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Archive for September 2008

My Son Is Starting To Come Down With A Bug, What Do You Suggest I Give Him Instead Of Over The Counter Meds?

Q: My son is starting to come down with a stuffy nose. This is the first sign that he’s about to get sick. Usually this time during the school year there is a bug going around. Instead of giving him over the counter meds what do you suggest I could give him?

Jill

A: I ALWAYS do my best to stay away from antibiotics and over the counter meds. I will only use them as a LAST resort!! I use natural remedies to gain control of Charlie’s ADHD. And I will continue to use natural remedies to gain control of his health as well.The first thing I do is change Charlie’s diet. When you are coming down with a cold or any kind of sickness, you want to eat foods that break down easily such as (Try to use organic) broth, brown rice, soups, etc…. Do not eat junk food, dairy products, red meats, or sugary products that will suppress the immune system. The body has to use a lot of energy to break down these types of food, so your body is unable to focus it’s energy on healing. Also you must drink plenty of water!! Next:

1. I will give him (Natural antiobiotic) Organic NutriBiotic Grapefruit seed extract orally:  Suggested Dosage: 5 to 15 drops mixed in 5 ounces of water or juice, 2 to 5 times daily, with or without meals. Children(under 10 years): 1 to 6 drops mixed in 5 ounces juice, 2 to 3 times daily.

2. I will give him Biometics Bio Immune (Goldenseal cleans out the toxins from the liver & Echinacea cleans the blood and boost immune system) 2-3 times a day. Suggested Dosage: Over 65lbs 1 tbsp per serving; Under 65lbs 1/2 tbsp per serving

3. I will also give him one capsule of OMX-Probiotics or Primal Defense Ultra probiotic. Never take at the same time as natural antibiotic. At least a mininum of 1-2 hrs apart.

I start off with 2 ozs of water 1 tbsp Bio Immune, 15 drops of Grapefruit seed extract in one drink (taste horrible so make sure you shoot it down!). Then later in the day, I’ll have him take his probiotic 30 mins before lunch and dinner . Because his immune system is slightly compromise this concoction will knock out this bug by the end of the day. Not very often but sometimes, I’ll have to give him that drink two times a day.

 But if his immune system becomes compromised then I’ll give him this drink 3-4 times a day. And if it gets to the point where he is congested and coughing:

1. I’ll put a few drops eucalyptus oil in one of those vapors machines and put a towel over his head and let him inhale.

2. Start him on wheat grass powder mixed in 4oz of water once a day

3. I’ll dice up fresh organic garlic (natural antibiotic) and put it in his rice and broth served with streamed veggies.

4. I’ll give him 2 servings (once in morning and again in the afternoon) of his Biometics AM drink  and I’ll have him gargle the drink for about 30 seconds before he swallows until drink is gone.

Charlie never misses school either and his immune system is up and running again in about 2-3 days. He may not be 100% yet and feels sluggish during those 2-3 days but it doesn’t interfere with his focus at school. Which is awesome considering Charlie has ADHD. Plus his immune system recovers faster. Other kids that get sick will have to miss school and their sickness will last up to a week or longer.

Enthusiastically yours,

Shirley Highers

www.addnaturalremedy.com

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they are taking better care of it.

Harmful Effects Of Sugar With Charlie’s ADHD

Yesterday was a rough day with Charlie!! He didn’t do well in his classes this week and about two days ago his attitude completely shifted. Being the observant mother that I am, I notice that he wasn’t eating his lunch which means he is up to something no good! He always brings his lunch to school and every night before bed, I always sneak a peak to see what all he has packed. When he gets home from school I do the same thing. For the last week he has barely eaten anything at lunch and somedays he comes home with his lunch never touched. I knew this child was eating at school, because he eats like a HORSE!!! He NEVER goes without food…..EVER!!!! So the question is, what in the heck is he eating at school?? I had a feeling he was getting into sugar but he would lie and tell me how he just hasn’t been hungry lately. Whatever, he has to run cross country after school and I know there is NO WAY he could do that if he was skipping lunch. Anyway, his immune system went down yesterday and I knew my thoughts were confirmed. He was sneezing and he had a runny nose. Come to find out, he’s been eating another kids lunch. This kid at school brings Charlie junk food like muffins, chips, candy, etc…. It is sooo mind blowing for me to see the harmful effects of sugar with Charlie. He has no focus, he made a 60 on his Spanish quiz, 35 on a pretest take home quiz in Algebra II, and 75 on a quiz in English Comp II Honors. He went from all 100 to these grades in a matter of one week. He’s been moody and his attitude is pure laziness. He’s back to the, “I don’t care about the consequence attitude.” I had to set down the law yesterday!!!!! I’m also going to put him back on Wheat grass (help purify his blood) and his bentonite clay capsules (help absorb the artificial dyes, preservatives, etc) then he should be back on track again….that’s of course if he has learned his lesson and stays away from the sugar. If he values his free personal time, he will learn his lesson. I tell parents all the time especially for ADHD, pull the sugar and junk food from their diet because it is that big of a factor!!!

When I was doing research for my ADD/ADHD book and came across this book: “Lick the Sugar Habit” by Nancy Appleton. Here is a partial list of some effects that sugar produces, I knew you guys would find it as interesting as I did. Sugar can:
1) suppress the immune system
2) upset the mineral balance in the body
3) cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty reading, and crankiness in children
4) reduce the defense against bacterial infection
5) cause chromium deficiency (which increases sugar craving)3 2
6) lead to cancer of the breasts, ovaries, prostate and rectum
7) interfere with absorption of calcium and magnesium
8) weaken eyesight
10) cause hypoglycemia
11) produce an acid stomach (causing mineral depletion)
12) raise adrenaline levels in children
13) cause tooth decay (the dental industry costs us over $54 billion per year)3 8
14) contribute to eczema in children
15) adversely affect children’s grades
16) cause hormonal imbalance
17) lower the ability of enzymes to function properly
18) cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children
19) contribute to diabetes
20) cause another 60+ health related problems that I didn’t list

When a person consumes sugar the good bacteria that thrives in a symbiotic relationship in the intestines and also manufactures B vitamin complexes begin to die off. When the B vitamin complex level declines, the glutamic acid is not processed. This causes sleepiness which causes lower serotonin levels to be produced. For ADHD, that are already deficient in this neurotransmitter, this imbalance will effect their ability for short term function and numerical calculative functions. Plus B vitamins are essential in the proper digestion of carbohydrates by converting calories to energy.

When children eat processed sugars or high fructose corn syrup, it is released into the blood stream all at once, spiking their insulin level, damaging their spleen, and sticking to their arteries wall It also increases adrenaline levels and drops their blood sugar leading to lack of oxygen to the brain. This makes ADHD brains foggy because they are not able to concentrate. Next follows the horrible moods swings. If sugar has this affect on regular children, can you see the detrimental effects this has on ADD/ADHD children and adults?? Just a little over a week of sugar and junk food and Charlie’s ADHD is in control again.

Enthusiastically yours,

Shirley Highers

www.addnaturalremedy.com

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they are taking better care of it.

I Have ADHD, Is Biometics AM/PM Program Lab Produced or Plant Based?

Q:I have ADHD and I am trying to make a decision if I want to purchase Biometics AM/PM program. I would like to know whether the vitamins are lab produced or plant based.  Can you help me out with this one?Chris

A: Biometics uses both plant based and some synthetic vitamins to ensure product quality throughout manufacturing. Basically, when food products are processed for vitamins the quantities of nutrients vary, simply because in nature the content of vitamins in a food varies from one plant to the next. It all depends on soil, water sources, climate, etc. This all means that natural sources of vitamins can result in batches of product varying a degree that is unacceptable - the product could end up with one batch high in B-vitamins and the next batch has almost none. Therefore, synthetic is the optimal choice to ensure each batch is the same.However, it’s not accurate to say that all the vitamins in the Biometics products are synthetic.  As a small example, the Vitamin C theye use is USP grade Ascorbic Acid that is initially derived from vegetable sources and then partially synthesized. By denoting “folate” in their products versus “folic acid” means that they use the natural form of folic acid – folate is the type found naturally in foods, while folic acid is the synthetic type. Biometics Vitamin E is the natural vitamin, and comes from soybeans (denoted by “d-alpha tocopherol” versus “dl-” on the label). The calcium they use comes from limestone or salt mines. Biometics Melatonin is synthetic not only for product quality, but because it is vegetarian. Natural sources of melatonin come from pigs’ brains. Not exactly nice.

On a side note, if anyone asks you about are the products vegetarian, the answer is: “The vitamins and minerals in Biometics products do not come from animal sources, with the exception of Vitamin D, which can only come from animal sources. Specifically it comes from the wool of sheep (from the lanolin – an oil in the wool that is extracted after shearing).”

Enthusiastically yours,

Shirley Highers

http://www.addnaturalremedy.com/index-6.html

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they are taking better care of it.

I’m Failing My Daughter As A Mother Not Knowing What To Do! She Has All The Symptoms of ADD/ADHD

Q: My daughter is 7 and in the first grade.  We have thought she may be ADD since she was very young, but just this year we have noticed it is really affecting her education.  I am struggling as to weather or not I should speak to her teacher, for fear of them wanting to test her and labeling her.  I am terrified of medication.

I started her on Addisill, a liquid vitamin that I put in her juice, about 2 weeks ago, but I haven’t  really noticed much of a change. I am failing her as a mother, not knowing what to do first.

She has ALL of the symptoms of ADD/ADHD at least from what I have read on the internet. The only thing is, we really don’t have discipline problems, and she isn’t disruptive in school, well, other than talking incessently. Any help in finding direction would be great.

Janene

A:

First step is to ALWAYS have a starting point!!!!!!! Get your daughter a neurotransmitter test and a heavy metal test for now. I’m not a doctor so I cannot tell you what to do but in my personal experience and research, I have found that ADD usually have heavy metal build up while ADHD have food allergies. I encourage you to research this information yourself.

You can get all of these test done on line:http://forresthealth.com/store/home.php This site also has food allergy testing, fatty acid testing (EPA &DHA), Candida testing, etc.. Go to the website and check it out. It will answer all of your questions and you can also pay a small fee to speak to a doctor who will answer any of your questions and read your results. Plus some insurance companies will pay for these tests. Here’s another site you can check out too: http://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/neuroscan_neurotransmitter_test.html Or you can go to your local health practitioners (like Centers for Holistic Health, etc) in your area and ask them for these specific tests. Some family practitioner doctors (like the really good doctors at least) will have these test available in their clinic too.

Second, she also needs to be on HIGH QUALITY omega-3 supplements everyday!! Because ADD/ADHD is a collection of many symptoms not just one, so should the treatment for this disorder. This is important to understand!! Purchasing one product that says it will do the “job,” will not last long term. It is only when I began a morning and evening vitamin regimen and changed his diet that I started to see incredible changes in Charlie’s focus and behavior development. This was the first time we were able to take him off medication for good. It’s the collection of all of these products together that pulls the body back into to harmony and also helps to keep it there. I understand that money can be an issue but I am very adamant that if you go down the natural remedy path, that you really need to give it your all and not dabble in one product here and there. It needs to be consistent, which means you need to commit to whatever program you decide for at least 2-3 months. Think of it like this: You have cells that die off everyday and regenerate. Some cells take days to die off and others cells die off at 130 days. So when you have a body full of healthy regenerated cells and all those disease and malnourished cells have died off, this is when you will really see a balance in their brain and body chemistry. 

I’m not familiar with Addisill. I tried to look it up but nothing came up. Did you spell it correctly? Good job on picking a liquid supplement versus a pill or capsule. When selecting vitamins make sure you look into HIGH quality LIQUID supplements. Not just B vitamin supplements or a muli-vitamin, but a good company with a whole line of liquid supplements. I can tell you right now with ADD/ADHD, one vitamin bottle is not enough. You will need your multi-vitamin, your mega doses of your B-vitamins, trace minerals, antioxidants, Co Q 10, etc. To purchase one product that says it has all of this in one bottle is a mistake! This is why I think I’m Biometics #1 fan. This was the first line of vitamins that changed Charlie’s life!! The quality of their products and their patent micelle process which ensures up to 80-90% absorption is exactly what an ADD/ADHD adult or kid or anybody for that matter needs. Their complete line (which all you really need to start with is the AM/PM program) offers EVERYTHING you could possibly need for ADD/ADHD. Each bottle and can will serve it’s purpose.

Bio Fuel  is your multi vitamin, minerals, and some antioxidants.

Bio Alert has Choline which synthesizes into one of the most powerful neurotransmitter for memory.

Aloe will help with allergies, asthma, skin problems, digestive disorders, and also help absorb the vitamins even quicker!

Get-go-n has the Tyrosine (also a natural antidepressant) which synthesizes into the neurotransmitter dopamine which helps with focus and also contains all of your B vitamins. ADD/ADHD will always take mega doses of this product (4 scoops and sometimes an average of 6 scoops thorough out the entire day, really depends on them).

Cal/mag is your best friend for ADHD!! This will calms them down. All ADD/ADHD kids/adults are deficient in calcium and magnesium.

Bio Nite is your liquid melatonin which helps you reach deep REM sleep so you can produce the neurotransmitter serotonin. Also melatonin is a super antioxidant!

Whether you decide to go with Biometics or not, make sure you select a line of liquid supplements with this type of quality. If you like, I can have someone from Biometics who specifically deals with ADD/ADHD to contact you and answer any of your concerns or questions about quality and serving size for you daughter.

Third, you are not failing your daughter! As long as you continue this journey and look at ADD/ADHD as a gift instead of a disorder, you will always be the pillars of health and success for your daughter! To seek the change in your daughter you have to become that change. I always tell other parents looking back at the years of endless nights crying myself to sleep wondering why this was happening to our family, that I wasn’t tired of what I was doing with Charlie and I wasn’t tired of being a concerned mother…. what I was tired of, was HOW I WAS DOING IT! If your goals or purpose become further out of sight, you don’t ever quit or give up what your doing, you just change how your doing it. Check out these sites:  (Wayne Dyer http://www.drwaynedyer.com/), DVDs (Bruce Lipton http://www.brucelipton.com/ ), or Bob Proctor’s seminars www.thesecretpowerofthemind.com or www.bobproctor.com (Winner’s Image). By constantly trying everyday to be a better human being, it’s allowed me to become a better mom. My husband and I realize in the past how we had contributed to Charlie’s behavior problems. You can become sooooo frustrated with your child or the situation and before you realize it, the energy in your tone changes into anger which lead to negative results.  Right now your daughter is in the 1st grade and you really do not have to deal with bigger problems yet. But I assure you when the classes get harder and when she is required to stay seated more, you will experience the continual rise of stress and frustration. So while she is still young you want to build on small changes in her behavior and do not expect major changes yet. You can not beat off ADD/ADHD, instead you want to out smart it. ADD/ADHD can be a good thing. Learn to apply a reward system that works for all of you. Your daughter’s potential in life is infinite, it just comes harder for her that’s why you must help her develop this. Your mind is very powerful! Children are like sponges, all they do is absorb everything around them. Right now your daughter is at the stage in her life where self esteem is the most important. She will need positive feed back to build a good self image of herself. That positive self image is what will solidify her success in life!

Whatever you feed, will grow! What that means, if you focus on you failing as a mother versus succeeding on this journey, then failing is what you will always encounter at every cross road. You can do this!!!! The very minute I change my thought to “God always gives you what he knows you can handle!” I stop feeling sorry for my son and my family.  I quit being the victim! I used all that frustration and channel it into HOW can I serve, HOW can I find a better way, HOW can I be a better human being, AM I REALLY DOING THE BEST I CAN? And in a matter of weeks a way was shown to me. Because of Charlie’s ADHD our family now eats all organic and exercises together. We are one healthy family!! I have a website that helps other parents and adults feel like they are not alone in this situation. I’m writing a book. I have helped some of the MOST incredible people along this journey. And Charlie is developing into a well rounded individual educated in health and personal development. He started school last month and so far has all A’s. He’s taking all advance classes including both Algebra II and Geometry at the same time. We are all better people because Charlie was diagnosed with ADHD. I had to cry every night, I had to feel those feeling in order to help other parents. I needed that experience. The most important lesson for me, is what I did with that experience. Nothing is good or bad, it just is. You decide what happens in your life whether it’s good or bad! Every night when I alone with my thoughts in bed I ask myself, Did I help someone today? Am I making a difference in my son’s life? And I smile to myself because I know that God knows I’m doing the very best I can do!

Enthusiastically yours,

Shirley Highers

www.addnaturalremedy.com

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they are taking better care of it.

 


 

Has Your Son Charlie Just Plain Out Refuse To Do His Work Or Study?

Q: I was wanting to know, if your son Charlie just plain out refused to do his work or study? My son tells my husband and I that he is bored and just doesn’t want to do his work. I don’t understand. I don’t want him to fail the 5th grade. My son also says that all he can think about is playing. When I ask him why he doesn’t pay attention in class he says he is daydreaming. I can’t destinguish if that is the truth or if he is telling me that cause he thinks that is what I want to hear. I have asked the teachers to send some extra work home for him to do or practice and they tell me they can’t do that. Why? They don’t want to show favortism. Give me a break. I need to know, how I can get some help on how to get my son some much needed help? What tests do I need to specifically ask for,where do I need to have the tests done, how long should the tests take to get an accurate score. How do I need to approach the school system on this matter?

A: Yes, we had that problem with Charlie in the 5th grade (and he was on ADD/ADHD medication back then) with him not turning in his homework or getting his class work done. He never said I’m not going to do it, he just didn’t do it. He’s super smart and makes excellent scores on all of his test. Back then we laid down the law and that was that. I would get on the computer and see what was due everyday, then ask him each night if it was done, check it over, and in the morning I would make sure it was in his back pack. It was very hard on us and flat out exhausting. If we ever let up for a second, we would get an e-mail from the teacher informing us that Charlie got a 0 for not turning in his work again. He was in trouble all the time. We realized early on that he HATED to write and read. So when he didn’t turn in work we made him write for an hour. That seemed to help. But looking back I realize that we used fear and negativity to control his behavior. Not staying that you shouldn’t be firm with consequences that you give a child but all we did was focus on what he couldn’t do or what he was doing wrong. When we discipline him we discipline him in an angry state of mind, screaming at him, asking him negative questions, etc….

Once I started reading books (Wayne Dyer http://www.drwaynedyer.com/), DVDs (Bruce Lipton http://www.brucelipton.com/ ), and going to Bob Proctor’s seminars www.thesecretpowerofthemind.com, is when we finally realized how we contributed to Charlie’s behavior problems. Your mind is very powerful! Children need positive feed back to have a good self image of themselves. Whatever you feed, will grow! What that means, if you focus on all the times he gets in trouble in class versus the times he actually is good, that is what you will get more of from him. Build on small changes in his behavior and do not expect major changes yet. You can not beat off ADD/ADHD, instead you want to out smart it. ADD/ADHD can be a good thing. Put his creativity and hyper focus to good use. ADD/ADHD all hyper focus, which means they will immerse themselves into a task that they find rewarding or interesting and they will become oblivious to everything around them. So what this means, is you have got to find something that interest him or something he’s passionate about. For example, my son joined the cross country team this year. He likes running with the team but hates to run or train by himself. So my husband and I had to find a way to make training interesting for him. He loves the beach and LOVES to be on his skim board. We told him if he ran his goal on the beach on the weekends he can skim board afterwards with his friends. The better his time improves the longer he gets to stay at the beach. He went from constantly complaining about his training to bugging me every Saturday and Sunday morning to get him to the beach so he can run. He absolutely loves running his 5K on the beach!!!!!!! And he has moved up to the second fastest kid on the team. Even if he doesn’t make his target time, and we tell him how proud we are of him that he pushed himself running in that hot sun. We apply this reward system with his school as well. Your son’s potential in life is infinite, it just comes harder for him that’s why you must help him develop it. Find a reward system that works for all of you. Is he involved in a sport? Or any outlet that will allow him to exert his excessive energy? This will help with the hyperactivity along with Biometics Cal/Mag supplement. 

You must have structure at home (chores such as keeping their room clean, clean book bag, etc) since ADD/ADHD minds are so chaotic and again you need some kind of reward system. Their mind needs stimulation to release dopamine and serotonin. If not they will become bored. So when a child is doing well you want to reward him/her by letting them spend time doing something they love. A child and even an adult will feel competent when they have a high self esteem. And they become good at tasks or activities by constantly wanting to do what they love.  Make him think, don’t make the mistake we made and do everything for him because it’s faster. Don’t tell him what to do and why. Ask him questions that makes him figure why he should do something a particular way and why it’s a good idea to do it that way. You want him to grow up and be able to think for himself and make decisions that are positive, you don’t want him to go along with what everybody else is doing and follow the crowd.You can get these all of these test done on line: http://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/neuroscan_neurotransmitter_test.html This site also has food allergy testing, heavy metal testing, Candida testing, etc.. Go to the website and check it out. It will answer all of your questions and you can also pay a small fee to speak to someone who will help answer all your questions and read your results. Plus some insurance companies will pay for all of these tests. Here’s another site you can check out too: http://forresthealth.com/store/home.php Or you can go to your local health practitioners (like Centers for Holistic Health, etc) in your area and ask them for these specific tests. Some family practitioner doctors (the good doctors at least) will have these test available in their clinic. Don’t worry about that teacher, you can go to the book store and find work books that he can work on after school. Usually most teachers will work with you so shame on her for saying she doesn’t want to show favoritism. She’s just a tiny obstacle taking your eye off your goal. So don’t let her get you down, okay ;). Set an appt with your principle and if that doesn’t go well contact your State Board of Education.Enthusiastically yours,

Shirley Highers

www.addnaturalremedy.com

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they are taking better care of it.

 

How Do You Increase Higher Serotonin Levels To Help With ADD/ADHD?

I always tell parents or adults with ADD/ADHD that you should donate at a minimum 1 hr a day for researching information for you or your child. Well here is some of the information I came across today. Did you know ADD/ADHD have low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin? This is also common for Bi polar and depression as well. Did you know that serotonin is produced between 2-3am during your deep REM sleep. So the more often your sleep is disturbed the less serotonin is produced. If you have low levels of serotonin then you are going to have low levels of melatonin because serotonin converts into melatonin. A remedy for proper sleep is to take melatonin before bed. Personally I use Biometics Bio Nite because it’s a delicious liquid form of melatonin. Also taking amino acid L-Trypotophan (5-HTP) will also help synthesize serotonin.

Did you know that you can naturally raise your serotonin levels by:

1. Doing random acts of kindness (Giver)

2. Being the recipient of someone that gives or acts out kindness (Receiver)

3.Witnessing random acts of kindness, you don’t even have to do ANYTHING but just notice a good deed (Observer)

4. Everytime you pet your cat, dog, bird, whatever….

5. Choosing a hobby or career path that you love (having passion) to do.

Individuals who have low levels of serotonin not only do not sleep well but always have a craving for chocolate or starchy foods because it’s a quick serotonin fix. Some of the major reasons for low levels of serotonin are:

1. Yo Yo diets, not getting enough amino acids

2. Medications use up large amounts of serotonin and dopamine

3. Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine depletes serotonin levels over time

4. Chronic stress depletes serotonin levels

5. Aging; neurons make smaller amount of neurotransmitters as you get older

6. Neurotoxins (Pesticides, insectidies,etc) decrease serotonin production

7. Hormone Imbalances influence serotonin release and activity

8. Genetics, you are born with low neurotransmitter level

Enthusiastically yours,

Shirley Highers

www.addnaturalremedy.com

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they are taking better care of it.

 

My Son Has Taken Medicine For ADHD Since 3rd Grade, How Do I Get Him Started On Vitamin Supplements?

Q: I have read your guide and it was so good to know that someone else feels like I do about the drugs they use for adhd. My son has taken mediciine for adhd since 3rd grade. I have hated it the whole time. He was takeing concerta during the week but not on the weekends or the summer. He started 6th grade this year and I allways wait for a couple of weeks to see If by some miracle that he can do without the medicine. But like allways after one week of school I reluctantly had to put him on concerta. I gave it to him on a friday and I got a call from him at 4:oo saying his stomache hurt and his head hurt. I asked him if he ate anything for lunch and he said very little. So here we go again. I am so frustrated I have not given him the medicine since that friday. I was so pleased to find your web site and I want to start him on the vitamin supplements. Can you tell me where you get yours and how much to give him. Thankyou so much for the information on your web site.

Pam

A: You are so welcome!! :) It does feel like you are alone sometimes! But your not!!! Looking back through the years when Charlie was first diagnosed with ADHD in the 4th grade, all I remember doing is crying and fighting with my husband. We were both so frustrated that we seemed to take it out on one another. Two and half years later, I found myself on the internet everyday, or at book stores, or at health stores desperately seeking any other alternative then medication. Every store or site on the internet would say, “Try blah blah blah, and cure your ADD/ADHD.” So I tried everything! It’s like going shopping and trying on clothes that do not fit. After awhile you leave the stores feeling frustrated, depressed, and defeated. The reason I started this website is to make parents or other adults that have ADD/ADHD aware that there is not ONE thing you can take for this disorder to be cured. If I would of had a site like A Mother’s Journey, it would have saved me a lot of time in my research and help lighten my emotional turmoil. Because ADD/ADHD is a collection of many symptoms not just one, so should the treatment for this disorder. This is important to understand!! You need to take 3 steps to gain control over ADD/ADHD:

1.You want to remove the toxins (Heavy metal cleanse, Candida cleanse, sometimes even parasite cleanse)

2. You must maximize your nutrition load because ALL ADD/ADHD are highly deficient in their omegas, B vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids.

3. You the parent, needs emotional and spiritual support!!!! If not you will find yourself constantly yelling at your child. You can not beat ADD/ADHD off with aggression, instead you want to out smart it.

After 2 1/2 years of Charlie being on medication, it completely affected his health!!!!!!! I could see that I HAD to get him off medication before his psychologist prescribe him depression medication too. He already wasn’t eating or sleeping and if the psychologist would of had it her way, she would have already had him on medication for that too. Getting off medication and moving in a holistic direction, will take some patience. After all your son has been on his medication for 3 years. I’m going to have a wonderful soul from Biometics contact you who will answer all of your questions so you can get started on Biometics. However, I wouldn’t take your child off medication without your doctor monitoring him. Remember these are Schedule II drugs, they are highly addictive! Don’t try to do it by yourself and don’t try to do it without proper amount of nutrition either. High quality nutritional supplements will help minimize detox from this drug or any other additive drugs for that matter.

Enthusiastically yours,

Shirley Highers

www.addnaturalremedy.com

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they are taking better care of it.

 

Why Do I Turn Red All Over My Body and Get Icthy After I Drink the Biometics AM drink?

Q: I have ADD. I ordered the Biometics AM/PM program. Every morning after I drink the vitamins, my body starts burning all over. I would also say about 85% of my body turns red, especially around my arms, legs, and chest. It’s pretty intense and itchy too. I think I’m having an allergic reaction to these vitamins. What is in these products that are making my body react this way?

Jan

A: You are experiencing a Niacin Flush. A flush is a form of detox. It will normally last 10-30 mins. Because ADD/ADHD take mega doses of Get-Go-n (4 scoops) each morning, it is common that you could Flush. Although not everybody experiences a flush when they drink their AM drink.  It should not be feared! It’s a wonderful sign! This eventually will stop. The next time you have a niacin flush it will be because of something you ate that was REALLY unhealthy or you are coming down with some type of cold or infection. It’s sooo cool, too. If my husband flushes in the winter he knows to start drinking Bio Immune and it will knock out his cold before it can spread in his body. To speed along a niacin flush, you need to drink more water.                                                                                                                         

NIACIN FLUSH (Good Article)

Sometimes when you first start niacin you may experience a “flush” or a reddening of the skin and an itchy feeling. Niacin is a particularly important nutrient for improving the health of the heart and for improving blood circulation.

When you get that “flush” that means that the small blood vessels in your body are being expanded in size because of the niacin. Many of your small blood vessels, called “capillaries” are so small that blood cells can go through them only in single file. Sometimes, in fact, that small passageway is clogged and blood doesn’t get through at all.

While the large organs of the body all have blood supplied from large arteries, a great deal of your body, particularly the parts near the surface (skin and surface areas) get their ONLY supply of blood (therefore also of oxygen and food!) from these small capillaries. So, if those capillaries are not carrying the blood, then those parts of the body are not getting nourishment and oxygen.

The niacin causes these small capillaries to get larger — so they might be able to carry two or three blood cells at the same time. This is a tremendous increase in blood flow.

You experience this as a reddening of the skin — simply because there is more blood close to the surface of the body. As this blood flows in these areas the cells of the small capillaries will also be getting rid of their waste products, and often they produce “histamine” as part of that process. That histamine is another natural substance produced by every cell in the body — when the cell is under attack, or is getting rid of toxins. Histamine causes an “itchy” feeling.

When you take niacin for the first time you are probably going to have that “niacin flush” and feel itchy and have red skin. Depending on when and what you ate, the sensation could last for 10 minutes or as long as an hour.

It is not harmful or dangerous. Some people worry about it, but it is actually a sign of very healthy cleansing and improved blood flow. Once you have had the niacin flush with a particular quantity of niacin, usually the next day that same dosage of niacin won’t create the same effect, and usually after a few more days you will have none of this sensation — until you increase the dosage of niacin. When you take niacin to a new, higher level (from 100 mg, for instance, to 200 mg) you can experience the reddening again. “Niacin can be very effective and safe in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels and also in increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. In combination with other lipid-lowering drugs (eg, bile acid sequestrants), it has reduced the incidence of cardiovascular events and stopped the progression of coronary artery lesions. It may be the most cost-effective lipid-lowering agent currently available.


Enthusiastically yours,

Shirley Highers

www.addnaturalremedy.com 

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they are taking better care of it. 

Have You Tried Products From Native Remedies or Any Holisitic Approach for ADHD?

Q: My 6 yr old son was diagnosed with ADHD last yr in Kindergarten.  And also has Sensory Processing Disorder. Our pediatrician put him on Adderrall XR.  I hated putting my son on meds., and seeing him go through the horrible side effects, but he passed Kindergarten.  I took him off the meds over the summer and changed his diet and added a liquid B-Vitamins from a company called Buried Treasure called ADDED.  Like you I did a lot of research on ADHD and that I totally agree that the change of diet and adding B Vitamins to their diet is essential.  I also found a company on the internet called Native Remedies.  They have a holisitc approach on treating ADHD.  After I researching the ingredients I am apprehensive, besides reading all the positive feedback from other parents that swear by these products. What I wanted to know is, have you tried the products from Native  Remedies or any holisitc approach.

Michelle

A: I am not familiar with Buried Treasure. I have not tried that product. But I’m glad to hear it is a liquid. To really understand natural healing you must really understand the deficiencies of ADD/ADHD or pretty much the whole autistic spectrum (which includes Sensory Processing Disorder). Because ADD/ADHD is a collection of many symptoms not just one, so should the treatment for this disorder. This is important to understand!! Purchasing one product that says it will do the “job,” will not last long term. The consistent changes that I saw in my son came when I began a morning and evening vitamin regimen and changed his diet. This is when we experienced incredible changes in Charlie’s focus and behavior development. This was the first time we were able to take him off medication for good. It’s the collection of all of these products together that pulls the body back into to harmony and also helps to keep it there. I understand that money can be an issue but I am very adamant that if you go down the natural remedy path, that you really need to give it your all and not dabble in one product here and there. It needs to be consistent, which means you need to commit to whatever program you decide for at least 2-3 months. Think of it like this: You have cells that die off everyday and regenerate. Some cells take days to die off and others cells die off at 130 days. So when you have a body full of healthy regenerated cells and all those disease and malnourished cells have died off, this is when you will really see a balance in their brain and body chemistry. So my suggestion to you when you research holistic remedies approach for ADHD:1. Look into additional neurotransmitters to add to your son’s morning regimen. Which means you need become familiar with your basic neurotransmitters (all in my e-book) and search for products that have those particular amino acids (Tyrosine, Choline, 5-HTP, etc) in them. The BEST thing to do is to have a starting point, which means you will want to get a Neurotransmitters Test done. You need to see the exact neurotransmitters that your child is deficient in, that way you can focus on products that sythesize those neurotransmitters.

2. Look into HIGH quality LIQUID supplements. Not just B vitamin supplements, but a good company with a whole line of liquid supplements. I can tell you right now with ADHD, B vitamins are not enough. You will need your multi-vitamin, your B-vitamins, trace minerals, antioxidants, Co Q 10, calcium,etc. To purchase one product that says it has all of this in one bottle is a mistake! This is why I think I’m Biometics #1 fan. This was the first line of vitamins that changed Charlie’s life!! The quality of their products and their patent micelle process which ensures up to 80-90% absorption is exactly what an ADD/ADHD adult or kid or anybody for that matter needs. Their complete line (which all you really need to start with is the AM/PM program) offers EVERYTHING you could possibly need for ADD/ADHD. Biometics products Get-Go-N and Bio Alert both have neurotransmitters in them. Their PM drink has your calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

Also something to keep in mind, ADHD burn through their vitamins QUICKLY because of their hyperactivity! This is why calcium and magnesium are your best friends, it helps calm them down. About 80% usually have to take 2 servings a day of vitamins until their body is in harmony which could take up to about 2-3 months. But my son has a higher metabolism and eats very healthy so he had instant results on Biometics. It really depends on your body chemistry so I can not pin point when you will see results.

3. MOST IMPORTANT: You will need a HIGH quality Omega-3 supplement and you will need therapeutic dosages for ADHD which is normally 3000 to 5000mg a day. I do not care what product or products you order or purchase at your health store today, if you do not have a good quality Omega-3 supplement to go with your vitamin regimen then you are only spinning your wheels. That is how IMPORTANT it is to have this supplement.

*ADHD usually have food sensitivity. In my opinion, have a starting point go get a food allergy test done. Just pulling food that he has sensitivity to will help with mood swings, focus, and proper digestion.

*Herbs are sooo wonderful and offer GREAT support for ADHD especially ADD, but I’m more into balancing the core of my son’s ADHD symptoms. When the body is in harmony, your body will tend to heal itself. My son is not cured of ADHD but he has the control over it now. He is in all advance classes with 3.8 GPA. We still need to work on his poor decision making skills and he does get a little fidgety sometimes (mostly when he’s nervous) but hey, he’s off Adderall and he’s one healthy kid!

I have a mom who’s son has ADD. She has used Native Remedies for her son in the past. I met her 2 years ago when I helped her with her son’s ADD. I will have her contact you and she can tell you her personal testimony with Native Remedies’ products. 

P.S We have also done Acupuncture and Chinese herbal teas, Chiropractic Wellness, Super whole food green supplements, and various cleanses.

Enthusiastically yours,

Shirley Highers

www.addnaturalremedy.com

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they are taking better care of it.

Are All ADD/ADHD left handed?

Q: My husband and I have been told that our son needs to be tested for ADD since the first grade. We had him tested at Cherokee Health Systems a year ago. They told us that he had some signs of ADD. Well, of course that was not good enough for the school. So, we had the school test him. The only thing that they could tell us was to put him on medicine as soon as possible. OF COURSE. You can’t talk to anyone without them saying have him tested, put him on medicine. Is that the only answer?? I don’t feel that that is the only answer. You know, I also get tired of people telling me that since he is left handed he definaltly has ADD. Is that always true??? All I know is I am TRULY CONFUSED. I am afraid my son is going to fail in life and school if I don’t get some help. One last thing-  Can a school force you to have your child tested or take medicine??

Sonya

  A: 1. Left-handed kids usually are ADD/ADHD, is a total myth! I can explain why people speculate this myth. My son Charlie is left-handed, which means he operates primarily from the right hemisphere of his brain because it controls the left side of his body and the left hemisphere of the brain controls the right side of the body. I look at this as a bonus because Right brain thinkers are creative and artistic and Left brain thinkers are analytical. Because left-handed people are primarily using the right brain’s creativeness, it may appear that they are not focusing when in fact they are dreaming and imagining great things. Left- handed children may also appear to be a little clumsy or constantly having to stop and re-evaluate situations like sports, hand writing, eating at the table, etc. because they live in a right handed environment so it takes a little longer for them to figure things out. In fact, there are many children/adults that are right brained and right handed because they were not encouraged or taught to use the left hand. Charlie writes both left-handed and right-handed. He bats both ways in baseball. I’m a Left brain thinker, I’m right handed, and I have ADD. My husband is a Right brain thinker; he is right handed, and has ADD. Your environment has a lot to do with you physical attributes, but that does not change which side of the brain you use; although it can be suppressed, for instance when we are told to stop day dreaming. Most of our great achievers, inventors, and leaders never came close to finishing school. Don’t get me wrong, school is vitally important, but I do disagree with the way many children are suppressed from their true abilities. We all operate from both sides of the brain; it’s more about an individual being creative or analytical in their thinking. 

2. A school CANNOT force you to put your child on medication or get his/her vaccines. They can make you feel really bad but they cannot force you….EVER!! If you are feeling pressured to put your child on drugs because of your school system, you can contact your State Board of Education to prevent teachers or school administrators from continuing to do this.  

3. As far as teachers wanting your child to be tested for ADD/ADHD, that’s not such a bad thing. If anything was affecting my child’s behavior in class, I would want to know what I could to do to help with the situation. BUT, it’s important to understand what kind of test your child should have for ADD/ADHD. Along with several hours of IQ and Torrance tests for creativity. A child must exhibit ADD/ADHD behavior in two or more situations (school, home, socially, or work) to be diagnosed with this disorder. The presence of onset behavior problems or symptoms must be before the age of 7.

AND, if your child is diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, your next step is to have more tests such as neurotransmitters, food allergies, heavy metals, or Candida, etc… Why put a child on medication that has serious side effects when you can test for the exact neurotransmitter they are deficient in and then give them a natural supplement that contains those neurotransmitters such as Neu-becalm, Biometics Bio Alert, or Biometics Get-Go-N? I’m not 100% against medication or antibiotics, but I think they should always be used as a last resort. What if your child had a food allergy which was the result of his lack of concentration in class? Wouldn’t you rather pull this food from his diet then automatically put him on a Schedule II drugs that is highly addictive and has serious long term side effects??? I have had parents tell me by adding a high quality supplementations, omegas, and doing a heavy metal cleanse for their child, they saw long lasting life changing results!!! Going down the holistic path is a win-win situation. If you explain to your child’s teachers what you are doing they will work with you and let you know when they see a difference in your child. Worst case scenario is you are left with one healthy kid. Medication strips the body of nutrients and good bacteria in the gut. So even if a child is left with no other alternative but medication it is still important to have vitamins, omega, and probiotic supplements.

 P.S When I got the confidence to tell teachers, “I am taking my son off medication! This is what I’m going to do blah, blah, blah…, and will you please help me observe my child?” Every teacher was willing to participate. But looking back over the years when I was feeling pressured to put Charlie on ADD/ADHD medication; I can see how unsure I was back then. Therefore teachers were telling me what to do. But when I made a firm decision of what I was going to do and had gained confidence because of my researched in natural remedies, harmful effects from ADD/ADHD medications, using proper nutrition, blah, blah, blah…. No teacher ever tried to pressure me again!

Enthusiastically yours,

Shirley Highers

www.addnaturalremedy.com

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they are taking better care of it.