Kids, Hyperactivity, and Minerals
Let's just start out by saying, the majority of kids are to a lesser or greater degree, deficient in vitamins, especially vitamin C, D3, and the B group of vitamins. Deficiency in vitamins is a separate subject all its own and one that must be carefully considered. However, there is an even more widespread problem and that is deficiency in the trace minerals. Today, many children are not only spending a significant portion of their day inside of a classroom, where they are not getting significant daily sunshine on their skin, but they are not consuming voluminous amounts of fruits and vegetables, which is where many of the necessary minerals come from. Add to the simple lack of consuming enough of the right foods, the fact that a number of children have been on antibiotics, which has undoubtedly compromised the ability of their gut to absorb nutrients from the foods they ARE eating. So even if their diet is healthy and abundant in fruits and vegetables, there is a significant chance they are not able to assimilate enough of the nutrition to create an optimal environment. This leads to physical, emotional and mental "issues" in children.
Many of the parents I work with who are looking to improve the health of their children, or clear up some of the "hyperactive" behavior of their children, are at the end of their rope. In many cases they have worked with naturopaths, chiropractors, and all other means of "practitioners" - often spending thousands of dollars in consults not to mention extremely over-priced supplements, hoping to find something that will provide answers. Sadly, children are overwhelmingly misdiagnosed as having a condition such as ADHD or ADD.
In the vast majority of situations, there are only two simple answers: basic nutrition, or an energy drain from a situation either at home or at school. I always advocate to start with square one and begin with the basics.
STEP ONE: Nutrition. Kids must be eating ample amounts of fruits and vegetables, and whether you feed that to them through smoothies, fresh pressed juices, or whole fruits and veggies - the choice is yours, and theirs. But there is no way to get around this. You cannot make up in a supplement what you can get from consuming pure organic fruits and vegetables. So your number one priority should be adding in MANY fruits and vegetables per day, right away.
STEP TWO: Eliminate hidden nutrient robbers. Case in point? Almond milk. Now, I love fresh made organic raw almond milk as much as the next person, but here's the problem: most people are using almond milk in boxes. Is this better than dairy? 100000 percent. We don't need to go into the cancer-causing connection between casein and dairy here, as I have written about that before. However, packaged almond milk has three serious problems: one, the almonds used are NOT raw (we will get to that in a minute); two, the boxed milks often contain harmful preservatives like carrageenan - known to increase cancer risk - and three, the boxes themselves contain harmful chemicals in the liners. All almonds sold in the US are either high heat pasteurized or chemically pasteurized. It's the law.
In addition to the dangers of the chemicals present in boxed milks, is the issue of phytic acid. Phytic acid exists in almonds unless they have been pre-soaked. Commercial almond milk producers are not gently soaking your almonds overnight before making mass batches of almond milk. So, if you are drinking a lot of commercial almond milk you are consuming quite a bit of phytic acid. If you purchase truly raw almonds grown in Spain or Italy (where there is no law requiring pasteurization), and you soak them overnight, and make your own almond milk at home, excellent! Enjoy it. But without the soaking step, Phytic acid competes with the body for absorption of important minerals like zinc, magnesium and iron. A problem for anyone, but particularly children.
I am a mom of two homeschooled kids. I get that feeding children enough of the healthiest foods can sometimes be a chore. It can be especially frustrating if you have children who are accustomed to the unnatural tastes of boxed and bagged foods. I also understand that in a busy life, making everything from scratch can be difficult for many parents. But in the case of nut milks, it truly is worth it. If you can't get the raw almonds, switch to other nut milks like walnut or pecan, macadamia or sunflower seeds. Milks that don't necessarily have to be soaked.
In this "STEP TWO", look to eliminate any forms of additives and preservatives that are particularly harmful, especially dyes and alcohols (present in a lot of sugar free foods, yogurts, gum, frozen foods and supplements). Also eliminate carbonated beverages (including soda), which contain phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid depletes the body of magnesium.
STEP THREE: Sunshine and exercise. Obvious right? But you would be surprised how little sun children are getting in the average day, and how little exercise. And of course, skip the toxic sunscreen. Sun is vital, and the only natural way for our bodies to manufacture vitamin D3 is through regular sun exposure on bare skin. Without sun and exercise, a high number of kids will exhibit behaviors that seem "hyper", but truly are a result of unnatural conditioning from indoor life, electronics, and being made to sit still for large portions of the day. Our bodies are designed to move - especially children.
STEP FOUR: Add a chelated mineral supplement. The reason for this is something we teach at HMI Nutrition and that is that our soil today is deficient in many minerals. 60 or so years ago, soil contained a high amount of minerals, and today, the vast majority of farming is done using what is referred to as NPK farming. NPK farming is farming with the use of only nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Kids who have behaviors associated with ADHD and related conditions are often deficient in minerals, especially zinc and magnesium. In addition it has been shown that they are also often deficient in Vitamins B6, B3 (niacin), folic acid and B1 (thiamine). In many cases, supplementing with these nutrients decreases hyperactivity, improves sleep, and energy levels are more balanced. But when it comes to adding supplements, the best research is done in your own home. Try it and see the results for yourself. You must be consistent, and supplement every single day, including when you are away on vacation, in order to have a steady supply of these nutrients in the body.
A good chelated mineral supplement will have a good dose of magnesium which strengthens bones and teeth, promotes healthy muscles to relax, and balances and calms the nervous system. In addition to a good supplement, foods that contain magnesium include raw cacao, most nuts and seeds, cooked beans, sprouted grains and beans, garlic, raisins, green peas, and potato skins. A good supplement will also contain zinc.
Zinc is referred to as the "intelligence mineral" because it is needed for optimal functioning of the brain and nervous system. ZInc plays a role in protein synthesis, blood-sugar control, and is a component in numerous vital enzymes and plays a role in immune system maintenance. A range that works well with many children is 5-10mg daily. Zinc amino acid chelate, zinc citrate and picolinate are better than zinc sulphate or oxide. Foods rich in zinc include ginger root, pecans, and brazil nuts.
I highly recommend you work with someone who can help you get back to basics with a sound, science-based nutritional consult, question any supplements promoted by someone who earns a commission on those supplement brands, and do some research. ALWAYS check with your own personal care provider regarding supplement use, in yourself or in children..