  They were concerned about their kids and other people’s kids and created a lot of change.

Whitney and Brandon know that with continued efforts and outreach, this film can help encourage other concerned parents and individuals to write to their politicians and meet with senators.

They have a meeting with a senator in Georgia in a couple of weeks to propose banning dyes in school foods.  This senator claims to really be on board and wants to champion the bill.  Nobody is saying it will happen overnight, but it is a step in the right direction.  This connection is all from one email.

Parents can do the same.

The senator they interviewed in California describes in their interview, “You get one letter… I can take a little heat, but if you get a lot of letters” they start feeling the pressure to look into it.

Whitney recalled a time when a senator in California proposed a ban on dyes in the US and was unsuccessful.  One was pulled and one failed.  It was said that confectionery people and manufacturers were coming into their office saying to take it off the table now out of fear of going out of business.

This is why everyone needs to unite on this issue and create a powerhouse of support.

Be a Part of the To Dye For Movement

As they are about to enter the next phase and get one more step closer to getting the film out there for the world to see, they are still welcoming and encouraging support of all kinds.

On their website, there’s an option to fund the film.  Whitney and Brandon have also worked hard to build out resources along the way.

They share valuable resources, such as safe swaps for dye-free foods and products, and updates on the documentary release and additional information on dyes in their newsletter and on their Facebook page and group.  Whitney also has a list of dyes to look for that will be sent to you upon subscribing.

Visit To Dye For: The Documentary’s website

Follow the documentary Facebook page

Join the Dye Free Family Facebook group

Visit Linktree for more

The best way you can be a part of this movement right now is to explore the research, follow the documentary’s journey, share with others, and advocate for change.

Reach out to your local school board and request a meeting with the school nutritionist.  Every effort made will count as progress because you’re still spreading awareness.

When will the documentary be released?

Whitney said they are very, very close to being finished.  This month, they will have a pretty finished film.

Then they have to start the journey of going through distribution, negotiations, insurance, and the rest of the legal process to be able to get the film out there.  They are pretty confident the film will be on Amazon Prime, but they are not sure of any other streaming services at this time.

The first priority there will be getting a distributor, and they want to ensure the documentary can be accessed from their website.

In the meantime, watch our interview with Whitney Cawood below.

Research, Share, and Advocate for Change

Dyes are not the only issue.  However, they are a major issue.  Whitney and Brandon are hoping this documentary will help people become more open, more aware, and more motivated around this issue.

Whether you want to dive in headfirst and remove dyes, like ripping the band-aid off, or gradually work through it, the research and documentary should serve as a guide.

Their message comes from the heart; they care about children and want to help families navigate a dye-free life.  They also want to send a message of empowerment.

Although the documentary is not out yet, there’s a lot of material and resources to review and share.

Whitney and Brandon’s ultimate goal is that there’s so much awareness and momentum behind this issue that in 5 years we don’t have to worry about it.

P.S. Don’t forget to watch our interview with Whitney to learn even more about the impacts of synthetic dyes and what Whitney and Brandon are doing to make a difference with their film, To Dye For: The Documentary.

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Picture of Andrea Silvers
Andrea Silvers
Andrea Silvers grew up in Rome, Georgia. She currently resides in Calhoun, Georgia with her husband and their son. Growing up with special needs siblings brought Andrea to SGF where she takes pride in her role as the Community Relations Director.

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