OUR RESPONSE:
There are so many options for ADD issues. We need to always look at the basics. First Omega 3’s and a solid Multi high in B’s as well as a diet that is high in healthy proteins (these are needed for neurotransmitter health). During the winter the basics include things like Vitamin D. If we balance the basics and we are still having issues then we can help relieve this with products like L-Theanine and/or 5-HTP. L-Theanine is great to slow a racing brain without sedating. I recommend this in people who get stuck trying to solve the world’s problems in the middle of the night as well as when the brain is jumping from one thing to another so fast that a single task cannot get finished. 5-HTP gives the body a needed serotonin boost, and with Serotonin being your feel good neurotransmitter, improving this can give you a much needed sense of wellbeing. Since diet plays such a part in this issue I would highly recommend that you attend some of our cooking classes and even starting with our ultimate nutrition you could stand to learn a lot about food, variety and changes that may benefit this issue. Everything that I have suggested currently we can apply to either kids or adults we just need to adjust dosing, so let us know if we can work with you further on this.
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Q. Do you have anything natural to help with ADD? – Audrey
Q. Are there any products that help with insominia that dont cause the next morning groggies and sluggishness side effects? – Tammy
OUR RESPONSE: Yes there are! Most products used for sleep are more are less tranquilizers, thus the groggy, sluggish feeling. They also, as I like to put it, give you the illusion of sleep, not true restful reparative sleep. So what we need to establish is solid sleep that leaves you feeling rested and leaves you waking up feeling ready for the day. Staying asleep and falling asleep are two different issues, so we can start with something basic that can help both and then if we need to look at more than we will. For many people it can be the pace many of us keep all day long and shutting down may be hard for the body, even if you can fall asleep this still may lead to waking up a few hours into the night. I would suggest Revitalizing Sleep which is a combination product for sleep. Pick one of two ways to take it. If you have a hard time staying asleep and this has been going on for some time then I would suggest 3-4 capsules at bedtime (if it for occasional issues then try 1-2 capsules at bedtime). If you have an issue with both falling and staying asleep I would suggest that you take 1 Revitalizing Sleep at 7-8pm when you are at home and then follow up with 2 at bedtime (this way we are trying to get your body in a more relaxed place and ready for sleep). The ingredients in the product are designed to put your body in the right place for sleep and thus keep you sleeping. As always make sure that you are getting enough time in bed for sleep, too much fighting sleep will only make things worse.
Q. I take Axert for migraines, any other ideas of what I can take? -Debbie
OUR RESPONSE: Since migraines can come from many different directions in the body, let me just touch on a few things and you can let us know if anything does help or if we need to go further. Inflammation – if this is the cause, either in the blood vessels or just systemically I would recommend Turmeric. I would suggest this every day and on days of a migraine increase the dose (double it). Vascular – if this is the cause then using herbs like feverfew and butterbur on a daily basis seems to decrease spasms in the vessels (they also have some anti-inflammatory effects). I recommend a routine daily maintenance dose and then if needed on the day of a migraine you can increase. The key effect with these herbs is consistency. Serotonin – we know that with drops in this key neurotransmitter migraines are possible. Some people see a drop in serotonin as depression or anxiety, others develop strong hormone responses and other people may see it as IBS. But low serotonin is linked to migraine headache. I then recommend 5-HTP to boost levels and if needed adding on L-Theanine as a natural calming/de-stressing agent. Diet – this is a loaded cause, since where do you start? I recommend you start with the most well know factors, aspartame(nutratsweet), MSG, Nitrites & Nitrates, and any artificial colors or flavors. Then move into food categories such as wheat containing products and cow’s milk products and eliminate for at least 4-6 weeks to evaluate if these are an issue. Other factors are out there, but start with these and let us know if we need to go further. Thanks for your question.
Q. Do you have any suggestions for somebody who incurred brain damage 20 years ago, and now lives with Parkinson’s syndrome and severe dystonia? -Jacob
OUR RESPONSE: This is a loaded question. Lots to work on. So let’s start with the basics and work from there. The level of minerals and B vitamins that is needed for each of these conditions is great, so I would recommend a multiple very high potency that you take at each meal. I would recommend Magnesium Glycinate at dosing of 200mg in the morning at noon and 400mg at bedtime (we can adjust this if the bowels are affected too much). I would also recommend a liquid B called Max B ND. The delivery to the body is very cellular where you really need it to be. The next important thing is your good fats. You need a combination of all essential fats. Plenty of fish oil, flaxseed, olive oil and even possibly borage, evening primrose, or krill oil. Part of the basics is also your diet. Solid proteins & complex carbohydrates, so make sure to include beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, plenty of veggies and fruits and look to include brown rice and wild rice, steel cut oats, buckwheat, and other healthy carbs. Attending any of our great cooking classes is a start to find ways to implement all these good foods. Check our website for our next classes. I would want you to make sure that you eliminate all artificial sweeteners from your diet especially aspartame. The negative neurological effects should be avoided at all costs, watch yogurt, beverages and anything that lists less sugar. Once you establish the basics then we can look at CoQ10, L-Carnitine, L-Tyrosine, and work in detox and cleansing. We look forward to working with you.
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