The Joys of Living with ADHD and a Tic Disorder

So the joys of living with ADHD and a Tic Disorder, can be so frustrating some days, and other days, it can be also fun. But in todays post, I want to focus on co-occurence that can also affect the individual with these conditions.

I was read this article the other day that allergies seem to be higher in those both with ADHD and Tic Disorder combined. Especially esxma (sorry but I so can't spell that word lol), and asthma. Well I know for myself I have suffered from both those extra co-occurance, and yikes yes I have both ADHD and a Tic Disorder. However this finding is not new, its just only being understood by mainstream researchers but this theory has been around for a long time. I don't think that taking a antihistamine to help with both the allergies, ADHD and Tic Disorder will help, because I believe the real cause of all these conditions together is actually food intolerance's, and environmental toxins. It is very well known the lead poisoning can mimic ADHD, and did you know that in artificial colours actually contain very harmful heavy metal contents as well, including mercury, lead and arsenic, as well as the other harmful chemicals in it. Now on the Food and Drug network they say lead poisoning is very bad, but yet they say that the artificial colours are fine. What fine, really with all those nasty chemicals in them. Yeah Right.

Then lately I have been seeing heaps and heaps of research coming out that ADHD medications can lower the criminal risks. Hmmmm I believe this is just another way to drug people for their behavior when they really don't need it. If we clean up our chemical toxins in our foods then that would surely lower the risk of criminal activity as well. Society seems to take the easy way out, just one pill to pop and you will be fine. Without looking at the real causes of criminal activity. Society get rid of the crap foods, start putting real food fuel in to your body!

Then I come across the article Faith, Hope and ADHD! And that article reminds us to stay in touch with God. To pray when we are sad, frustrated, angry or in pain, or when we are getting distracted. That God reminds us of the truth of why we have ADHD. Sometimes we may never know why we have ADHD, but we just have to trust God about it.

Then I came across a article about what to do naturally for ADHD. Now I already know what to do, but some people reading this may struggle what to do. So the link is below to read up about!

http://www.medwirenews.com/47/102484/Psychiatry/Allergies_common_in_ADHD,_tic_disorder_patients.html
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20121123/Allergies-common-in-ADHD-tic-disorder-patients.aspx
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/9767.html
http://all4women.co.za/health-and-wellness/health-tips/baby-children-health-tips/help-for-parents-manage-adhd-naturally.html

Melt Downs

So today I had a meltdown during my study support session, that was at about 4:30pm. And it was because my study support person realized that I had interpreted all my results wrongly. Aghhhhhh I so hate numbers, so not good with them. Which just shows you I'M NOT WHAT YOU CALL A SOCIETY TYPICAL AUTISTC, because society thinks that Aspies/Auties are good with numbers because that is what portrayed of TV, but I am far from being good with numbers, and numbers definitely do not calm me down. But anyways it basically meant that I had to rewrite my discussion and results section all over again, and right then and there at that time, my brain went into overdrive. Oh my brain I do not like some days. Then I realized that I hadn't done my abstract yet, yikes was gonna submit without having done it. I really wanted to submit it tomorrow.

It is now 10:01pm and I finally calm down enough from my melt down to be able think straight again. Oh the joys of melt down not. And then I realized what my problem was. I had some sort of gluten today, yikes my bad, after work, and that sent me into a frenzy. YEAH THIS IS WHAT THIS CRAP DOES TO MY BRAIN. And it takes at least 9 months, for gluten to leave your body, yikes. Good old charcoal tablet helped calm me down. And after a shower as well that calm me, but basically my body went into melt down mode and I can literally feel the pressure in my head, that suddenly came out of no where when I had the tiny bit of gluten. Gluten sensitively = psychotic episodes, ADHD and autism melt downs or whatever you want to call them.

My lab report is going to have to wait till tomorrow, till I have had a good nights sleep (Hopefully). Then tomorrow I will be able to work on it with a calmer brain. And then a friend of mine is going to look through it, actually its my boss, lol.

Ok so now what do you do in a melt down when it comes along. Well for a starters it depends on the individual, and what makes them tick, sometimes a melt down is far too gone into to be able to calm the person down, so thats when you have to just go with the flow and wait it out, and if possible remove the other individuals from the individual melting down. But primarily you will want to prevent a melt down from happening. And my post will focusing on the natural things you can do i.e. food wise.

1.NO food colors or any additives.
2. Try going completely gluten free.
3. Try going completely dairy free
4. Also soy free is a must as well.
5. Supplements specific to the individual
6. MEDICATIONS SHOULD ALWAYS BE YOUR LAST RESORT, HOWEVER USUALLY OVER TIME YOU CAN AVOID ALOT OF MELT DOWNS WITH PATIENCE AND REMOVING THE OFFENDING FOODS.
7. Some may need to have fruits low in phenols.
8. Some can't handle fruits at all.
9. Some need to go sugar free.
10. Some will have to go on the GAPS diet.
11. Some may do well on the Body Ecology Diet.
12. Some will do well on the SCD.

Basically you gotta look at the things the person is eating, and seeing if there are any connections. But make sure you get rid of the food colors and additives from your diet.

  

Cashew Nut Butter

So today, I made my first attempt of cashew nut butter, and its so yummy as well. All you need is cashew nuts, salt if you want, and a little oil of your choice, but I used olive oil, in todays batch. Now you are most probably wondering how much did actually costed me to make. It actually cost less then what some people think, especially when cashew nut butter is one of your main things in your diet that you use on a weekly basis, and especially in the Biomedical world. 

This batch used:
$5 worth of raw cashew nuts from a local organic shop
A little salt (optional)
A little oil (also optional) 

Where as for me if I brought already made Cashew Nut Butter, it would of costed me about $14 for a small jar, where as with that money, I can made 3 small jars of Cashew Nut butter for the same price. So whats it gonna be, 1 small jar for the price of 3 home made jars, or 3 small jars for the price of 1 small jar. I know what I choose. 

Anyways to make cashew nut butter, all you need to do, is put the ingredients in a blender, and blender a way till its all grind up and then put into a jar. Even the kids can help you out with this one, since it is so easy to do. 

Autism and Exercise

So today I attempted my first run in a very long time, the last time i went for a run was in high school, lol when it was compulsory.

But anyways my running attempt today was more of a walk then run then walk then run, etc. But you get the point don't you. You have got to start somewhere, and so I thought with my custom made orthotic insole that I would see how it goes when I run. Yes in me, when ever I do something there has to be a point to it, so my specific point was testing the physical science of the custom made insole. Regardless that I didn't run all of what I set out to run, the important thing is that I tried in my own way and succeeded, how ever small that succession was. To me it was a big achievement. My sister is usually the sports freak in the family, its about time, I attempted to do the same thing. I'm more of a specific nutrition freak but its about time I combined nutrition and sports freakiness together, which hopefully will succeed in a better out come for myself. The results from me testing the physical science of the custom made insole was that it gave me more support for my high arch left foot, but not nesicarly helped with the balance as there was a couple of times that I nearly fell over because of my left foot, it is a bit sore but I guess with the more attempts that I do, that I will likely get better at it.

Apart from me wanting to test the physical science out on the custom made insole there were other reasons for my attempted run and future attempts of running. Is that there is science backing up, that physical exercise is very important in those with a mental illness, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD and related disorders. And since I have all these things, I really need to listen to the science and give it a go to see how well it works for me. Science has shown that the benefit of going for a run or walk for those on the Spectrum or ADHD, is that it helps to slow the brain down in order to be able to cope in a hectic world, basically you could see exercise as a natural stimulant, so in me I am testing out the theory  of this natural stimulant, to see if it will specifically help with my ADHD or ASD or Bipolar symptoms. I will be keeping a record of my feelings before and after my attempted running on a scale of 1 to 10, for example I could feel about a 5 before i go for a run (the higher the number means that I am either ready to explode or melt down or highly distracted, etc) and after the run I will see if my scale ratting has gone down or not, which will testing the validity of the science behind physical exercise for those on the Spectrum or have ADHD or Bipolar.

Later on down the track after about 1 month of attempting to run each day, I will put up my results and hopefully I will be able to know how to put up a chart of my ratings to see how clearly whether physical exercise is a natural stimulant for those on the Spectrum or ADHD or Bipolar.

ADHD and Exercise 

http://www.livestrong.com/video/4398-exercise-adhd/

http://addspecialists.com/blog/adhd/more-than-medication-for-treating-adhd/

http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/2634-adhd-exercise-recess-improve-behavior.html

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/3142.html

http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/712.html

http://kerryg.hubpages.com/hub/ADHD-Alternative-Treatments-Physical-Exercise

http://www.netplaces.com/parenting-kids-with-adhd/choosing-the-right-treatment/exercise-as-medicine.htm

The Sauerkraut I Attempted Today

Sauerkraut

Today I attempted to make fermented cabbage, and look at how well I have done. Now its to to let it ferment for 5 days in a warm cupboard away from the sunlight.

I am so proud of myself. The properties in sauerkraut help to heal the gut, especially for those of us that with an Autism Spectrum ADHD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, etc. But it is for everyone.

I will let you know later on in the week how it tastes and how it has helped me. But for now if you want to experiment with making sauerkraut, please head on over to my friends website at this place: http://shelleybelcourt.com/how-to-make-sauerkraut-simple-and-easy/

Please leave some comments on how well you can make it, or any questions about it and why it is so good for the conditions above.

Until next time.

God Bless Everyone