How to Treat ADD Naturally with Diet andSupplements

Are you, your child, or someone you love affected by ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)? You are not alone, ADD affects up to seven percent of the population. While ADD can be treated with medications such as Adderall, Concerta, or Focalin sometimes these popular treatments cause undesirable side effects. That is why many people choose to treat ADD naturally with diet changes and supplements. Some diet changes and supplements that users have claimed benefits from are not supported by research. Yet many people continue to use these alternate treatments because they see improvement in attention and concentration. How do you treat ADD naturally with diet and supplements?

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Will Power
• Vitamins
• Herbal supplements
• Stevia
• Organic food store
• An eye exam

1. 
   Use Stevia in place of sugar

   Try limiting or eliminating sugar from your diet. For some, attention and concentration are severely affected by sugar and food additives such as red dye. Purchase fresh foods, foods that are not processed, and foods that do not contain artificial coloring, especially red dye.

2. 
   Food allergies can cause wheezing

   Remove one type of food from your diet for one month, and then try another food for one month. Document the beginning and ending dates, food, reaction, or lack of reaction. Begin with some of the most common allergy foods such as dairy, soy, peanuts, shellfish, wheat, egg whites, and tree nuts.Food allergies can be responsible for fatigue, headaches, hyperactivity, crying, irritability, sleeplessness, anxiety, crankiness, and soreness. Allergic reaction can also cause sneezing, runny, or stuffy nose, wheezing, watery eyes, hives, and swelling of the face.

3. Check your child's vision? Sometimes vision problems can cause symptoms similar to ADD. This is because vision problems like Convergence Insufficiency Disorder cause eyestrain.

4. Try some of the natural herbal stimulants that improve memory and attention. Some of these are ginseng, ginkgo biloba extract, green Oats, Brahmi (Bacopa monniera, vinpocetine, and gotu kola, . Most of the medical treatments for ADD are stimulants. That is because stimulants improve concentration and attention span. This may explain why so many teenagers and adults need their morning soda pop, energy drink, coffee, tea, or nicotine. You can even purchase flavored bottled drinks that contain herbs.

5. Purchase a proven mixture of herbs formulated to treat ADD and ADHD that has suggested dosages. Try your local natural store for supplies or search the internet. Some popular internet choices are Vaxa's Attend, Neu-BeCalm'd, Focus ADHD formula, and Synaptol. Check with your pediatrician before adding herbal remedies.

Tips & Warnings

• Cannabis sativa is approved in California for the treatment of severe symptoms when recommended by a physician.
• Some teenagers in California that use Sativa for ADHD are provided with homeschool materials by the public school who also grades the work.
• If your child has symptoms of Asperger's try a wheat and gluten free diet.
• Always talk to your doctor about possible drug interactions when adding a new supplement.
• Major diet changes in children should be supervised by a physician.

Resources

• How to Get Your Child to Move Out After High School
• ADD Information
• Could you homeschool your child?
• ADHD treatments
• Foster care and adoption advice
• Alternative remedies

[kiratrever]

on 11/11/2008 Excellent info, don't forget to eliminate MSG, real bad stuff...especially for kids

[wytetyger059]

on 9/20/2008 Thanks for the information. Great article.

[jenkins]

on 7/8/2008 You can also help reduce ADD by eliminating unnecessary preservatives, like sodium benzoate, and food colorings, like RED 40, from your diet.

[Elizabethknows]

on 5/31/2008 A great article love it!