Wellness for Your Body-Mind-Soul

Monday, October 4, 2010

Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common behavioral conditions among children. In the United States alone, approximately 4.5 million children between the ages of 5-17 years old are diagnosed with ADHD each year. Research indicates that when treating ADHD, a multidisciplinary approach is most effective; combining behavioral therapy, exercise, dietary changes and medication. Now acupuncture can be added as one of the treatment methods that can successfully manage ADHD.

What is ADHD?


Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is a condition of the brain that makes it difficult to concentrate or control impulsive behavior.

Children with ADHD generally struggle with paying attention or concentrating. They can't seem to follow directions and are easily bored or frustrated with tasks. They also tend to move constantly and are impulsive, not stopping to think before they act. These behaviors are generally common in children. But they occur more often than usual and are more severe in a child with ADHD. The behaviors that are common with ADHD interfere with a child's ability to function at school and at home.

Adults with ADHD may have difficulty with time management, organizational skills, goal setting, and employment. They may also have problems with relationships, self-esteem, and addictions.

Treatment for ADHD

Treatment for ADHD is multifaceted. It consists of ADHD medications, behavioral therapy and lifestyle and dietary modifications. ADHD is best managed when families, educational and health professionals work together to meet the unique needs of the child or adult who has ADHD to help them learn to focus their attention, develop their personal strengths, minimize disruptive behavior, and become productive and successful. Acupuncture is an excellent addition to any treatment plan as it is used to help the body restore balance, treating the root of the disorder, while also diminishing the symptoms of ADHD.

What acupuncture can help with:

• Improve focus and attention
• Manage moods
• Reduce fidgeting
• Lower hyperactivity
• Augment mood management techniques
• Enhance concentration

If you would like to learn more about acupuncture in the treatment for ADHD or one of the childhood ailments listed below, please call for a consultation.
 Children respond extremely well to acupuncture treatments for many conditions. When treating children, their comfort is of the utmost importance. Treatments tend to be shorter and acupuncture points are usually stimulated gently with very thin needles or with other techniques that do not involve needles.

Needle-free acupuncture treatments may include stroking, rubbing, tapping, and pressing the acupuncture points with tools such as brushes, rollers and blunt probes.

Common childhood conditions treated with Oriental Medicine:

Failure to thrive syndrome
• Weak constitution
• Colic, excessive night crying, temper tantrums
Indigestion, GERD, constipation, and diarrhea
• Night terrors
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Allergies, asthma
Cough and colds
Eczema and hives
Ear infections
Bedwetting
 Ginger: Tool in Global Fight Against Childhood Killer?



Could one of the most widely used herbs in cooking around the world be just the right medicine for one of the deadliest conditions children face around the world?

That’s the promise pointed at by a study published in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

In this study, researchers in Taiwan looked at the role of a ginger extract in blocking the toxin that causes 210 million cases of diarrhea worldwide. The toxin is produced by enterotoxigenic E. coli, which accounts for 380,000 worldwide deaths annually. The study found that zingerone, a compound in ginger, was the likely compound responsible for blocking the toxin.

Further study is needed to confirm these findings and determine appropriate dosage, especially for infants. But this natural wonder offers a very inexpensive alternative to drug therapy and great hope to thousands of children in poor countries around the world.

How Eye Disorders Are Treated With Acupuncture

How Eye Disorders Are Treated With Acupuncture

Your eyes are a reflection of your overall health.  Illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease can be revealed in the eyes. Conditions such as glaucoma, optic neuritis or vision loss are often associated with systemic health problems.  It is this interconnection between your eyes and your health that acupuncture and Oriental medicine can tap into and utilize to treat eye and vision problems.  Eye conditions respond well to acupuncture and it has been used successfully to treat a wide range of eye problems for centuries. 
Oriental medicine pays close attention to the relationship between tissues and organs.  Sometimes an imbalance within the body can manifest as an eye problem, just as the health of the eyes is often a reflection of an imbalance or health problem elsewhere in the body. 
When you are treated for an eye condition with acupuncture, any underlying imbalances that are attributing to your symptoms will be addressed.  The eye problems will also be treated directly by promoting circulation of Qi (life force) and blood around the eyes. 
Common eye problems treated with acupuncture include:
  • Glaucoma
  • Cataracts
  • Chronic Dry Eyes
  • Macular Degeneration
  • Optic Neuritis
  • Optic Atrophy