Foods
To curb yeast/fungal growth, add 2 drops of oregano oil to juice or food daily.
Grapefruit seed extract can also be used for this purpose. Use either liquid or capsule form. Mix the liquid into juice or food. Dosage is 250mg equivalent twice daily for children 6 to 11. Dosage can be doubled for children 12 and up.
Garlic has natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. The molecular structure is so complex that no known bacteria has adapted to it, yet. This makes garlic an ideal natural alternative to antibiotics as well. Add raw or slightly cooked garlic to meals. You may also purchase odourless garlic capsules and empty the contents onto food. Do not overuse garlic as it may cause stomach upset in young children.
Ensure your child is drinking enough water. The brain is more than 80% water and dehydration hinders the transmission and reception of nerve impulses. Ensure your water is from a clean, toxin-free source. Choose spring water over tap water, but avoid distilled, as this mineral-deprived form will deplete the body of nutrients. Aim for eight glasses of water daily. If your child is unaccustomed to drinking this quantity, start at 4 or 5 glasses and increase to 8 over the course of 1-2 weeks. In addition, do not substitute pop or sugar-based fruit drinks for water. The sugars, additives, preservatives, and empty calories in these liquids only negatively contribute to the situation.
Lifestyle
After food allergies have been isolated, (see Therapies, Healing Aids, & More, below) reduce or eliminate sugar and yeast-containing foods. These ingredients provide food for the harmful yeast already in the body. The goal is to check their growth and starve their numbers, as it were. Yeast products include breads, pizza dough, bagels, donuts, and baked goods. Further yeast elimination solutions can be found under Remedies -- Foods, above. White sugar should be eliminated completely from the diet as this ingredient acts as food for yeast and also compromises the immune system.
Substitutions include fruit and fruit sweetened desserts and cereals. Check your local health food store. Start substitutions when your child is young as transitions may become more difficult in older children. Tell your child why you are making changes so that s/he is as informed as you are.
It is commonly thought that behavioral changes are the first sign of nutritional deficiency. It is thus very important to eliminate fast food, fried foods, over-processed foods, and high-sugar foods and desserts from the diet. Do not give children stimulants such as sugar and caffeine found in soft drinks, chocolate and candy bars, and bubble gum.
Aside from consisting of empty calories, these foods do not supply the body with the nutrients it needs (essential during child growth periods) and unnecessarily stress the liver and immune system. Similar to how adults become "wired" and then "fall" after consuming too much coffee, the high white-sugar content of these foods makes for a similar effect in children.
Replace these foods with raw, organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and protein. A healthy, wholesome diet will ensure an adequate supply of essential vitamins, minerals, and other compounds resulting in better physical/mental/emotional health.
Avoid contact with plastic. Hormone-mimicking chemicals used in the fabrication process can leech when heated, flexed, or rubbed and can hinder neural and physical development and the ability to reproduce. Never heat food wrapped in plastic film or placed in a plastic container. Avoid plastic bottles, cutlery, kettles, mugs, spatulas, strainers, and utensils. Alternatives include glass, stainless steel, iron, paper, ceramic, or earthenware kitchen items. Remember that hormone-mimicking chemicals affect us at a biological level in parts per trillion. Such minute quantities are extremely difficult to even detect, let alone create legislation around their use.
Due to the incredible number of chemicals produced and the lack of cost-effective testing available, it is extremely difficult to isolate specific hormone-mimicking chemicals. While many use this as an excuse to continue production and consumption, you must ask yourself what potential costs you are willing to pay for the added convenience of plastic. In almost every instance, a viable alternative is readily available.
Following this trend, avoid and eliminate all sources of chemical exposure. Common household cleaners containing poison symbols should be eliminated. If you cannot drink it, why would you expose your family to it in small doses over a long period of time? Long term toxic exposure is a silent and deadly threat. And viable alternatives are readily available. Natural alternatives are available in health food stores, while vinegar or baking soda and water clean just about anything. Companies such as Nature Clean, Simply Clean, and Ecover sell viable alternatives that work just as well, if not better, than their toxin equivalents.
Do not spray your lawn with toxic chemicals. Lawn spraying is an acutely North American habit whose consequences are far greater than the trivial, aesthetic gains. Think about it. You are poisoning your lawn, pets, children, and yourself to satisfy a social norm. Again, follow the above rule of if you cannot drink, why would you exposure your family to it? Instead, welcome the diversity of life a natural lawn brings. Your children will be able to enjoy the outdoors while playing on the grass. You could even tear up the lawn and plant a natural garden with native plant species. This is a welcome trend in humanizing our urban areas. Butterflies, birds and beautiful planted bulbs make for a welcome replacement to a toxic expanse of empty space. Is your family's health worth less than an image of manicured perfection?
It is also important to keep in mind that children are naturally more active, explorative, and outgoing. "Boys will be boys", as the old saying goes. Children need to run and play and feel that unrestricted sense of freedom that allows them to explore and learn about the world around them. As society becomes more docile and passive, the natural behaviour of our children may seem unnatural in comparison.
Kids may not be acting wild or uncontrollable, they may just be acting like kids ...
Therapies, Healing Aids, & More
Allergy testing should be performed to indicate sensitive foods. These foods should be eliminated from the diet. Common food allergies include cow's milk, wheat, and soy. Remember that the foods we are the most allergic to are also the ones we most crave and most frequently consume. Skin tests or positive IgE RAST testing can help isolate specific allergens.
Misaligned vertebrae result in pinched peripheral nerves, causing pain and/or malfunction. In the case of hyperactivity, skull misalignments may lead to pressure directly on the brain, hindering its ability to function. In addition, pressure on nerves flowing to and from the brain disrupt communications, while a decreased blood supply can further impair function. The typical cause of such spinal and cranial misalignments is the use of forceps during the birthing process, which exerts pressure on the baby's soft skull. Chiropractic (subluxation) may help address this issue and, coupled with the above mentioned lifestyle changes, has proven quite successful in many situations. Consult with a qualified chiropractor, naturopath, or other health practitioner.
Exercise is vital to healthy physical development. And aside from promoting healthy bones and muscle, exercise helps eliminate toxins through sweat, provides oxygen to the brain and every other organ, and produces natural mood-enhancing endorphins. Some also believe that a child learns most when at play...
