Strategies to Help With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

My friend quit teaching, not because of the challenge of teaching a child with ADHD; he routinely taught children with far more severe issues. He quit because teachers and parents would label any child with a behavior problem “ADHD” just to get them out of their class and, often, onto some kind of sedative medication.

What is ADHD?
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is characterized by an inability to stay focused on any task. It may also include impulsive, disruptive and often destructive behavior. These symptoms may begin between the ages of 6 and 12, usually by age 7.

First, it is important to know that most children (and adults) are inattentive and impulsive from time to time. Also, many, many other conditions and circumstances share these same symptoms. For example, Stephen Covey described a man boarding the subway with two disruptive boys in tow. From the description of their behavior a person could easily see the traits of ADHD. What was the real problem? They were leaving the hospital where the mother of the two young boys had just died.

Inattention and impulsive behavior may be signs of ADHD or they may be signs of something else. We cannot be too quick to diagnose without fully investigating the circumstances of the person as a whole.

Brains in pain
One interesting line of exploration in the child with ADHD is the pattern of brain waves. The human brain responds in a similar way to similar circumstances. Most of us have an increase in Delta brain waves when we are concentrating and an increase in Alpha brain waves when we are relaxing.

Theta waves increase and Beta waves decrease when we finish a task and feel a sense of accomplishment. People with ADHD have the exact reverse of this pattern: They demonstrate a decrease in Theta waves and an increase in Beta waves when they are asked to focus on a task.

People in chronic pain have exactly the same brain wave pattern. This may be why it seems so painful for people with ADHD to “sit still” and concentrate!

Sources of help

• Proper diagnosis
  The most important step in caring for someone with ADHD is ensuring they are properly diagnosed. As mentioned, there are many conditions that trigger inattentiveness and impulsivity. Occasionally, a trial of medication for ADHD may be used by a physician to make the diagnosis. The physician prescribes a drug and if it helps, the child is said to have ADHD. But response to medication is no way to diagnose ADHD.

  The most important part of any treatment is proper diagnosis.

• Avoiding certain foods
  Next, limiting sugar and sweeteners and absolutely eliminating anything with colors and additives will often prove helpful. Avoiding food allergies is imperative. Children with ADHD are often allergic to grains, dairy, corn and soy.
• Supplements
  Supplements that are helpful include a multiple vitamin/mineral supplement, Vitamin B-12 (I prefer Super Sublingual B-12 because the ratio of folic acid to B-12 is better for ADHD), VitaCal-Mag D as a calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D and zinc supplement and OmegaPrime as a good source of both Omega-3 and Evening Primrose oil. The amino acid GABA (as found in Peaceful Sleep) may also help balance the Beta and Theta brain waves when used consistently.

Conclusion
My teacher friend pointed to a very real problem: Many times a child will be labeled ADHD because of a behavior problem in the classroom. Often, the problem was that these children were in distressing circumstances at school (for example, being relentlessly bullied) or not having appropriate parental supervision and nurturing at home.

However, ADHD is real and it is a serious disorder that will affect a person’s entire life. With proper diagnosis and assessment of the individual learning style of the child there is every possibility for a full and productive life!

Learn More…

• More information about ADHD
• Lifestyle changes for ADHD

Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

• Osteoporosis/Grandparent Guilt
• Tremor Triggers

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other healthcare provider. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem. You should consult with a healthcare provider if you suspect your child might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.

The Controversies of Antibiotic Use

Here are some steps you can take to repair your system following antibiotic use and how taking a prebiotic/probiotic supplement with each meal may help reduce the likelihood of future infections.

Weed, seed & feed
To improve any terrain it is often necessary to remove weeds and unwanted plants. The same is true in the human terrain: In extreme cases we may need to remove certain pathogenic (disease-producing) bacteria from our system in order to establish a baseline upon which to build a healthy immune system.

Once “weeds” in the form of disease-producing bacteria, parasites, yeasts and other microbes have been removed, the system needs to be “re-seeded” with probiotics. Probiotics are any of the 300 to 400 different bacteria that live inside us and promote health. Many of these have names you will recognize such as Lactobaccilus acidophilus.

Fermented foods carry many good bacteria with known health benefits. To encourage these health-producing bacteria to colonize (settle down and raise a family) they need to be fed regularly. Good bacteria thrive on healthy fiber and starches called prebiotics. A prebiotic is anything that supports the healthy growth of good bacteria. Examples of common foods rich in prebiotic fibers include okra, parsnips and artichokes.

Critical steps
People who vigorously apply the 10 Essentials have a reduced risk of infection. However, those who live an imbalanced life are more at risk or prone to infection; they are said to be in the “pool of susceptibility.” That is, they are susceptible to infection. To take oneself out of the pool of susceptibility we need to follow some simple steps:

1. Breathe deeply 20 minutes daily
2. Drink pure water: ½ your body weight in ounces
3. Sleep peacefully 7 ½ to 9 hours each night
4. Eat nutritious food: 5, 7 or 9 servings of fruit and vegetables daily
5. Enjoy activity for at least 30 minutes most days of the week
6. Cultivate healthy emotional and spiritual relationships
7. Seize your sense of purpose – your many purposes in life

If you are recovering from antibiotic use you may add prebiotic fiber and probiotic bacteria such as those found in Digestive Complex.

Caution needed
There is a dark side to antibiotic use: resistant strains of bacteria. Antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria develop when antibiotics are over-used or improperly used. Antibiotic-resistant microbes colonize and serve as reservoirs of disease. Antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis, pneumonia and meningitis epidemics have killed thousands of people and threaten to kill millions more in the coming decades.

Dr. Jim Wilde, chief investigator of the misuse of antibiotics for the National Institutes of Health in concert with the Centers for Disease Control, states that many antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary. This is because our own immune system can respond adequately to kill the infection and restore balance.

So, take yourself out of the pool of susceptibility by vigorously applying the 10 Essentials, eating foods rich in prebiotic fibers and taking probiotics as necessary.

Learn More…

Infections resolve without antibiotics:

• Lower respiratory infections
• Antibiotic use linked to breast cancer

Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

• ADHD
• Osteoporosis/Grandparent Guilt

Diabetes and the Glycemic Index

Essential #4 encourages us to eat nutritiously. This requires a little education concerning the difference between a nutritious food and an “empty calorie.” Much of the information about the way particular foods impact diabetes is found in the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
Several years ago a group of researchers decided to create a chart based on the impact of carbohydrates on a person’s blood sugar. This would help people with diabetes select foods that would have the least impact on their disease. The Glycemic Index (GI) measures the impact of foods on blood sugar when compared to pure sugar: glucose. The higher the GI number, the greater the impact on blood sugar and the worse a food was supposed to be for a person with diabetes. Later, the GI was used as a tool for weight loss and cardiovascular health.

Glycemic Load is a way of refining the information of the Glycemic Index to find a truer nutritional value for food. For instance, the Glycemic Index may rate the carbohydrate value in a food as very high. This would seem to make the food unacceptable for people who want to restrict sugar. The Glycemic Load gives us a more global value of your food beyond sugar content.

Glycemic Load takes into account the fiber, fat and water content of a food. Let’s take the example of parsnips:

Parsnips are creamy-colored root vegetables in the carrot family. They are delicious and have therapeutic value as well. Parsnips have a GI rating of 97, compared with pure glucose at 100. That would seem to make parsnips “bad” – unacceptable as a healthy carbohydrate source. However, parsnips contain so much fiber and water, as well as protein and fats, that they have only a tiny impact on the total load of carbohydrates (the Glycemic Load). Because of their protein and fat, they help keep your appetite satisfied for so long that you may even eat less at your next meal. So, parsnips are really very healthful despite their high GI number.

Potatoes have become taboo in most low-carb diets. Yet, potatoes have attributes similar to parsnips. They are good for you as long as you don’t deep-fry them and load them with bacon, sour cream, gravy, cheese and other high-calorie, high-fat condiments.

Compound carbohydrates – the true “bad” carbs
Though many fruits and vegetables are high on the Glycemic Index they are “good” complex carbs because they are low in Glycemic Load. Refined starches, such as pastries, pastas, pudding and pancakes, as well as gravies and similar sauces are a different story.

These foods:

• Contain low amounts of water and fiber
• Contain high amounts of “bad” carbohydrates and bad fats
• Quickly turn to sugar in your bloodstream
• Trigger insulin and inflammation
• Increase your risk of heart disease, obesity and diabetes

These are truly sources of “bad” carbohydrates. They are examples of “compound” carbohydrates: foods which have been processed beyond recognition from their original whole food sources. They are never good in any amount.

Diabetes epidemic
In conclusion, the way to place yourself in the lowest risk category for type 2 diabetes is to eat whole foods which minimally impact your blood sugar. But that’s not all; did you know that stress alone may cause diabetes? Breathing deeply breaks the cycle of stress. And, since type 2 diabetes and obesity are related, getting enough sleep is essential. Add in the lessons from all 10 Essentials and you have a bulwark of protection against the epidemic of type 2 diabetes.

Learn More…

• Low Glycemic Diet
• Agave Nectar
  Agave nectar is similar to honey, but with a lower Glycemic Index. For example, honey is between 55 and 85, depending on how many solids remain in the honey. Agave nectar is as low as 27. This means that Agave nectar absorbs slowly into the bloodstream, which allows your body to allocate it to the appropriate areas. Since it’s four times sweeter than sugar you can use a lot less when using it as a sweetener.

Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

• Antibiotic Recovery
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

What to Look for on Food Labels

As it turns out, calories are the key. Whether they are from fat or carbohydrate is not as important as the total number of them. To lose weight and keep it off, we simply must adhere to the simple rule of “calories in, calories out.”

Be cautious about cravings
Our bodies were designed to communicate nutrient needs through cravings. Our bodies need protein, carbohydrates, fats, fiber and water to be healthy. These are called macro-nutrients because they are large categories of food that contain smaller categories called micronutrients. A micronutrient is something we need in a very small quantity, like salt (sodium). We crave what we need.

Food manufacturers create products to tempt these cravings the way a fisherman uses a lure to catch a fish. We can be induced to buy one food over the other because of added ingredients. Three common additives that tempt our taste buds:

• Sugar
• Fat
• Salt

Salt has its own issues (see link below) but sugar and fat are often hidden sources of calories.

Hidden calories
Are you watching your calorie intake? Use these tips when looking at labels:

Watch out for added-sugar foods. Recommendations for carbohydrate intake range from 60 to 250 grams daily for the average adult. These carbohydrates should come from whole foods to avoid the “empty calories” of added sugar. If the label lists “sugar” as an ingredient, select another food without the added sugar.

Watch out for added-fat and high-fat foods. Fat contains very few nutrients. While it is a good source of energy, a little goes a long way. Protein and carbs contain four calories per gram, yet fat contains a whopping nine calories per gram. Fat is often added to improve the “mouth-feel” of foods. If a label lists the daily value (DV) at 20% or higher, it is a high-fat food. The DV should be between 2% and 10% for a single serving. Never eat trans-fats.

Conclusion
As with most elements of life, selecting your diet is both a science and an art. Take a little time to learn the science behind food selections and then you can enjoy the endless, artistic variety of foods. Remember, moderation is the key!

Learn More…

• Deciphering the Nutrition Facts Label
• Decreasing Your Salt Intake
• Limiting Your Intake of Sugar
• Eat Nutritiously – Priority Action Plan

Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

• Diabetes/Glycemic Index
• Antibiotic Recovery