The mind and body react to each other. Functional/Integrative medicine, treating people rather than individual body parts, is a revolutionary field that recognizes body systems work together as a whole rather than separately.
This underlines the importance of healing brain disorders such as ADHD, autism, Alzheimer's, and depression by considering the whole self.
Before the obesity crisis, people as well as medical doctors were indifferent about what goes in our mouths. Even today, few know much about nutrition. What we eat is important since this contains the materials that develop brain cells. Without foods that supply the necessary nutrients, the brain cannot function well.
All of the body parts and every cell in the body are constantly communicating with each other. "Good communication is good health (Mark Hyman MD)."
A good place to start healing ADHD is with nutrition. Use a whole food approach free of chemicals, pesticides, additives, sugar, trans fats, and processed foods. Check for food sensitivities. Gluten and dairy head the list. These are easily detected using a food elimination diet.
Work with your health care professional to rule out or receive treatment for environmental toxicity (lead/mercury/mold), and yeast overgrowth. Also, check for vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Although doctors specializing in Functional medicine are scarce, it is worth your while to check for one in your area.
Once the root causes of ADHD symptoms are removed, a complete turn-around of mood, behavior, attention span, irritability, and anxiety is possible.
Functional Medicine recognizes and treats each person individually. Each person has a unique genetic make-up. Causes behind ADHD for one person may differ from another. Functional Medicine treats people, not diseases.
Functional Medicine is a fundamental change in thinking. Its role in ADHD and overall brain function is to be applauded.
Showing posts with label adhd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adhd. Show all posts
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
When it ain't workin' Don't force it!
You can take this one to the bank: You will never get results using mental coercion.
Since ADHD is a mind disorder, using mind to manage its symptoms makes sense. However, understanding how the mind works is crucial. Your mind responds to your thoughts whether positive or negative. This is good, but on the other hand, it sabotages efforts for success.
For example, let's use the common symptom procrastination. You have a project that must be completed. You make note of it in your mind, write it on the calendar, and list it as a priority on your to do list. The task is in your conscious mind as long as you think about it, talk about it, or entertain thoughts about it. The task is in your unconscious mind as well. Our knowledge of the brain assures us that once the idea of the task is accepted by the unconscious, it will act on it-make it happen. All you need is confidence and faith that tomorrow morning you will start work on the project and complete it as listed.
Sounds good until the ADHD steps in and feeds the unconscious mind negative thoughts. From whatever source, negative thoughts reflect lack of confidence, usually based in fear. Leading up to the procrastination may be the seemingly harmless thought, "Actually, I can still complete this project if I wait until Tuesday or Wednesday to start work on it." You think this with conviction and confidence and alas! the unconscious accepts the idea wholeheartedly. Even though it is written on Monday's To Do list, you can be assured that you won't get around to it until Tuesday or Wednesday.
That first thought begins the chain of negative thinking. "It's going to be hard." "I may never get it finished." "It isn't going to be right, even if I get it finished." "I wish I hadn't taken this on." And the negative thoughts, self-talk in your mind continue.
How do you change this?
Start with constructive thinking. Do not allow negative thoughts to take hold. Whenever a negative thought begins, stop it in mid-sentence by affirming the exact opposite. Giving your unconscious mind mixed signals and messages is no different than someone giving you contradicting messages. You don't know what to do, so you do nothing. Your goal is to come to a distinct, crystal clear message in your conscious mind. The unconscious will bring the message to fruition.
Coercion, will power, and mental force will not bring successful results. It takes a relaxed, confident, assuring mind with clear input to achieve desired results.
Visualization, or imagination will boost your ability to achieve. Allow no negativity while you picture positive outcomes. See it, feel it, hear it, smell it, taste it-Believe it!
The work you put into monitoring, guarding, and changing your thoughts will be well rewarded. Your mind is powerful. Use it.
Since ADHD is a mind disorder, using mind to manage its symptoms makes sense. However, understanding how the mind works is crucial. Your mind responds to your thoughts whether positive or negative. This is good, but on the other hand, it sabotages efforts for success.
For example, let's use the common symptom procrastination. You have a project that must be completed. You make note of it in your mind, write it on the calendar, and list it as a priority on your to do list. The task is in your conscious mind as long as you think about it, talk about it, or entertain thoughts about it. The task is in your unconscious mind as well. Our knowledge of the brain assures us that once the idea of the task is accepted by the unconscious, it will act on it-make it happen. All you need is confidence and faith that tomorrow morning you will start work on the project and complete it as listed.
Sounds good until the ADHD steps in and feeds the unconscious mind negative thoughts. From whatever source, negative thoughts reflect lack of confidence, usually based in fear. Leading up to the procrastination may be the seemingly harmless thought, "Actually, I can still complete this project if I wait until Tuesday or Wednesday to start work on it." You think this with conviction and confidence and alas! the unconscious accepts the idea wholeheartedly. Even though it is written on Monday's To Do list, you can be assured that you won't get around to it until Tuesday or Wednesday.
That first thought begins the chain of negative thinking. "It's going to be hard." "I may never get it finished." "It isn't going to be right, even if I get it finished." "I wish I hadn't taken this on." And the negative thoughts, self-talk in your mind continue.
How do you change this?
Start with constructive thinking. Do not allow negative thoughts to take hold. Whenever a negative thought begins, stop it in mid-sentence by affirming the exact opposite. Giving your unconscious mind mixed signals and messages is no different than someone giving you contradicting messages. You don't know what to do, so you do nothing. Your goal is to come to a distinct, crystal clear message in your conscious mind. The unconscious will bring the message to fruition.
Coercion, will power, and mental force will not bring successful results. It takes a relaxed, confident, assuring mind with clear input to achieve desired results.
Visualization, or imagination will boost your ability to achieve. Allow no negativity while you picture positive outcomes. See it, feel it, hear it, smell it, taste it-Believe it!
The work you put into monitoring, guarding, and changing your thoughts will be well rewarded. Your mind is powerful. Use it.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
How to Remember to Flush
Let's fess up. We have a problem remembering to do things. Responsibilities, tasks, directions, routines, and even things like flushing the toilet. Our lack of remembering drives friends, family, supervisors, and co-workers up the wall and adds more problems to manage.
Making lifestyle changes such as nutrition and exercise can reduce the severity and eliminate some symptoms. Energy psychology may remove blockages created by deep seated causes. However, most of the ADHD traits and symptoms live with us forever.
As dismal as this picture looks, there is hope. We can turn negative traits into positives that work for our good instead of against us. Rather than allowing ADHD symptoms manage us, we manage them.
That thing others call daydreaming, or spacing out when we are caught doing it, is called visualization. Most of us are great visualizers. Visualization is the ADHDer's salvation when put to work for us rather than against.
Making lifestyle changes such as nutrition and exercise can reduce the severity and eliminate some symptoms. Energy psychology may remove blockages created by deep seated causes. However, most of the ADHD traits and symptoms live with us forever.
As dismal as this picture looks, there is hope. We can turn negative traits into positives that work for our good instead of against us. Rather than allowing ADHD symptoms manage us, we manage them.
That thing others call daydreaming, or spacing out when we are caught doing it, is called visualization. Most of us are great visualizers. Visualization is the ADHDer's salvation when put to work for us rather than against.
If you can visulaize it, you can do it . . . and remember to do it.
Make a mental picture, a movie, in your mind of the behavior you need to remember. Start at the beginning and leave nothing out. Visualize going through each and every required step of the routine. Not only see the action, but feel it, smell it, taste it, hear it. Make it real. You are the star of the video as well as director, editor, producer, sound effects, wardrobe . . . Make it your best.
Once the movie is in your head all that remains is an external trigger to set it in motion. The internal movie will play when given the appointed external trigger.
et us use the problem of finding keys, handbag, or other items you need the next time you leave the house. You had them with you when you last returned, but now they are nowhere to be found. Make a movie of returning to the house, and entering the house with the items. Film yourself arriving to the house and entering the house as you normally would. Picture yourself opening the appropriate doors to get inside. Film yourself walking into your house exactly as you would time and time again after returning to your house. Film putting everything away in its appropriate place immediately upon entering the house. The keys go directly to their designated place, the handbag is put away in its assigned place.
In this example, opening the appropriate door for entering the house makes a good external trigger. It may be house key, garage door opener, or other means of unlocking the entry to your house. Select any appropriate external trigger.
The external trigger will start the movie. You will be led through the steps included in the movie you created. For example, you will return keys, handbags, and other items to their places exactly as you filmed it.
My latest movie titled,"Putting the Toilet Seat back Down," was a success. No more startled screams in the middle of the night, and the wife is noticeably happier at breakfast.
http://keenehealth.net/id66.html
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Charlatons Invented ADHD to Make Money, Right?
The fight goes on. One camp proclaims no such thing as ADHD while the other recognizes it as a diagnosed neurological disorder involving the frontal cortex. The two opinions (three if you include the undecided) are not new, but I didn't realize the seriousness of the disagreement until a comment appeared in response to one of my You Tube videos.
After deleting an impressive string of expletives, the following message remained. "There is no such thing as ADHD, only people like you who made it up to rip people off by taking their money." If you want the actual message, surround each noun in the quotation with multiple profanities. If done correctly, the bravest of you will gasp.
What difference does it make? I can name two. One is qualifying for medication, and another is eligibility for special education services. There are subcategories under these two, but . . . Really, what difference does it make? The symptoms of ADHD are real with or without the diagnosis.
I work with clients who can't stay focused, who get caught up in impulsive behavior. They may have uncontrolled flares of anger, forgetfulness, low self-esteem, addictions and compulsive behaviors. Some are diagnosed ADHD or adult ADD. Some are not. Some take prescribed medication. Others don't. They have one thing in common. They share devastating symptoms. Symptoms that are common to ADHD regardless of criteria for diagnosis.
The symptoms are real and damaging. Bottom line? It is important that we manage the symptoms not that ADHD is a bona fide disorder.
After deleting an impressive string of expletives, the following message remained. "There is no such thing as ADHD, only people like you who made it up to rip people off by taking their money." If you want the actual message, surround each noun in the quotation with multiple profanities. If done correctly, the bravest of you will gasp.
What difference does it make? I can name two. One is qualifying for medication, and another is eligibility for special education services. There are subcategories under these two, but . . . Really, what difference does it make? The symptoms of ADHD are real with or without the diagnosis.
I work with clients who can't stay focused, who get caught up in impulsive behavior. They may have uncontrolled flares of anger, forgetfulness, low self-esteem, addictions and compulsive behaviors. Some are diagnosed ADHD or adult ADD. Some are not. Some take prescribed medication. Others don't. They have one thing in common. They share devastating symptoms. Symptoms that are common to ADHD regardless of criteria for diagnosis.
The symptoms are real and damaging. Bottom line? It is important that we manage the symptoms not that ADHD is a bona fide disorder.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Letting Go of the Past is Easy . . . with a magic wand
Live in the present. Live for the day. Let go of the past. Erase the tapes of sordid baggage. This advice is given to us freely by friends, family, self-help gurus, and the beaten who trod the streets. Everyone. Everyone knows (but the person hurting) that this is the path to success.
Good advice. Poof! If we have a magic wand.
Considering that everything from our stint in the womb and perhaps before is recorded in the unconscious, surely the tape extends to infinity. Not sure about your tape, but if the sordid baggage contained on mine was placed in a pile, it would be impressive.
Logically, a good share of this past stuff lies forgotten in the unconscious. Some of it we couldn't retrieve if we wanted. The problem is with the stuff that we do not want. Those recordings that pop up to defeat us. The negative, abusive, self-defeating admonishments and experiences given to us intentionally or unintentionally by enemy or foe.
Included are the sayings and behaviors from parents, teachers, ministers, relatives, baby sitters, and the couple at the corner market. All those who share belief systems that have an impact on our life. Beliefs that sabotaged our past efforts of intention and continue to do so today. For example:
The rich can't get into heaven, Money is the root of all evil, Everyone in our family is big-boned (fat), You aren't good enough, smart enough, Your sister (brother) is the pretty one, smart one, or good one.
Our recordings lie behind the negative emotions and behaviors of fear, lonliness, anger, resentment, worry, depression, and guilt among others. Discovering the "writing on our wall" that lies behind a destructive emotion and behavior clears the body's energy path resulting in emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Fortunately, we do have a magic wand of sorts. Our mind. Yes, the same wand that stores and records our life. The unconscious mind, just like the conscious mind, is designed for our good.
We just need to use it.
___________________________________________________
Learn more about Paul and his management of ADD/ADHD at: http://www.theabcsofadhd.com/About_Us.html
Visit Helping Others Heal at: http://www.keenehealth.net/ and subscribe to the FREE Helping Others Heal newsletter.
Good advice. Poof! If we have a magic wand.
Considering that everything from our stint in the womb and perhaps before is recorded in the unconscious, surely the tape extends to infinity. Not sure about your tape, but if the sordid baggage contained on mine was placed in a pile, it would be impressive.
Logically, a good share of this past stuff lies forgotten in the unconscious. Some of it we couldn't retrieve if we wanted. The problem is with the stuff that we do not want. Those recordings that pop up to defeat us. The negative, abusive, self-defeating admonishments and experiences given to us intentionally or unintentionally by enemy or foe.
Included are the sayings and behaviors from parents, teachers, ministers, relatives, baby sitters, and the couple at the corner market. All those who share belief systems that have an impact on our life. Beliefs that sabotaged our past efforts of intention and continue to do so today. For example:
The rich can't get into heaven, Money is the root of all evil, Everyone in our family is big-boned (fat), You aren't good enough, smart enough, Your sister (brother) is the pretty one, smart one, or good one.
Our recordings lie behind the negative emotions and behaviors of fear, lonliness, anger, resentment, worry, depression, and guilt among others. Discovering the "writing on our wall" that lies behind a destructive emotion and behavior clears the body's energy path resulting in emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.
Fortunately, we do have a magic wand of sorts. Our mind. Yes, the same wand that stores and records our life. The unconscious mind, just like the conscious mind, is designed for our good.
We just need to use it.
___________________________________________________
Learn more about Paul and his management of ADD/ADHD at: http://www.theabcsofadhd.com/About_Us.html
Visit Helping Others Heal at: http://www.keenehealth.net/ and subscribe to the FREE Helping Others Heal newsletter.
Monday, February 9, 2009
ADHD is a Disorder-Not an Excuse
Those of us with ADHD soon learn that management of our adhd symptoms requires on-going work. Michael Phelps' recent demise illustrates this. Please view today's entry via video.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Clearing Out the Past
I discovered eight years ago that if I really wanted the energy to flow it was necessary to remove the junk that compromised or prevented it from flowing through the body. I knew that energy flowed through the body's meridians and all of that, but I never considered that it got blocked.
Those of you who know me on a personal level, through my websites, or from the Helping Others Heal Naturally newsletter know that I am an advocate of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Through the discovery of EFT, I began to reflect on likely causes of my blockages- the writings on my wall.
God knows there were many possibilities to consider.
As a child trouble seemed to follow me. I wasn't really a bad kid. I just exhibited some behaviors that ticked off some people. People like my teachers, parents, and maybe a few others.
Although the discovery of ADHD had been around, to my knowledge nobody I knew was familiar with or used the term. Looking back, I am certain that I met the criteria for the label since I had the classic "out of the textbook" symptoms.
I must confess that I continue to have many of the symptoms today. However, I have learned to manage them and lead a somewhat normal life-whatever normal means.
Clearing out the junk stored in my unconscious (that raised its ugly self-sabotaging head now and again) got the energy flowing. Not that it flows like a young stream. On occasion it trickles or meanders.
It takes maintenance to clear out the past, to get rid of the junk. After all, the past is anything and everything that is not in the immediate present moment.
http://www.keenehealth.net/
http://www.theabcsofadhd.com/
Those of you who know me on a personal level, through my websites, or from the Helping Others Heal Naturally newsletter know that I am an advocate of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). Through the discovery of EFT, I began to reflect on likely causes of my blockages- the writings on my wall.
God knows there were many possibilities to consider.
As a child trouble seemed to follow me. I wasn't really a bad kid. I just exhibited some behaviors that ticked off some people. People like my teachers, parents, and maybe a few others.
Although the discovery of ADHD had been around, to my knowledge nobody I knew was familiar with or used the term. Looking back, I am certain that I met the criteria for the label since I had the classic "out of the textbook" symptoms.
I must confess that I continue to have many of the symptoms today. However, I have learned to manage them and lead a somewhat normal life-whatever normal means.
Clearing out the junk stored in my unconscious (that raised its ugly self-sabotaging head now and again) got the energy flowing. Not that it flows like a young stream. On occasion it trickles or meanders.
It takes maintenance to clear out the past, to get rid of the junk. After all, the past is anything and everything that is not in the immediate present moment.
http://www.keenehealth.net/
http://www.theabcsofadhd.com/
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