How to Treat ADHD Naturally (Without Prescription Medications)

September 25, 2018

Whether you or your child struggles with ADHD, or you find you lack concentration and focus as you age, the inability to focus and on stay on task can be daunting. However, you don’t need to resort to prescription medications with unwanted side effects to rectify this problem. Instead, there are a number of ways to treat ADHD naturally so you can be more productive, in addition to cognition and focus.

Back to school can be a challenge for parents. Especially if you have a special needs child. ADHD, however, is one of those disorders that affects not only children, but adults as well. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD for short, affects an estimated 8.4 percent of children and 2.5% of adults. It interferes not only with our ability to focus. It also causes hyperactivity and impulsivity. Left untreated ADHD can affect our children’s performance in school as well as our own ability to focus on tasks at work.

As someone with fibromyalgia, I can readily relate with the inability to focus as a result of fibro fog. The times I’ve put off work because I couldn’t get my head into it are too numerous too count. And then, of course, when I finally do commit to a project, such as writing, I type a paragraph then get up and pace, on repeat, for hours on end.

It wasn’t until I started taking Gaia Herbs Mental Alertness that I was able to change my process. These days, with a little help from a natural herbal supplement, I can sit and write an entire blog post without ever leaving my chair. So I whole heartedly believe that, yes, there are effective ways to treat ADHD naturally. However, as with everything else in life, it may take some experimentation to find the right fit for you or your child’s ADHD.

Fortunately, we now know that there are natural alternatives for treating the symptoms of ADHD at the source, without resorting to pharmaceuticals with unwanted side effects. Where modern medicine has failed us, many of use have turned to alternative treatment options to take charge of our health and the health of our families. By being proactive, many of us have finally started on our journey to wellness through nutrition and herbal supplements rather than a prescription from a doctor.

Ready to learn more? Keep reading to discover how to treat ADHD naturally. In addition, you’ll also have the opportunity to explore an in depth herbal intensive learning course that ties nutrition, lifestyle and herbalism together for a holistic approach to ADHD support. Discover ways you can support your brain as you age, or as you journey through menopause, along with other practical applications that extend beyond simply treating ADHD with this educational herbal course.

How to Treat ADHD Naturally

Treat ADHD Naturally Through Exercise & Lifestyle Changes

Spending more time outdoors in nature is an easy way to help calm ADHD symptoms. Evidence suggests that spending just 20 minutes on outdoor activities per day can improve concentration. Additionally, participating in yoga or tai chi classes can also offer similar benefits with regular participation.

Treat ADHD Naturally Through Clean Eating

Another one of the ways to treat ADHD naturally is through nutrition. It’s been shown that a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates can exacerbate ADHD. Sugar, gluten and dairy all can trigger inflammation in the body which leads to lessened blood flow to the brain. By consuming lean protein and good-quality fats, your body can better stabilize blood sugar and support the pre-frontal cortex. This in turn often helps to reduce the impulsivity that accompanies ADHD.

Additionally, your should also avoid foods with excess sodium, MSG, HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein), yeast extract, caffeine and sugar. It’s also advised that you avoid artificial sweeteners with biochemical alterations as they can interfere with cognitive functions and emotions. In addition, whenever possible, foods with artificial coloring, preservatives and allergens should be removed from your diet as well.

Tips for Clean Eating

Following are easy guidelines for eating better. It’s simple for anyone to incorporate these clean eating tips into their daily diet to support better nutrition.

Eat more fruits and vegetables, choosing organic options when available.
Eat more whole grains. In other words, grains that look similar to their harvested state. This includes farro, barley, quinoa, wild rice and oats. Not only will these offer more fiber, you’ll also benefit from the extra protein, antioxidants and inflammation-fighting phytonutrients.
Consume less meat. Not only is eating less meat healthier for you, it’s also better for the environment. When you do eat meat, opt for natural meats (sans the antibiotics and growth hormones) such as grass fed beef or wild caught salmon. You should also reduce your intake of processed meats such as sausage, bacon and cold cuts, if not omitting them all together.
Avoid processed foods made with hydrogenated vegetable oils, artificial colors, refined grains and high amounts of sugar.
Limit your sugar intake. Not only does sugar cause harmful inflammation that can lead to illnesses such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, it’s filled with empty calories that leave you feeling hungry a short time later.
As with sugar, it’s also important to limit your salt intake. Many of us consume well above the recommended daily intake of salt. If using salt when cooking, use it sparingly. I personally like to substitute pink Himalayan salt for sea salt when I cook for the added vitamins and minerals.

Treat ADHD Naturally Through Natural Herbs & Supplements

There are a number nutrients that, when intake is increased either through the foods you eat or supplements, can help with ADHD symptoms. As deficiencies in vitamin B6, magnesium, vitamin C, zinc and iron can contribute to ADHD symptoms, supplements or a change in diet are recommended in order to increase levels of these nutrients in your body.

In addition to common vitamins and minerals, there are also alternative herbal supplements that can help you treat ADHD naturally.

CBG Oil (A Natural Hemp Oil)

CBG oil, a hemp derived compound similar to CBD oil, has shown positive results in treating both ADHD and autism. There are a now a number of scientific trials that testify to the positive effects of using CBG oil to minimize side effects of these conditions. A natural hemp oil, cannabigerol (CBG oil), differs from CBD oil in several key ways. Where CBD oil is great at treating seizures, CBG oil is not. Instead, CBG oil offers the following benefits that CBD oil doesn’t:

Assists with memory and focus.
Helps with bladder disfunction including overactive bladder.
Assists with relief of IBS symptoms along with other bowel and intestinal issues.
Helps ease cravings and withdrawal from benzodiazepines, opiates, alcohol and cigarettes.
Relieves symptoms of ADD/ADHD
Stimulates appetite.

CBG oil offers additional support over CBD oil for the following:

Offers relief from pain.
Helps with depression.
Acts as a neuroprotectant to support neural/brain health.

CBD oil and CBG oil both share these health benefits:

Aids in relief of symptoms from anxiety and panic disorders.
Is naturally anti-inflammatory and therefore reduces and inhibits inflammation.
Slows bacterial growth.
Is a reliable sleep-aid that can help with insomnia.

I have personally found CBG oil helpful in treating fibromyalgia. It’s more effective at targeting pain, in my experience, than CBD oil. Additionally it has helped immensely with symptoms of overactive bladder that often coincides with the fibro.

If you’d like to try CBG oil, I purchase mine from Flower Child. They also offer sample packs of CBG and CBD oil as well as sample packs of CBG oil and CBG salve. You can save $10 off your first $30 purchase with coupon code: ref0716498 when you shop at Flower Child through using this link. Alternately, you can learn more about CBG oil in this article from Leafly.

Other Natural Herbal Supplements

In addition to CBG oil, there are a number of herbal supplements that can help you treat ADHD naturally, as established through my experience with with Gaia Herbs Mental Alertness. (Which, incidentally, has also been shown to help with both ADD/ADHD symptoms.) In fact, many of the herbs considered to help with ADHD are found in Gaia Herbs Mental Alertness Herbal Supplement.

Following are the herbs recommended for naturally treating ADHD symptoms.

Gingko Bibola
Brahmi
Gotu Kola
Green Oats
Ginseng
Pine Bark (Pycnogenol)

Studies do suggest however, that these herbs work best when used in combination with one another.

To further explore the herbs best suited to treat ADHD naturally, I turn you over to the wisdom and experience of The Herbal Academy. Now through Sunday, October 21st, The Herbal Academy is offering a Herbs for ADHD, Cognition, and Focus Intensive Course.

If you’re looking for experienced guidance with herbal and lifestyle options to help navigate your way down this holistic path, this is it! The Herbal Academy has teamed up with Maria Noël Groves to address ADHD, cognition and focus through a series of three helpful video and written lesson sessions. (Maria Noël Groves is author of the books, Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self-Care and Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies: How to Create a Customized Herb Garden to Support Your Health and Well-Being.)

Here’s what you’ll learn from each of the sessions in this informative herbal course:

In the first session, Maria provides a summary of ADHD including symptoms, causes, brain function, commonly prescribed medications, an overview of supportive, non-herbal lifestyle approaches, and an introduction to cognitive herbs.
The second session reviews an herbal materia medica (including 8 kid-friendly herbs) to support cognitive wellbeing.
In the third and final session, Maria provides an herb overview chart that summarizes the uses and actions of the herbs discussed in the intensive and reviews formulation tips, how to put together an individualized plan, and case studies.

What’s so great about this course is that it looks at the whole body – not just one cause of ADHD. Therefore, this course provides you with a better understanding of ADHD as well as how herbs, nutrition and lifestyle suggestions can affect ADHD. You can then incorporate what you’ve learned into your family’s holistic lifestyle to support family members with ADHD and other cognitive concerns.

Ready to learn more? The Herbs for ADHD, Cognition, and Focus Intensive is now open on the Herbal Academy website for registration through Sunday, October 21st (but you can start whenever)! With registration, gain access to this entire 3-session series for only $39!

Alternately, you can also get this full Intensive along with a library of Intensive Short Courses included in a membership to The Herbarium! The Herbarium currently boasts of three exclusive Intensive Workshops, with many more currently in development!

For a $45 annual membership (only $6 more than paying for the single intensive), you will get:

This Herbs for ADHD, Cognition, and Focus Intensive
The Clinical Practice: Supporting Clients with Stress Intensive
Natural Approaches to the Management of PCOS: Finding Balance Intensive
Privy to future Intensive offerings

Along with access to:

The Herbarium’s exclusive Plant Monograph Database boasting over 130 herbal profiles
Herbal ebooks and media offerings valued up to $9.99 each
An ever-expanding collection of in-depth herbal resources including articles, presentations, videos, and podcasts from brilliant herbal minds from around the globe.

Sign up now to learn how to treat ADHD naturally through the use of herbs.

For an easy, non-committal registration, sign up for the Herbs for ADHD, Cognition, and Focus Intensive on the Herbal Academy now! There are 2 ways to sign up:

Get the ADHD Intensive. Sign up for The Herbarium here!
Or sign up for the ADHD Intensive as a solo workshop here!

Have you had success conquering ADHD without prescription medications? I’d love to hear your own success stories with how you treat ADHD naturally. So, please, share your personal story in the comments.

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This article is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment or medical advice and is provided for informational purposes only. Information on products mentioned are based on my own personal experience and have not been evaluated by the FDA. Please consult a physician prior to making any changes that may impact your health.