What vitamins help cure ADD/ ADHD?!

What vitamins help cure ADD/ ADHD?

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
Overview
ADHD, also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD), depending on the level of hyperactivity exhibited, is one of the most controversial medical diagnoses, and holistic health officials estimate that as many as 85 percent of all children, teenagers and adults who are diagnosed with either ADHD or ADD, do not in fact suffer from it. Some health experts go so far as to claim that neither ADHD or ADD are in fact real health conditions, but simply conditions created by the pharmaceutical industry, in collusion with the conventional psychiatry profession and the U.S. Department of Education, in order to sell more drugs. Among those who discount ADHD and ADD as actual diseases is Fred Baughman, M.D., a child neurologist and noted critic of the diagnosis. Dr. Baughman backs up his assertion by pointing out that neither ADHD nor ADD has been shown to be an illness with any proven organic, neurobiological abnormalities as a cause, which is the case with actual forms of mental health and neurological disorders. "Representing such things as ADHD and learning disabilities as diseases, absent any scientific proof, is to deceive the public," Dr. Baughman says.

While not all holistic health practitioners agree with Dr. Baughman, they are in agreement that conventional medicine's treatment approach for ADHD and ADD, which consists of powerful drugs such as Ritalin and Adderal, is highly dangerous and unnecessary. Such drugs act in the brain the same way that dangerous illegal stimulants like crack and cocaine do, and have the potential to cause serious side-effects such as a heightened predisposition to violence and self-destructive behavior, including suicide. In fact, health experts at the International Narcotics Control Board, based in Vienna, Austria, issued a report on Ritalin which indicated that its use posed long-term risks for teenage addiction and impaired overall health. Because of the similarities between Ritalin, Adderal, and other ADHD medication and illegal stimulant drugs, in recent years many children, teenagers and adults in the United States have begun willingly seeking out a diagnosis of ADHD, simply in order to gain access to such conventional drugs so that they could legally "get high." As a result, a new, legal drug epidemic has become part of our nation's overall drug problem.

Currently, more than five percent of all U.S. school children are now taking Ritalin due to the recommendation of conventional physicians and/or school counselors (very few of whom are trained or licensed to prescribe drug medications). Moreover, over 90 percent of all prescriptions for Ritalin and similar ADHD drugs sold worldwide are written by U.S. physicians, with most of the remaining prescriptions being written in England. In the majority of other nations, diagnoses of ADHD and ADD are virtually nonexistent.

Compounding the problem of ADHD treatment and diagnosis in the U.S., is the fact that as many as 70 percent of all conventional physicians use Ritalin to determine if children and teenagers have ADHD. If they show a clinical response to the drug, the doctors automatically rule that ADHD is indeed the problem. This "cart before the horse" approach was verified by a study of 1,000 U.S. pediatricians that found that a majority of them use Ritalin as a diagnostic litmus test for ADHD. Such an approach is appallingly unscientific and akin to saying that a child suffers from ADHD if he or she responds to cocaine.

Further exacerbating this problem is the fact that many parents and school teachers find the label of ADHD/ADD a convenient way of dealing with children and teenagers who tend to resist conformity and long periods of inactivity, such as what occurs during school hours. Ironically, all too often such children and teenagers are actually highly intelligent and creative, and ill-disposed to sit attentively when engaged in activities that bore them.

Fortunately, there is much that natural medicine offers to children and teenagers diagnosed with ADHD and ADD, starting with the recognition that, in the vast majority of cases, they do not have a disease, but are simply affected by physical and/or emotional imbalances; and/or, may in fact be highly creative and intelligent and therefore more prone to exhibit behavior associated with boredom in school, including hyperactivity. Overall, holistic health practitioners object to labeling children and teenagers as sufferers of ADHD and ADD, both because of the stigmas attached to such diagnoses, and because such labeling, while medically convenient, very often overlooks the real causes of the behavioral problems that are increasingly common among today's children, teenagers and adults.

Symptoms of ADHD/ADD-like Behavior
The primary symptoms that can lead to children and teenagers being diagnosed with ADHD/ADD are hyperactivity, poor attention span, impulsive behavior, inattentiveness, excessive talking, irritability, and, in some cases, bedwetting.

Causes of ADHD/ADD-like Behavior
A variety of factors can cause the hyperactivity symptoms that can lead to a diagnosis of ADHD or ADD. They include undetected learning disabilities, food and environmental allergies, gastrointestinal disorders such as leaky gut syndrome, systemic yeast overgrowth, known as Candidiasis, heavy metal toxicity, poor diet, nutritional imbalances, and emotional upsets such as those caused by family problems. In some cases, the problem can also be due to undetected vision problems, such as the need for eyeglasses for reading. The overuse of antibiotics, as well as vaccines and immunization, can also cause symptoms of hyperactivity and/or ASDHD/ADD. Antibiotics can trigger allergic reactions and cause the gastrointestinal tract to become depleted of healthy bacteria, leading to candidiasis, while vaccines can severely compromise a child's still- developing immune system, and cause other serious health problems, including neurological damage. (For more information about the health risks posed by vaccination, see The Dangers of Vaccination.)

Diet: The most common dietary triggers of ADHD/ADD and hyperactivity are commercially processed foods that are high in sugars and artificial sweeteners, food additives and chemical preservatives. Another important factor is caffeine, which is found not only in colas, but also in many other types of sodas and bottled drinks, as well as chocolate products. Ironically, many school lunch programs across the country regularly provide school children with foods laced with caffeine, and with sugar. Moreover, many schools also earn revenues through affiliations with soda and candy manufacturers, by allowing the sale of soda and candies on site via vending machines.

Foods high in salicylates, which are natural chemical substances found in foods such as apples, berries, almonds, oranges, and tomatoes, can also cause hyperactivity. Consider a rotation or elimination diet, removing these foods from the diet for 1-4 weeks while paying attention to behavioral changes or improvements in behavior.

Nutrition: One of the most common deficiencies in children and teenagers who are hyperactive and/or diagnosed with ADHD/ADD, is a lack of essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are healthy unsaturated fats that are necessary for proper brain function.

Natural Cures
Rather than relying on dangerous medications like Ritalin and Adderal to treat ADHD/ADD and hyperactivity, holistic health practitioners are able to achieve long- lasting results using a variety of natural cures. Among them are the following:
Ayurveda: In addition to eating a healthy diet free of all sugars, Ayurvedic physicians encourage parents to provide a more nurturing, supportive home environment for their children, along with the use of Ayurvedic herbs, such as ashwagandha and Macuna prurens.

Chelation Therapy/Heavy Metal Toxicity: Since heavy metal toxicity is very common among children, teens and adults considered to be hyperactive or diagnosed with ADHD/ADD, reducing the toxic load on the body is often an essential step in reversing such conditions. There are several ways to achieve lowering heavy metal loads; the most effective means of accomplishing this is chelation therapy, a procedure that chelates (pulls) heavy metals and binds them so that the body can more readily eliminate them. Chelation therapy can be performed intravenously, as well as orally. Typically, 20 to 30 IV chelations are performed over a period of three to six months, after which supplementing with oral chelation nutrients is advised. For best results, attention is also given to any other underlying causative factors, such as poor diet and nutritional imbalances. For more information about chelation therapy, see the Glossary.

Another important step in managing the daily onslaught of heavy metal toxicity is daily supplementation. Recommended daily supplements include natural cellular defense made from a tinctured form of zeolite clay, and Chlorella; both are effective oral chelators. More information on zeolite can be found at www.lifedrops.info.

Diet: Avoid all sugars, wheat products and refined carbohydrates, sodas, processed foods, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, though all man-made, chemically derived products are potentially aggravating in the case of ADHD. Also, do not consume corn syrup, alcohol, white bread and white flour products such as pastries, and other commercially-baked goods, or toxic oils such as hydrogenated and trans-fatty oils. Avoid inorganic milk and other dairy products, especially if hydrogenated. Minimize or eliminate beans, corn, cabbage, eggs, garlic, onions, soy and soy products, as well as foods that you react to or are allergic to. Foods high in salicylates such as apples, almonds, oranges, peppers, and tomatoes, should also be avoided or eaten on rare occasions, especially while figuring out the maze of what to eat and not eat while working with resolving symptoms of ADHD. For a more detailed overview of a healthy diet, read the Natural Cures Healing Food Plan, and for specific questions, write to healingfoods@agmail.com.

Drink plenty of pure, filtered water throughout the day, and emphasize organic fresh fruits and vegetables, organic grains such as amaranth and quinoa, and organic free-range meats, poultry, and wild-caught fish.

Herbs: Chamomile, linden flower, milk thistle, and red clover can all help relieve symptoms of hyperactivity associated with ADHD/ADD. Chamomile and linden flower help to promote calm and soothe the nervous system, while milk thistle and red clover help to detoxify the body due to how they support liver function.

Hydrotherapy: The use of contrast hot and cold baths can help to relieve physiological stress and promote calm.

Nutritional Supplements: Useful nutrients for symptoms of ADHD/ADD include vitamin B-complex, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, folic acid, essential fatty acids (EFAs), omega-3 oils, digestive enzymes, and probiotic supplements such as acidophilus and bifidus bacterium, as well as the chelating supplements, natural cellular defense and chlorella.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Practitioners of TCM recommend that hyperactive children and teenagers, as well as anyone diagnosed with ADHD/ADD, follow a diet that is rich in complex carbohydrates, and free of all sugars and simple carbohydrates. The Chinese herbs biota seed, schisandra berries, and zizyphus seed are also helpful to promote calm and relaxation.

Alternative Professional Cures
The following professional care therapies can also be helpful for ADHD/ADD: Applied Kinesiology, Behavioral Optometry, Chiropractic, Detoxification Therapy, Environmental Medicine, Homeopathy, Mind/Body Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine, Orthomolecular Medicine, and Osteopathic Medicine.