Natural ADHD Cure

ADD Symptoms or Normal Kid Behavior?

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:52:00 +0000

What is normal kid behavior and how does that compare and contrast against the ADD ADHD symptoms children display? All kids occasionally fidget, are forgetful and inattentive. All kids act without initially considered of the consequences. Parents and teachers begin to suspect ADD or ADHD when these kinds of actions move from occasional to frequent. There are a number of test online that you can use to get an idea of whether your child's behaviors are normal kid behavior or normal ADHD kid behavior.

Cream of Carrot Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:57:00 +0000

I must be on a carrot jag this month. Earlier this month I offered a recipe for carrot fries. Now we are on to carrot soup. This is one of those recipes that you might be tempted to turn away from. Don't! This soup is so good and so chalked full of nutrients.To make this soup, you will need;

2 onions, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-lb bag of baby carrots
2 15-oz cans vegetable or chicken broth
3 large potatoes, diced into cubes
1 pint plain nonfat yogurt
8 oz. soft (silken) tofu
Nonfat sour cream and chopped cilantro for garnish

In a large nonstick soup pot, sautee onions, celery and garlic for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Add carrots and broth and simmer 15 minutes. Add potatoes. Lower heat to medium-low and cook 15 to 30 minutes until soft. Remove from heat and add yogurt and tofu. Puree with a hand-held mixer. Serve with low-fat sour cream sprinkled with cilantro, if desired.

This is just one of the 344 kid-friendly recipes designed to boost brain power and eliminate behavior problems in the "ADHD Recipes for Success" cookbook.

We add a new recipe to the blog each week so check back often!

Handling Anger Outbursts - Part Deux

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 07:40:00 +0000

As you can see, our angry boy from last Monday followed us to this post. Last week we talked about things to do and not to do while you are in the midst of a temper explosion. Now let's talk about what to do once the tornado passes.

Once the tantrum subsides and your child calms down, it is time to rebuild. Offer a drink of water. Reaffirm that there is nothing wrong about feeling angry. Discuss what caused the outburst and how to resolve that specific issue. Once the specific issue is resolved, discuss ways express anger more productively in the future.

If your child has a tantrum in public, use the same techniques as you would in private. Do try to move your child to a more secluded spot so that you can focus on remaining calm until the tantrum subsides. If your approach changes when there is an audience, your child might choose public settings to throw future tantrums. Also, remember that you are not seeking approval from those around you on how well you handled the situation.

As important as handling a tantrum when it occurs is finding out how you can try to avoid circumstances in the future that might trigger another outburst. Keeping the child's environment calm and free of hectic changes helps reduce the chances of your child responding in hectic ways. Tantrums often occur when a child is tired or frustrated. Providing extra attention when your child appears tense might head off an outburst.

If your child responds poorly to schedule changes, prepare him in advance and explain why a schedule must be interrupted. The easiest way to prevent tantrums when a child's request is denied is by not giving in to tantrums.

Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:28:00 +0000

This is one of my favorite breakfast smoothie recipes. Sometimes my guys complain about eating oatmeal (especially because I don't add sugar) so this way they still get the health benefit of rolled oats. I usually add a scoop of protein powder to the morning smoothies so the brain has plenty of amino acids to get it going.

To make this smoothie, throw everything into a blender and let 'er rip.

1 banana
1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Handling Anger Outbursts

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:29:00 +0000

An angry, out-of-control child is not a pretty sight - to say the least. Whether you have a younger child throwing a temper tantrum or a teenager throwing an anger outburst, the best way to handle it is without anger and without submission.

Here are a few tips for handling anger outbursts when they occur and how to prevent future tantrums;

First and foremost, do not give in. Giving in reinforces the behavior and teaches the child to YELL REAL LOUD if they want something badly enough.

Remain calm and do not show anger. You lose the opportunity to model how to deal with upsetting feelings if you respond to the outburst with strong emotion, yelling or spanking.

Don't try to reason with your child during the outburst. They are beyond reason during an outburst.

Don't threaten punishment. Your child is not bad. He just needs help learning mature ways of handling frustration.

Ignore the tantrum until it has run its course. How you ignore the tantrum is a personal choice. Some parents can stand by and say nothing. Others want to remove themselves or request that their child go to another room to cool down.

Don't let the child physically harm himself or anyone else, or destroy his or others' property. If your child is small enough, hold him firmly until he settles down. If the child is too large to gently restrain, leave the room until he gains composer.

Check in - same time, same place - next week for more on anger outbursts. Until, aim for a peaceful week!

HomeMade Granola

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:13:00 +0000

Granola is generally considered a healthy treat but if you are buying packaged granola bars, the health benefits can go south on the health scale. Way south. Let's return to granola's health roots with this basic granola recipe.

Granola is one of those foods that allow for a great amount of creativity so feel free to mix it up with your favorite healthy, whole-food ingredients.

4 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside. Warm oil, honey and vanilla in a saucepan. Pour this mixture over the oat mixture and stir until blended. Spread the granola mix on a 15x10x1 baking pan and bake 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool and mix in raisins.

When I make granola, I always make a double batch because it doesn't last very long. We eat it as cereal for breakfast and mix granola, yogurt and fruit for a midday snack. Yum!

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Squeaky Clean Fruits and Veggies

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:42:00 +0000

If your budget does not support buying organic fruits and vegetables, make sure you give your produce a good scrub-a-dub before serving. Your fruits and vegetables carry residual fertilizer and pesticides and can also carry bacteria or fungi.

Don't waste your money on commercial sprays and washes sold for cleaning vegetables. Numerous studies show that the expensive commercial washes do not remove pesticides any better than plain tap water. Here are three ways to effectively clean your produce;

Food scientist Susan Sumner developed a white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide recipe to clean fruits and vegetables. For this recipe you will need; two dark-colored spray bottles, white vinegar and 3% hydrogen peroxide. Fill one spray bottle with white vinegar and the other with peroxide. Spray your produce first with vinegar and second with hydrogen peroxide. Rinse the produce under running water. This wash is non-toxic and inexpensive. In addition to effectively washing your produce, it can also be used to sanitize counters, cutting boards and other food prep surfaces.

You can also mix 1 part vinegar to 1 part water in a large bowl. Place your produce in the bowl and soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse after soaking to wash off the vinegar.

You can also soak fruits or vegetables in warm salt water (two or three teaspoons of salt per gallon) for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water after soaking to wash off the salt.

Pesticides can cause a lot of trouble, especially in infants, young children and the elderly. A growing body of research also points to a causal effect that pesticides and chemicals and food addititives have on ADHD symptoms. To reduce the risks, always wash your produce before serving.

Remove the Word "Don't" from Your Vocabulary

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:09:00 +0000

Have you noticed how children's brains gloss right over the word "don't."

You say, "Don't touch the hot stove."

Your toddler hears "Touch the hot stove."

You say, "Don't cross the road."

Your preschooler hears "Cross the road."

You say, "Don't hit your brother."

Guess what your child does? He whacks his brother across the head.

Typical "parent talk" is loaded with negative words; don't, stop, quit that, knock it off, cut it out ...

Yet, the more the negative words are used, the weaker in meaning they become. Our children tend to just tune us out the negative words.

Children often learn limits better if parents tell a child what to do, rather than what not to do.

Instead of.... "Don't touch the hot stove"
Try.... "The stove is hot. It could hurt if you touch it."

Instead of.... "Don't cross the road"
Try.... "Play in the yard, not in the street."

Instead of.... "Don't hit your brother"
Try.... "Talk to your brother and tell him what you want."

Changing communications will take some practice but the effort will pay off. Try it and see.

Baked Carrot Fries

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:54:00 +0000

I'll let you in on a little secret; If you don't make a big deal about these healthy fries being carrots, your kids will chow down and not think twice about eating them.

Here's what you need to make these antioxidant-rich fries;
Carrots, washed and trimmed
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

Cut each carrot in half. In a bowl, lightly coat carrots with olive oil. Arrange cut side down in a single layer on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously with salt. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until carrots are golden brown.

This super easy and healthy recipe is sure to be a hit at the dinner table. Who knows? You're kids might actually start begging for carrots.

Visit Natural ADHD Cure and sign up for the free, no-obligation, spam-free newsletter and receive absolutely free “109 Brain-Busting Smoothie Recipes”!

The Compliment Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:56:00 +0000

As much as we try to focus on the positive aspects of our children, there are times when we need to offer a critique. If you have an ADHD child, you likely also have a long "laundry list" of actions and behaviors that could be improved upon. Yet, pointing out only what they do wrong can be a huge mistake. Often, the child will shut down and tune out and none of your helpful hints will penetrate the wall they put up to avoid the sting from your criticism.

The Compliment Sandwich is an effective method of delivering critiques. The Compliment Sandwich is best used with the smaller, day to day issues.

Here are the basics of a Compliment Sandwich;
- Clearly identify the issue that needs improvement.
- Think of something they do very well related to the situation.
- Choose another positive point to remark on. This should be very loosely related to the above point.
- Deliver the first compliment.
- Clearly address the improvement you would like to see.
- Finish with the last compliment.

Criticism wrapped in compliments takes out the sting and opens the door for sincere communication.

Did You Get Your Daily Dose of Pesticides?

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:14:00 +0000

Dr. Alan Greene, chairman of The Organic Center, estimates that the average American is exposed to between 10 and 13 pesticide residues every day.

Though the levels and risks are very low in most instances, some of these exposures pose clear risks, particularly when they occur during pregnancy and early childhood.

There is a growing recognition in the scientific and medical communities that pesticide exposure is a major risk factor in the development of neurological conditions from ADHD to Alzheimer's disease.

Blueberry Almond Smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 23:44:00 +0000

3 cups water
1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons almonds
2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons flax seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

*Coarsely grind almonds, sunflower, and flax seeds in a blender before adding other ingredients.

Nothing says love like a delicious smoothie, and the good thing is that children LOVE smoothies and they are healthy! This is designed for feeding the brain and the body the good stuff needed to improve concentration and get those natural results you need.

Do you just love this smoothie recipe? Visit Natural ADHD Cure and sign up for the free, no-obligation, spam-free newsletter and receive absolutely free “109 Brain-Busting Smoothie Recipes”!

Pile on the Praise

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:39:00 +0000

If you want to drastically change the relationship between you and your child in a very short amount of time, shift your attention away from his shortcomings. ADHD kids are typically so accustom to hearing negative reinforcement all day long. Sometimes, the only attention these kids receive is in response to their negative behavior. Step in your child's shoes and consider how this must feel.

Consider the breath of fresh air an "Atta Boy" would be. Starting today, show more enthusiasm for his positive attributes and his good behavior and pay less attention to the negatives. Be his cheerleader. Believe in him. Offer kind words, a hug or special rewards for achievements. Smile at him in the morning. In the afternoon, tell him you are proud of him for [insert good quality here].

After all, isn't this how we treat those who you want to nurture a relationship with and isn't that how we would like others to treat us?

Drug Manufacturers Accused of Faulty Advertising

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 06:06:00 +0000

Heading to the doctor’s office to get relief or comfort from what ails us has become commonplace. But when the pharmaceutical companies nudge a caregiver to give a medication a try with fancy advertising and appealing promises, we want to believe that those pharmaceutical companies are being honest.

On September 26th, the Food and Drug Administration stepped forward with letters to multiple drug companies including Covidien, Shire, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, and Novartis complaining of exaggeration when it came to the efficiency and accuracy of certain medications shown on advertisements.

Many of us enjoy watching Ty Pennington, and that means when he talks, we tend to listen. Is that why drug manufacturers chose this celebrity as the spokesman for living better with the help of specific medications?

Of course, promotions and advertisements are nothing new, but when it comes to medication, the Food and Drug Administration requires (and ensures) the promises made are realistic and truthful.

The makers of such drugs as Concerta, Focalin XR, Methylin, Adderall XR, and Strattera had violated safety standards. By claiming that certain medications utilized in treating ADHD and other disorders were safer and worked better than actually proven, these makers were misleading the public with false advertising.

Not only was the information provided misleading, but the risks of taking the medications were minimized or ignored all together. One company even claimed a medication was for treating ADHD, yet, the medication has not yet been approved for such use.

When drug manufacturers are accused of faulty advertising that is misleading and accurate, one must stop and wonder what other areas of the process are these drug manufacturers being neglectful with and how is that affecting our lives and the lives of our children living with ADHD.

Exercise for ADHD

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:40:00 +0000

I ran across an article Monday that I thought you all would find interesting. A teacher at an alternative school in Canada incorporated exercise into the daily curriculum. Here are a couple lines plucked from the article;

"Less than two months later, her students' attention has sharpened and they spend far more time on assignments without interruption."

"She has found 20 minutes of exercise have translated into two hours of sustained concentration from the students."

You can read the full article here; http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/story.html?id=cc9c11c4-b0eb-4746-bd72-20c24bcfed2b

If this motivates any of you to add a little exercise in your ADHD child's daily routine and find great results, please add a comment to this post. Or, share your current experience with exercise to help reduce the symptoms of ADHD.

Check back in a couple days and I'll let you in on one of my favorite "punishments" when the boys misbehaved. As you might guess, it's exercise related.

Never Miss a Blog Post Again

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:38:00 +0000

Did you notice the addition of the bookmarks on the right side of this blog? If you use del.icio.us, Google or Technorati, click on the icon and will know whenever there is a new post. Otherwise, simply bookmark this page and check back.

Sometimes I post two or three times a week. Sometimes I'm lucky to get one post in. It really depends on how crazy things get around my house. Can you relate? :-)

Great article in ADHD newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 03:23:00 +0000

A dear friend of mine, and fellow mom of an ADHD wild child, manages the ADHD Help Center website. I want to not only introduce you all to Jeannine Virtue's website, but to direct you to a very interesting article in this month's newsletter. Check it out;
http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com/newsletter2.htm

BTW - You might consider signing up for this newsletter group. There are some great monthly specials. :-)

The ADHD Stigma

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:09:00 +0000

According to a study reported in Science Daily, nearly twenty-five percent of the 1,134 parents in the study reported that they would not like their children to be friends with a child with ADHD. These parents then went on to say that they wouldn’t want an ADHD child living next door.

Wow.

I was quite surprised at the findings of this study. What was even more surprising was the title of this article; “Many Parents Want
Distance Between Own Kids And Those With Mental Illness.”

I will be happy to see the day that people look at ADHD as a personality type instead of a "mental illness" and we all embrace the differences that make our children unique.

Catching ADD Early Helps

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:51:00 +0000

Catching ADD early may make it possible to reduce symptoms, says a study by the National Association of School Psychologists. The most important tool is "environmental management" (this is what "structure" for ADHD kids is being calling). According to this study, 30% of preschool aged children with ADHD improved with no medication at all, according to a new study. Changing the routine, diet, and overall family atmosphere can make a huge difference. A few more examples are monitoring sugar intake, a strict bedtime, and more structure throughout the day. Proactive parenting and education makes it possible to tackle ADD and make medication a last resort.

Natural ADHD Cure: ADHD Medications Increase the Risk of Heart Problems

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:30:00 +0000

Natural ADHD Cure: ADHD Medications Increase the Risk of Heart Problems

Natural ADHD Cure: No Long-Term Benefit with ADHD Drugs

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:29:00 +0000

Natural ADHD Cure: No Long-Term Benefit with ADHD Drugs

ADHD Medications Increase the Risk of Heart Problems

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:05:00 +0000

A new study shows that Adderall, Ritalin and other stimulants used to treat ADHD can increase the chance of your child being rushed to the emergency room for heart related problems by 20 percent.

This study, published in the journal “Pediatrics,” looked at data on 55,383 ADHD children ages 3 to 20 years in FLorida. About 59 percent were taking a stimulant medication during the study period of 1994 to 2004.

Children taking a stimulant to control ADHD symptoms were 20 percent more likely to visit an emergency clinic or doctor’s office with heart-related symptoms, such as a racing heartbeat, than children who had never used or discontinued treatment.

In 2006 the FDA added a “black box” warning to the labels of ADHD drugs warning of cardiovascular risks associated with the medications. These risks included sudden death in patients who have heart problems or heart defects; stroke and heart attack in adults; and increased blood pressure and heart rate.

The authors of this study expressed the "great need" for additional research to determine the consequences of long-term stimulant use during childhood and its effect on heart disease in adulthood.

Each year between 3 and 4 million children take stimulant ADHD medications to control symptoms of ADHD.

Other known side effects of ADHD stimulants include loss of appetite, abdominal pain, sleep disruptions, headaches and stunted growth. Additionally, a small study, conducted by the University of Texas and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, found a link between Ritalin and increased risk of cancer. In this study, all children taking Ritalin experienced a significant increase in the chromosomal abnormalities associated with an a higher chance of developing cancer.

No Long-Term Benefit with ADHD Drugs

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:26:00 +0000

Two recent studies could change the way doctors view the current ADHD treatment protocol. These studies showed that;- ADHD medications do provide short-term benefits.- However, ADHD medications do not provide long-term benefits.

In the first study, UCLA researchers took the results of a study from Finland, where medication is rarely used to treat ADHD, and compared the findings against ADHD Americans. In the United States about 60 percent of ADHD children receive medication for symptoms at some point in their childhood. Interestingly, the medicated American ADHD children fared as well as the non-medicated Finland population by the time ADHD children reach 16 to 18 years of age. This study that was published in the “Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry” December 2007 issue.

Next, a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) showed that ADHD medications provide short-term benefits, while also confirming the lack of long-term benefits. In this study of almost 600 children, researchers found that medicated ADHD children functioned better at home and school at the end of 14 months compared to those who received behavioral therapy or no treatment at all. However, there was little difference between the medicated group and the non-medicated groups after three years.

These studies should put parents at ease when faced with the ADHD drug decision. Your child will not be slated for ruin in their adult years if you choose not to medicate. In fact, he will likely fare as well as his medicated peers by the time he reaches adolescence. And, he will likely do better at home and in school in the short-term if he is medicated. With this information in hand, parents can decide if the risks and side effects of ADHD drugs outweigh short-term benefits.

Chew Gum for Better Test Grades?

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:48:00 +0000

Can chewing gum actually increase student performance? Dr. Kenneth Allen, a professor at New York University’s College of Dentistry, found this to be true when he allowed his students to chew gum in the classroom.

In a study to see if chewing helped test scores, half of Allen's 56 students chewed sugarless gum while studying while the other half did not. After three days of instruction, the gum-chewing group scored, on average, a half grade higher on a written test.

The rhythmic act of chewing stimulate the brain and helps the mind and body relax. For ADHD kids, chewing can reduce fidgety behavior.

While most classrooms ban gum, you can always toss a stick of gum at your youngster during the homework hours. Try it and see if it helps.

Reduce ADHD Symptoms without Medication

noreply@blogger.com (Christine Abraham) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 23:56:00 +0000

According to National Association of School Psychologists study, catching ADHD early on may make it possible to reduce symptoms. The most important tool is structure, or "environmental management."

According to this study, 30% of preschool aged children with ADHD improved with no medication at all. Changing the routine, changing the diet and improving the overall family atmosphere can make a huge difference.

A few examples of small changes that net big results are; monitoring sugar intake, establishing a set bedtime, and providing structure throughout the day.

Proactive parenting and education makes it possible to tackle ADD and make medication a last resort.