Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a relatively common condition that tends to emerge in children during their early school years.
The most common signs of ADHD are:
- Inattention
- Hyperactivity
- Impulsive Behavior
- Difficulty Concentrating
It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have ADHD - approximately 2 million children in the United States - and is much more common in boys than girls. This means that in a classroom of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at least one will have ADHD. However, because many normal children may show some of these same behaviors as well, it is important that a child receive a thorough examination and appropriate diagnosis before any treatment is considered.
It is not entirely certain what causes ADHD, but the most current research states that it is a combination of an overactive nervous system, coupled with a decrease in the brain's ability to filter out extraneous sights, sounds, thoughts and emotions. Although chiropractors don't directly treat ADHD, there are a number of things that your chiropractor can do to help eliminate things that stress a child's nervous system, such as:
1. Remove spinal subluxations that irritate the nervous system
2. Suggest dietary changes to avoid common problem foods
3. Test for allergies that may be stressing the nervous system
4. Suggest changes to the home to help reduce exposure to toxic chemicals
The most common medical treatment is the use of the drug methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin. Ritalin is actually a stimulant drug that normally speeds up the activity of the nervous system. But for reasons that are not entirely clear, it tends to have a calming effect on those who suffer from ADHD; possibly by increasing the activity in the area of the brain responsible for filtering out extraneous sensation.
The problem with taking Ritalin is that it does NOT do anything to resolve the cause of the ADHD, it only masks the symptoms. Continued use of Ritalin over long periods of time has also been shown to have detrimental effects on the brain itself. It is important as a parent to look at all treatment options before placing your child on Ritalin and chiropractic care is a great place to start. For more information contact Ault Chiropractic of Hudson at 330.342.0755 today!
Dr. Robert J. Ault is a chiropractic physician and owner of Ault Chiropractic in Hudson, Ohio. There is never a charge for a consultation with Dr. Ault to see if chiropractic may be a solution for you or your family's health condition. Call 330.342.0755 to schedule an appointment and get the answers you may be looking for.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Being Healthy: Fate or Choice?
We all know some people who get sick all the time. They're just getting over one thing when here comes the next round of illness. We also know people who just seem to be full of energy. Those people never get sick or so it seems. What are the key differences between these North and South Poles of health? One key difference is healthy behavior.
On the North Pole side, people who frequently get sick think this is something that happens to them. In other words, their health problems are related to fate. "I catch whatever's going around the office", they say. "I catch whatever my kids pick up at school" is another common refrain. These individuals - and they represent most of us - don't seem to realize it's their behaviors, actions, and choices that lead to their continual state of unwellness. For example, two-thirds of all American adults are either overweight or obese. Is this fate? Or something else?
On the South Pole side, people who are rarely sick are usually very clear about what's going on. These individuals have trained themselves to take control of their health and well-being by making active choices. These choices, known as healthy behaviors, result in: a stronger immune system,lower serum cholesterol, lower blood pressure, improved cardiovascular health, weight loss, more restful sleep, and a positive mental attitude.
Healthy behaviors have been shown to reduce blood glucose (good news for diabetics) and reduce the occurrence of life-changing disorders such as stroke. What are these action steps? Everybody knows them, even North Pole people. Healthy behaviors include: regular vigorous exercise (the Federal Department of Health and Human Services recommends 30 minutes of exercise five times per week) - 30 minutes of walking fulfills your daily exercise requirement. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables (the Federal Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least five portions per day) Also, eat a balanced diet including high quality protein, complex carbohydrates, and mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Make sure to get the rest that you need (seven hours of sleep per night is the recommended average).
Healthy behaviors do require discipline and effort. In the 21st Century, good health does not come for free. To be healthy and well, we need to do the planning, make our schedules, and put in the time. Of course, there's a very big payoff. How great would it be to have a healthy height/weight ratio, normal levels of blood glucose, and a normal-for-age blood pressure? It would be very great.
The payoff is not only adding years to life, but also adding life to years. It's much more fun to have good health. We all know how not-fun it is when we're sick.
Your local chiropractor can be an important part of your plan for good family health, and is an expert in all aspects of healthy behaviors. We will be glad to help you design plans and programs that will work for your needs and those of your family.
Dr. Robert J. Ault is a chiropractic physician and owner of Ault Chiropractic in Hudson, Ohio. There is never a charge for a consultation with Dr. Ault to see if chiropractic may be a solution for you or your family's health condition. Call 330.342.0755 to schedule an appointment and get the answers you may be looking for.
On the North Pole side, people who frequently get sick think this is something that happens to them. In other words, their health problems are related to fate. "I catch whatever's going around the office", they say. "I catch whatever my kids pick up at school" is another common refrain. These individuals - and they represent most of us - don't seem to realize it's their behaviors, actions, and choices that lead to their continual state of unwellness. For example, two-thirds of all American adults are either overweight or obese. Is this fate? Or something else?
On the South Pole side, people who are rarely sick are usually very clear about what's going on. These individuals have trained themselves to take control of their health and well-being by making active choices. These choices, known as healthy behaviors, result in: a stronger immune system,lower serum cholesterol, lower blood pressure, improved cardiovascular health, weight loss, more restful sleep, and a positive mental attitude.
Healthy behaviors have been shown to reduce blood glucose (good news for diabetics) and reduce the occurrence of life-changing disorders such as stroke. What are these action steps? Everybody knows them, even North Pole people. Healthy behaviors include: regular vigorous exercise (the Federal Department of Health and Human Services recommends 30 minutes of exercise five times per week) - 30 minutes of walking fulfills your daily exercise requirement. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables (the Federal Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least five portions per day) Also, eat a balanced diet including high quality protein, complex carbohydrates, and mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Make sure to get the rest that you need (seven hours of sleep per night is the recommended average).
Healthy behaviors do require discipline and effort. In the 21st Century, good health does not come for free. To be healthy and well, we need to do the planning, make our schedules, and put in the time. Of course, there's a very big payoff. How great would it be to have a healthy height/weight ratio, normal levels of blood glucose, and a normal-for-age blood pressure? It would be very great.
The payoff is not only adding years to life, but also adding life to years. It's much more fun to have good health. We all know how not-fun it is when we're sick.
Your local chiropractor can be an important part of your plan for good family health, and is an expert in all aspects of healthy behaviors. We will be glad to help you design plans and programs that will work for your needs and those of your family.
Dr. Robert J. Ault is a chiropractic physician and owner of Ault Chiropractic in Hudson, Ohio. There is never a charge for a consultation with Dr. Ault to see if chiropractic may be a solution for you or your family's health condition. Call 330.342.0755 to schedule an appointment and get the answers you may be looking for.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Vitamin D - The Superstar Supplement
You may remember the public health slogan, "Vitamin D helps build strong bones". This message could be seen on colorful school posters and heard on radio and television programs as early as the1950s. Getting enough Vitamin D was a major health issue, primarily for its role in preventing childhood rickets - "softening of the bones".
More recently, and quite dramatically, vitamin D has been strongly associated with reduced cancer risks, preventing autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, preventing cardiovascular disease, and even helping to prevent diabetes. Vitamin D seems to be a one-stop shop for helping combat many serious chronic diseases, and yet vitamin D deficiency is common in the United States. Very few foods are natural sources of vitamin D. The primary source of vitamin D for humans is sunlight - sunlight causes cells in the skin to produce vitamin D.
But most of us don't spend enough time outside to get sufficient sunlight to provide us with our normal daily requirement of vitamin D. Supplementation is needed, in the form of fortified foods such as milk and in vitamin/mineral tablets. Interestingly, meeting our vitamin D and calcium daily requirements is only one step on the road to healthy, strong bones. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from the intestinal tract. Also, vitamin D helps bone cells utilize calcium to build new bone. But - in adults, new bone will only be built if there's a need for it. Mechanical stress causes the body to produce new bone - and the best source for this kind of bone-building mechanical stress is exercise.
Yes, the E word. It's not enough to passively swallow a bunch of supplements every day. We need to exercise regularly to get the most out of the nutrition we're providing our bodies. When we exercise - particularly when we do strength training and other gravity-resisting activities such as running, walking, and bicycling - our bodies react not only by building new muscle but by building new bone as well. This response follows a physiologic principle known as Wolff's Law - bone remodels along lines of physiologic stress.
In other words, bone responds to mechanical challenges by building more bone. The result is more dense, stronger bones. Such bones are significantly less likely to fracture. And. logically, exercise helps prevent loss of bone mass, a primary cause of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and older adults. Chiropractic health care helps provide assistance to these metabolic processes. All of our metabolic activities are directed by signals from the nerve system. Our nerve impulses tell our cells when to start and when to stop these complicated biochemical processes. Chiropractic care helps ensure proper flow of information throughout the nervous system, helping us maintain optimal physical health and well-being.
Chiropractic Physicians are experts in nutritional health and will be able to recommend a program and plan that will be right for you.
Dr. Robert J. Ault is a chiropractic physician and owner of Ault Chiropractic in Hudson, Ohio. There is never a charge for a consultation with Dr. Ault to see if chiropractic may be a solution for you or your family's health condition. Call 330.342.0755 to schedule an appointment and get the answers you may be looking for.
More recently, and quite dramatically, vitamin D has been strongly associated with reduced cancer risks, preventing autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, preventing cardiovascular disease, and even helping to prevent diabetes. Vitamin D seems to be a one-stop shop for helping combat many serious chronic diseases, and yet vitamin D deficiency is common in the United States. Very few foods are natural sources of vitamin D. The primary source of vitamin D for humans is sunlight - sunlight causes cells in the skin to produce vitamin D.
But most of us don't spend enough time outside to get sufficient sunlight to provide us with our normal daily requirement of vitamin D. Supplementation is needed, in the form of fortified foods such as milk and in vitamin/mineral tablets. Interestingly, meeting our vitamin D and calcium daily requirements is only one step on the road to healthy, strong bones. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from the intestinal tract. Also, vitamin D helps bone cells utilize calcium to build new bone. But - in adults, new bone will only be built if there's a need for it. Mechanical stress causes the body to produce new bone - and the best source for this kind of bone-building mechanical stress is exercise.
Yes, the E word. It's not enough to passively swallow a bunch of supplements every day. We need to exercise regularly to get the most out of the nutrition we're providing our bodies. When we exercise - particularly when we do strength training and other gravity-resisting activities such as running, walking, and bicycling - our bodies react not only by building new muscle but by building new bone as well. This response follows a physiologic principle known as Wolff's Law - bone remodels along lines of physiologic stress.
In other words, bone responds to mechanical challenges by building more bone. The result is more dense, stronger bones. Such bones are significantly less likely to fracture. And. logically, exercise helps prevent loss of bone mass, a primary cause of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and older adults. Chiropractic health care helps provide assistance to these metabolic processes. All of our metabolic activities are directed by signals from the nerve system. Our nerve impulses tell our cells when to start and when to stop these complicated biochemical processes. Chiropractic care helps ensure proper flow of information throughout the nervous system, helping us maintain optimal physical health and well-being.
Chiropractic Physicians are experts in nutritional health and will be able to recommend a program and plan that will be right for you.
Dr. Robert J. Ault is a chiropractic physician and owner of Ault Chiropractic in Hudson, Ohio. There is never a charge for a consultation with Dr. Ault to see if chiropractic may be a solution for you or your family's health condition. Call 330.342.0755 to schedule an appointment and get the answers you may be looking for.
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