Everyone has struggles in life. My daughter Kitty (age 7) has trouble paying attention enough to understand what is going on around her and inside her, and this contributes to confusion, developmental delays, nightmares, and massive anxiety. She also has other emotions that drown her and flood through her, leading to overwhelm. Kitty needs a lot of support to help her make sense of these forces. Here are some things that have helped Kitty find her balance and deal with everyday life:
A regular schedule
Organic diet
Outdoor play
Physical activity
Mindfulness meditation
Time in nature
Limited screen time
Kitty also takes some vitamins, minerals and supplements to help her with anxiety and/or attention, as well as general health. Before we started supplementing with these, Kitty would pull out the cocoa to make hot chocolate, but before she could finish walking the 5 steps to the table, she would have forgotten what she was doing, bouncing from one thought to another so fast that no plan of action could be made--even setting down the cocoa container was beyond her. Now she can gather sugar, cocoa, and milk; a small mixing bowl for the sugar and cocoa; and a mug for the milk; and then proceed to pour the milk, heat it in the microwave, measure out the proper amounts of sugar and cocoa, mix them together and stir them into the milk, then put everything away before enjoying her hot chocolate--without a single reminder or prompt from me! (Also, she cleans up the spills!!!)
A little something about each of the vitamins, minerals and supplements Kitty is taking that have made this possible:
Uridine monophosphate is a nootropic that increases dopamine release by as much as 20%, helps regulate acetylcholine levels, reduces social anxiety and anger, and is a safe option for many children. It is found in many common foods such as sugar beets, sugarcane, tomatoes, organ meats, and broccoli--all of which Kitty loves. I had never heard of it, even though they've known since 1979 that it works as well as or better than amphetamines such as Ritalin for ADHD symptoms--without the withdrawals and dependence issues. It increases cognition without causing anxiety or mood changes. It is one of the most effective supplements I've found for Kitty.
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) is also a game changer for Kitty. It reduces anxiety majorly, and helps with mood and attention a lot. It's key for general health, too.
Magnesium L-Threonate works with Pyrodoxine to reduce anxiety and also fosters sound sleep. Sleeping has always been hard for Kitty, so this has also been a game changer. Enough magnesium is crucial for good health, too.
Methylcobalamin (Vitamin B12), in addition to being essential for general good health, also seems to help a lot with Kitty's nervousness and inability to focus.
Methylfolate (5-MTHF) (Vitamin B9) helps keep Kitty focused on tasks and seems to help with the hyperactivity.
Vitamin C helps with inflammation as well as general health. Kitty seems to get puffy periodically, and vitamin C helps with that too.
Vitamin D3 helps Kitty pay attention and seems to reduce her anxiety somewhat. It's also a big one for general health. In girls enough vitamin D is supposed to prevent the early onset of puberty which would be nice.
Lemon balm (dry, powdered) is an herb which helps Kitty remain calmer and clearer.
Zinc is supposed to help with brain functioning.
We've only just started most of these supplements within the last 2 months, but we have seen a significant reduction in Kitty's anxiety, discomfort and overwhelm.
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