foods and meds ---- ADD Tip o the Day 309

[doug puryear]

There is a lot of controversy around medications and food, especially in ADD and ADHD.

Although there are strong believers, I don't think there is any really good evidence that additives or diet have much effect on ADD or ADHD.

There is little evidence that the medications do harm, although they certainly can cause side effects.  Everyone is different, and you have to find the right medicine, the right dose, and the right timing for each individual, and that doesn't work out for everyone.  Yet for some, it is like a miracle; for others, not so much.

Some people do not like the idea of medicines, though there is no scientifc basis for this.  The "natural" treatments are interesting.  Some of them have benefits.  The differences between them and the manufactured medicines is that they tend to cost more, tho not always; they are not manufactured under controlled conditions so you don't really know what you're taking - could be anything, in any amount.  Some of them have more interactions with other things than the medicines.  And they basically contain the same chemicals and work the same way as the medications, which are manufactured under good controls.

I am not a fan of pharma companies. They often charge obscene prices and they sometimes lie about the research.  There is a myth that doctors make money by prescribing medicines.  I have never seen this and am not clear how it might happen.

Here is my son in laws natural recipe, which he says really helps his ADD:

St. John's Wort, HTP, Tyrosine, Fish oil, Multi-V. Plus good sleep and fanatical exercise.

St Johns wort is a "natural" antidepressant, which is effective in mild to moderate depression, has some of the same effects as ritalin, is expensive, manufactured under uncontrolled conditions, and has a higher chance of interacting with other things than the other antidpressants.  HTP and tyrosine are precursors to serotonin, which is what most antidpressants work on, among other things. I think everyone needs to take omega 3 FA - good for muscles, heart, brain.  Sleep is important, exercise is great.

doug  dr. parker on meds clik here

anahi ortiz has a post on meds, and dana arcuri has strong opinions about doctors.  I couldn't find them tho; maybe you can?

other natural substances - rattlesnake and blackwidow venum, poison mushrooms, jimson weed. just saying.

[doug puryear]

AHA!  here is Anahi Ortiz on meds