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Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Can you give me any information on alternative remedies to help manage Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). My four-year-old nephew has just been prescribed Ritalin - a drug that none of us in the family want him to take.
Ritalin, the prescription drug used to control hyperactive kids, has become the number one drug after antibiotics that we give to our children - which makes it even more shocking to hear toxicologists tell you that this drug, which has now been banned in Sweden, has very similar chemical properties to cocaine. No wonder then, so many families are seeking other ways to manage what a number mainstream scientists now believe is a biochemical malfunction of the brain and not simply a behavioural disorder.
In fact new research suggests that a number of troubling childhood conditions, including ADHD, ADD, and Dyspraxia, (the latter is characterised by clumsiness), are all linked and caused, in part, by an underlying inability to convert essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the diet into the highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs), which are crucial for healthy brain functioning.
Junk diets and an impaired immune system can all interfere with this conversion process and researchers frequently find children with these disorders have low levels of zinc, a nutrient that not only works to keep the immune system healthy, but is critical to this conversion process. So, your nephew will benefit from taking a daily zinc supplement of 10mg, together with 1g (2 tablespoons) of a liquid essential fatty acid supplement each day. I like Omega Nutrition’s Essential Balance Jnr (mail order from the Nutricentre on 0800-587 2290).
Even more powerful, the Australian Bush Flower remedy, Cognis, which was developed to help kids overcome these very problems with Nutrition Now’s Rhino Actalin; a nutritional supplement which combines both brain-supporting and nerve-calming nutrients. The idea is to use both these remedies every day. You can order Cognis from Ancient Roots on 0208-421 9877. Rhino Actalin costs £14.95 for 60 chewable tablets and is only available in the UK from Victoria Health on 0800-413 596
*Flower remedies will not interfere with existing medication, but seek qualified medical advice before using other supplements if your child is already taking prescription drugs. NS3UK is a nutritional organisation that can refer you to a specialist. Call them on 01344 360033.