If your child can’t sit still or focus, he or she may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Approximately 4 percent to 6 percent of children in the United States have ADHD. Many will continue to have ADHD concerns as adults. There are a number of contributing factors to ADHD, which can include environmental toxins such as molds and chemicals, genetics, heavy metal toxicity, loud music, fluorescent lighting, and stressful family situations. Though taking prescription medications can be helpful, there are many other solutions you can implement first.
GOOD TO KNOW!
Natural food stores carry herbal tinctures that can help ADHD. Look for tinctures that use vegetable glycerin rather than an alcohol base, which can be too strong for a child.
Cures from Grandma’s Kitchen
Berries are cooling to a fever, rich in vitamin C, and have antimicrobial properties. Use this recipe to give your child relief from chicken pox.
BERRY KANTEN
2 tablespoons (16 g) agar flakes
1 cup (235 ml) cold water
1 cup (235 ml) boiling water
1 cup (235 ml) unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 cup (170 g) honey
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
2 cups (145 g) raspberries, blueberries, elderberries, mulberries, or a mixture
Mix agar flakes with cold water and allow to sit 1 minute. Add 1 cup (235 ml) of boiling water and bring it all to a boil for 2 minutes. Allow to cool and add pineapple juice, honey, and lemon juice. In a glass baking dish pour raspberries, blueberries, elderberries, mulberries, or a mixture. Pour the liquid over the berries and allow to gel in the refrigerator. Makes 6 servings.
HERBS FOR ADHD
The herb bacopa increases attention span and improves behavior, memory, learning, and motor coordination. It enhances learning new tasks and aids in retention of newly learned material. In one double-blind controlled study published in the Journal of Research for Ayurveda and Siddha in 1993, 110 boys ages 10 to 13 took either a bacopa supplement or a dummy wafer (placebo) every day for nine months. The boys who took the bacopa supplement showed significant improvement in math skills and memory. Suggested dose is 50 mg twice daily.
Guarana (250 mg twice daily for kids over 12) helps focus attention and can help calm excessive motor activity, much the same way as Ritalin (which is a stimulant for adults, but a sedative for children) does. Since it contains caffeine, include only in small amounts for younger children like a cup of green tea or yerba maté daily (one half at a time) depending on age. (See page 13 for more information on how to make green tea and yerba mate.)
Lemon balm protects the cerebrum from excess stimuli. It calms anxiety and relieves depression, hysteria, insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, and nightmares. Passionflower quiets the central nervous system and slows the breakdown of neurotransmitters. It is an herb of choice to relieve anger, anxiety, hyperactivity, hysteria, irritability, insomnia, muscle spasms, restlessness, rapid speech, and stress. Look for teas, tinctures, and capsules at natural food stores and take when needed, up to 3 times daily.
Valerian is a strong central nervous system relaxant. It can help poor concentration for those under stress. Tinctures made from fresh plant or capsules are best. Take them twice a day.
Calming herbal baths can relax and center stressed kids (and adults!). Consider adding lavender or chamomile to the bath. (See page 21 for more information on herbal baths.)
CALMING SUPPLEMENTS FOR ADHD
Try these calming vitamins to calm a child with ADHD:
• Calcium and magnesium have muscle-relaxing properties and aid sleep. Recommend dose is 1,000 mg calcium, 500 mg magnesium for adults/half as much for kids depending on size and age.
• 25 to 50 mg of a yeast-free B complex (50 mg daily) can also have a calming effect and improve neurotransmission and appetite.
• GTF chromium helps keep blood sugar levels stable and decreases sugar cravings. 50 to 100 mcg can be taken up to three times daily between meals.
• DHA made from fish oils or algae can be very effective in relieving a wide range of brain-related concerns. Most brands suggest 2 capsules daily.
• Digestive enzymes such as bromelain, papain, and pancreatin can help reduce inflammation and calm moods. Use 2 capsules daily.
• GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) helps to keep excitatory/anxiety-related messages from bombarding the brain. Recommend dose for kids is 250 mg two to three times daily (see dosage guidelines for kids in “Preparations 101”). It has a very tranquilizing effect and calms anxiety without sedation.
Make sure all supplements are free of artificial color and flavoring.
SOOTHING SMELLS FOR ADHD
Beneficial aromas for ADHD include orange, lavender, peppermint, and rosemary. They can be used as inhalations, with three drops placed on a handkerchief and ten deep inhalations taken. Five drops can be added to the bath or used with an aromatherapy diffuser.
BEST FOODS FOR ADHD
Children and adults who have ADHD may have had digestive, respiratory, and ear disorders early in life, which are all signals of food allergies. Allergies to wheat (as well as gluten also found in rye, barley, spelt, and kamut), dairy, eggs, tomatoes, corn, soy, sugar, peanuts, shellfish, citrus, and yeast can all cause behavioral problems. One of the no-brainer lifestyle changes you can make is to eat differently. It’s easier on everyone if the whole family participates!
Besides these problematic foods, you’ll want to avoid hydrogenated oils, artificial colorings, chemical sweeteners (even aspartame can cause hyperactivity and behavioral problems), and meats treated with nitrates. It is better to eat a piece of fruit than drink fruit juice, which can elevate blood sugar levels. Refined grains like white flour, bread, many cereals, and potatoes are also high in sugar. Practice a food elimination diet and keep a food journal to determine what the culprit may be.
SOOTHING PRACTICES FOR ADHD
First, try to keep to a schedule of regular mealtimes (and bedtimes). When you eat, encourage a peaceful atmosphere. Turn off the phone, begin with a blessing, speak calmly, listen, and eat more slowly. As much as you can, create a calm loving environment.
Spend one-on-one time daily with the person with ADHD. Physical contact such as hugging and massage can stimulate calming endorphin production. Minimize TV and video games with their frantic messages, constant visual changes, violence, and hyper chatter. (Although there are video games such as The Wild Divine that teaches techniques for exercising your brain in a positive way.) Watch select programs together or not at all and then only after chores and homework are done. Spend more together time reading and playing games.
At school, encourage hands on learning. Seat children away from distractions such as the pencil sharpener and areas of traffic. Consider tutoring or alternative schooling such as home school, smaller classes, or private schools.
Cures from Grandma’s Kitchen
Ask your kids to select a produce item for each color of the rainbow to provide a wide array of phytochemicals. Green leafy vegetables, especially celery and cucumbers, are cooling to an overly heated ADHD condition. Sea vegetables can be added to soups in small amounts (without being noticed) to provide many trace minerals. Both green foods and sea vegetables are naturally rich in DHA. Eat wild salmon or sardines once a week for their beneficial essential fatty acids. Raw tahini and chia seeds are a good vegan source of essential fatty acids. Use foods that are as organic as possible to minimize the amount of chemicals the child is exposed to. Drink plenty of pure water to help the body eliminate toxins.
This ADHD Natural Remedies article is taken from :
The Country Almanac of Home Remedies - Brigitte Mars
