Some symptoms are short attention span, runs rather then walks, impulsive, acts before thinking, forgets easily, moody, irritated and indifferent when disciplined, temper tantrums, determined to get their way, these symptoms are not limited to children. Many adults have these symptoms.
Mental hyperactivity is common in our computer age. Our brains receive excess material because of the easy access, through computers, television and video.
Attention span is the most frequent reason given referral to the doctor.
If a child is distractible and jumps from one thing to another, he cannot
learn well. Incoming information is not attended to long enough to be memorized,
and it is not retained in his cortex long enough for optimal academic performance.
Attention span problems usually accompany hyperactivity as well.
It may be the result of poor prenatal nutrition, premature birth, oxygen
shortage at birth, difficult delivery, high bilirubin retention, brain
infection, highly refined carbohydrate diet, insufficient intake of B-complex
vitamins, anemia, food allergy, lead poisoning, environmental stress, too
many pupils in the classroom, tough teacher, low IQ, and so on.
If poor vision or hearing, anemia, and inappropriate placement in the
classroom can be ruled out, a trial of the prevention diet and exclusion
of additives and salicylates
(Dr. Ben Feingold has found that a number of children are hyper because
of an allergy to aspirin and salicylate containing foods.
A level I child can do school work despite a noisy classroom and looks
up only when the teacher calls his name. A level V child is distracted
and cannot attend to a book or TV show even when alone in his secure, cal
home. He appears inner driven; he doesn't need an outside stimulus to distract
him.
If the prevention Diet is not sufficient to control this symptom, the
B-complex vitamins should be increased to 100 to 200 mg of each. If the
attention span becomes shorter and the victim seems more restless and hyperactive,
it suggests that there has been a histamine release (Parsley is natural
antihistamine) and pantothenic acid, calcium, and magnesium are low and
must be increased.
Many school children are given chemical medications: Ritalin, Cylert,
or Dextoamphetamine or other stimulants to control the attention span.
If these substances are helpful one assumes that the victim does not have
enough norepinephrine in his limbic system. That very fact indicates that
the nutritional approach and extra vitamins also will help and may even
control the symptoms better and with fewer side effects than the drug.
The B-complex vitamins are essential to enable all the enzyme systems of
the body to manufacture their chemicals in sufficient amounts. If not enough
norepinephrine is produced, the child or adult will have a short attention
span and usually will be ticklish and hyperactive.
Nutritious food and B vitamins and sometimes zinc help that enzymes
in its work.
If the attention span varies from day to day or hour to hour, it suggests
the blood sugar is fluctuating because of sugar ingestion or consumption
of food to which the victim is allergic. Physicians often forget to ask
about diet, assuming it is not important here since lots of children eat
junk and seem to do well in school. To investigate this, the mother and
the teacher may have to work together, the teacher calling the mother with
a negative report and the mother correlating this behavior with what the
child ate for breakfast. It doesn't have to be sugar or white flour. Potatoes,
corn, milk, MSG, or coloring in food or vitamins might be the stress that
is reducing the blood sugar. Of course, this very stress uses up B vitamins
at a faster rate and further decreases the enzyme that makes the norepinephrine
in which this particular person is already deficient. A vicious cycle.
Stress cause s further stress.
Many teachers report that the class is attentive and calm until 11:30
am, or is doing well until after lunch. The child's brain has two to three
times the energy needs of the adult brain, so even with a nutritious breakfast
a child may need to eat a snack of nuts or cheese at about 10:30 am. The
afternoon problem is usually attributed to the high amount of refined carbohydrates
in the lunch.
Hyperactivity is diet related especially with the wide use of sugar.
sugar is abundant in our food and is addictive and has a profound effect
on the mind, body and emotions. Children can react very quickly to sugar
and food additives. allergies to milk, wheat, chocolate, oranges, yeast,
food additives and antibiotics are common.
Wheat causes reactions because it becomes rancid very fast. Oranges,
are not picked ripe, and this can cause allergies Lead poisoning has been
linked with hyperactivity. Lead is inhaled in the lungs, and is assimilated
into the blood faster than when we ingest it in food.
Find the cause, whether it is allergies, sugar, or toxic metals, Diet
change can only improve the brain and nervous system. Hyperactive children
may have an overabundance of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which causes
high states of arousal, alertness, and aggression. It also creates restlessness
and greater need for activity. Dopamine is boosted in the brain by eating
protein foods, especially those composed of animal tissues. Serotonin balances
is increased in the brain by eating carbohydrates, especially whole grains,
vegetables, and fruits.
In general, traditional medicine recommends that hyperactive children
eat organically grown foods that contain no artificial additives, coloring,
preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, or any other chemical additive.
Adherence to such a diet is important. Also important is physical exercise,
which promotes the elimination of toxins through the skin and exhalation;
regular hours, adequate sleep, avoidance of hunger by eating many little
meals, including vegetable and fruit snacks such as raw carrots or celery
and daily intake of whole grains, such as brown rice. Whole grains boost
the production of serotonin chemical neurotransmitter in the brain that
promotes a sense of well being, clarity of thought, the ability to concentrate,
and enhances sleep.
A lazy colon can also be a problem. The brain is sensitive to toxins and if the colon is sluggish, it can affect the brain and nerves. Sugar depletes nutrients from the body especially B- vitamins and calcium which are critical to mental and emotional health.
FOODS TO EAT
Whole grains, especially brown rice, millet, wheat, barley, oats, and corn, beans, Green and root vegetables, Raw vegetables, seaweed, Spirulina, salads, fruits, nuts, seeds.
FOODS TO AVOID
Dairy products, wheat (refined wheat), sugar, chocolate, coca cola, salt, nonorganic soy sauce, yeast, commercial baked goods, restaurant foods, canned food, frozen food, processed food.
HERBS
to treat hyperactivity are: Chamomile tea, drink regularly to calm,
relax and promote better sleep. The combination of Gotu kola, bee pollen,
and an herbal formula containing, Siberian ginseng, Gotu kola, bee pollen
and capsicum is beneficial,
another formula containing valerian root, scullcap, hops, thiamine,
riboflavin calcium, pyridoxine HCL, ascorbic acid, Choline, Inositol, schizandra,
folic acid, is also good,
single herbs to help are black walnut, which kills parasites, burdock,
to clean the blood, Gotu kola for brain food, Hops to relax, and scullcap
to build nerves.
VITAMINS AND MINERALS AND SUPPLEMENTS
Vitamins A, D, C, will help prevent lead absorption and build the immune
system
Vitamin E, flaxseed oil, and salmon oil are beneficial in hyperactivity
in adults, and children. They produce prostaglandins for positive immune
response.
Calcium and magnesium eliminate lead and are essential for nerves and
brain, and protect against anxiety. Multi-mineral contain selenium and
zinc and help strengthen the body and eliminate toxins.
Chlorophyll and blue-green algae are nourishing and build the blood.
They clean toxins from the blood. Lecithin protects the nerve sheath and
neutralizes toxins.
Vitamin B-complex, B3, B6 are essential. Pantothenic acid, essential
fatty acids, and zinc, and Beta carotene.
Physiotherapy can be of a benefit also, saunas, one to two times per week, and massage, once or twice per week along the spine with cocoa butter.
Exercise is important, any aerobic exercise is beneficial, especially those sports that require individualized effort and skill development, such as tennis, swimming, bicycling, and the martial arts.
ALL INFORMATION FOUND HEREIN CAN BE FOUND IN THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF NATURAL
REMEDIES BY LOUISE TENNY M.H.
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO NATURAL HEALING BY TOM MONTE
FEED YOUR KIDS RIGHT BY LENDON SMITH M.D.