Kathleen Holton is a professor in the School of Education, Teaching and Health and the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience at American University in Washington, D.C. Her research examines the negative effects of food additives on neurological symptoms, as well as the positive, protective effects of certain micronutrients on the brain. She is working on a book about how people can avoid consuming food additives and test themselves for sensitivity. She contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.