| Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy | | | | be the last choice in anyone seeking out ways to deal |
| food -Hippocrates | | | | with this disorder. |
| Although a significant number of studies are have | | | | It is found that many ADD/ADHD cases can be |
| found that "natural" treatments, can substantially | | | | treated by managing the following issues: |
| improve the condition of ADD/ADHD patient, other | | | | - proper nutrition needs of the patients. |
| than prescribed medicine, no other form of treatment | | | | - any existing behavioral issues |
| is not recognized yet in the US. With this development, | | | | - toxins that are currently in the patients environment |
| some health professionals are turning to behavioral and | | | | Not many have found the need for medications, even |
| dietary interventions to cure this disorder. Currently, the | | | | if it is during emergencies. |
| U.S. Food and Drug Administration still only supports | | | | Many researchers suspect, and are now investigating, |
| drug therapy as the treatment for ADD/ADHD. | | | | the correlation between food allergies and behavioral |
| What can be said about prescription medication is that | | | | problems. These researchers have gone so far as to |
| it is still new to the practice of medicine but plant | | | | suggest that more than 60% of individuals suspected |
| extracts and other holistic remedies have existed | | | | of having ADD/ADHD might be "cured" by eliminating |
| before our time. Modern medicine possesses the | | | | such toxins as sugar, artificial colors and preservatives, |
| wondrous capability to alter natural substances to form | | | | soy, milk, chocolate, wheat, some citrus fruits, and eggs |
| a chemical derivative that has absolutely nothing to do | | | | from their diets. |
| with the original material in its final form. | | | | Here are the methods of elimination diet that can be |
| It is, however, very interesting that it was the advent of | | | | used to control ADD/ADHD. Elimination diet can be |
| chemically-based foods, sweeteners, additives, and, | | | | done using the following ways: |
| yes, medications that signaled the advent of the ADD | | | | 1. Take food that is suspected to be the culprit away |
| ADHD "epidemic". | | | | from diet. If it is diary product then you can take it off |
| Is there a connection? | | | | the diet and only introduce it back after symptoms |
| As the environment that people lived in changed, so did | | | | disappear. When doing so, make sure you do it one at |
| the ability of the body to function naturally. It stands to | | | | a time. By doing this, you can easily identify food that is |
| reason that any substance capable of producing | | | | responsible for the symptoms. |
| biochemical reactions within the body is capable of | | | | 2. You can start eliminating food such as diary, wheat |
| altering the body's functioning to elicit unnatural | | | | products, sugar, eggs, nuts, soy products, corn, and |
| symptoms, including those displayed by individuals | | | | citrus fruits and juices because they are usually the |
| diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. | | | | type that are responsible for these symptoms. |
| In essence, for the most part, the symptoms of ADD | | | | 3. Eliminate foods for a minimum of two weeks. Keep |
| ADHD are not caused by any natural malfunction of | | | | a careful diary of the individual's behavior, breathing, |
| the human body, but rather by the introduction of | | | | and general health during this period. |
| unnatural substances which, in turn, create a toxic | | | | 4. Foods should then be introduced one at a time and |
| environment in which the body can no longer function | | | | for the period of three days minimum. Introducing food |
| properly. In support of this argument, it is obvious that | | | | should be done at three days interval until a reaction |
| the incidence of ADD/ADHD and the use of chemical | | | | appears. |
| additives, preservatives, and substances have risen at | | | | 5.Do not neglect reading food labels because important |
| roughly the same rates. | | | | information such as finding out that the food have an |
| The rate of ADD/ADHD diagnoses has risen with the | | | | offending food as the ingredients can be missed thus |
| rise of chemical usage. | | | | creating reactions. |
| Individuals who are more sensitive to extraneous | | | | Another method that can be used to determine food |
| toxins are prone to reacting to allergens. Those who | | | | allergies, sensitivities, and toxicities is the food diary. For |
| are not sensitive would not develop any. You can | | | | a period of about a month, write down all foods, |
| safely say that some have it in their genes to have | | | | beverages, snacks, candies, etc. that are consumed. |
| severe reaction to toxins than other people. | | | | Everything that goes into the mouth must be recorded; |
| It stands to reason that, if the body reacts to a toxic | | | | even such innocuous substances as gum, medications |
| environment by displaying a host of symptoms such | | | | (even over the counter meds), and candies. Record |
| as fidgeting, distractibility, impulsivity, hyperactivity, | | | | behavior, breathing, and general health in the diary. |
| forgetfulness, and behavioral problems, removing the | | | | Remember to record sleep patterns, activity levels, |
| individual from the toxic environment can lessen, and | | | | and attitude. At the end of the month, patterns should |
| even eliminate, the problem. | | | | be detectable according to what was ingested, when. |
| The issue of ADD/ADHD treatment is that many | | | | Food diaries are often used in conjunction with an |
| people knows that the toxin effecting sufferer of ADD | | | | elimination diet. |
| ADHD must be removed from them and this goes for | | | | Elimination diets and food diaries are now being used |
| removing the individuals from the toxic environment too | | | | to uncover toxins that may be responsible for such |
| but the vast number of us are still unclear about how | | | | conditions as Autism, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, |
| to go about doing that. With the many non-medication | | | | general food allergies, Fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel |
| method available today, prescribed medication should | | | | disease, and even depression! |