What We Know Today
ADD and ADHD diagnoses are on the rise. ADD - Attention Deficit Disorder - is considered by the research to be a frontal lobe condition. It occurs when the prefrontal cortex does not fire accordingly when a person attempts to focus. On brain images, the frontal lobe of typical adults have full frontal lobe activity and adequate blood flow during times of focus and concentration. For adults diagnosed with ADD, their brain images showed decreased blood flow to the frontal lobes. The more these individuals tried to focus the worse the blood flow became until it completely shut off.
There are actually 6 different types of ADD and each one produces a different image on brain scans. Researchers suggest that ADD is most likely genetic, but may also be caused by lack of social structure during childhood development, or drug/alcohol abuse while in the womb. No matter the reasons, this is a REAL clinical problem and supporting the kids who have this diagnosis is truly what’s important.
Symptoms and Possible Effects of ADD
MUCH like frontal lobe damage, ADD has an array of classic symptoms which include short attention span, difficulty learning from experiences, poor organizational skills, low level planning skills, easily distracted, inability to focus on tasks, lack of control over actions, and being fixed in their opinions of their actions. Even if they know these behaviors do not serve them, these individuals will not correct their actions on their own.
ADD affects thousands in the US. Because of the symptoms listed above, people with a diagnosis of ADD have difficulty controlling their actions to maintain proper behavior during social situations, tend to act out of control in classroom situations, take certain liberties without asking permission, and are very Impulsive. They receive an emotional high from negative attention which is a nice rush of adrenaline for them to want to do it again. Are you seeing a pattern as to why these students and adults are difficult to manage?
Data has shown that half of all prison inmates have ADD, over one third of students with ADD never finish HS, more than half abuse alcohol or drugs, and parents of ADD children have a divorce rate 3x greater than those without ADD. As you can see, ADD is no laughing matter.
Medical Treatment options differ for each individual which is something I am not educated to offer. What I am educated to offer are behavioral strategies that have been shown to support these children throughout their day to be productive students at home and at school. Working in the school district for 10 plus years has given me first hand experience with children of this diagnosis. My goal is to empower you as a mother, caregiver, or teacher to provide the most stable environment possible for your child.
Have a specific child in mind? Continue reading.
In the following Blog, ADD Tips and Strategies I will discuss techniques that benefit students with short attention spans and similar behaviors as described above.
Has ADD impacted your life in any way?
Spiraling Down
My health was spiraling in so many directions. Once I learned what the toxic mess was doing to my body, I knew something had to change- and fast. Around this same time is when David and I were talking about having kids. I decided then to have our home toxin free in 6 months. Well, it happened in three because I became pregnant much quicker than we thought!
I learned so much during my own personal healing about personal care and cleaning products' impact on our health. The products I used for years had been accumulating in my body since I was a child, and I could not allow those same products to pass through my door any longer. As I continued to adapt my own way of living and cleaning, I began researching specific {toxic} ingredients' impact on children. The results were astonishing, and I will only be sharing a sample of my knowledge today...
Synthetic Fragrances
Most cleaning products and room sprays are made with synthetic fragrances and phthalates. These chemical scents are typically created inside a lab. Companies, by law, do not have to tell you what ingredients are in their “fragrance.” These chemically created scents are known respiratory irritants as well as toxic to your skin and eyes.
Can you imagine what allergy season and flu season looks like in the home where these products are used? Not only would the respiratory illness take longer to go away, in most cases it is worse than it really needs to be.
Free
I have been synthetic-fragrance free for over 5 years! When I walk by the cleaning aisle or candle now, I immediately get a headache and feel nauseous because of the overwhelming toxic “buzz” sitting on the shelves. This is only a small part of the daily concern for our children who live in a toxic-filled household.
Before kids and before my health began to spiral, I used all the things in my home. It’s never too late to switch over to cleaner, plant based options that actually work. If you struggle to find good quality strategies or products for your toddler, join my Free FB Group today!
DIY Bleach
Use in Laundry or add a little baking soda when cleaning White surfaces
4 Cups Water
½ Cup Hydrogen Peroxide
2 Capfuls of THHC
20 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
Add to Large Glass bottle for Laundry/Toilet -or- to Spray Bottle if using on surfaces
Before Good Sleep
I remember sleeping over at a friend's house for the first time when I was young. She played the radio to help her sleep. It was nice for a while, but I laid there almost all night - NOT sleeping. Thinking about the lyrics, dancing in my head to the songs, and wondering if she would notice if I turned it off.
Stories like this from my youth have stayed with me because I’ve always been sensitive to noises and lights when I sleep. Fast forward to adulthood, and my sleep struggle continued. It would take me hours to fall asleep and if I ever did, I woke up just a few hours later frustrated and exhausted. I started self medicating some nights which would completely ruin the following day. I woke up drowsy, grumpy, and jealous of everyone who slept well the night before.
In my journey and struggle to fix my lack of sleep, I learned the benefits of Melatonin and the best ways to naturally generate that hormone.
Routines
Building an evening routine is one of the easiest ways to start generating Melatonin. When creating an evening routine, it’s best to keep it simple. At night, to jump start the Melatonin production, I start dimming the lights 30-60 minute prior to bedtime. This is a great tip if you have kids in the house as well! Light actually confuses the brain into thinking it’s still daylight. Here are some hard and fast rules for increasing Melatonin production:
Turn off Blue Light devices 30 minutes prior to bed: Try reading an actual book or listening to an audio version. Blue light keeps our brains in a “wakeful” state.
Leave Social Media alone at least 30-45 minutes prior to getting into bed: The dopamine response you get from every “like” or comment energizes the brain to want more!
Create a Habit with the routine you create. Our bodies have an internal clock which is affected by our stressful and busy lives. Routines are the easiest way to reset that “clock.”
The Brain
One of the easiest ways to produce melatonin is by consistently using an evening routine. I’m going to let you in on a little secret. The brain CRAVES sameness and routine. It loves moving forward without having to “think” about new information. Once in a groove, the unconscious mind is at peace. Do you actually think about the way you brush your teeth? Or the way you put on your pants the exact same way every morning - left foot first, and then the right. (Now you’re curious!) That my friend, is why nightly routines are crucial for adequate sleep. Once the brain recognizes a “groove” or routine, it calms. When we’ve completed the routine enough times, a habit forms.
I have a very powerful essential oil that has been part of my sleep routine for years. All I do is roll it on my big toes, put my socks on, or don’t, and my brain is calm within 15 minutes. IT IS AMAZING. I’ve attached the Essential Oil if your body needs a little extra at night.
Sleepy time roller
15 ml Roller bottle
10 drops Vetiver Essential Oil
Fill ¾ with Carrier Oil or V6
Roll on bottoms of feet AND big toes before getting into bed.
Repeat each time you wake.
Share what a nightly routine will look like for you!
As a new mother, I remember being the most tired I had ever felt in my entire life. Even when I trained as a collegiate athlete and went to school full time, I was never as tired then as when I became a mom. Becoming a mom is a true job in itself and I realized my lack of sleep was affecting me in all areas of my day. It led to my lack of patience, food cravings, weight gain, and even feeling numb some days as a mother or spouse. I often turned to drinking coffee all day and eating junk food that gave me that little bursts of energy just to keep up. Never once realizing how much my daily habits were affecting my sleep patterns!
Daily Habits
What we do and what we eat during the day can make or break our sleep cycle. With excess caffeine and sugar, I was destined to an evening of self medicating just so I could fall asleep! I decided to take control over my daily habits so I wouldn't need that afternoon Sonic drink or candy bar! Now, I set my daily habits up much like small goals throughout my day. I actually write them down as a checklist in my phone so I can refer back to them. This checklist is what keeps me accountable and is something I turn back to and tweak as I need.
Let's be Clear
To be clear, I may not complete ALL the items on my checklist each day, but these items are what I strive to achieve. I started with 3 and added goals as I could. The percentage at the end of the week or 3 days is what’s important. Tracking the outcome, I learned, is not meant to make me FEEL bad, it’s just DATA to see what improvements need to be made the following day / week. Collecting data are facts, and can only help you if you allow it to.
The List
Everyone's checklist will be different. Some items on my daily checklist I have found to help me sleep at night include:
Pack Real Food for lunch and Snacks. When I work full days in town I tend to snack... and the options from the break room aren't always the best choices!
Consume 80 ounces to 1 gallon of water. Water helps to flush out toxins and waste which I need daily!
Eat breakfast before 9 am with REAL food helps to jumpstart the metabolism. Anyone else tend to grab a nutrition bar or a handful of cereal out the door? Without a solid breakfast cravings creep in!
Consume my Energizing Red juice and Whole Food Supplements before 2pm. I need my energy, and I have found a way to maintain it without all the caffeine.
Move in some way. Movement has been a major factor to helping me sleep more sound at night. I often MOVE in the mornings to create energy in my body for the day.
Night/evening routine. This has been a huge success and has helped me fall asleep and stay asleep.
In Part 2 I will be sharing tips and tricks on how to create and conquer a night time routine for busy moms.
Share an item from your checklist that you know will lead to better sleep!
That First Year
When I was first married, I remember it being a hard year. A year that would never end. The stresses of getting to know each other were exaggerated by a number of things, but what stands out the most now, were of the health issues I didn’t realize I had. The physical symptoms were showing loud and clear, but I just pushed them aside again and again.
When I first started working in the small town I’m in now, I was the only Speech-Language Pathologist around. I worked in the school full-time, helped part time in a long term care facility when I could, and even attempted working in home health. Needless to say I tried to do it all, and eventually pushed myself over the edge. I am my dad’s daughter - a true work-a-holic. I didn't realize how overly stressed my body was as the physical symptoms continued to worsen.
I Could Tell Something was Wrong
Something from within was wreaking havoc on my ability to work at optimal levels. When I woke up in the morning I was exhausted. I lived off of caffeine, and a diet I thought was working. My adult acne started to shine through like never before, and I would often cry on my way to work just by looking at it in the mirror. After a day's worth of work, I would often curl into a ball on my couch and hide my face from the light. These “funks” I so named, would come and go without warning. And then being emotionally taxed and completely worn out from the day, I would lie in bed for what seemed like hours most nights - NOT able to sleep. Something had to change.
After a year in a half of marriage, I decided to get down to the root cause of my issues. I had tried to stifle these symptoms for far too long - they just kept growing into new more consequential symptoms. I may have looked OK on the outside, but the physical symptoms interrupted every aspect of my life. What I didn’t realize is that the underlying issues were greater than I could ever have imagined.
Fast forward my health journey one year. I was a new person. Not perfect, just new. My physical issues had subsided for the most part, and my emotions were slowly rebuilding. The iceberg of symptoms I had been stifling started to shrink.
I look back now at my journey and take for granted what I now know. I have made it my mission to serve other moms who try to do it all. Our kids benefit from our healthy actions and routines just as much as we do.
Join me in our Free community where we support you as a mom to make the best decisions for your toddlers.
