Natural Supplements To Help Manage ADHD/ADD Symptoms

The simplest way to help your child who struggles with symptoms of Attention-Deficit Disorders, is to:

• Be aware of any nutrient deficiencies such as magnesium deficiency & improve diet (Click here for a natural health & nutrition pyramid)
• Eliminate food allergies and sensitivities (using a blood test or elimination diet plan)
• Test toxicity levels & reduce exposure to harmful toxins
• Add vitamin and mineral supplements that make sense for your child

If a doctor or schoolteacher diagnosed my child with having ADHD or ADD, the first thing I would do is call a functional medicine practitioner.

• Learn what makes functional medicine different than conventional medicine
• Click here to find a functional medicine practitioner near you

When you know exactly what’s going on inside your child’s body, you can use nutrition as a therapeutic tool and help improve the ADHD/ADD symptoms big time – without the use of harmful medications.

Be proud of yourself for taking this step and researching ways to help your child naturally. One day your child will thank you for helping him in a way that no drug ever could.

When it comes time to finding some vitamin and mineral supplements that make sense for your child, here are a few you can purchase from NaturalHealthyConcepts.com with free shipping.

Essential Fatty Acids

Essential Fatty Acids including EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid), DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), and GLA (Gamma-Linolenic Acid) are all vital for learning and focus, positive mood, memory and overall brain function. When it comes to fish oil and omega 3’s, I trust Nordic Naturals brand. Their oils have been tested by leading organizations and experts and they pass every one of the 11 standards. You can feel good knowing that Nordic Naturals’ oils do not contain PCBs, harmful heavy metals or dioxins.

• Omega 3-6-9-D Junior (for kids 5 and older) provides four beneficial essential fatty acids including Oleic Acid (OA), EPA, DHA, GLA and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). (Vitamin D2 supplements from ergocalciferol are said to act differently in the body and may not be absorbed as well). The soft gels are easy to take and have a great lemon taste.
• Children’s DHA (for kids 3 and older) provide EPA, DHA and OA. It also naturally contains vitamins D3, A and E. These are also chewable and taste strawberrily delicious.

Flax Seeds & Coconut Oil

I’m not sure if flax seeds and coconut oil can even be considered a “supplement”, however they are both functional foods that should be incorporated often into our diets. Flax seeds contain beneficial ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), LA (linoleic acid), OA (oleic acid) and SDG (antioxidant lignans). Flax seeds naturally contain protein and a high amount of fiber, as well as important minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium.

Coconut oil is super nutritious and has many health and healing benefits. It also keeps its nutrients when you cook with it. In my opinion, nobody should ever cook with vegetable or seed oils (Canola, vegetable, sunflower etc.). Our fatty acid ratio is very unbalanced because of our typical Standard American Diet (SAD). These oils only contribute to our obesity epidemic, as well as other health issues and diseases. Coconut oil, on the other hand, contains antioxidant properties that protect against environmental and free radical damage (unstable molecules in our body that lead to disease). Both flax seeds and coconut oil are very helpful with aiding digestion. If you don’t know already, your gut health is critical to your overall health. Many diseases and health issues stem from an unhealthy gut.

• Learn more about Coconut Oil: The Hero for Your Health (Infographic)
• Learn about Leaky Gut Syndrome – Kids can have a leaky gut too.

There are many coconut oils and flax seeds to check out at Natural Healthy Concepts. Garden of Life brand is 100% organic and free of GMOs.

• Extra Virgin Coconut Oil by Garden of Life is the one that I like to use at home. You can use coconut oil in a smoothie, for cooking, and as lotion or conditioner for your hair. If you have a little left on the spoon – don’t wash it off, rub it on your skin to take advantage of its nutrients!
• Raw Organic Golden Flax Seeds by Garden of Life go through a unique five-step cleaning process that gently filters all impurities, leaving behind only the purest, freshest and nutrient rich seeds. They go well in smoothies – which kids love!

Vitamins & Minerals

Often times nutrient deficiencies can cause ADHD-like symptoms. Common nutrient deficiencies in kids with these symptoms include zinc, magnesium, B vitamins, and vitamin D and C. This is when it’s important to see a functional medicine practitioner to help guide you. Supplementing with a multivitamin and magnesium may help these symptoms. The fish oil and flax seed that I mentioned previously contain natural E, A and D3 vitamins. But here are a few that my kids love.

• Nordic Berries by Nordic Naturals are chewy and very tasty! My husband even loves them. These include all of the essential B vitamins among others. Depending on the amount your child is deficient, he or she may need more of a certain mineral than others. Getting tested with your healthcare practitioner should help you determine this.
• Rainforest Animalz Calcium, Magnesium & D3 by Bluebonnet Nutrition are chewable and taste like cake! They are free from allergens and made with whole food fruits and vegetables (a big plus!). Bluebonnet also just announced that they are Non-GMO verified. Yes!

Probiotics

Many parents have found that adding probiotics into their children’s diet has improved their behavior. Probiotics will assist with proper absorption of nutrients from food, healthy digestion and a balanced gut flora. These functions also work together to improve the immune response. There are many children’s probiotics to choose from, and you may want to look into some of the best sellers at Natural Healthy Concepts. Just be sure to read the descriptions for the specific supplements to find out more and help you decide which one to try. I’ve tried a few with my kids that I like including:

• Dino-Dophilus Probiotics – 2 Billion from Kal is a blend of L-acidophilus, B-bifidum and L-bulgaricus which are good bacteria that may aid the absorption of vitamins and minerals needed to keep your child healthy. These are chewable and have a cherry flavor that kids like. You do need to refrigerate them.
• FloraBoost by Ortho Molecular (a very well respected manufacturer) is in a powder form. It’s a blend of 5 billion CFU. This one also does not have to be refrigerated and is very easy to add to your child’s drink. I used this one for my boys when they were just infants. My youngest, Milo, had eczema and this seemed to help it a lot.
• iFlora Kids Multi-Probiotic by Sedona Labs is another one you do not need to refrigerate. It comes in a powder form and easy to sprinkle over the top of room temperature food or in a drink. It also features prebiotics in addition to 7 strains of healthy probiotics at 8 billion CFU. It’s also great for kids of all ages!

*Click here to learn 10 more reasons to take probiotics.

ADHD Specific Supplements

There are some supplements that are made with the ADHD child in mind. These usually contain a mix of essential vitamins and minerals along with other ingredients that have been shown to help with symptoms such as grape seed extract. Sometimes they include essential fatty acids among other things. Here’s a look at a few popular selling ADHD supplements from Natural Healthy Concepts:

• BioFocus Bars are designed for a between meal snack or meal replacement. It aids in balancing blood sugar levels, improving nutrient density, and supporting neurological and cognitive function. They are made with organic ingredients and chocolate peanut butter crunch flavored.
• Learner’s Edge by Integrative Therapeautics is made to support neurological development and function in children. It contains DMAE (a substance that has been shown to help enhance mental concentration and cognitive function), Acetyl L-carnitine to buffer oxidative stress, L-theanine to support neurotransmitter activity and Carnosine to support healthy frontal lobe activity.
• Dynamic Kids Drink is a fruit punch flavored source for natural vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential fatty acids Omega 6 and 9 found in the Acai Berry. This drink was actually created by a mom who wanted her children to get the proper amounts of nutrients. Maintaining a healthy diet including fruits and vegetables can be challenging when it comes to our children! Below is a review from a mother, and customer of Natural Healthy Concepts, who felt it made a huge difference with  her child.

 Huge difference!

Suggested Book: 12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child

This isn’t a supplement, but in the book, 12 Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Chid, you’ll find 12 recommendations to help your child naturally using nutrition and other safe methods.

Author Laura Stevens has 25 years of research and experience, and her 12 effective ways to help your child are completely drug-free and backed by many clinical studies. For more than 20 years, Stevens has been researching the role of nutrition and food sensitivities in regards to ADD/ADHD.

She is respected as a pioneer in this important field of study. She also includes more than 40 easy, nutritious and delicious recipes that kids love!

These days, schools are getting $400 in grant money for each kid they “diagnose” with ADHD. In the United States, six to seven million kids are forced to take a prescription drug before they can go to school each morning.

A study published in the Journal of Health Economics says there are roughly 1 million US children that may be misdiagnosed with ADHD. There is no scientific evidence to prove your kid has a mental disorder. They label kids with ADHD simply based off of opinion and a list of common “misbehaviors”. Just remember, kids are going to act like kids. They are all different and unique in their own ways.

Some of the drugs being prescribed are causing all sorts of lawsuits because of the dramatic increase in boys developing full breasts that have to get removed. Don’t let the marketing push from pharmaceutical companies stand in your way of caring for your child the way you think you should. In my opinion – drugs just makes things worse.

• Click here to read more on over-medicating our children – abuse by the pharmaceutical industry.

Take a minute to watch this video – It gave me goose bumps. It’s so true!

What are your experiences with ADHD/ADD symptoms and treatments? Share your knowledge! Questions? Let’s hear them. Make a comment below.