HYPERACTIVITY, MOODINESS AND A.D.D.

Many youngsters are perceived to be "bad" children who really suffer from A.D.D. While it may be true that a little more discipline and structure in their lives can be truly beneficial, there are also some natural things that are of benefit. Many report positive changes by doing the following. A.D.D. may be found in adolescence and even in adulthood.

Suggested Supplements:

B complex - 50mg.

Vitamin C - 500mg.

Vitamin E - 400 IU

Vitamin A - 400 IU

Zinc - 25mg.

Flaxseed Oil. 2 tsp. Daily (can be mixed in food or drink)

Evening Primrose Oil 2300 IU daily

Ginkgo -2 capsules 2x daily

Wild Yam root - 2 capsules 3x daily

Aloe gel 2 oz daily

(These dosages are rated for someone weighing 50-70 lbs.)

It is worth while having a talk with a knowledgeable person in a ‘health food’ store as there are some wonderful new supplement formulas on the market now for ADD and such.

During "brain storm" times when hyperactivity is at its worst, catnip tea or a little (1/4 cup max.) valerian root tea will take the edge off of the undesirable activity. Many will benefit from oat straw tea. This is preferable to valerian. Use ½ cup 2x daily.

Exercise: Sustained, brisk, exercise can help burn extra energy and help the body to produce balancing hormones. The type of exercise is important–anything competitive or highly exciting is best avoided–Hiking, biking, playing in the park, casual ball playing or running round the block just for fun kind of thing is much better than team sports with competitive aspects.

Hydrotherapy: Hot showers or very warm baths can help calm the nerves. Relaxing back rubs, soaking feet in hot foot bath draws blood away from an over-stimulated brain.

Rest: Get to bed early. Have a couple hours ‘wind down’ time in the evening where you develop a routine–first a quiet walk outdoors if possible, then some relaxing herbal tea (Catnip, lemon balm, chamomile are good) with a bit of honey, (no sugar or nutri-sweet!!) follow with a quiet warm bath, (avoid bubble baths or shampoos containing SLS as they may aggravate the nervous system.) Some children are greatly helped by a good back rub and massage, A ‘cuddle time‘ some 1 on 1 attention, some quiet reading or telling stories. (Not exciting ones) Then into bed. It will take time and persistence (and patience) to develop a routine but it is worth it. Be strict about the time for bed as then after a while the child’s body will know when it is to rest.

Structure: Help arrange a structured life for the individual. Work and structured recreation will help them to begin to focus their energy in a positive way. Part of the trouble with today’s kids (and all of us) is the fact that people in general have no routine to their lives–they eat, sleep and live with no pattern at all– the body and nervous system suffer as it doesn’t know when to get ready to digest food, wake up or go to sleep. This makes strain on the mind and nerves.

Dietary: This is the big factor in nervous system disorders–and yet seldom do doctors or specialists even mention it. There are literally thousands of chemicals added to our foods these days and one must learn to be a label analyzer–simple reading isn’t enough! Did you know that if a drink label says 'contains or with 100% juice’ that there may be only 1 drop of real juice in it and they can still say that? The rest is all chemicals, sugar and water. These chemicals can be the very thing causing your child's problem so believe me–it is worth the effort to make changes. And I know it takes effort–but so does dealing with ADD!

Eliminate refined foods. Junk foods like cookies, chips, candy, soda pop, and many more all contain refined products that are not beneficial to the system.

Sugar, white flour, spices, MSG, preservatives, and chemical food additives all serve to upset the nervous system. Read labels, you will be amazed how many commercial foods contain sugar! Combinations of sugar and cinnamon are able to cause hyperactivity in kids. It is a hard battle to kick the sugar addiction, but the benefits make it worth the struggle. Use foods high in Vit. B complex and supplements to overcome the hypoglycemia that sugar eating creates.

Substitute fresh fruit, honey, dried fruit, fruit juices.

Do not allow caffeine into the diet! Avoid all cola drinks like the poison they really are!! (Most pop contains caffeine) Some ADD and hyper children are ‘cured’ just by stopping these drinks!

Include wholesome foods. 70% or more raw of fruits & vegetables. Canned fruits containing sugar should be avoided.

Exclude excess fats, especially refined fats. Steer clear of the fast food pitfall.

There is the obvious side to this subject but also a less obvious one.

Combinations of milk and sugar such as ice-cream, ferment in the stomach and intestines and produce alcohol which goes into the blood!

Sugar and refined flour products such as cake and doughnuts can do the same.

Nutra-sweet (aspartame) breaks down into a very dangerous form of alcohol in the body.

Caffeine is high in most soft drinks and has a terrible effect on the nervous-systems of our children!

Sweet cereals with all their chemicals and refined flours create alcohol in the stomach when eaten with milk!!

Fried foods, because the fat interferes with digestion also tend to ferment and putrefy in the system causing alcohol and other poisons to enter the blood.

ASPARTAME (NUTRA-SWEET) This product breaks down at 86% F to form Methanol–a highly toxic form of alcohol, and aspartic acid, a neuro-excito-toxin. It is highly addictive and also leads to overeating and craving for sweets.

It is found in many products, pop, gum and even in kids medicines. I urge everyone to eliminate this deadly additive from your family’s diet. This alone often ‘cures’ ADD etc.!

ANYTHING CONTAINING SPICES AND/OR VINEGAR Includes all pickles, relishes, catsup, most sauces in bottles, most salad dressings. These destroy the liver and also sour the disposition. Even 1/4 teaspoon of vinegar on a meal will seriously impair its digestion and promote fermentation especially of starches. It is not unusual for sclerosis of liver to develop in vinegar users even if they do not use alcohol.

Canned Spaghetti–You may not realize it but the popular ‘kid’s treat’ canned spaghetti is a nutritional fiasco! Most contain vinegar for taste and/or citric acid. When a starch is eaten with a strong acid like that–it cannot digest and will ferment causing alcohol and toxins to enter the blood–often causing hyperactive and erratic behavior. Did you know that the popular ‘Side-Kicks’ products almost all contain sugar??

Don’t give up in despair! See below for a battle plan.

Peaceful Surroundings: Many people will say–yah? You have peaceful surroundings with a hyperactive child!? Yes–it will be a challenge. But there are many things a family can do to promote a calm environment Avoid over-stimulating situations such as parties and entertainment with a lot of shouting and excitement. Avoid yelling and Talk softly to your children .

Loud and exciting TV should be avoided–in fact one of the best ways to calm your environment is to turn off the TV. Music with a strong beat has a bad affect on the nervous system and should be avoided. Try to encourage a calm way in the home avoiding the ‘rush and crisis’ pattern so common these days.

Prayer: Help them to realize that God cares about their situation and will help them be under His control. Teach them that Jesus loves them and He will help them to be calm, teach them a simple prayer and let them know that Jesus will always hear them no matter where they are. Remember–He will help you also–ask for the patience and wisdom you need! Spend some time reading the Bible in the Psalms and Gospels–look for the promises and ask God for them.

I am including this list as it shows that it isn’t so simple to ‘just change the diet’. But if you understand the addiction principle, you have the battle half won already. Many think that the symptoms they suffer when leaving off some of these foods meant that the food was really needed–no–it is just you’re addicted to it–like alcohol or tobacco.

Meat–The purines and uric acid in meat makes it highly stimulating and addictive.

Fried or grilled fat—This is as addictive as cocaine. That’s the secret of the burger barons–it’s legal ‘drug pushing’.

Hot dogs and deli meats–in addition to the fat and purines–these have nitrates and other chemicals. These are addictive also.

Cheese—Tyramine and other chemicals as well as the high salt level make this a highly addicting food.

Sugar—one of the hardest addictions to kick that there is. Doesn’t bother you? Try going two days with out ANY! (You’ll have to read a lot of labels–it’s in almost everything.) Our craving for sweets is actually because we were designed to live on a high fruit diet. Replace sweets with fresh fruit. In a few weeks–you’ll be free of ‘sweet cravings’.

Dairy—There is a tendency for people to be addicted to foods they are allergic to–milk is #1 offender. Eliminating all dairy often ‘cures’ not only allergies but ADD and hyperactivity. Got milk? Got Allergies!

Chocolate–Theobromine in chocolate is as addicting as caffeine. Switch to Carob.

Caffeine–Coffee, tea, colas and pop–They don’t refresh you! You are addicted to them. And the manufacturers get richer while you get sicker.

Vinegar and spices–The irritating and stimulating effect of these are also addictive.

Ice Cream–Full of chemicals and the combination of milk and sugar ferments in the stomach creating blood alcohol.

1st– Eliminate ALL pop, cola, Kool Aid, Crystal Lite or anything with Aspartame or nutrisweet in it. Give child only PURE unsweetened fruit juice–diluted with water–try to wean child back to drinking water. (Distilled or reverse osmosis is best)

2nd– Eliminate ALL sugar, candy, cakes, cookies, read labels, many products contain sugar that you wouldn’t expect. Replace with raw fruits, dried fruits, and fruit canned in juice (sugar and aspartame free) For ice cream freeze ripe bananas then whiz them into soy milk for a healthy treat.

3rd– Eliminate all sugared cereals, anything containing cinnamon, artificial flavors and colors. Replace with whole grain cereals–(read labels!) and whole grain breads.

4th— Eliminate canned spaghetti and cheezies, chips, snack foods . Replace with raw fruit–carrot sticks–whole grain crackers.

5th– Eliminate all meat hot dogs and deli slices–ham and pork. Replace with Yves veggie dogs and burgers and slices available in your produce section. The chemicals and fat in these meat products are bad for health and nerves.

Still no improvement? Are you watching closely enough that these things are truly out of the diet??

Then– 5th– Eliminate all cow’s milk and dairy products–replace with soy milk or almond milk–readily available in stores but check labels–some have sugar added– avoid chocolate–carob is great.

Again read labels–milk and dairy products are in many foods.

Keep increasing raw fruits and vegetables in the diet–as well as whole grain foods. Children will often eat raw veggies as finger foods that they wouldn’t eat cooked. Be faithful with the vitamins and supplements, be firm but patient–remember–the child is likely addicted to several foods and will resist giving them up. It is best to simply not have them around and offer other things instead. Remember–if it’s bad for your child–it’s bad for you also!