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Prescription medications are often given for ADD sufferers, but there are alternative treatment options available. Some prescription medications do work very well for ADD patients, but most of them have unwanted, and sometimes dangerous side effects. These side effects can be dangerous, and the long-term effects of prescription medication for ADD are unknown. For people who do not want to risk the long-term effects or side effects, there are other ways of dealing with ADD. The cause of ADD is unknown, but ADD is a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. By using various vitamins, minerals, and supplements, the effects of ADD can be minimal. An ADD person’s biochemical state can be made to copy the biochemical state of a “normal” brain. Food sensitivities and allergies may also cause ADD behavior. It is important to address these problems with any person who has ADD. The solution maybe as simple as cutting out a certain problem food, or taking certain supplements that the patient may be lacking. Behavior modification is an important alternative method of dealing with ADD. The patients can be taught skills that can help them control their lack of focus. The offending behavior must be identified, then a new behavior must be illustrated and a reward given for the new behavior. This positive reward for behavior system must be consistent, and eventually the patient will “re-learn” how to behave. Biofeedback is another alternative to medication for ADD patients. The ADD sufferer is trained to learn how to control their physiological functions by recognizing when they have stimulated the frontal cortex of their brain. Then they are reinforced with positive feedback. In time, the new stimulation is learned and becomes automatic. Nutrition and diet can be an important means of controlling ADD. Some ADD is thought to be caused by eating artificial colorings, preservatives, and natural nutrients called salicyates. ADD symptoms can be erased with this method in 50%-70% of people by simply removing these items from the patient’s diet. Certain dietary supplements have been found to relieve ADD symptoms. Studies have revealed that ADD symptoms may be biochemical, and imbalances in certain vitamins and minerals could cause ADD. Using vitamin and mineral supplements repaired nutritional deficiencies, and the patients in the study experienced reduction of ADD symptoms; some patient’s symptoms were completely vanished. Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins or OPCs is a popular dietary supplement that has been widely used for ADD symptoms. These supplements are all natural and found in certain fruits, vegetables, and tree bark. Pycnogenol is the most popular supplement and is made from the bark of the French Maritime Pine Tree. Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins have been widely studied and researched for many years and are widely used in other countries for heart disease, circulatory improvement, ADD, and aging reversal. The greatest benefit of OPCs is their antioxidant properties where they protect human cells from free radicals. OPCs are 20-50 times more powerful as an antioxidant than either Vitamin E or Vitamin C. In the treatment of ADD, OPCs prevent and reduce free radicals in the brain and nerve tissue. It may also support the function of neurotransmitters in the brain. Herbal medicine is one of the oldest forms of medicines in the world. Only in modern times have people turned to synthetic forms of drugs for their ailments. Herbal and natural remedies may actually have better effects on people with ADD than their synthetic counterparts. They may make ADD manageable without all of the unwanted side effects of synthetic drugs.
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