Green Options

It is estimated that 3 to 7 percent of American children suffer form Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

That adds up to over 2 million kids, one in every class of 25.

Traditional treatments involve medications such as Ritlin and Adderall, as well as other prescription drugs.  Side effects linked to ADHD medication include depression, anxiety, loss of appetite, inability to fall or stay asleep, rapid heartbeat…the list goes on and on.

Research has shown that nutrient deficiencies can exacerbate ADHD symptoms.  For many children, proper nutrition may effectively work as an ADHD alternative treatment.  (If your child is currently taking prescription medication for ADHD, don’t stop the medication without discussing it with your physician first.)

According to legend, miso was a gift from the gods to ensure humanity’s health, longevity, and happiness.

It may do just that.

Miso is a traditional fermented Japanese food with amazing health benefits.  This creamy salty paste is commonly made with soybeans, but other beans and or grains such as rice and barley are often used as well.  After being inoculated with a vitamin B12 synthesizing fungus, the mixture of ingredients is allowed to ferment from as little as five days to as long as several years.  The result is a versatile food that contains protein and vitamins such as  B12, along with trace minerals such as zinc, manganese, and copper.

Zinc is being depleted from our soil and therefore, our plant foods contain less of this vital mineral than ever. Currently the best food sources for zinc are some meats, beans, certain dairy and nuts.

The RDA of zinc varies from 3 mg a day (for 7 months-3 year olds) to 14 mg (for lactating teens). To ensure you are getting enough zinc while limiting your meat intake, consume the following foods:

• Cashews (1oz has 1.6mg of zinc), Almonds (1oz has 1.0mg of zinc), Peanuts (1oz has .9mg of zinc)
• Milk/Yogurt (8oz has 1.8mg of zinc), Cheddar Cheese (1oz has .9mg of zinc)
• Baked Beans (1/2 cup has mg of zinc), Garbanzo/Chickpeas (1/2 cup as 1.3mg of zinc)
• Chicken/dark meat (3 oz has 1.8mg of zinc), Turkey/dark meat (3oz has 3.8mg of zinc)
• Pork (3 oz has 2.2mg of zinc)
• Beef (3 oz has 6.0mg of zinc)

What happens when we are zinc deficient? Lots of bad things are possible;

Lithium ion technology has been getting lots of attention recently, but zinc-air tech has been largely ignored–until now. A California start-up called Power Air plans on introducing a PDA-sized zinc fuel cell box that can be used to charge electronics.

My daughter has been complaining that her mouth hurts, and I thought nothing of it because she said she scratched her cheek with her fingernail. Yesterday, I finally looked in her mouth, and there was a huge canker sore, which is a small mouth ulcer. Canker sores can be caused by a minor injury to the mouth, such as my daughter’s fingernail, as well as bacteria, a faulty immune system, stress, certain foods (chocolate, coffee, strawberries, etc.) and/or a diet lacking B vitamins. I wondered if the flush of strawberries from the garden had been impacting my daughter’s canker sore, as well as her weekend full of ballet performances added stress to her little body. There is also some evidence that toothpastes containing SLS, like Tom’s of Maine, may contribute to canker sores.

Most canker sores heal on their own within two weeks, but due to my daughter’s pain, I decided to treat it naturally with herbs and homeopathy that we already had in our home. There are other recommended herbs not included in this list, but this list reflects our current regime without making a special trip to town.

1. Calcarea Carbonica: This homeopathic remedy is often recommended for canker sores, but like all homeopathic remedies, the remedy needs to be selected based on the individual’s symptoms beyond the sore itself. Homeopathy takes a holistic approach when choosing the correct remedy. Borax is more often used for canker sores than calcarea carbonica, but since CC is also a remedy for cradle cap, we already had it.

Wellness Formula is a blend of healing ingredients,

The immune system is our guardian angel if you will, it heals us with unconditional love, responds quickly to outside influences, and protects the body in microscopic, unconsciously controlled ways. When illness attacks hit, there is a way to consciously address these problems to support your natural healing system. The answer is Wellness Formula. It works very well when allergies or colds strike, and when we encounter extreme conditions and need a boost.

A key benefit of the daily wellness vitamins are increased and sustained antioxidant defense.

The maker Source Naturals provides a nice overview on how to befriend your immune system with this formula and explains the benefits of the blend:

What are 100 pennies worth?  $1.40 in zinc.  Zinc mining is an “environmental disaster”, and demand for the mineral is growing in China.

Source:  Eco Geek

Image:  wikimedia commons