Before Meds for ADHD & ADD: Begin with Healthy Fats, Herbs & Minerals

Before beginning a path of persistent use of medications for your young child in the treatment of ADD or ADHD check out my natural suggestions below to improve their diet and see what type of behavior you're really working with!

For those of you that already have your kids on medications for ADD or ADHD; if you are willing to try, I'm willing to help you on the path to getting them medication free.  Don't despair in your choices, the body is resilient and forgiving. You're doing the best with the information you had at the time! 

There are no magic bullets in health; It won't be the easy path, but it's worth every inconvenience, tantrum or trouble.  The health of the future depends on healthy children today.

• Eliminate processed foods (ie, boxed foods, packaged foods) ~I'm happy to help you with recipes kids will love!
• Eliminate artificial colors, flavors, monosodium glutamate (MSG), high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
• Eliminate or severely limit soda
• DO 2-3 tsp of high quality fish oil per day (Carlsen's Brand OR Nordic Naturals are two great ones)
• DO REAL butter, avocados, flax oil, hemp oil; any type of fat you can get in them, DAILY! -their little brains are screaming for healthy fats!
• Encourage fruits and veggies as much as possible to get a diverse mineral profile. 
• Magnesium powder or capsule is excellent for the hyperactive mind & body. (see me for dosages if you interested)
• Eliminate fluoride toothpastes, fluoride treatments from the Dentist and look into the cost of reverse osmosis water as this is the only way to ensure fluoride free water.  For information on why fluoride is NOT a good thing for hyperactivity check out this interview with a top toxicologist Dr. Phyllis Mullenix here. 
• There are a host of herbs that are naturally calming to children; to name a few: Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Catnip (opposite effect on humans) and there are many many more I could suggest. 

Are there other things you can do- of course!  Don't underestimate the importance of the old faithfuls: Exercise is really important, plenty of water, sunshine and fresh air.  Changing the diet can often bring radical changes in behavoir.  Start here first, because ALL of the elements listed above can impact your child, increasing hyperactivity, imbalanced behavior, and keeping them from a naturally healthy state of mind.  

Once you clean up the diet and add nutritious oils and minerals, you can see where your child is really at.  They may not need meds at all, they may need additional nutrients, emotional support or even different therapies to encourage balance.   

I urge you to watch this movie before putting your child on any medication to alter their mood, brain or nervous system.  We have entered into a new era of medicating our children and this Frontline episode really hit it home for me.  "Frontline: The Medicated Child".  It's available for streaming on Netflix instantly or available here at PBS.org

I'm happy to support or guide you to herbs, minerals or other means of bringing balance back to your little one. Feel free to reach out to me anytime:)