I just received this information today from "ADDitude"
magazine. They outline several ways to relieve symptoms of ADHD without
medication.
I have seen these ideas discussed over the past several years,
and some in particular ring true:
- fatty oils / fish oil
- iron, zinc & vitamin C and vitamin B6
- lots of protein in the diet to keep energy steady throughout
the day
They note that for the fish oil, "The best supplements have two or three times more EPA than
DHA."
I know that the "gentle" forms of iron work much
better -- the other types are constipating. I buy my "gentle" iron at
Whole Foods.
Vitamin B is very helpful in reducing anxiety. While a student may not
exhibit outward signs, he may feel stressed at school when he gets reprimanded
for not being on task, or when he realizes that he forgot something.
I really like most of the suggestions. However, the slideshow veers away from nutrition into lifestyle recommendations. I must caution
that the "brain games" they recommend, such as CogMed (or Lumosity),
do not have research to support long-term results. They are expensive and put a
kid in front of a screen even longer.
I think a good antidote for our computer-addicted kids is some
time outdoors.
Furthermore,
I have not found compelling research on the effectiveness of NeuroFeedback.
There is a lot of promising marketing, but it's expensive -- too expensive to
experiment with at this time, in my opinion. I love the idea behind it -- teaching
yourself to control your inner systems -- but I don't know how it works with
younger children.
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