Nutrition as an ADHD Alternative Treatment

For many people with Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD, nutrition alone can effectively work as an ADHD alternative treatment. Numerous and growing research continues to show that nutrition deficiencies - especially with essential fatty acids and amino acids - cause of a wide variety of Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD symptoms and learning deficiencies. Put down the Ritalin bottle for one minute to consider these Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD nutrition research findings;

• Purdue University researchers have found that boys with low blood levels of Omega-3 fatty acids have a greater frequency of Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD.
• An Oxford University (England) study evaluated the effects of fatty acid supplementation in average intelligence children with significant reading and writing disabilities. The ADHD symptoms in children receiving Essential Fatty Acids significantly improved over the children in the control group receiving a placebo.
• A George Washington University School of Medicine study found that hyperactive children who ate a meal high in protein did equally well, and sometimes better, in school than non-hyperactive kids.
• Researchers further documented the essential fatty acid deficiency tie to Attention Deficit Disorder in a 1987 study. Then, a 1995 study comparing essential fatty acid levels in ADHD boys against a control group of boys without ADHD found significantly lower levels of Omega-3 fatty acids.
• Researchers first tied Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD with lower essential fatty acid in 1981. Studies examining essential fatty acid blood levels in children with behavioral problems in 1983 confirmed this Attention Deficit Disorder nutrition connection.

Attention Deficit Disorder is the most common behavioral disorder in children. Physicians routinely use stimulant drugs for Attention Deficit Disorder but studies show that children with ADD and ADHD whose treatment program includes only stimulant medication remain at a high risk for vandalism, petty crime, frequency of alcoholic intoxication, and possession of marijuana. Additionally, ADHD medications do not always work well and have a host of harmful side effects.

With Attention Deficit Disorder, nutrition and food is one the first aspect of treatment to consider, as an ADHD alternative treatment or used in conjunction with traditional ADHD stimulant drug treatment.

Fatty acids are used to make brain and nerve tissue in the body and are crucial for proper growth, mental function, the immune system and brain development. Although the typical Western diet is high in the Omega-6 family of fatty acids (found in corn, sunflower, canola and safflower oil, margarine, vegetable oil and shortening), most children and adults are highly deficient in Omega-3.

Learning specialists now believe behavior and learning problems are associated with Omega-3 deficiencies. Most studies conducted on the affects of essential fatty acids found that at least 10 weeks of supplementation is needed to adequately raised fatty acid levels in brain cells. Follow a diet high in Omega-3 fatty acids for at least 10 weeks, and preferably 12 weeks, before judging the effectiveness of nutrition on ADD and ADHD symptoms.

Essential fatty acids are not the only element needed when addressing  nutrition. Amino acids, from which protein is made, are an integral element since amino acids and essential fatty acids are both needed to work in the body. Therefore, adding quality protein is a key in Attention Deficit Disorder nutrition.

Attention Deficit and hyperactive people can greatly reduce the level of unfocused or misdirected energy simply by using a quality supplement. The Attend supplement for Attention Deficit Disorder supplies the body with all essential amino acids and fatty acids needed for optimal brain functioning, along with a wide array of ingredients specifically targeted to neurological functioning.

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