First of all, ADD is not a Ritalin deficiency. In my opinion, it is mainly a reaction to the environment.
There is too much stimulation in our modern world—from noise to electromagnetic fields to chemicals. At the same time we are becoming more passive. As we sit in front of video games or television or the computer screen, our eyes and our brains are working but our bodies are not. Bodies spend their time processing all the stimulants—over-using the immune, endocrine and nervous systems—which in turn leads to imbalance on the physical, emotional and mental levels.
Because children are smaller than adults, these chemicals and stimulants have a greater effect (this is why children take smaller doses of drugs and vitamins). Adults also suffer from the effects of the environment, but we have other names for it besides ADD.
The book Is This Your Child? by clinical ecologist Doris Rapp, explores the link between environmental factors and destructive and hyperactive behaviors. I saw a presentation in Ottawa ten years ago where Rapp showed films of children drawing peacefully until they were exposed to an allergen. Then they became aggressive and hyperactive and drew violent pictures. It was horrifying to watch the quick transformation, and yet so interesting to see the link between allergens and emotions. I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and my first response to a toxin tends to be an emotional one—I get cranky or bad-tempered. Now that I know what the problem is I can remove myself from the toxin before I get a worse reaction. Imagine what it is like for children who don’t have that knowledge or power.
A naturopath in the early 1930s predicted that if we continued to add chemicals and sugar to our food, in 100 years people would be killing each other in the street for no reason. Everyone thought he was crazy. Yet look what is happening in our sugar- and chemical-saturated society.
If you are concerned about hyperactivity (or any kind of ill health) in your child, why not try a clean diet—no food additives, no artificial sweeteners, no processed food. Sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and caffeine should also be avoided.
I have found a strong link between hyperactivity and red food dye—which is in many children’s medications as well as all kinds of food products. Some children also are sensitive to the salicylates in red berries.
It’s good to get your child tested by a clinical ecologist or applied kinesiologist to see what specific food sensitivities she/he might have. These will not show up in a typical prick test at the allergist’s. A way to test on your own is to check the pulse rate before eating a large amount of a potential allergen and then every five minutes afterwards for half an hour. A spike in pulse rate indicates a sensitivity.
Food is not the only link with ADD. Fluorescent lights can also be a problem because their constant flickering distracts the brain. Wearing a baseball cap (brim front) provides some protection.
Cleaning supplies can also be a culprit. Try hypoallergenic, environmentally-friendly cleaners from the health food store, especially for clothing and bedding. Find out what they use at your daughter’s school and lobby for a healthy alternative.
Remember, ADD is a form of hypersensitivity. Living simply is the best answer. Fewer chemicals. Less external stimulation. More activity. Drugs should be the last resort, not the first.
A Holistic Approach to ADD
First of all, ADD is not a Ritalin deficiency. In my opinion, it is mainly a reaction to the environment.
There is too much stimulation in our modern world—from noise to electromagnetic fields to chemicals. At the same time we are becoming more passive. As we sit in front of video games or television or the computer screen, our eyes and our brains are working but our bodies are not. Bodies spend their time processing all the stimulants—over-using the immune, endocrine and nervous systems—which in turn leads to imbalance on the physical, emotional and mental levels.
Because children are smaller than adults, these chemicals and stimulants have a greater effect (this is why children take smaller doses of drugs and vitamins). Adults also suffer from the effects of the environment, but we have other names for it besides ADD.
The book Is This Your Child? by clinical ecologist Doris Rapp, explores the link between environmental factors and destructive and hyperactive behaviors. I saw a presentation in Ottawa ten years ago where Rapp showed films of children drawing peacefully until they were exposed to an allergen. Then they became aggressive and hyperactive and drew violent pictures. It was horrifying to watch the quick transformation, and yet so interesting to see the link between allergens and emotions. I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and my first response to a toxin tends to be an emotional one—I get cranky or bad-tempered. Now that I know what the problem is I can remove myself from the toxin before I get a worse reaction. Imagine what it is like for children who don’t have that knowledge or power.
A naturopath in the early 1930s predicted that if we continued to add chemicals and sugar to our food, in 100 years people would be killing each other in the street for no reason. Everyone thought he was crazy. Yet look what is happening in our sugar- and chemical-saturated society.
If you are concerned about hyperactivity (or any kind of ill health) in your child, why not try a clean diet—no food additives, no artificial sweeteners, no processed food. Sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and caffeine should also be avoided.
I have found a strong link between hyperactivity and red food dye—which is in many children’s medications as well as all kinds of food products. Some children also are sensitive to the salicylates in red berries.
It’s good to get your child tested by a clinical ecologist or applied kinesiologist to see what specific food sensitivities she/he might have. These will not show up in a typical prick test at the allergist’s. A way to test on your own is to check the pulse rate before eating a large amount of a potential allergen and then every five minutes afterwards for half an hour. A spike in pulse rate indicates a sensitivity.
Food is not the only link with ADD. Fluorescent lights can also be a problem because their constant flickering distracts the brain. Wearing a baseball cap (brim front) provides some protection.
Cleaning supplies can also be a culprit. Try hypoallergenic, environmentally-friendly cleaners from the health food store, especially for clothing and bedding. Find out what they use at your daughter’s school and lobby for a healthy alternative.
Remember, ADD is a form of hypersensitivity. Living simply is the best answer. Fewer chemicals. Less external stimulation. More activity. Drugs should be the last resort, not the first.
HealAdmin
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