What Natural Strategies Improve Children’s Learning and Behavior?
Posted by Erica Warren on
More and more children are being medicated for school based problems related to behavior and learning issues, and many families are concerned about the short term and long term effects.
What About the Root Cause?
Unfortunately, medications rarely cure the problem because they address the symptoms. Most caregivers don’t want to mask the presenting problem with a "bandaid." Instead, they want to get to the root cause of the problem.
What are Some Possible Causes that Can be Addressed Naturally?
There are three possible causes that can addressed without medications.
- First, there are increasing amounts of toxins and unhealthy, synthesized substances in our environment that have impacted our food chain and water supplies. For instance, toxic levels of mercury are often reported in many types of fish and professionals are continually warning us about the dangers of pesticides and genetically modified foods.
- Second, many available foods contain preservatives, additives and other chemicals that can negatively impact on our bodies and brains. A common additive, monosodium glutamate or MSG, is used by restaurants to make patrons feel full. However, this substance can also cause headaches, intestinal distress, and other unpleasant symptoms.
- Third, in our fast paced society, many kids do not have a well balanced diet and therefore struggle with nutritional deficiencies. An imbalanced diet can impact physical development, organs, and because the blood feeds the brain, poor nutrition can affect cognition.
What are Some Common Symptoms that Indicate Nutritional Deficiencies?
- Rough dry skin
- Cracked lips
- Dry or dull hair
- Pasty skin
- Excessive thirst
What are Some Common Symptoms that Indicate Toxins are Present in the Body?
- Rashes
- Irritability
- Intestinal issues
- Mental fog
- Inflammatory conditions
- Head aches
- Sinus problems
- Difficulty sleeping
What Can We Do to Rid Children's Bodies of Toxins?
- Use natural cleaning products without synthesized agents and heavy perfumes. I like Dr. Bronner's Cleaning Products.
- Clean your house with hot steam instead of chemicals.
- Drink plenty of clean water.
- Eat organic produce and meat.
- Eat detoxifying foods, like fruits and vegetables.
- Take a high grade fish oil supplement.
- Eat foods that are high in natural probiotics such as sauerkraut and other fermented foods.
- Take high quality vitamins.
- Avoid processed foods – particularly white flour and sugar.
- Exercise your body 3-5 times a week.
- Allow your body to have some down time.
I hope you found this helpful! I would love to hear your thoughts.
Cheers, Dr. Erica Warren
Dr. Erica Warren is the author, illustrator, and publisher of multisensory educational materials at Good Sensory Learning. She is also the director of Learning to Learn and Learning Specialist Courses.
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