Alternatives To Medication For The Treatment Of Add/adhd

Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food Hippocrates

There are currently no federally-approved treatments for ADD/ADHD other than prescription medications. Although, a significant majority of studies are discovering validity in numerous natural treatments, and a number of credible health professionals are recommending behavioral and dietary interventions to supplement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration still supports drug therapy as the treatment of choice.

The use of prescription medications to treat any type of disorder has been a relatively new development in terms of the practice of medicine. Although plant extracts and other holistic remedies have existed since the dawn of time, the ability of modern medicine to alter natural substances to form a chemical derivative that, in its final form, has absolutely nothing to do with the original material.

Chemically-based foods, sweeteners, additives, and medications have contributed to rising cases of ADD/ADHD.

Are there any possible connections?

As the environment that people lived in changed, so did the ability of the body to function naturally. It stands to reason that any substance capable of producing biochemical reactions within the body is capable of altering the body's functioning to elicit unnatural symptoms, including those displayed by individuals diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.

In essence, for the most part, the symptoms of ADD/ADHD are not caused by any natural malfunction of the human body, but rather by the introduction of unnatural substances which, in turn, create a toxic environment in which the body can no longer function properly. In support of this argument, it is obvious that the incidence of ADD/ADHD and the use of chemical additives, preservatives, and substances have risen at roughly the same rates.

As the use of chemicals has increased, so have the rates of ADD/ADHD diagnoses.

The toxins introduced into the body of individuals which are more sensitive to extraneous toxins will generate very severe reactions. These toxins will not have very severe effects on individuals who are not sensitive to the allergens. This proves that not all of us have it in our body to have reactions on toxins.

If the individual is having reactions to toxin environment such as fidgeting, distractibility, impulsivity, hyperactivity, forgetfulness, and behavioral problems; they should be removed from the environment in order to reduce or remove the problem.

There are many methods available today that offers treatment of ADD/ADHD cases without the use of medication thus medication should be the last choice in managing this disorder. However, the fact that most are unsure how to go about removing toxins from individuals suffering this disorder as well as removing the individuals away from the toxic environment.

These are the issues that needs to be addressed and have proven to help control a great number of ADD/ADHD cases:
- proper nutrition needs of the patients.
- identifying behavioral issues
- toxins present within the individual's environment

Most found that medications may not be needed after all even during emergencies.

Many researchers suspect, and are now investigating, the correlation between food allergies and behavioral problems. These researchers have gone so far as to suggest that more than 60% of individuals suspected of having ADD/ADHD might be cured by eliminating such toxins as sugar, artificial colors and preservatives, soy, milk, chocolate, wheat, some citrus fruits, and eggs from their diets.

Elimination diet is one of the most recommended method of stabilizing ADD/ADHD like behavior. Here is a short guide for implementing elimination diet.
1. One should eliminate straight away foods that are suspected to be accountable for the symptoms. For instance, if dairy products are the suspected culprit then take it of the diet and then, after symptoms have improved, one can introduce it back to the diet but just one at a time. If the symptom returns that you can identify which food caused it.
2. You can start eliminating food such as diary, wheat products, sugar, eggs, nuts, soy products, corn, and citrus fruits and juices because they are usually the type that are responsible for these symptoms.
3. Try to carry out food elimination for two weeks and during that time, breathing, and general health should be closely monitored.
4. Three days interval should be the minimum time to reintroduce food into diet. This can help identify which food is responsible for the reaction.
5.Make sure to read food labels! Some products contain the offending foods as an ingredient and will produce a reaction.

Food diary is also a good tool to detect foods that are the culprits responsible for food allergies, sensitivities, and toxicities. All foods, beverages, snacks, candies etc. should be recorded in the food diary even harmless substance such as gum, medications (even over the counter meds), and candies. One should also record sleep patterns, activity levels, and attitude. All these should be done for a period of one month and by the end of it, patterns should have been detected.