Natural Remedies for ADHD and ADD

Daycare wanted to drug my son when he was 3. Want to know the ironic thing? Hillary Clinton referenced his daycare in her book, "It Takes a Village." I fought tooth and nail. I finally gave in and put him on ritalin, dexadrene (sp), concerta, strattera. These are all of the drugs I tried on him at different times. Needless to say my son almost died in the ER of an overdose. It's funny because it was supposed to be a "low dosage". You trust your doctor and do what they say because it is good for you right? WRONG! I didn't know any better.

I took my son's life and well being into my own hands. First I had to acknowledge the fact that I needed to have a spine and stop giving him empty threats. I let him get away with anything because I would get to the point where I was just so tired from working all day- I couldn't parent. I needed a break. I wouldn't follow through with things, etc. When I did he was just his bouncing self. I finally set rules, followed through, and there were consequences. Do not join CHADD. They are funded by drug companies. They will think you are a freak for not putting your kid on meds. I got absolutely no support there. I got pamphlets on why I should give my kid a pill. I do not believe they are there to support you. They are there to push drugs. Follow the money if you don't believe me.

First thing I did was watched Dr. Fred Baughman's video on ADHD. You can purchase that at www.adhdfraud.org - I bawled when I watched it. Completely amazing. It is worth every penny. You might be able to find it free online if you search well enough. You have to watch this video before you do anything else.

#2. I read every page and watched all of the YouTube videos of Steve Plog, founder of www.resultsproject.net - READ EVERY PAGE.

#3. I got my son a lab test from Steve Plog's site for delayed food allergies. Delayed food allergies are different from your classic food allergies. My son was allergic to everything I was feeding him. Wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, beef, all citrus, peanuts. We had to do research on a wheat free gluten free soy free dairy free diet. No, he was not a celiac but we had to say that so schools would adhere to his dietary needs, but we started packing lunches anyway. You have to change your lifestyle and we did. That is what prompted me to go vegan but that is another story. He still eats chicken and loves bacon. The best book I found for making him goodies like pizza, breads, and cakes was by Cindy Moseley "Great Foods Without Worry". It was my saving grace.

#4. I read everything on the drugging of children on www.spice-of-life.com - Click on "Articles" and read.

#5. I absolutely cut out pop, all juice "drinks", anything with Splenda, Sweet N Low, NutraSweet--ANYTHING WITH ASPARTAME. Wanna know why? Because it is cancer! A sweet slow death. Don't believe me? Go read www.dorway.com and see for yourself. I get all of the drink things from www.steviasmart.com - He absolutely LOVES the chocolate drink. And what do we do without dairy? We drink rice milk and almond milk. Stop cooking with vegetable, soy, corn, canola, and animal fat oils. Cook with extra virgin coconut oil instead. Read up online about the benefits of extra virgin coconut oil. My favorite is http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm

#6. Find a doctor who does not believe in drugging children (I know that seems hard but they are out there). Look for alternative doctors. Call around and ask around.

#7. You wean your kid off drugs. It is your responsibility. I am not a doctor, but I have lived almost 9 years of hell.

It is against the law for a teacher to reccommend that you drug your kid. If any teacher tells you to get meds. Ask her if she is a doctor. Tell her it is illegal to practice medicine without a license and that she could be fined and arrested for that.

I have slowly introduced certain foods back into my son's diet. The only things that makes him go through the roof are soy and beef.

I put my son on 2 - 250 mg pills of L- Tryptophan (NOW brand)and give him 2 time released melatonin (Source Naturals) pills every morning. He gets another dose at school before lunch. I pulled him out of regular schools and got him into a private school. He is a normal kid, just like everyone else. He also takes a daily vitamin at night. I have a flourishing 9 year old boy now in the 3rd grade. He also gets flax seed oil from www.omeganutrition.com -

Don't ever let anyone convince you to drug your child. You are the parent and you know what is best. Set rules and boundaries. Kids that are "over active" need structure, routine, rules, consistency, and boundaries. Even kids that aren't "over active" do. Let your kids be kids but be their parent.rnrnIf you have any questions feel free to post under me and I will check back to answer them.

P.S. My son in a public school was sent to the office every day. His scores were passing on his report cards. This year in a private school, and last year... he took his Iowa Test of Basic Skills tests. Everything except LISTENING SKILLS were at almost a 5th grade level. So, for anyone to tell me that I am crazy.... you can stick it where the sun don't shine for all I care. I have living proof that what I did with my own son works. Different strokes for different folks. I do not believe in ADHD. I believe in drug companies making a profit off kids being kids. Follow the money.

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

My mum and sister have ADHD, and so do a lot of my friends (I'm the only one who understands them and will be their friend). As far as I'm concerned, ADHD is simply a variation of normal. Nature makes a variety of people so that we can survive. When war, tsunami, earthquake or hurricane hits, who is out there first on the front line with fearless and boundless energy? Not me.... Them. We need them. Don't try and fix what ain't broke, just manage them, small doses helps!

I read recently that for kids with autism the parents first reach for magnesium and iodine to supplement the kids with.

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!

presently i am getting postiive results with

for ADHD:
Omega 3/6/9
Evening primrose oil
flax seed oil
sankpushpi( indian herbal mix for brain tonic )
Panchamrut( Indian Aruyvedic with Amla + bel patta etc)

For Aspergers:
Epsom salt cream massages
Lots of Vitamin C( I give Chyvan prash ) this also has amla

Flax seed oil is main thing + fish oil , I use natural Organic honey to make every thing sweet so she can drink same

God Bless you all , please consult your naturopath before doing any thing I my self first try treatment on my self

my daughter and I both are on Eggs and vegetable diet

However, some research in its infancy is starting to show that these stimulant drugs (and coffee falls into this category) can do more harm than good in the long run. Yes, the child may be sitting still right now, but with repeated stimulation of the nervous system comes issues. That means that the neurons are being overworked and overstressed constantly. In addition, your body has to process out much more stimulant than it is used to. Think about it--if you overstimulate your pituitary glad for too long, what happens? It breaks down. While much more research needs to be done on these effects, using caffeine and other stimulants to treat ADHD may not be the best idea.

Someone here wrote something about structure...and they are absolutely right about saying how children need it, regardless of their psychological state of being. Order within ones life often produces order within the mind. What you see your child doing is merely the tip of the ice berg. It is chaos...untamed wildness. If I had to compare my mind today to what it was then...

Today my mind is as a rabid animal. Then it was as a race car that kept going faster and faster. It is torture.

Unfortunately I'm rather absentminded so I've left my email on the off chance that someone has any questions about my life experience with ADHD. If you have the right questions I'm sure I can answer them. I'd like to help as many people as possible...it makes me feel useful, and by extension...normal.

Which brings me to my final point.

You are your childs best friend. Without you they will crumble. This is true with many children, but only with children who suffer from ADHD is it a certainty. No matter what you decide to do, you must be with them every step of the way. No amount of medication, drugs or otherwise, will be an adequate substitute for a parents love.

I speak from experience, because I have seen many others who were not so lucky as I am. You see...I thrive in isolation. But when I was a child and my mother had left my siblings and I for whatever her reasons were at the time...two years...the foundation on which our lives are built crumbles when the only person who loves and understands us abandons us. I can think of nothing so horrible as a child suffering from ADHD forced to confront it alone.

Of course I'm perhaps being a bit melodramatic, or over exaggerating things to make us seem as though we are as delicate as glass houses. But even if you won't believe how terrible it really is to suffer from this monstrous thing...understand that we are listening on some level. We do hear and understand what you say and how you say it. When you tell us you love us we hear that too...and it can make all the difference.

Right then...hopefully that helped someone.

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!

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

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.

He was too young to go on meds so we were assigned an in-home therepist by Family Services. She talked to us at length about diet and how it effects kids. One thing she mentioned was Red dye #40. It was in EVERYTHING. From Kool-aid to jello, and even in some chocolate products. She convinced us to get rid of the dye to see if it made a difference.

It did. We got rid of everything with dye and taught our boy that he couldn't have it. While we still have some issue now and then, the effect of removing the dye was noticable in about 3 days. The temper lessened and he was easier to talk to and even quit getting into as much trouble at school. He is now 8 and we have introduced Red dye #40 a few times to make sure that the results were from taking the dye away. Each time we have given it to him, even in a small dose, and then removed it, it has been several days of horrible tantrums and anger and crying. Once it is out of his system again, he is back to normal.

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.

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