The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Posted by Ruralady (Illinois) on 11/23/2024 33 posts
★★★★★
tDCS for ADD and ADHD
tDCS aka transcranial Direct Current Stimulation has a montage aka nodal placement for ADD and ADHD. This is non invasive and certainly no Rx but can be excellent treatment for this condition. Worth a try.
Dewormer, Hypertonic Water
Posted by SteveR (Uk) on 09/21/2024
★★★★★
+6 ph & Mineral Balance for longtime ADHD sufferer
As a adhd sufferer who had scored over 90% on the diagnosis tests and who has been on dexamphetamine (Ritalin) now elvanse 70mg for 30+ years and tried many natural treatments, some temporarily worked ‘probably placebo' and others not at all. I do know that eating a hi sugar diet without a doubt excesabates the condition. However what I found that worked like night and day was by taken the dewormer mebadazonole along With Quinton hypertonic water. Hope it works for others as it did me. You do of course need to eat a diet rich in vitamins minerals etc like zinc (pumpkin seeds)
Phosphatidyl Choline
Posted by Elizabeth (GA) on 09/03/2024
Looks like it's found in eggs. Just a higher dose maybe? I would also recommend sticking to pasture raised eggs and not industrial caged chickens who don't get nutrients.
Remedies for Poor Concentration
Posted by FH (UK) on 06/21/2023
ADD and ADHD are the same condition - ADD is just an antiquated term for it (someone used to be diagnosed with ADD, with or without hyperactivity). It was officially replaced with the term ADHD in 1987 in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), which is the "bible" of all psychiatric, psychological & brain disorders. It's not been a legitimate label for the condition for 36 years! It wasn't "lumped" into anything. It was updated and replaced. I've seen professionals still refer to it as ADD, and I lose faith in anything they have to say about it if they haven't even updated their understanding enough to use the correct term nearly 4 decades after it changed.
In fact, ADD only existed as an official term for the condition for 7 years (1980-87). Since then, you can be diagnosed with ADHD inattentive type, hyperactive type, or combined type (both).
Vision Therapy
Posted by ello (not urs) on 09/23/2022
★☆☆☆☆
ahhhh my brother has adhd and he hates therapy. The therapy also does not help at all...
Caffeine
Posted by Pam E. (SouthWestern California) on 09/02/2022 148 posts
! Hugs {{{ Violet Velvet }}} Hugs! I recall having asperger-like symptoms in elementary school (mid 60s). Found out a few years ago a tacher felt I had ADHD & spoke to one of my parents, but they didn't understand it, so I didn't get specialized help. Back then Asberger's was thought to be part of ADHD & treated the same, & I think the drugs used for ADHD would have really hurt me! So it's good in a way that I went un-diagnosed. Though, like you say, it wasn't easy!!!
Pine Bark Extract
Posted by Julie (VA) on 09/02/2022
Is there a particular brand that's better with pine bark extract? And can you take it with Zoloft? I'm thinking about trying it on myself before trying it with my 6 year old son.
Progesterone
Posted by Justin (Atlanta, GA) on 11/24/2021
★★★★★
My ADD has improved drastically with Progesterone as seen in the lumosity score attached.
This comes from Dr Michael E. Platt's book, the miracle of bio-identical hormones. I was skeptical too, which is why I strongly urge everyone to read this book! I have looked for 24 years for something this powerful.
As per Dr Platt's recommendations, I also removed sugar, simple carbs (I only eat carbs with resistant starch now), and I eat vegetables every 3-4 hours for brain-powering glucose AND I use coconut oil for frying. I eat a small serving of veggies right before sleep. And when I can afford it, I top each serving of veggies with brain octane (MCT oil).
I keep cole slaw and/or salads prepped and ready to eat at all times, for convenience.
For the love of all that is good, I urge everyone to read the book and just try it! A 20$ bottle of naturally-derived progesterone (from wild mexican yam) has done more than anything else that I have tried!
Learning Discipline, Playing Sports, Taking Fish Oils
Posted by Anne (Florida) on 10/08/2021
Hello Greyso,
By saying that your parents disciplined you, do you mean spanking? I'm asking because there's a serious on my marriage because of that. He believes that I'm wrong for not spanking my boys who display some ADHD behaviors (they are kindergarteners). I tell him that discipline does not equal spanking and/or beating. I view spanking as the last resort...that's not to say that I won't smack occasionally but that's just not my go-to response. I'm tough on removing privileges, especially for things they take to heart. I'm just curious as to what you mean by discipline and if my husband is possibly right.
Vision Therapy
Posted by Angelica (FL) on 03/06/2021
★★★★★
Yes! I agree with this. Same happened with my boys and Syntonics light therapy and VT made a massive difference!!! It is often overloooked! Check out the "Vision Therapy Parents Unite" Group on FB. Lots of help and info there!
Dietary and Herbal Suggestions
Posted by toni (florida) on 01/28/2021
Eeore, correction. Abraham Hoffer is the Niacin fellow to research.
Dietary and Herbal Suggestions
Posted by Toni (Florida) on 01/15/2021
Eeore,
Research Dr. Abraham Hoffer and his Niacin protocol. Vitamin B3 is essential to so many functions within our bodies and we simply do not get enough of it from our diet. He helped cure thousands of schizophrenia and other mental health problems throughout his career but was kept quiet by big p.
To Medicate or Not to Medicate
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 12/18/2020 525 posts
Personally, I suspepct my ADHD was created as a defense against constant interruption. I wasn't jumping from one thing to another but simply exploring things very quickly. Before I could be interrupted by some form of "authority". I'm in my 60s now and still dig into things that interest me very intensely and very quickly despite there being no one around to interrupt me or take whatever has my attention away from me.
I wasn't raised like that at home and didn't develop "problems" until school. At home, we were encouraged to explore things for ourselves rather than simply ask questions and take someone's word for "fact" but school was quite different. At home, I merely learned to avoid things that also interested my brother and/or sister, LOL. At school...it was very different. You had to be fast as supervision was everywhere, competition was fierce and one could be interrupted at any moment. No warning and no recourse that wasn't guaranteed to steal even more of your exploration time.
To Medicate or Not to Medicate
Posted by Valerie (New York) on 12/09/2020
I see a lot of myself in your son. I have a 129 IQ, so I am definitely capable, but feel my ADHD has held me back in many areas of my life. Has your son tried Occupational Therapy and/or Vestibular Therapy? I did both and they helped me in conjunction with medication and supplements. Only thing with vestibular therapy is that the first couple weeks it made my symptoms worse and then they started getting better, so try to be cognizant of that going in. Also, Vestibular Therapy is NOT the same thing as balance therapy. So make sure the script says ‘Vestibular Therapy' and make sure the place you're taking him to has a qualified Vestibular Therapist, not just a Physical Therapist or Balance Therapist. Hope this helps.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Gary (Tn) on 08/27/2020
Apple Juice can be the trick. I take ACV daily. 2TBLS with 1/8 teaspoon baking soda. The baking soda takes some of the sharp bite out of the ACV. NOW instead of mixing with a glass of water, add to a glass of apple juice or cider. Cider is the best of apple juice and does not include added sugar.
Eliminate Sugar
Posted by Jackie (Homestead, FL) on 11/14/2019
★★★★★
I am currently doing this for my son. I started the keto diet and basically I removed sugar and salt completely. I have lost 21 pounds and my son is more under control since he has ADHD.
Eliminate Sugar
Posted by Sam (Spain) on 09/26/2019
★★★★★
ADD is caused by sugar. The sugar if it is in excess in the blood sticks to the proteins creating the waste AGE (advanced glycation end). And the more sugar there is in the blood, the more AGE waste will be formed and the worse physical and mental health we will have. If we have this waste in the brain we will have drowsiness during the day because the brain wants us to sleep because during the sleep increases up to 20 times the elimination of brain waste by the glymphatic system. And the drowsiness causes tiredness, suffering, bad mood, violence, depression, stress, little mental clarity, poor memory, low intelligence, addictions…. To see the level of PGA is the analysis of glycated hemoglobin. An optimal level is 4 to 5%, a diabetic usually has 9 to 12% For every 1% increase in glycated hemoglobin there is 28% more mortality. To eliminate PGA waste from the body and brain we have to control the sugar in blood, for this we can eat a diet low in carbohydrates such as the ketogenic diet. We can also eat a lot of carbohydrates but prefer low and medium foods glycemic index to high, and especially making many small meals a day instead of few large meals. At dinner it is better to avoid carbohydrates.
Dietary and Herbal Suggestions
Posted by Ava (Pa) on 02/16/2018
Jill, was very hopeful after reading your article. How is your son now doing? Our son is older. He struggles with organization. very stressed when it comes to school.
also at times depressed. Was wondering if you tried fish oils. I believe in l trytophan and melotonin. However he does drive.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Miranda (Ahwahnee, California) on 10/02/2017
★★★★★
I myself am ADHD and have been taking ACV three times a day (for weight loss) and I noticed it made me calmer and made me want to fall asleep.
Fish Oil and Primrose Oil
Posted by Charity (Faithville, Usa) on 05/16/2017
yes, I know. B vitamins in form of nutritional yeast is best. Magnesium in some form that agrees with your gut for relaxing. Soy lecithin granules for detox of bad fats and choline and inositol for your brain. D-3 with K-2 for lots of systems including hormone. Sun and fresh air . Take a walk daily.Progesterone cream can be calming. L- Taurine to detox msg( excitotoxin ). If a bad night of sleep try activated charcoal capsules with glass of water at bedtime. Kefir if your gut needs help to break down your food. Coconut oil for many detox values in the body from head to toes. Extra cup of water in the morning to start your day off right and some high mineral salt to balance your electrolytes for brain/heart health.Iodine drop on skin daily .
Go on youtube and watch eric berg or john bergman . so much to learn, so little time. Get healthy while you are young, take a walk/ breathe deep. Talk kind about yourself and call yourself what you desire to become not what you are worried about. Words have power. Help someone else or smile at people. You go girl....I'm rooting for you, walked a few miles in your shoes.Charity. Start all changes~ low dose and slowly add things, less misery.
Fish Oil and Primrose Oil
Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile , Tn) on 05/16/2017
HI U SYRENA,,,,,,,,, there is a new protocol that the medical folks are using with our vets and their mental situation. It is called IASIS and my wife has just had her first scission. If it helps her insomnia, then I'm the next in line. The scission takes about an hour. I suggest that you research this protocol. There are few doctors in this field because it is too cheap and too effective. Our allopathic's have to pay for their schooling so they are no help. You will have to find an integrative doctor.
I wish you well.
======ORH=====
Fish Oil and Primrose Oil
Posted by Syrena (Nederland Texas) on 05/16/2017
I'm willing to try anything. I can't concentrate to save my life.. took Staterra as I had a job. It was too expensive now and I'm a Chronic insomniac too!
HELP I need a decent home remedy for me. I'm 52. Cannot sit still or shut up. Interrupt all my friends. Makes me sad. Takes a special person to be my friend ..Sad
Dietary and Herbal Suggestions
Posted by Asmaa (Vienna, Virginia) on 05/04/2017
Great job lady, I applaud you for work well done. I get inspired when I read such great stories. I love your dedication. Great job!
Dietary and Herbal Suggestions
Posted by Tricia (Inkster, Mi) on 03/03/2017
Thank you for sharing this is all I can say right now.
Avoid Potato Chips
Posted by Melissa (Denver, Co, Usa) on 01/22/2017
I agree about the tryptophan and potatoes, but not fried versions of potatoes. If we could just get people to eat whole foods (baked potatoes) with tryptophan that would help them sleep. Regardless, here are the necessary things to help those with ADD/ADHD (I am a dietitian):
1. Stop blood sugar spikes by eating a diet high in protein with complex - not simple - carbs.
2. Get more fatty acids, especially omega 3's (EPA, DHA) from fish & seeds
3. Keep iron levels up. Most people, even professionals, are unaware of the important role iron plays in controlling ADHD symptoms. Studies show that those with ADHD tend to have lower levels of ferritin, so be sure to eat enough meat, poultry, fish, beans, dark leafy greens & get your levels checked to see if you need supplementation.
4. Have your Dr.check your zinc & magnesium levels because about 25% of those with ADHD tend to have low levels. Zinc regulates the neurotransmitter dopamine & helps improve the brain's response to dopamine. Magnesium helps make various neurotransmitters involved in attention & concentrations, plus it has a calming effect on the brain.
5. Cut out the chemicals. The UK recommends that parents remove sodium benzoate & 6 different artificial food coloring agents from the diet. Check labels & remove foods that are brightly colored such as Gatorade, & brightly colored cereals like Fruit Loops or Lucky Charms.
6. Watch for food sensitivities. The most common are artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame), dairy, wheat/gluten, soy, high fructose corn syrup/too much sugar.
These methods don't work for everyone, but they have been shown to reduce symptoms in many with ADHD, so it's worth a try!
Pine Bark Extract
Posted by Magnolia16 (Virginia) on 11/03/2016
How is the Pine Bark extract working for you and your son? What is the dosage and how do you give it to your son? Thank you so much!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Kate (Michigan) on 10/11/2016
All u need is a little...tsp maybe in some juice...my son drinks this n has no problem with it. Other things I have tried he's hated!
Pine Bark Extract
Posted by Nicole (Virginia) on 08/28/2016
★★★★★
There are studies showing Pine Bark extract improves ADHD in children (study link below). I started taking it myself and it has helped me concentrate and focus better as I've been feeling all over the place these past few years...can't get my act together, forgetful/terrible memory, brain fog, not organized. I supplemented and after a week or so (not right away) I started noticing changes. I was able to stick with tasks longer and finish them...I was doing things faster without getting distracted anymore. My overall focus was so much better! I would get through my lists so quickly. I could also remember people's names again! I've always been horrible with names...to the point where it's embarrassing (b/c I really know some of these people). Walking my child through orientation I was remembering the names of kids I haven't seen in several years...that was a shock to me.
And it's so subtle. You remember like you never had forgotten it...not a lightbulb eureka moment where you have to concentrate and finally have it...but rather it's just there as if you never forgot it. Basically, I forgot I was bad at names. Not until the 4th time and suddenly I realized...wait, how are all these names coming to me?? Also you have energy but you don't feel wired or anything, like with caffeine. Suddenly you're just focused...but in a normal way...like how you're supposed to be! I was quite pleased. It's more of a feeling of blocks being lifted...rather than a stimulant creating these scenarios if that makes sense.
PBE has also been shown to alleviate anxiety and improve test scores in college kids. I take 1/8 tsp in a capsule each day. I bought the loose powder an fill my own 00 capsules. My son has ADD, OCD and anxiety (I believe caused by heavy metals) and I plan to start him this week as school begins (but I wanted to test it on myself first for any side effects).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16699814
Incidentally, I originally discovered Pine Bark Extract (PBE) b/c I was searching natural ways to lighten to lighten melasma (and then stumbled upon the ADHD research). PBE has been shown to lighten is successfully. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12237816
It's my deepest belief that ADD/ADHD is caused by heavy metals in the brain and ultimately these kids (and adults) need to be detoxed from them. This is why many kids w ADD/ADHD are deficient in zinc and magnesium...because heavy metals are the "heavier" of these good/bad metals and thus displace these lighter good metals/minerals out of our body.
I told a wellness business owner (previously a pharmacist until she converted to natural health medicine) that I'd like to test my system for heavy metals and she said "sure, I will give you a full spectrum vitamin/mineral test to see if you're mineral deficient". I said 'why"? She said...if minerals are low it's well-known that it's b/c they're being displaced by heavy metals in the body. I held off on the test in order to research this myself...and sure enough I found it to be true. (Heavy metal detox should be done carefully and slowly so I'm still in the research phase in order to detox my son...he had an amalgam cap and vaccines.)
Heavy metals also cause leaky gut...so it's important to detox and heal the gut btw. Interestingly...in you search on earthclinic for Ted's ADD & ADHD remedies...he recommended things like magnesium and zinc, probiotics (that heal the gut) and selenium, NAC, ALA which detox the body of heavy metals.
I believe Pine Bark helps with focus and concentration b/c its a powerful polyphenol that boosts glutathione which is critical in detoxing heavy metals. Here's a study showing an increase in glutathione (GHS) in children with ADHD by taking pine bark extract. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16984739
Caffeine
Posted by Violet Velvet (Oklahoma ) on 07/21/2016
I agree. I am on Adderall right now as both Adderall & Ritalin are both supposed to be the best medications thus far, in order to treat ADHD/ADD. I have it really bad too. This is why I had never done well in school at all and it is upsetting. Especially when I look back on all of those years in the 80's when it was not properly diagnosed or even known of as far as I know anyhow. Because of it, I have barely made it through life to where I could have a semi decent life. I have a decent job but it could have been a lot better had someone known what was wrong early on. In my opinion, I feel that both Ritalin and Adderall are too strong for a child to be taking. If they are on it, I hope that they start out on the smallest dosage possible. I wish that I knew of a natural cure for it rather than taking over the prescription medication. However, I will tell you what would have helped me. If I had a parent that gave me a lot of love, attention and moral support when I was young. I think that it helps to also slowly involve your children on activities very early on because having some type of self esteem and support from parenting would have helped a lot. My mother took care and raised 2 daughters on her own. Therefore, that just unfortunately did not happen. I also grew up in the 80's when ADHD was not well known. Everyone thought that I was just hyper active and did not listen. To this day that still bothers me when people accuse me of not focusing, listening, paying attention. I would if I could and I would also do better around people who have a little bit of patience and understanding. If I feel like this in my adult life, can you imagine how a child must feel? It's really a sad thing to have to go through folks. Love, be patient and encouraging to the children who have this. Encouragement from a young age will help a lot. I feel that this also causes low self esteem as it makes you feel like everyone thinks that you aren't smart or good enough because they just so not understand what ADHD/ADD is all about. Especially children that do not have it. Support, Encouragement, sports and/or some type of school activity(s) and attention would help a child A LOT, who is suffering from this a this type of disorder. Trust me, I'm 48 years old and I've been there and know that I would have done a lot better if I had those things from a parent. I scored an 80 on my test for ADHD. I could relate to every single question. Even the ones that did not pertain to me. It's difficult even when you get older but could be a lot better with age with what I had mentioned above. Thanks so much for listening to my two cents worth of advice. I apologize that this is so lengthy and the fact that I really do not have any natural remedies to apply here other than a good night sleep and what I had mentioned above. Good Luck To All Of You and thanks for taking the time to read this. V.V.B
MSG Link to ADHD
Posted by Mary O (Tx) on 04/04/2016
About Robert Henry's comment.
Thanks for your additional info. It is good to have the most info on a subject that you can find.
I guess I am wrong about the carbonation thing. Could coke ever eat though eat through a can, or is that a myth?
I hate all carbonation and never drink it. Coke was not the the main topic of my rant anyway. In any event, it is not good for you, because of phosphorous, content and corn syrup (although you can find with real sugar if you look), amount other ingredients that aren't good. Here is a link that can explain everything you need to now about dangers of soft drinks, way better than I can.
http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/soft-drinks-americas-other-drinking-problem/
one more
http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/old-fashioned-healthy-lacto-fermented-soft-drinks-the-real-real-thing/
You are so correct about the orange egg in spring and summer. I love these orange one so much better. This winter I was longing for those great orange eggs. But Even if yellow pasture raised eggs are best.
This was a question about MCS and I did wander off topic. I was hyper that day.
MSG Link to ADHD
Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile , Tn) on 04/02/2016
HI U MARY from Texas,,,,,,,,,,, as far as Coke Cola is concerned, you got the right string, but the wrong yoyo. Soft drinks today are light years from their start. A Pharmacist named John Pemberton from Columbus, Ga. first concocted the drink in the 1880's. It initially contained coco leaves which added a small amount of cocaine. He sold his formula to the Candler family in Atlanta.
However, the first bottler, Joseph Biedenharn, was from Monroe, La. and he was the one who got the show on the road. The old coke was highly carbonated and the glass bottles were designed to handle this extreme pressure. Back in 1954 I measured the pH of a coke and it was 2.3. Today, if you have an upset stomach then you dissolve two alka seltzers in a glass of ice water. In my youth you just drank a cold coke cola, which did the same thing.
Now, all soft drinks have little carbonation and are just a sweet syrup. The cans of both soft drinks and beer are now like tissue paper because both have little carbonation.
Years ago, you had to be a strong man to bend a beer can. Now your six year old can handle that chore.
I get a kick out of folks who only know the history from the date they were born. My grandkids are like that. Makes me want to cry.
As far as orange hen yolks are concerned..... they come about because of the carotene in the grass they eat. Even in the South, your eggs will have yellow yolks in the winter when there is no green grass to eat. The orange carrot gets it's name from the carotene it contains.
Mary,,,,,,, you have given some very sound advice in your post that folks should heed. I just thought that some additional info was needed to explain why you said what you said. Hope that is good with you.
======ORH==========
MSG Link to ADHD
Posted by Mary O (Tx) on 04/01/2016
MSG is rampant in fast food. They do it for a few reasons. MSG is a flavor enhancer. Processed foods are heated to such a high temperature that there is no color, no flavor, and no nutrients left in the final product. It is cooked at high temps to kill the enzymes. This way, the food will not rot after being stored for years. Canned food is cooked right in the can. God only knows how much metal ends up in the "food". Now, they coat the inside of some cans with plastic. Yum plastic flavored "food".
They may have started with real food, but when they are done, it is not really food anymore. Just some bulk to make you feel as if you have eaten. Since this "food" is devoid of flavor, They have to analyze the food to make it seem like food.
First, they make a recipe with real food by real cooks and then cook it in a regular oven.
Then they run it though a chemical analyzer which lists the chemicals they will need to make the food taste like the original item, lets say a chocolate chip cookie. The machine will also spit out a list of chemicals need to make the cookie look like a cookie. and finally, we need some vitamins and minerals, so the machine spits out a list of more chemicals.
The MSG lets soup companies use less meat, because the MSG make the soup taste more meaty. Vegetarians can even buy flavor packets to make food taste like meat.
So far sounds yummy huh?
They bake up the cookie and then add the petro chemicals (chemicals derived from the by products of making gasoline, kinda sounds like you are eating plastic) to make it seem like food again. OK bad enough right!
MSG is very addictive. This a huge reason fast food restaurants love MSG so much. It keeps you coming back everyday if you addicted enough. This of course causes obesity. For a few reasons, you can't stop eating the food, so you eat too much, plus you are very hungry for real food that God put on this planet with all the nutrients that you need to survive. Ah, but you say the soil is depleted. Well chemical fertilizers do not provide the plants with enough to make non organic food nutritious, so that is why people take vitamins. Most vitamins are not natural made from food but UN-natural chemicals.
Your body treats these as poisons, as if you drank some motor oil. So, if you choose to take supplements, take food based ones with no added chemicals. Standard process makes food based supplements, and are available at doctor's offices. Mostly alternative doctors. like chiropractors.
Remember when coke always came in a glass bottle. this is because when they tried to put in a can, it ate through the metal can. God only knows what soft drinks do to your insides.
If you think unprocessed organic real food, is expensive, consider this. Processed food is expensive. I do not even eat organic processed food. If you cook your own food, it tastes better and it is better for you.
If you do not have time, use a crock pot and cook at night or while at work. Cook larger quantities and freeze the extra. I freeze in individual sized servings.
If you can not afford pastured raised meat, try pasture raised eggs. Eggs are cheap. My eggs are 63 cents for 2. A cheap source of protein. Cholesterol is not bad for you, as long as it is not hydrogenated. This was a myth propagated by the vegetable oil companies. Eat butter and meat fat. Free range is not what you are looking for. This just means the farmer left the barn door open so they can go outside if they choose. And outside could be a slab of concrete. But they won't go outside since they feed them inside.
Hens need to eat grass and bugs for the eggs to have a nice orange yolk and not end up all runny. Broth made form pasture raised meat or poultry is also inexpensive. I just fill the pot with bones and water. I use joint bones to make the gelatin quality marrow bones for the nutrients in there, and meaty bones such as necks or ribs for flavor and more gelatin. I leave it on the stove for 2 days, and never let it boil. If it boils it does not jelly up. I strain it and keep it in the frig uncovered till it jellys up (a day or two). I store the fat that solidifies on top to use instead of oil or butter, which I can't eat. I store broth and fat separately in canning jars and store in the freezer If you eat pasture raised broth and eggs and can't afford anything else organic, use non organic but buy fresh or frozen. Canned food is dead.
I saw a show about the making of a new snack food long ago that explained the process of making processed "food". It was kinda hard to believe. I wish I could link to the show but have never been able to locate it on-line.
Even if you never go organic or pastured raised, eat whole food not packaged. Packaged food is not food. If a product list a bunch of vitamins at the end, this food was devoid of vitamins after processing. The government will not allow them to sell empty food and require them to add a few vitamins.
You will save a lot of money on medical bills if you eat whole foods.
OK, now I am stepping off my soap box.
Vision Therapy
Posted by Laura (Santa Barbara, California) on 02/13/2016
Sometimes ADD/ADHD results from a vision problem. Even people who test 20/20 on vision tests have functional vision problems. When the brain gets too stressed trying to process visual input, it forces a mental break which looks like ADD or ADHD. Please find a "behavioral optometrist" to rule out functional vision deficiencies that could be a hidden source of reading, learning, and concentration problems. Significant improvements can be made in just a few short months of dedicated vision therapy.
Learning Discipline, Playing Sports, Taking Fish Oils
Posted by Greyso (East Aurora, Ny) on 09/14/2015
★★★★★
My parents used an all natural solution to ADHD when I was a child: Discipline. They discilplined me and it taught me to discipline myself. Also playing sports really helped me to focus (and still does). As I got older, I found other methods, certain music low in the background and Fish Oils have helped me immeasurably. I don't want to give a dosage because I work with my doctor on that and it may be different for others, especially children.
Fish Oil and Primrose Oil
Posted by Rhonda (Maryland, US) on 02/04/2015
I read a couple of articles about this study where this combination takes up to 6 months before it takes affect... It was done in UK. So seeing results in that short of time is interesting to know. My DS is 8yr and I want to try this. But wasn't sure of primrose needing to be the oil intake or a skin rub?? Or is it the same. Not sure if DS will take the softgel everyday :/ Oh that's right you mixed with food. Let me know the later results
Thanks
Supplements
Posted by Revite (California, US) on 12/07/2014
ADD and ADHD are in many cases a result of copper toxicity. Slow oxidizers can take L-taurine and fast oxidizers ICMN (inositol, choline, methionine and niacinamide) for symptomatic relief. The oxidation rate can be measured using hair mineral analysis. coach(at)revite.us
Gluten-Free Diet
Posted by Mary (Detroit, Michigan) on 12/05/2014
★★★★★
I actually have ADHD, and recently I developed a gluten intolerance. I had some trouble before hand and noticed all the symptoms of my ADHD disappear after a month of being totally gluten and dairy free. I recommend trying a gluten free diet for a few months, gluten free all the way down to the last particle no cross-contamination.
Dietary and Herbal Suggestions
Posted by L J (Los Angeles, California ) on 07/21/2014
People should know the negative effects of giving their children RITALIN.. It has been shown to give the child later an addiction to heroin and cocaine..current studies have surfaced linking Ritalin to drug addiction. It seems that after the RITALIN is ingested into the stomach it turns into a substance almost identical to that of heroin and or cocaine. Therefore creating a drug addicted child/teen from the effects of RITALIN. Parents beware of this pharmaceutical claiming to help fix your child..it's a crime that these prescriptions are even in existence. Xoxo L J
To Medicate or Not to Medicate
Posted by Carol (Cumming, Ga) on 04/16/2014
Our family too has been trying many ADHD therapies over the years for our son who is now 15. Some of the therapies we have done are: eye therapy, after doing a free questionnaire @ cookvisiontherapy.com and an appointment with Dr. Cook it was found that our son had convergence insuffiency in the left eye, after nine months of eye therapy his eyes were 100% corrected. Yet he still couldn't read well enough to get passing grades. A hearing test by an audiologist confirmed Auditory Processing Disorder. We did 40 visits of Brain Core therapy which is biofeedback. The changes were slight. He was put in an online therapy for auditory processing called fastforword by gemm learning. This is a good reading program but our son still struggled so much. After reading 'Disconnected Kids by Dr Millello' we had an evaluation done at Brain Balance. The results showed the left hemisphere of his brain was under developed. It was explained that the right hemisphere was doing the work of both sides, on some levels he was at second and third grade. He is currently doing 36 weeks at Brain Balance therapy. We do therapy at home and bring him in 3 times a week. Basically the idea is to stimulate the senses on the right side of the body to effect the left side of the brain to grow and change, (or stimulate the left side if the right brain is weak). Along with diet changes, eye therapy, suppliments, drastically cutting back on screen time, adding movement during the day. During his sessions they have him do physical therapy first immediately followed by academic work. We have high hopes. The testimonials for autistic children are really good. I wish I had known about this when my son was younger, I may not have chosen the other therapies.
Iodine
Posted by Msannanola (New Orleans) on 09/28/2013
I read dr Brownstein's book about iodine. He had a case study in there of a child being cured of ADHD with iodine as a major component. Iodine is also a part of Dr Batman's water cure. There is testing you can do to determine iodine sufficiency. I don't have a child but I would try it if I had a child with ADHD. I would also Eliminate flouride. It is everywhere. I got a black berkey water filter to eliminate flouride. I think I had flouride poisoning. Flouride and other halides like chlorine, bromide (in bread) and halides in fire retardent make you deficient in iodine. You cannot be properly hydrated without it. The natural cell death called apoptosis can't happen without it, so basic functioning of the body is compromised without this nutrient. Iodine is the original medicine. It was used traditionally for all sorts of ailments. Lugols solution is cheap.
Sleep
Posted by Susie (Anonymous , Michigan) on 05/11/2013
As far as the sugars go, would natural sugars be ok. I buy REAL honey from the natural food stores for my daughters herbal teas. And we do push for fruit. Are natural sugars ok?
Caffeine
Posted by Jgoodroe (Clarksville, Tennessee) on 02/04/2013
I am 25 years old and received the ADHD diagnosis about 3 years ago. I had horrible issues in school my whole life and when I was younger ADHD was not really and issue as it is today. After I was put on Adderall my grades now in college are A's all the way. If caffeine would have done the trick for me I would have never had issues or I must need a mass dose of it to help me out. I have drank coffee since I was about 14. I also take magnesium but I see no difference with it without taking Adderall or added to it. Now my 5 year old is showing more and more signs of ADHD, I will not put her on meds at this early age so I am going to try a little caffeine and mg. Caffeine makes me normal not hyper at all, I wish it did!
Remedies for Poor Concentration
Posted by Mllewendy (N. Platte, Nebraska) on 02/02/2013
Ideas on poor concentration? I was diagnosed with ADD issues before they lumped it as part of ADHD (which I disagree with for certain reasons). Anyway, I looked and you don't have it listed separately... Is there some way that can be rectified? Thank you!
EC: Hi Mllewendy,
We don't have enough material on ADD to separate it into a new page. Once we get more posts, we can certainly do that.
General Feedback
Posted by Catherine (Wellington, New Zealand) on 01/28/2013
Hi, I have just read "NIACIN: The real story" by Abram Hoffer and there is a lot of info about ADHD and the benefit of niacin in treatment. Worth reading I think, you can get it on kindle from Amazon.. Best of luck
Dietary and Herbal Suggestions
Posted by ~angel (Chi Town, Ill) on 01/28/2013
05/06/2009: Michael from Spokane, Wa
Thank you so very much for sharing your story... You have no idea how reading it tonight was God sent for me! ;) thank you for making a difference..
General Feedback
Posted by ~angel (Chi Town, Ill) on 01/28/2013
TO..04/04/2011: Been There from Washington, Dc
Amen to that!! best of luck to you.. your story just described my 27 year old son, who is now un treated (not by choice) & on a 24 hr roller coaster;/ thank you for your story;) it really touched me as so many other stories have...
Fluoride Related
Posted by Native Born Citizen (Virginia Beach, Virginia) on 11/23/2012
Regarding ADHD, Dr. Oz just had a show on ADHD in adult women. The sympoms are different for women and can vary in intensity from person to person. Adult women with ADHD tend to be tired, anxious, unable to organize, are distracted, and can't focus. These phenomena tend to interfere with their relationships and work.
Retired neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock says that fluoride poisoning can cause profound neurolgical disorders including ADHD. Any treatment program must obviously address fluoride poisoning and how to keep it out of the system since fluoride is in pesticides, water, many drugs, and toothpaste. See:
http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Videos.php/2012/07/13/dr-russell-blaylock-fluoride-s-deadly-se
Dr. Lendon Smith used to drug ADHD children; he later was against it. Instead he advised fish oil, B vitamins, multivitamins, sugar avoidance, avoidance of allergens like milk if ear infections present, and so on.
If you can't digest fish oil, take a digestive enzyme with it.
MSG Link to ADHD
Posted by Kathy (the USA) on 11/19/2012
I thought I would make you aware that I cannot ingest any capsules because I am highly sensitive to hidden sources of MSG and one capsule can be 11-13 mg. of MSG. I have to open all capsules and takes dry ingredients either with water or sprinkle on unsweetened applesauce. Whatever the amount, it is still a toxin. Minute amounts can accumulate so by the time you have a reaction you don't recognize it as an MSG reaction.
MSG Link to ADHD
Posted by Sara (Sacramento, Ca) on 11/18/2012
Happy Day! I am glad you are doing well after Chemotherapy. Thank you so much for sharing your insight on wheat grass and Grape Seed Extract.
I bought a bottle of Grape Seed Extract from Trader's Joe for my ADD, but only took one capsule 3 times a day, so did not see much effect. I am 162 lbs. Do I need to take 3 capsules each time? If so that would make 9 capsules a day. The servings size is 3 capsules and serving per container is 50.
I would highly appreciate if you give me your thought.
sara
MSG Link to ADHD
Posted by Al (Alvena, Sk., Canada) on 11/18/2012
To everyone talking about wheatgrass, while it is excellent for you, the greens from barley or barley grass is even better. Barley greens contain every enzyme known to man. I came across that when I was researching for natural cancer cures and I grew it in my basement under lights and cut it with scissors and just put it in my blender with whatever else I was using. At that time I was on the "Budwig Diet" and it cured my cancer. Unfortunately, I carried on with chemotherapy after and became disabled by that for a substantial period of time. I would urge you all to try grape seed extract for ADD/ADHD but start with small doses - no more than one mg per pound of body weight per day.
To Medicate or Not to Medicate
Posted by Flimflamflo (Westfield, Nj) on 10/10/2012
I just came here after reading a NYtimes article describing parents who administer ADHD drugs to kids who don't have the disorder. They do this to improve grades... There can be some serious side effects to these medications. Some are, after all amphetamines. The article I read describes one side effect one young boy suffered: he saw people and heard voices that were not there.
Here's a list of things I do, and I find they help.
1. Work out every day. Even if you just jump up and down til you sweat.
2. No MSG _ever_; this will only exacerbate problems. This means no yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable/soy/other proteins, etc. There are sites where you can find lists of MSG type substances.
3. Make sure you get enough proteins - but try not to use processed foods (sausages, fast-food burgers, pre-prepared meats, etc. are all usually inferior and usually contain a flavor enhancer akin to MSG).
4. Very important!! : Consider a creatine supplement; find your dosage. I don't know how this works, but it helps a lot.
5. Take Phosphatidyl Serine. You can get soy or sunflower based. It doesn't work right away, but has a long-term healing sort of effect.
6. Supplement with a good B complex, Magnesium (I use a glycine complexed magnesium, not oxide), and omega 3 fats. It is important to get enough vitamin D3, so maybe a supplement is a good idea.
7. This one is important!!! : A little before any mental struggle, take 500mg acetyl-l-carnitine. This really helps enhance my problem-solving capacity, and focus. The benefit is enduring. I cannot say enough about this one. I can feel my brain making new connections, my focus and memory retention are better, I think faster. It is amazing. Make sure the acetyl-l-carnitine is pharmaceutical grade.
8. Before bed, drink about a tbsp of good quality gelatin in broth or hot milk (even coconut/rice/almond milk - I don't drink soy milk b/c my body doesn't like it). I like to put barley sugar in milk, or even make some cocoa. Yes, it has sugar so it is not the best thing for you, but I find malted milk very comforting! This really improves quality of sleep, and seems to regulate mood. If you use broth, make sure there is no MSG or MSG analogue in the ingredients list.
9. Apart from all this, I take cod liver oil vitamin k2 every day, eat lots of fruits and veggies, and make sure to get enough vitamin C.
To Medicate or Not to Medicate
Posted by Momma2boys (Pacific Nw, Usa) on 10/07/2012
My child has ADHD and I can testify that diet changes absolutely worked for him. Research how the chemicals in a western diet harm the body/brain. Google the Feingold diet - this is what helped him many years ago. Also, I am in agreement with you that sugar isn't the culprit (although I do not think that sugar is healthy! )... I think that hyperness in kids is caused by corn syrup. The majority of candies/kid's treats are now sweetened with corn syrup and not sugar. Corn syrup is just evil!
To Medicate or Not to Medicate
Posted by Lisa (Thousand Oaks, Ca, Usa) on 10/07/2012
Hi August, It doesn't sound as if you've tried that hard regarding your ADHD. And I disagree with you. I don't have ADD/ADHD but have dealt with plenty of people who do. I know for certain diet can make a huge difference and exercise. I have seen the results in students of mine and family members. Personally, I think staying away from medication is always the first and best solution in trying to find answers. In this case, especially since alternatives can have a profound effect on this issue. I have spoken to some of my students who were put on medication and they have told me how strange it makes them feel and they'd rather not take it and have opted out of it. Some have said that dancing on a regular basis is what helps them control it. Without it, they feel completely scattered. Obviously, dance is a form of exercise.
And your argument for medication, "had it been dangerous, healthcare professionals wouldn't have thought of prescribing it in order to save their ass. " doesn't hold up at all. Witness all the medications handed out daily by the thousands and the disclaimers then attached to them! Also, for the most part, everyone who comes on this forum is actually looking for choices outside of turning to medications, surgeries, etc. You might want to ponder on this. Lisa
To Medicate or Not to Medicate
Posted by August (Singapore) on 10/07/2012
★★★★★
As someone who has ADHD, I know that merely excerising and changing diet doesn't help. I don't really think that eating too much sugary food contributes to ADHD either. Sure, potato chips and sweets arn't healthy, but which children doesn't eat them? I think that ADHD is just in your mind, hard to get rid of, constantly there to bug you, no matter what you do. You have this constant urge to do something else when someone talks to you. No matter how much you focus it just seem so difficult to concentrate and make careless mistakes and say thoughtless stuff. I have tried taking iron, omega-3 fatty acids. None worked. Even the effect of caffeine is temporary. That's why I believe that medication is the most effective way to help people with ADHD. After all, the effect is instantanous and its the product of science and research. It's safe, so calling it a "dangerous mind altering drug" isn't logical, it's nonsense. Had it been dangerous, healthcare professional wouldn't even have thought of prescribing it in order to save their ass.
Grape Seed Oil
Posted by Al (Alvena, Sk.,canada) on 10/04/2012
I was doing research on grape seed oil/extract when I came across a reference to it helping people with ADD/ADHD and thinking that my cousins son (7 years old) had one of those because of his behavior I told my cousin about it. She tried him on it with good results in that he quit hitting and was able to concentrate on one thing for a much longer time. I later found out that he was autistic and that too much made him chatter excessively so she was careful to not give him too much - less than 1mg per pound of body weight.
Unfortunately we only know what it did for him short term as about five months after he started on it both him and his mother were killed in a car accident. Some people I know that tried the liquid form of grape seed extract had stomach problems from it so I recommend the caplet form which is just the solids of the grape seed and skins after pressing the oil out. I hope this info helps some of you out. Al
