| If you or your child have been diagnosed with | | | | do not feel comfortable crossing the midline of their |
| Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit | | | | bodies. This problem with crossing the body's midline of |
| Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), there are many | | | | the body is because the left and right sides of the |
| alternatives to Ritalin or other mind-altering drugs for | | | | brain do not fire in synchronicity and they do not |
| you and your family to choose. Mind-altering drugs | | | | communicate well with each other. |
| should always be the last resort, as our children's | | | | Brain Gym is a simple, yet effective way to help a |
| brains and nervous systems are growing and the | | | | child's brain function as it should, coordinating the left |
| negative influence of these drugs on brain and nervous | | | | and right sides of the brain. Brain Gym uses physical |
| system development are significant. | | | | movements to help with right brain/left brain patterning. |
| Symptoms of ADD and ADHD are: short attention | | | | It helps the parts of the brain that aren't firing properly |
| spans, poor inhibitory control, restlessness, learning | | | | to function as a whole, rather than as disorganized |
| disabilities, disruptive behaviour, hyperactivity, excessive | | | | parts. Brain Gym makes a huge difference to children |
| and often inappropriate motor activity, high levels of | | | | experiencing ADD or ADHD-like symptoms. |
| distractibility and impulsive behaviour, to name a few. | | | | Improving Digestive System Function |
| The problem with ADD and ADHD are that the | | | | Nutrition Plays A Big Role |
| symptoms of these conditions can be caused by | | | | When anyone eats, food is processed by the |
| many different environmental allergies, essential fatty | | | | stomach, the pancreas and the liver to break down |
| acid deficiencies or imbalances, vitamin or mineral | | | | into food particles. These small particles of food cross |
| deficiencies, low blood sugar or excess sugar | | | | the lining of the small intestine and enter the blood |
| consumption can cause the behaviours that indicate | | | | stream. It is thought that children with ADD and |
| ADD or ADHD. | | | | ADHD-like symptoms have a leaky gut, which means |
| The simplest way to cure ADD and ADHD naturally is | | | | that the cells that line the intestines have spaces |
| to look at improving the function of the nervous | | | | between them instead of being packed together tightly |
| system and the digestive system. | | | | like healthy cells should. People with a leaky gut are |
| Improving Nervous System Function | | | | letting bigger particles of food than are normally |
| Chiropractic Care Makes A Big Difference | | | | absorbed to pass through the spaces between the |
| Chiropractors find that when children with ADD or | | | | cells in the small intestines and into the blood stream. |
| ADHD are adjusted regularly, many of their symptoms | | | | The result is that larger food particles are getting |
| will reduce in frequency and severity. Chiropractic | | | | through into the blood stream and the body treats |
| adjustments help to optimize the function of the | | | | these food particles as foreign substances, which |
| nervous system and allow the brain and body to be | | | | results in allergic reactions to the foods that the child is |
| better able to communicate with each other. Children | | | | eating. The most common allergies for children with |
| literally calm down and are able to sit and focus at the | | | | ADD and ADHD are dairy products, wheat, corn, |
| task on hand. | | | | yeast, soy, citrus, egg, chocolate and peanuts. Many |
| The reason why chiropractic care makes such a | | | | children have difficulties with food colorings and |
| difference is that the brain is the master control of our | | | | additives to processes and packaged foods. |
| bodies. Everything that we do is initiated by the brain, | | | | We find people experiencing ADD/ADHD are able to |
| which sends nerve impulses to the body through our | | | | help heal the leaky gut by taking nutritional supplements |
| nerves. The vertebrae protect the spinal cord and | | | | designed especially for that purpose. If they also take |
| allow movement, but they can become fixed (the | | | | digestive enzymes to help break down food particles |
| chiropractic term is subluxated). These subluxated | | | | into smaller bits, they heal more quickly. |
| vertebrae can put pressure on the nerves as they exit | | | | It would also be important to look at the foods that the |
| the spine. This added pressure on the nerves can | | | | person is eating. Excessive sugar consumption, |
| reduce the body's ability to function. Chiropractic | | | | allergies or food intolerances to foods such as dairy or |
| adjustments improve the movement of the vertebrae | | | | corn can cause ADD or ADHD symptoms. It is |
| and help to take the pressure off the nerves as they | | | | prudent to eliminate these foods from the diet slowly |
| exit from the spine. The brain is then able to | | | | to see if they make a difference. |
| communicate with the body more efficiently and the | | | | Putting It All Together |
| body functions with more precision. | | | | Healing a condition like ADD or ADHD takes time. The |
| Chiropractic adjustments are safe and effective | | | | nervous system needs time to learn to communicate |
| treatment to help the joints of the spine move in a | | | | in an improved way. It takes time to be able to |
| normal pattern of motion and improve nervous system | | | | eliminate foods that trigger allergic reactions and to |
| function. Adjustments help children to grow with | | | | grow healthy cells to line the digestive system. You |
| healthy, straight spines. | | | | can find a chiropractor who is comfortable treating |
| Brain Gym Helps Tremendously | | | | children. You can find a brain gym instructor close to |
| If you were to ask a child with ADD or ADHD to place | | | | you by visiting braingym.org. You can find supplements |
| his (or her) right hand on his (or her) left knee, and then | | | | to heal a leaky gut and slowly eliminate trigger foods |
| change hands and knees in an alternating pattern, | | | | from the diet. |
| chances are that he or she wouldn't be able to do it | | | | For more information on healing ADD/ADHD, you are |
| easily. Children with ADD or ADHD typically have | | | | welcome to visit my website. |
| problems with cross patterning movements, as they | | | | |