Using Vitalist Practices, I aim to facilitate finding the root cause of your symptoms, in all things, especially when I am certain, and passionate, that I can help you.

This may involve certain herbal and nutritional recommendations as well as lifestyle suggestions in order to balance blood sugar, remove food sensitivities, improve gut health, correct nutrient deficiencies, optimize sleep, and start to calm down the nervous system.

Typically standard “treatment” for ADD/ADHD involves medication, re-education using standardized "behavioral modification techniques" and skills training as well as psychological counseling – BUT these do NOT provide a cure – and if there are changes, often, like most medications, there are new side effects, new behaviors, etc that seem to cycle you round and round. Even "retraining" behaviors is not full-proof as these are only addressing the individual, not the matrix the individual is living in. 

Again, you will hear - in order to “solve” (let’s read into that, “cure”) your or your child’s ADD/ADHD, you will likely be told by the “experts” that there is a necessity for medication and more likely a combination of medications to address all the combinations of behavioral traits that “need” retraining or even restraining.

However, while I cannot diagnose and I cannot prescribe, I do what I would call a “work around” in order to use only a combination of the following suggestions in order to be most effective.

If the root causes are not investigated fully, regardless of whether you go for an “allopathic” or “alternative” solution, and these causes discovered and dealt with appropriately, any “treatments” or modalities may help temporarily manage some symptoms, but they may, over time, make things worse.

What are Vitalist Practices?

At the core, finding out how and why our core/chi/qi/energy/lifeforce is "not moving" without impedance in our emotional and physical body and using different modalities to correct these blockages or imbalances in order for this vital force to course-correct so the body can get back to healing itself.

This is a general outline of discovery that I would use to help you or your child with ADD/ADHD.

It’s paramount to uncover familial history - it doesn’t matter how small. Guiding most of our physical and emotional health is our own trauma and nervous system but even deeper, we find that familial trauma, also called generational trauma, is written into our epigenetic code.

• Vagus nerve/polyvagal theory
• The Body Keeps the Score - Besel van der Kolk
• The Body Never Lies - Alice miller

Herbs for nervous system, adaptogens, nervines, etc.

Energy healing - sound/vibration, Reiki, snoezellen, etc

Nutrition – VITAL -- remember: let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. (Hippocrates)

• Examine cravings, timing of snacking/desires, etc
• Re-training well-balanced eating plan
• Add anti-inflammatory herbs/nutrition
• Provide for brain health – no processed foods, eliminate sensitivities, reduce sugar, add before subtracting
• Notes: Highly processed foods, artificial additives (colors, flavors, etc), “obesagens”, eating = brain health suffers (artificial food additives incl. colors affect ALL children – with and without ADHD (ie. increased hyperactivity, etc) → replace w/whole foods, “nothing out of a box or can”, no ingredients you can’t pronounce, increase healthy fats, enough protein, concentrate on fiber, vegetables. (may need to try elimination diets for short periods to determine what are contributing factors)
• In order to begin to minimize ADHD symptoms. Common food allergens/sensitivities (ie sugar, gluten and/or dairy, etc). *(for adults, best to eliminate alcohol)

Sleep

• First, above, trauma/nervous system focus
• Sleep problems very common
• Healthy sleep routines are essential – meaning, setting alarms, creating patterns, giving the child direction to figure out his/her own patterns
• Ideal to get 7-10 hrs sleep/night, going to bed at the same time, making sure environment is conducive ie dark, use of e.o.(lavender, etc), sound machine, etc
• Other considerations - full stomach, limit screen time before bed
• Specifics passion flower, chamomile, oats, etc, magnesium, melatonin (only natural from foods) (melatonin important in overal circadian rhythm)

Stress Management

• Polyvagal theory/HPA axix/parasympathetic-sympathetic nervous system
• Support of overall brain/nervous system health must take priority
• Often those with ADD/ADHD see their symptoms get exacerbated when stress increases
• Practices of mindfulness, meditation, yoga, breath work, or other therapies (energy ie Reiki, Qigong, etc), biofeedback therapy, snoezellen, vibrobed, etc.
• Often medications are recommended for adjunct diagnoses such as bipolar, general anxiety disorder, etc. It’s best in my opinion to go with many natural therapies and nutrition focus before adding a pharmaceutical regime.

Exercise - as an addition to stress management and obviously overall well being

• Consistent exercise can mitigate stress and help with stress management - studies show it boosts mood/improves mental health even w/short/small amounts.
• A good goal to set is 150 min per week of moderate intensity exercise

Nutritional Supplements

• Brain is the body organ that uses the most energy - vital to get the right nutrients in teh right amounts – vitamins, minerals, other nutrients just for the brain alone to do its job
• Many diagnoses w/ADD/ADHD often have higher rates of some mineral and nutrient deficiencies therefore it’s paramount to consume a healthy diet with targeted supplementation – to get at root causes
• Iron – tends to be lower in those with ADD/ADHD (One study showed ADHD symptoms improved in children w/anemia when taking an iron supplement. Another study of women with ADHD found that iron deficiency anemia is higher in individuals with adult ADHD than in the general population. Similarly, Vitamin D is often lower in children with ADHD
• Magnesium, zinc, balance of omega 3 and 6 ( One study showed ADHD symptoms were significantly reduced when taking magnesium, zinc, and omega 3 and 6 together)
• Additional specific herbs + supplements – lion’s mane, pycnogenol, ginseng, ginkgo, st. john’s wart, carnitine and saffron, jujube… Vitalist as well as Eastern herbal practices will balance hot/cold constitution and create synergistic blends of herbs to treat the whole body system gently so as not to shock the chi/qi/ki

Specific body systems

Hormone Balance

• Hormone fluctuations in both M and F but especially In females because of monthly hormone fluctuations during cycles can impact ADHD symptoms – for both M/F it’s important to address balance.
• Focus on balancing other hormones ie thyroid, adrenal hormones, overal endocrine system (melatonin already mentioned above/circadian rhythm) as well as neurotransmitters dopamine, etc.

Gut Health

• Specific gut-brain connection
• Any gut symptoms such as gas, bloating, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation (or cycling back and forth), or abdominal pain, indicate strong imbalance and needs to be addressed gently. A thorough health history is important to get to the root of gut health
• Best to do gut testing (sometimes stool, breath, organic acid tests, etc to see if there is any yeast overgrowth, infections, bacterial dysbiosis, gut inflammation, digestive capability, etc.

Mitochondrial Health

• Mitochondria = powerhouses of the cells ie energy producers
• Huge concentration of mitochondria in the brain
• Making sure mitochondria are healthy/functioning optimally → can greatly improve concentration and focus