Natural Remedies in the Treatment of ADHD
In order to improve the overall performance of a child with ADHD, natural remedies should be implemented.
Wholesome cooking is essential to improving the function of the brain in any child but it is especially important in the ADHD child.
Food provides the necessary fuel for increased circulation of nutrients to the brain.
Certain portions of the brain in the ADHD child are under active and utilizing simple natural remedies will increase blood flow to these crucial areas.
Improvement in behaviors and concentration will be obvious in a very short amount of time.
The best dietary change for the ADHD child is a high protein, low carbohydrate diet.
Some good protein sources are meats, fish, eggs, soy, and beans.
Carbohydrates should be kept to a minimum.
These foods consist of starches and sugars.
Some carbohydrates are better utilized by the body than others and can be included in the diet.
These good carbohydrate foods are broccoli, spinach, nuts, sweet potatoes, strawberries, blueberries, apricots, dried fruits, and oranges.
Recent studies reveal that dietary supplements are a necessary component in battling the symptoms of ADHD.
In order to sustain attentiveness in the ADHD child, a good source of essential fatty acids is strongly encouraged by many clinicians.
DHA has been proven to be beneficial in these children.
DHA makes up 80% of the body's nerve endings and testing has revealed that the ADD child has a below average amount of this substance.
Supplemental DHA should be an important consideration in the treatment of this disorder.
Another significant supplement that should be considered in the natural treatment of ADHD is Magnesium.
This element has been proven to be very valuable in controlling the child's hyperactive behavior.
The cells of the body require Magnesium to allow a state of muscle relaxation.
When the body is deficient, the results can be very distressing.
The child can be short tempered, tense, and irritable simply by having a lower than normal level of Magnesium.
Iron is an essential nutrient to assist in the body's ability to process blood to form energy.
A chemical reaction takes place at the cellular level that transports food and oxygen to every part of the body.
Recent studies have shown that 75% of ADD children have some form of iron deficiency.
A good multi vitamin with iron should be administered daily.
There are many commercial vitamin supplements on the market today.
Check with your child's physician for the best brand to use.
When considering the best form of vitamin in hyperactive treatment of your ADD child, it is always helpful to look at the absorbability of the supplement.
Supplements in pill form are only absorbed approximately 10-20%.
Most vitamins are water soluble meaning they are readily absorbed by the body.
However, some vitamins such as A and E are fat soluble meaning they can "build up" in the body over time and can actually cause toxicity.
Typically, liquids and chewable tablets are absorbed better because they don't rely on the stomach to break them down.
Once you find a good quality multi vitamin, you should see a dramatic effect on your ADD child's performance.
A holistic approach should be considered when treating the ADD child.
The goal is to reduce the amount of pharmaceutical products such as medications as much as possible, even to the extent of no longer needed them.
The combination of proper diet and natural supplementation may replace the need for medications altogether.
It is important to remember that any natural remedies will take longer to achieve full benefit but it will be well worth it in the end.
Wholesome cooking is essential to improving the function of the brain in any child but it is especially important in the ADHD child.
Food provides the necessary fuel for increased circulation of nutrients to the brain.
Certain portions of the brain in the ADHD child are under active and utilizing simple natural remedies will increase blood flow to these crucial areas.
Improvement in behaviors and concentration will be obvious in a very short amount of time.
The best dietary change for the ADHD child is a high protein, low carbohydrate diet.
Some good protein sources are meats, fish, eggs, soy, and beans.
Carbohydrates should be kept to a minimum.
These foods consist of starches and sugars.
Some carbohydrates are better utilized by the body than others and can be included in the diet.
These good carbohydrate foods are broccoli, spinach, nuts, sweet potatoes, strawberries, blueberries, apricots, dried fruits, and oranges.
Recent studies reveal that dietary supplements are a necessary component in battling the symptoms of ADHD.
In order to sustain attentiveness in the ADHD child, a good source of essential fatty acids is strongly encouraged by many clinicians.
DHA has been proven to be beneficial in these children.
DHA makes up 80% of the body's nerve endings and testing has revealed that the ADD child has a below average amount of this substance.
Supplemental DHA should be an important consideration in the treatment of this disorder.
Another significant supplement that should be considered in the natural treatment of ADHD is Magnesium.
This element has been proven to be very valuable in controlling the child's hyperactive behavior.
The cells of the body require Magnesium to allow a state of muscle relaxation.
When the body is deficient, the results can be very distressing.
The child can be short tempered, tense, and irritable simply by having a lower than normal level of Magnesium.
Iron is an essential nutrient to assist in the body's ability to process blood to form energy.
A chemical reaction takes place at the cellular level that transports food and oxygen to every part of the body.
Recent studies have shown that 75% of ADD children have some form of iron deficiency.
A good multi vitamin with iron should be administered daily.
There are many commercial vitamin supplements on the market today.
Check with your child's physician for the best brand to use.
When considering the best form of vitamin in hyperactive treatment of your ADD child, it is always helpful to look at the absorbability of the supplement.
Supplements in pill form are only absorbed approximately 10-20%.
Most vitamins are water soluble meaning they are readily absorbed by the body.
However, some vitamins such as A and E are fat soluble meaning they can "build up" in the body over time and can actually cause toxicity.
Typically, liquids and chewable tablets are absorbed better because they don't rely on the stomach to break them down.
Once you find a good quality multi vitamin, you should see a dramatic effect on your ADD child's performance.
A holistic approach should be considered when treating the ADD child.
The goal is to reduce the amount of pharmaceutical products such as medications as much as possible, even to the extent of no longer needed them.
The combination of proper diet and natural supplementation may replace the need for medications altogether.
It is important to remember that any natural remedies will take longer to achieve full benefit but it will be well worth it in the end.