ADHD Treatment Starts at Home

As a parent you have a huge influence over your child’s overall health. Evidence shows that eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of exercise, and making other smart daily choices can help your child manage the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. That means your child should begin treatment through wellness lifestyle choices today...at home.

The benefits of “nature and exercise”

Studies show that spending time in nature can reduce the symptoms of ADD/ADHD in children. Encourage your child to play outside for at least 30 minutes each day, if possible. Exercising is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. Physical activity immediately boosts the brain’s dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin levels—all of which affect focus and attention. In this way, exercise and medications for ADD/ADHD such as Ritalin and Adderall work similarly. But unlike medication, exercise doesn’t require a prescription and it’s side effect free.

Activities that require close attention to body movements, such as dance, gymnastics, martial arts, and skateboarding, are particularly good for kids with ADD/ADHD. Team sports are also a good choice. The social element keeps them interesting.

The importance of sleep in ADD / ADHD treatment

Regular quality sleep rhythms can lead to vast improvement in the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. However, many kids have problems getting to sleep at night. Sometimes, these sleep difficulties are due to stimulant medications, and decreasing the dose or stopping the medication under a doctors supervision may solve the problem.Using calming oils such as lavender or sandalwood on a child's pillow has calming effects for sleep.

A large percentage of children with ADD/ADHD that have sleep difficulties have shown to benefit greatly by following these lifestyle tips.

1.     Set a regular bedtime (and enforce it).

2.     If background noise keeps your child up, try a sound machine or soothing music.

3.     Turn off all electronics (TV, computer, video games, cell phone) at least an hour before bed.

4.     Limit physical activity in the evening at least 2 hours before bedtime.

5.     Reducing sugar intake can help reduce ADD / ADHD symptoms

Studies show that what, and when, you eat makes a difference when it comes to managing ADD/ADHD.

1.     Schedule regular meals or snacks no more than three hours apart. This will help keep your child’s blood sugar level, minimizing irritability and supporting concentration and focus. Try to include a little protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal or snack. These foods will help your child feel more alert while decreasing hyperactivity.

2.     Check your child’s zinc, iron, and magnesium levels. Many children with ADD/ADHD are low in these important minerals. Boosting their levels may help control ADD/ADHD symptoms. Increasing iron in the form of vegetable may be particularly helpful. One study found that an iron supplement improved symptoms almost as much as taking stimulant medication.

3.      Add more omega-3 fatty acids to your child’s diet. Studies show that omega-3s improve hyperactivity, impulsivity, and concentration in kids (and adults) with ADD/ADHD. Omega-3s are found in non farmed salmon, tuna, sardines, and some fortified eggs and milk products. However, the easiest way to boost your child’s intake is through fish oil supplements. Make sure your getting a pharmaceutical strength trusted Omega. Not sure if you're using the right type? Ask your chiropractor or wellness doctor they can offer a trusted omega source for all your family's needs.

Ways to Reduce Anxiety Caused by Stress

There is a primitive tiny sliver of the brain deep inside between the ears called the Amygdala that is the gatekeeper for stress responses. Humans appear to be hard-wired for modest levels of anxiety as a fear-arousal warning mechanism. Anxiety may be characterized as uneasiness, fear, worry, and apprehension. Anxiety is a common psychological state in which the basic message is "get away from this situation." The state is usually accompanied by numerous physiologic components including surges of the hormone adrenaline, increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure, and increased blood flow to the major muscle groups as the body prepares for "fight or flight".

These are all normal responses to environmental threats. The overall process is orchestrated by the amygdala and hippocampus, two regions of the brain's limbic system which process memory, emotional response, and spatial navigation. But for many people, if anxiety states become frequent and prolonged by various developmental circumstances in childhood and their teenage years, they may begin to respond to perceived rather than real threats. The anxiety state may persist and even become the default condition for the individual.

Those with chronic anxiety may experience chronic back pain, chronic muscular tension, fibromyalgia, headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations. Chronic anxiety may cause a person to anticipate the worst, to have ongoing feelings of dread, to be constantly irritable and tense, and to experience panic attacks. Eventually the person may become worn out from the constant drain on their inner resources and a likely outcome is depression. The person simply cannot take any more stress.

Chronic anxiety has a specific impact on the musculoskeletal system. Persistently elevated levels of adrenaline create ongoing tension in the postural muscles of the lower back and the weight-bearing, antigravity gluteal muscles, pelvic musculature, and hamstrings. The long-term results may include chronic lower back pain, inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and lumbar disc disease. Of course, any of these health problems create more anxiety for the person, establishing a vicious circle of anxiety, pain, more anxiety, and more pain.

Solutions for chronic anxiety usually require multidisciplinary holistic approaches. Nutrition, for example, is a key factor in restoring a person's homeostatic mechanisms. Significantly reducing one's intake of simple carbohydrates - soda, muffins, cookies, cake, fast food, and even juice - will often have a substantial impact. Making sure to have five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day will also provide great benefit.

Reducing stress on the nervous system with regular chiropractic care is often miraculous to those with chronic anxiety. By normalizing activity within the musculoskeletal system and reducing muscular stress and tension, chiropractic care helps eliminate an unnecessary source of biochemical and physiologic stress reducing the Fight or Flight response.

Sources:

Newcomer KL, et al: Anxiety levels, fear-avoidance beliefs, and disability levels at baseline and at 1 year among subjects with acute and chronic low back pain. Phys Med Rehabil 2(6):514-520, 2010

Hurley DA, et al: Physiotherapy for sleep disturbance in chronic low back pain: a feasibility randomised controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disord 11:70, 2010 

Rebound Exercise for Better Brain Health

In the last three decades we have entered an accelerated age of technology and the knowledge we are obtaining is guiding researchers to discover deeper levels on how the brain works .The consensus is to create a better brain must use what nature has given us in a new way. The three pound universe that sits above our shoulders has the amazing ability to give back what we put into it. The more we ask of our brain, the more it’s capable of improving and evolving throughout our entire life.

There’s no owner’s manual for the brain, but we know it needs stimulation, nourishment, time for repair, and proper management. Movement of our body is critical for bringing oxygen to this complex organ. When we have a plan to eat better, move better and think better our brain responds favorably. More and more research is showing that three dimensional movement of the body helps stimulate better brain activity.

One of the most beneficial ways to move the body for better brain health is rebounding. Bouncing on a mini-trampoline may not be your idea of a very strenuous aerobic exercise. It may not even strike you as having any significant health benefits, but both of these thoughts would be incorrect. The "against gravity” up and down motion circulates oxygen to all the tissues and creates stronger nerve pathways between the left and right brain. Rebounding is the term given a low-impact exercise that burns more calories than jogging. Trampoline bouncing can also reduce stress levels while strengthening your heart and improving circulation to vital organs. These physiological effects are one of the best ways to maintain optimal mental function. Plus, during rebounding, the lymphatic ducts expand and lymph flow has the ability to increase as much as fourteen times normal. This process helps create a stronger immune system and detoxifies your body.

I highly recommend rebounding exercise as a routine it has adaptability and the potential to modify based on your personal fitness level. This form of exercise is easy on your joints, muscles, back and can be done in the convenience of your home. Rebounding exercise completed for twenty minutes or more, at a moderate intensity, increases the body’s endurance at a deep cellular level. The process of your muscles contracting, and working against gravity during rebounding exercise act like a pump to circulate the blood back to the heart for fresh levels of oxygen. Regular exercise has been proven to prevent clogging of the arteries, and a diminished blood supply to the brain. Exercises like rebounding work the entire body simultaneously to stimulate brain activity and increase circulation.

Rebounding exercise also stimulates the brains visual centers during and after exercise to maintain better balance and coordination. Jumping on the rebounder with your eyes focused on a fixed point helps improve visual coordination; while hopping on one foot and then the other helps maintain one's sense of balance. This results in better brain coordination for athletic and daily activities. Moving the body up and down with the ability to move in all directions helps stimulate better brain activity. "When you are rebounding, you are moving and exercising every brain cell just as you are exercising each of the other body cells," according to Alfhild Akselsen, Ph.D., of Austin, Texas.  Dr. Akselsen uses rebounding to treat individuals with neurological disorders.

Rebounding provides an increased G-force (gravitational load), which strengthens the musculoskeletal systems. Mini trampoline jumping also protects the joints from the chronic fatigue and impact delivered by exercising on hard surfaces. The best rebounding device is a mini-trampoline with a flexible jumping surface measuring 28-36 inches in diameter and set 6-9 inches off the ground. The best jumping mat is attached to the frame with double coil springs, providing a good rebound while remaining firm on the downward bounce. Unlike a regular trampoline, the rebounding device isn't meant for bouncing high or performing gymnastic tricks.

We all know that “exercise does the body good”, but few may realize the health benefits associated with exercising our brains. Although there is no firm scientific proof yet, many scientists think exercises can help the brain stay young. Lawrence Katz and Manning Rubin maintain in their book, Keep Your Brain Alive, that certain "neurobic" exercises may actually help prevent memory loss and increase mental fitness. 2

Contrary to what many people think, brain cells do not “die off” as people age. Instead the branches of brain cells, known as dendrites, thin out, thereby becoming less effective, Lawrence Katz author of " Keep Your Brain Alive" explains. Basically, brain cells learn by making new connections with one another through growing dendrites. Using them more often helps tap into the full power of your brain and enhances its nerve connections.

Applying this concept of "neurobics” it’s best to do your rebounding routine in a non-routine way, “For example, you can keep your brain flexible by incorporating nonlinear movements.” When you're a right-handed person, you use the left side of your brain to control your right hand. When you simply change which hand you're using, you're bringing online underused brain pathways and exercising them,” Katz explains.

For example, imagine during your rebounding routine that you move your trunk, arms and legs in ALL planes of movement. Start out first jumping up and down to warm up. Next, add gentle twisting from side to side for spinal rotation. This increases movement of the fluid around the brain to help eliminate toxins and increase oxygen. The key is to keep the steady pace while adding different movements of the arms and legs. Get creative by adding movements in ALL dimensions. When ending your rebounding routine add at least a one minute slow bounce cool down before dismounting.

Disclaimer

 * Not all exercises are suitable for everyone. Please consult your doctor before beginning any exercise routine. The instructions and advice presented are no way intended as a substitute for medical counseling.

Better Brain Tips

1)  Make rebounding YOUR routine by exercising every day for 21 days.

2) Set a baseline by jumping for 1 minute the first day and double your time every day for 5 days. (This will be 16 minutes by day 6).

3) Depending on your fitness level continue to add 1-2 minutes until you reach 30 minutes.

4) Drink an 8 oz. glass of room temperature water directly after rebounding to increase   the elimination of toxins.

5) To stimulate the brain while rebounding listen positive music, audio books, or personal development programs to stimulate your positive thoughts.

Click to learn more about Exercise and Brain Health

References:

1.)    "Longevity" by w. Lee Cowden, MD

2.)    Lawrence Katz and Manning Rubin  " Keep Your Brain Alive"
3.)    Rudolph E. Tanzi & Deepak Chopra. “Super Brain.” Harmony Books, 2012-11-06. iBooks.
4.)    Alfhild Akselsen, Ph.D., of Austin, Texas, who uses rebounding to treat individuals with neurological disorders.

What FATS are GOOD to EAT!

The brain is 60-70 fat and needs a constant supply of good fats to stay healthy. What if a critical secret to improving your health was to increase your intake of FAT? The trend in the 1980s was to cut out ALL fat from your diet. Fat consumption has been at the center of nutrition confusion for decades.  You’ve been told that all fats are bad, that they increase your chances of heart disease, that they cause cancer and promote weight gain and obesity. This is simply not true.  In fact, eating the right fats has been proven to reduce the inflammation associated Alzheimer's, artery disease, normalize blood cholesterol, reduce multiple forms of cancer, and actually combat obesity.

Although it may seem terribly counter intuitive, the intake of the right fats can actually be one of the best health strategies you could ever adopt. Fats are commonly categorized as either “good fats” or “bad fats.”  They could be more accurately designated as either “great fats” or “terrible fats”.  All trans-fats and all hydrogenated oils are considered “terrible fats” (coconut oil is an exception when it comes to saturated fats).  These fats have been shown to promote the inflammation associated with brain and heart disease, as well as many types of cancers.

“Great fats” like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are essential nutrients that reverse the damage created by these “terrible fats,” as well as performing a critical role in countless physiological functions.  Omega-3 Fatty Acids are widely considered to be one of the most vital nutrients in regards to healthy cell function.  They are instrumental in almost every organ and tissue, including the heart, skin, eyes and brain.

Deficiencies in Omega-3’s have been linked to breast, colon and prostate cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and strokes, diabetes, arthritis, digestive disorders, vision problems, dementia, hormonal and reproductive problems as well as osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and depression. Omega 3 deficiencies have also been shown to be a causal factor in development and behavioral issues with children – even ADD and ADHD.  DHA Omega 3 is one of the most critical elements in human breast milk.

Eating mid-sized, cold water, wild fish is a best practice that will provide a great source of Omega 3’s.  Avoid farm-raised fish, they have inferior fatty acid profiles and impact the environment negatively.  Also, eat grass-fed beef, wild game and range-fed chickens and eggs.  These are the foods that your ancestors ate. Nuts, seeds, and avocados are also excellent sources of healthy fats. 

Unfortunately, Omega-3 FA deficiency is extremely common.  Our diets are terribly low in this vital nutrient.  To make matters worse, we over-consume Omega-6 Fatty Acids, upsetting the delicate balance in the very important Omega-6 FA: Omega-3 FA ratio.  This imbalance creates silent inflammation in the body which leads to a litany of chronic disease issues. A ratio higher than 3/1 Omega 6 FA : to Omega 3FA sets the stage for chronic illness. Many people with ADHD and depression have been shown to have an elevated ratio as high as 40/1.

Our over-consumption of vegetable oils, combined with our consumption of processed grains and cereal grains, both of which are high in Omega 6 Fatty Acids contributes to this imbalance.  A diet high in grains (breads, pastas, baked goods and cereals) is considered highly pro-inflammatory.  In other words, grains promote inflammation in your body and should be reduced.  Unfortunately, the food pyramid has promoted a diet-style that has lead to the greatest heart disease, diabetes and obesity epidemic that the world has ever seen.

It is difficult to consume sufficient amounts of Omega 3’s to re-balance and maintain a healthy fatty acid ratio.  Additionally, the oceans have been polluted so dramatically that many fish are too toxic to safely consume.  A vital behavior to ensure fatty acid sufficiency is to supplement with a high quality fish oil source.  The oil should be pharmaceutical grade, pure, and in natural EPA/DHA forms and ratios.

If the thought of consuming fish oil every day causes you to wrinkle your nose, just think of the sweeping health benefits you’ll receive.  If that doesn't work, you can always go back to eating the brains, organ meats, and bone marrow that your ancestors enjoyed.  Think about it?!

SMART learning lesson

ADD: Omega 3 rich foods and supplements to your diet (wild cold water         fish, seeds, nuts, avocados)

REDUCE. Omega 6 foods in your diet ( hydrogenated oils, processed pasta, bread, cereals and baked goods)

Ageless Exercise

Exercise is about consciously bringing electrical energy from the brain to the body. You are never too old to begin a exercise routine that fits into your lifestyle.

The act of moving the body through different range of motions can send nerve signals to sensors in the joints and muscles. Spinal nerves connect to the spinal cord and from there signals are transmitted back to the BRAIN. If repetitive movements aren't performed regularly these nerves may slow down or stop accurate information from reaching the brain, and accurate instructions from reaching the rest of the body.

It is well known that older adults experience more frequent falls than younger adults do. Part of the explanation involves the feedback from the brain to the body called "proprioception". Many older adults don't engage in regular exercise and this affects brain health and balance. When proprioceptive function decreases a change in determining surfaces aren't recognized quickly by the person's feet and ankles, and the person is more likely to experience falls.

       
The most effective and quickest way to boost the brains coordination is by doing regular exercise. All types of exercise provide benefit, so the best exercises are the ones that have some interest for you personally. Whenever starting a exercise routine always consult your doctor first and have them customize a routine best for your present fitness level and age.

As always, the key to long-term health and wellness is consistency!

This couple is 90 years young and does their exercises everyday...