Nature, An ADHD Natural Treatment

My mother's warning; "You are going to rot your brain out..." still rings through my mind whenever I spend too much time in front of the television set.

I grew up in a time when mothers shooed their children out - rain, snow or shine - to get a breath of fresh air. Our television set tuned in to only four or five channels and those channels signed off at midnight. It would be years before cable television, satellite dish, VCRs and Nintendo would debut. Lazy summer days were spent riding bicycles for hours because there wasn't much of anything better to do.

This period of time was also a few decades before Ritalin and Attention Deficit would become commonplace terms.

I have long believed that inactive hours spent indoors has contributed to the increased incidence of Attention Deficit Disorder. A recent study, published in the September 2004 issue of the "American Journal of Public Health," validates that believe.

University of Illinois researchers studied nature as an ADHD natural treatment. This study showed that children with ADHD benefit from time outdoors enjoying nature with a significant reduction of ADHD symptoms.

Researchers of this nationwide recruited the parents of 322 boys and 84 girls, all diagnosed with ADHD, through ads in major newspapers and the Internet. Participants, ages 5 to18, spent time in a variety of settings which varied from big cities to rural settings. Some activities were conducted indoors, others in outdoor places without much greenery such as parking lots and downtown areas and other activities were in "green" areas such as a tree-lined street, back yards or parks. The parents were interviewed and asked to report how their children performed after participating in a wide range of activities.

The researchers found that symptoms were reduced most in green outdoor settings, even when the same activities were compared across different settings. Researchers believe that simply incorporating nature into a child's day could be widely effective in reducing ADHD symptoms.

Based on the results of this ADHD natural treatment study, researchers recommend that children with ADHD spend quality after-school hours and weekend time outdoors enjoying nature.

Study authors Frances E. Kuo and Andrea Faber Taylor suggested that daily doses of ''green time'' might supplement medications and behavioral approaches to ADHD if clinical trials and additional research confirm the value of nature as a natural treatment for ADHD.

The study findings indicate that exposure to ordinary natural settings in the course of common after-school and weekend activities may be widely effective in reducing attention deficit symptoms in children.

In each comparison (there were 56 in all), green outdoor activities received more positive ratings over the activities taking place in other settings. In 54 of the 56, the difference was significant, signaling that the findings were consistent.

Researchers said that exposing ADHD children to nature is an affordable, healthy method of controlling symptoms. Researchers also suggested that daily doses of "green time" can supplement medications and other traditional treatments of ADHD.

Simply using nature may offer a way to help manage ADHD symptoms that is readily available, doesn't have any stigma associated with it, doesn't cost anything, and doesn't have any side effects.

ADHD natural "green" treatment has endless possibilities, many of which might closely resemble childhoods from years long past.

Here are just a few ideas for increasing "green time":

Play in a green yard or ball field at recess and after school.

Take after-dinner walks.

Make a scarecrow.

Doing class work or homework outside or at a window with a relatively green view.

Build a birdhouse.

Grow an outdoor garden.

Bike, ski, sled, inline skate...

Visit a nature center.

Choose a greener route for the walk to school.

Participate in local nature clean-ups.

Take up bird watching.

Star gaze.

About The Author

Jeannine Virtue is a freelance writer with a focus on issues relating to Attention Deficit Disorder. For research-based information about Attention Deficit Disorder, practical tips to help parents survive the task of raising Attention Deficit children and information about effective Ritalin alternatives, please visit www.add-adhd-help-center.com. info@add-adhd-help-center.com

---

Ive Given Away Control of My Life To Doctors?and Now I Want It Back.

But How Realistic Is It For You To Start Managing... Read More

Heres Hope for Parkinsons Disease

Frank's 85 year-old father was in advanced stages of Parkinson's.Confined... Read More

How to Use a Footbath with Herbs

Recently I read a book by William L. Fischer called... Read More

Allergy Control: Reducing Airborne Allergens in Your Home

Those who are plagued by allergies are always struggling to... Read More

The Sense of Smell and Emotional Response

Smell is a specialised chemical sense. It is interesting to... Read More

Whipped Shea Butter & Its Many Uses

Shea butter, also referred to as karite, which means "life"... Read More

Plain Soap as a Natural Method of Infection Prevention

It is estimated that 80 percent of communicable illnesses are... Read More

Visualization For Self Healing

Visualization and guided imagery are two of the most powerful... Read More

Constipation: A Serious Health Concern

How often do you go to the bathroom and have... Read More

Why You Should Use Fruits for Constipation

Fruits are made by nature and are a perfect food.... Read More

Arthritis Diet Myths- Dont Be Fooled By These Food Fables!

One of the most popular myths I hear from my... Read More

Herbology

Herbology is one of the oldest healthcare sciences known to... Read More

Eating Junk Food -- The Hidden Price

You probably are very familiar with the benefits you get... Read More

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Infertility

Although health and healing are the common goals of Traditional... Read More

Living with Aromatherapy

Places Suitable for Use of Aromatherapy Products: living room, bedroom,... Read More

Revolutionary Medicine: Shockwave Therapy for Chronic Pain Sufferers

Stripped from the scenes from science fiction novels and films,... Read More

Alzheimers Disease: Notes from a Medical Intuitive?s Casebook

In my medical intuitive practice, I have often been consulted... Read More

More Sinus Headaches Home Remedies

One of the best sinus headaches home remedies, is called... Read More

What Exactly is Alternative Therapy and How Does It Boost Your Health and Well-being?

My first yoga retreatI never wanted it to stop. It... Read More

Constipation: the Fast, Easy Answer to Something No One Talks About

Everyone jokes about constipation, but it's no joke if you're... Read More

Stammering Or Stuttering

Stammering or as it is sometimes known as stuttering is... Read More

Colon Cleansing

Colonics are one of the best types of medicine. They... Read More

Mental Health Maintenance Is Made Simple

Your mental health is often drastically improved when you use... Read More

Treating Arthritis- Naturally

There are actually three common types of arthritis. These are... Read More

Heart Disease and Homocysteine

Are you aware that one of the most important indicators... Read More

Oral Chelation ? What Can It Do For You? (Part 2)

Intravenous chelation therapy was more popular than oral chelation initially.... Read More

Natural Remedies and Prevention of Constipation

Constipation is a problem that affects many Americans every day.... Read More

Kill Your Stuttering/Stammering Demons

Apparently one percent of British people suffer from the speech... Read More

How I Was Overtaken By Evil Eye Envy!

You are about to embark on a journey that only... Read More

Herbal Therapy

Herbal Therapy, also referred to as Herbalism, is one of... Read More

Treat Cold, Flu, and Ear Infection the Natural Way

With or without medication, the cold or the flu can... Read More

A Rose is Not Just a Rose

The rose is perhaps one of the most powerful symbols... Read More

The Importance of a Parasite Cleanse

A parasite cleanse is required if your body is overburdened... Read More