I just read that the American Heart Association is
recommending kids get an EKG before being put on Ritalin or
other ADHD drugs.
ADHD drugs are stimulants (just like caffeine) and can
cause cardiac arrest in a child who has heart problems.
Once a heart problem has been ruled out, it's apparently OK
to drug them up.
Over 3 million children in the US are drugged every day
with a STIMULANT that supposedly treats a "dis-ease"
characterized by an inability to sit still, focus and
concentrate.
I am not the only one who questions this picture. Why not
give them a few more Mountain Dews or Cokes while you're at
it? That'll make them sit still.
And another scary thing is treatment with these drugs is
on the rise. Ritalin prescriptions have gone up 250% since
1990!
The most common side effects of Ritalin are an increased
heart rate, high blood pressure, dizziness, drowsiness and
changes in vision.
Others include chest pain, fever, joint pain, skin rash or
hives, and uncontrolled movements of the body (tics). The
tics can be permanent! It's called Tardive Dyskinesia.
Look it up. Ritalin and other nice profitable drugs can
cause it.
The medical community claims they don't even know what the
long-term effects are. I don't think I want to know
because it's too frightening.
And doctors are increasingly thinking this is an OK
solution for a kid who squirms and can't finish his school
work.
Back when I was in school (1967 - 1980) you never heard of
ADHD. Instead there were kids who were simply more
rambunctious than others. There was no medication. They
were "treated" with discipline and extra help after school.
Now here we are 30-40 years later, a society addicted to
chemically created processed food, fast food and soda,
grossly lacking essential nutrients (found in REAL food)
for the brain and nervous system to work properly, with
physical activity at an all-time low (since kids are
sitting playing video games or surfing the 'net) so there's
no energy being "burned off."
But lo and behold, the kids suffering the effects of
horrible diets and lack of exercise are labeled as having a
"dis-ease" and doctors happily write the little white
scripts for the daily stimulants, offering no other
suggestions.
Sad. Very sad.
My son happens to be a very active kid. He likes to play,
giggle, tell jokes and sometimes has trouble concentrating
on his school work. Know what I call that? A normal
little boy.
When he completed kindergarten, his teacher told me he had
trouble sitting still and should be tested for ADHD. I
nicely told her to go to hell.
Instead we enrolled him in karate, which has done wonders
for his level of discipline, focus and fitness. He also
goes to a Kumon Math and Reading Center and has increased
his reading and math skill levels from 2nd grade to 5th and
6th grade levels in just 16 months.
ADHD? Don't think so. Just a normal, active little boy.
Please, for your kids' sake, don't blindly obey the white
coats that say your child needs to be drugged. They can
and probably will be damaged irreparably by those
chemicals.
Instead do what you can to help their focus. Martial
arts, playing an instrument, joining a sports team or
taking up a hobby all do wonders for discipline, focus and
creativity.
Turn off the TV, Xbox and computer, and limit their
"electronic" time to a couple hours a week tops. Other fun
times can be running around outside, reading, playing board
games, or playing with the family pet.
Say no to the drive-thru, store-bought packaged foods and
soda. They're loaded with chemicals, they have no
nutrients to help your kids' brains and nervous systems
work right, they're addicting and they make your child
obese.
Make REAL food. Loaded with all the nutrients they need
to think, learn and play. Packed full of what their bodies
need to grow up, not out. Great Taste No Pain makes it
simple and delicious (even for kids).
- http://www.greattastenopain.com
To your health,
Sherry
PS: My 9 year-old son has eaten every single dish in the
Great Taste No Pain system and LOVES each one. They're
truly kid-tested and kid-approved.
