Government Protection?

Many of us don't like the government interfering in our lives, but we often expect the government to protect us. Police, firemen, etc. are government employees. We expect the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to keep our food safe and tell us which medications are safe and effective. We expect the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)to keep us safe from toxic chemicals in our food, water and environment.

I've written in recent blogs about the effect of heavy metals on the body, and how heavy metals and chemicals are ubiquitous in our food, water and environment. The following statement by Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the EPA, shows us how ineffective the EPA really is. She states that the EPA has the authority to control only around 200 chemicals out of the 80,000 currently being manufactured.

We really have no idea how these chemicals are affecting our health. With dramatic increases in autoimmune diseases, mental illness, autism, ADHD, etc., could there be a correlation? Wouldn't it be good to find out? Again, I am a proponent of less government intrusion, but as I've studied this, the businesses really have no concern whether these chemicals are affecting our health or not. They are concerned with the financial bottom line.

Please read the following and form your own conclusions. Comments are welcome.

Legislative Hearing on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

CONTACT:
EPA Press Office
press@epa.gov
202-564-4355
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2009

Statement of Lisa P. Jackson
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Legislative Hearing on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
December 2, 2009

WASHINGTON – Chairman Lautenberg, Chairman Boxer, Ranking Member Inhofe and other members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak about how we can improve our framework for assessing and managing chemical risks.

Understandably, the public is turning to government for assurance that chemicals that are ubiquitous in our economy, our environment and our bodies have been assessed using the best available science, and that unacceptable risks have been eliminated.

But, under existing law, we cannot give that assurance. Restoring confidence in our chemical management system is a top priority for me, and a top environmental priority for the Obama Administration.

EPA is the agency tasked with ensuring that the chemicals used in the American economy are safe. But, Mr. Chairman, the current law that gives EPA that authority is outdated, and does not provide the tools to adequately protect human health and the environment as the American people expect, demand and deserve.

Chairman Lautenberg, I commend you for your long standing leadership on this issue and look forward to working with you, Chairman Boxer and other Members of this committee as you consider ways to improve the safety of chemicals.

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was signed into law in 1976 and was intended to provide protection of health and the environment against risks posed by chemicals in commerce. However, when TSCA was enacted, it authorized manufacture and use, without any evaluation, of all chemicals that were produced for commercial purposes in 1976 or earlier years. Thus, manufacturers of these “grandfathered” chemicals weren’t required to develop and produce the data on toxicity and exposure that are needed to properly and fully assess potential risks. Further compounding this problem, the statute never provided adequate authority for EPA to reevaluate existing chemicals as new concerns arose or as new scientific information became available.

TSCA does provide some authority to EPA to mandate industry to conduct testing, but even in these cases it has taken years to obtain data and information. As a result, there are large, troubling gaps in the available data and state of knowledge on many widely used chemicals in commerce.

TSCA also doesn’t place any legal obligation on producers to conduct testing on new chemicals being introduced into commerce. They are required only to supply existing data to EPA and are not required to provide all the data necessary to fully assess a chemical’s risks.

In the rare cases where EPA has adequate data on a chemical, and wants to protect the public against well-known, unreasonable risks to human health and the environment, there are too many legal hurdles to take quick and effective regulatory action

For example, in 1989, after years of study, EPA issued a rule phasing out most uses of asbestos – a chemical whose health effects had been exhaustively studied and demonstrated to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis in humans. Yet, a federal court overturned the rule because EPA failed to clear the many hurdles imposed under TSCA before existing chemical risks can be controlled

Due to these legal and procedural hurdles in the law over the last 30 years, EPA has only been able to require testing on around 200 chemicals produced and used in the United States, and it has only issued regulations to control five existing chemicals determined to present an unreasonable risk under Section 6 of TSCA. Five from a total universe of more than 80,000 existing chemicals listed on the TSCA Inventory. Though many of these chemicals likely pose little or no risk, the story is clear---we’ve only been able to effectively regulate a handful of chemicals and we know very little about the rest.

TSCA must be updated and strengthened.

Earlier this fall, I announced the Obama Administration’s legislative principles for how this law should be revised and modernized. Let me highlight the Obama Administration’s principles:

First, chemicals should be reviewed against safety standards that are based on sound science and reflect risk-based criteria protective of human health and the environment. Safety standards should be driven solely by scientific evidence of risks. EPA should have the clear authority to establish safety standards that reflect the best available science while recognizing the need to assess and manage risk in the face of uncertainty.

Second, the responsibility for providing adequate health and safety information should rest on industry. Manufacturers must develop and submit the hazard, use, and exposure data demonstrating that new and existing chemicals under review are safe. If industry doesn’t provide the information, EPA should have the necessary tools to quickly and efficiently require testing, or obtain other information from manufacturers that are relevant to determining the safety of chemicals, without the delays and obstacles currently in place, or excessive claims of confidential business information.

Third, EPA should have clear authority to take risk management actions when chemicals do not meet the safety standard, with flexibility to take into account a range of considerations, including children’s health, economic costs, social benefits, and equity concerns. EPA and industry must include special consideration for exposures and effects on groups with higher vulnerabilities – particularly children. For example, children ingest chemicals at a higher ratio to their body weight than adults, and are more susceptible to long-term damage and developmental problems. Our new principles offer them much stronger protections.

Fourth, EPA should have clear authority to set priorities for conducting safety reviews. In all cases, EPA and chemical producers must act on priority chemicals in a timely manner, with firm deadlines to maintain accountability. This will not only assure prompt protection of health and the environment, but provide business with the certainly that it needs for planning and investment.

Fifth, we must encourage innovation in green chemistry, and support research, education, recognition, and other strategies that will lead us down the road to safer and more sustainable chemicals and processes. All of this must happen with transparency and concern for the public’s right to know.

Finally, implementation of the law should be adequately and consistently funded, in order to meet the goal of assuring the safety of chemicals, and to maintain public confidence that EPA is meeting that goal. To that end, manufacturers of chemicals should support the costs of Agency implementation, including the review of information provided by manufacturers.

I know that legislative reform may take time. Consequently, I have directed my Assistant Administrator of Pollution Prevention and Toxic Substances, Steve Owens, to utilize our current authority under TSCA to the fullest extent possible, including Section 6 authority to label, restrict, or ban a chemical, to ensure that we do everything we can to protect the American people and the global environment from dangerous chemicals. While fundamental reform is needed to fully protect against chemical risks, this is a step forward.

Specifically, EPA is currently evaluating an initial set of chemicals based on available hazard, exposure, and use information, for potential action. We will complete and make public “action plans” for the chemicals which will outline the risks that the use of these chemicals may present and what steps we may take to address those concerns. Following this, we aim to complete and make publicly available a group of chemical action plans every four months. EPA intends to engage stakeholders and dialogue with other federal partners, as well as the public, in the discussion about prioritizing chemicals for future risk management action over the coming months through public notices and public meetings.

But let me be clear – this is no substitute for meaningful reform of the underlying law. The need for fundamental TSCA reform has been recognized by industry groups, including the American Chemistry Council, environmental groups, public health groups, several States and cities, and many other groups who have all called on Congress to Act. I too call on Congress to act on this issue and give EPA the tools to adequately protect human health and the environment.

The time has come to bring TSCA into the 21st Century. EPA looks forward to working with this committee on this very important issue.


Until we meet again,
Dr. Judi

Oil In My Lamp

January 1, 2010. Happy Birthday Mom!

This blog is written in extreme gratitude to my dear family, extended family, friends and especially my caring Heavenly Father and my Friend, Brother, and Savior Jesus Christ, who have all carried me through this past year.

2009 was quite a year. It started with the funeral of my mother who died in late December. My father had died 6 months earlier. Then my daughter's husband died, leaving her with three sons and no life insurance. Then my youngest son's wife left him, and because of her difficult situation and finances couldn't take their four children. My son had to stop working evenings and weekends because he needed to watch the kids and couldn't afford to pay his mortgage. So he and the children moved in with me while we worked on renting out his condo to help pay for the mortgage. It didn't rent. I put quite a bit of money into fixing it up and it still didn't rent. After several months he eventually moved back in but is still struggling with his mortgage and making enough money to pay for babysitters while he works long hours.

I left my employment and started my own practice in August, which I had been planning for awhile, and didn't have an income while we paid start-up costs. Then my middle son's wife left him and she came from San Diego to Utah to be with her parents while she worked things out, and he left a good job to come up here to be close to his children, and is looking for a job. Then the business I owned with my oldest son failed, leaving a very large debt, and him looking for work with 6 children to support.

I felt in my heart to assist my children who were struggling, emotionally and financially, and was able to do so for awhile, but then my new business did not bring an income as quickly as we expected it to (true of all new businesses), and I ran out of money and couldn't pay my own bills and the heavy debt from the failed business.

But this is written not to disclose my weaknesses and those of my family, but to show that all of us are going through problems and difficulties right now. Everyone I talk to is going through serious struggles, whether in their relationships, financial situation, illness--physical or emotional, etc.

I believe in the Law of the Harvest--what we sow we shall reap. So I was pondering on why life seems to have been so difficult this year, and what I have been sowing that would reap such results. And while learning the lessons of many mistakes made, the Lord also opened my mind to the myriad of blessings I have received this year. I have truly been enriched this year. I was given to know that this past year was to assist me in filling my lamp with oil.

The parable of the Ten Virgins tells how ten virgins were waiting for the bridegroom. When he finally came, 5 of them had not prepared well enough and didn't have enough oil in their lamps to attend the wedding procession. There have been many interpretations of what this parable means, and what kind of preparation is needed to fill our lamps as we await the coming of the Bridegroom and deal with the difficult times that are upon us and what may be coming in the future.

My lamp has been filled this year in the following ways:
1. A stronger faith that I am not alone. As I would pray about my difficult financial situation, I would be led to the scripture in Matthew 6: "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns: yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not better than they?" And "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?"

Over and over again, even though I wouldn't know how I was going to pay my next bill, the Lord would promise me He would take care of me. And He did, mostly through other people. Every time it was important, some money showed up to pay the next bill. My sister started a part-time job and has been sending me all of her income every two weeks. My brothers have sent checks as gifts. A great friend paid for some of my property taxes and sent extra payments on a car he had bought from me because he knew I needed the money. Some unexpected money came in from my parent's estate. My business partner paid money out to me without taking any herself so both I and the business could keep going. My middle son, while looking for a better job, has come in to help us organize our business and make it profitable. The Lord has touched the hearts of so many, many people, and they have responded and truly blessed my life.

2. A greater knowledge that all is in Divine Order. So often, when I was concerned about my children or grandchildren, or myself for various reasons, the Lord would fill my heart with peace and a knowledge that whatever was happening was for our best good, and to accept whatever came. I came to have an incredible peace in my heart that even if there was no one to assist me, and I lost everything, all would be well and I could find joy, peace and happiness. I came to a peaceful knowledge that God and angels were watching over my children, their spouses and my grandchildren; that each was learning the lessons they came here to learn; that they didn't come to have perfect lives but to learn through their experiences, and that we were all learning the lessons of repentance and forgiveness, what love truly is, and trusting more in the atonement of the Savior.

3. A greater knowledge that I WILL be able to handle whatever comes because the Lord WILL strengthen me. There is often a lot of anxiety and fear over the future. We don't know what may be coming and if we will be able to handle it. I came to know that these difficult things I have gone through and am going through now are teaching me how God strengthens me to meet the challenges I am given. I never thought I could survive my house burning down, going through medical school with six children, dealing with some of the problems I have dealt with in my children, going through an unwanted divorce, surviving on my own, losing my parents, having no money, etc.; but I have. Through each challenge, I have been strengthened to meet it. Often in the middle of the challenge I didn't feel strong, and often felt like giving in and giving up, but looking back on each event, I can see how I was carried through, time and time again.

4. A greater faith in the Atonement of my Savior. I have made many, many mistakes. But through the Love and Mercy extended to me, the Lord has paid for them and helps me through the affect they have had on me and those around me. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden [through your own mistakes], and I will give you rest." The perfect plan has been created so that I can learn through my own choices and experiences, and can learn by experiencing the results of my own weaknesses and the weaknesses of those around me, and as I lean on Him and have faith in His atoning Love the burdens that come upon me because of those choices and weaknesses are lightened, and I become stronger and more able to make better choices; to choose love, light, wisdom, trust, joy and peace because I have learned what it feels like when I choose the opposite.

"Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" -Helen Keller

I trust in the Lord with all my heart. I lean not unto mine own understandings. In all my ways I acknowledge Him, and He directs my paths.

Until we meet again,
Dr. Judi

Paper Roses

I was in Las Vegas this last week, and in Phoenix the week before. I had the privilege of seeing Marie Osmond in her Las Vegas show with Donny. She was kind enough to see me back stage for a hug before she had to go to a photo shoot, and yes, she was just as beautiful as these pictures show!

I remember hearing her first hit on the radio, Paper Roses. She sang that song in her show, and it was fun to remember. "But they're only...imitation..."

But this blog isn't just about Marie, though I love her dearly; it's about all of the things I learned in Las Vegas at the conference for the American College for the Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) and in Phoenix at the conference for the American Academy of Environmental Medicine. They were both about Autoimmune Diseases, and the speakers at both conferences presented many studies showing the profound effect the pollution in the environment is having on our health.

Below are some of the things that I learned. This isn't just hype but backed by rigorous scientific studies.

Arsenic, a toxic chemical often found at low levels in U.S. public drinking water,usually due to leaching into ground water from pesticides and fertilizers, may increase the risk of developing diabetes, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The study showed Americans with high levels of arsenic in their urine were almost four times more likely to have diabetes than those with trace levels. The risk was apparent at levels in the water which were generally considered harmless and grew with increasing exposure.

While previous research showed chronic exposure to high levels of arsenic could lead to diabetes, the new report is the first to show that even levels that meet U.S. regulations may be dangerous. Arsenic in drinking water is also shown to increase risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.

Lead levels in the blood of children are considered safe if they are below 10 mcg/dL. However, a recent study of men of an average age of 67 and an average blood lead level of 2.85 mcg/dL had lead levels taken from bone samples, where lead tends to congregate over time in the body. Those with higher levels were six times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those with lower levels in their bone. Their blood levels were not indicative of the amount of lead in their bones. What does that say about children with a blood level of 10 mcg/dL? Other studies also are indicating that there is no safe level of lead.

One study (I'm not sure where it was done), showed that up to 200 chemicals were found in the umbilical cord blood of newborns. Mercury blood levels in cord blood were twice as high as levels in maternal blood. For some reason the levels are concentrated in the fetus.

Pesticides have an estrogen-like effect on the body. Endometriosis has been highly linked to dioxin, which has been banned in this country, but still seems to show up in the blood. There is evidence that young girls with increased pesticide exposure have early puberty. Animal studies have shown that pregnant mothers exposed to these pesticides at specific times during fetal growth have offspring that exhibit same sex attraction.

There are greater levels of autism in the areas of coal burning plants, which emit a lot of mercury. Pregnant women exposed to pesticides also have a higher number of children with autism. Pregnant women who eat a lot of fish have a higher number of children with genetic defects and autism. And the current multidose vial of flu vaccine STILL has thiomerisol in it, which contains ethylmercury.

Up to 60% of the population are gluten sensitive to some degree, but most do not know it. A person has to be off of gluten for 6 months to lose the effects that it has on the body. Even eating gluten once a month can bring back the effects. The effects can be celiac disease, increased allergies, eczema, asthma, cognitive problems, etc.

The elevated levels of gluten sensitivity are thought to be related to several things: the hybrid forms created over the last 50 years are much different than what our ancestors were eating and the high levels of pesticides with heavy metals that are found on the wheat, causing sensitization.

People who are gluten sensitive have much higher rates of autoimmune diseases, especially thyroiditis. A majority of those with autism and ADHD are gluten sensitive.

These are just a few of the things we learned. It seems quite scary, especially when we seem unable to do anything about it. The United States and all of the world has ADHD--poor impulse control. Industry has grown and developed and utilized multiple chemicals without considering the long term consequences of their behaviors. Some of them had no idea what they were creating, many of them were in denial, and some of them knew exactly the risks they were taking for humanity but did it anyway for profit. There is still mostly denial in industry of the effects they are having on their communities and in the world.

But there are things we can do. We can live as clean as we can, drink filtered water, grow our own organic gardens, detoxify ourselves, consider gluten sensitivity and staying away from wheat,etc., be tested for chemicals and heavy metals BEFORE pregnancy by a knowledgeable doctor, keep chemicals out of our homes as much as possible, and be as pro-active as possible in keeping our communities safe. It was the citizens of Love Canal that rose up in arms and finally had their homes moved because of the severe toxicity of the Niagara River. Because of them the Superfund was created to clean up toxic sites. Be aware of what is going on in your community. Be aware of what is in your water and what your home is built on.

Up until now much of industry has been giving us paper roses; promises of safety that are only imitations of reality. They can no longer hold up under scrutiny. They are going to have to do business a different way in order for our children and children's children to survive.

Until we meet again,
Dr. Judi

To Flu or Not to Flu

As autumn rolls around (these beautiful trees are in my back yard!) the big health concern on everyone's mind (besides the so-called new health plan Congress will never agree on) is the H1N1 influenza virus. I would say Swine flu, but that's no longer politically correct, so we can please the hog farmers :-) Even though this new strain of flu is generally very mild, it has been surrounded by a lot of fear. It is quite a friendly little virus, passing easily from one person to another, so if it comes around your neighborhood, you are quite likely to be visited.

Joking aside, there have been deaths from this virus, just as there are every flu season. This one seems to be more serious for pregnant women, which is a major concern. So there is a rush to get a vaccine out to protect those at risk.

And the question on everyone's mind is, should I get the vaccine or not? Is it safe? Will I have problems if I get it? Will I get pneumonia, or even die, if I don't vaccinate?

The hard fact is, no one knows. Ever since there was a higher number of people who suffered from Guillain-Barre Syndrome (ascending paralysis) who had received the 1976 flu vaccine, the safety of the flu vaccine has been suspect in the minds of the public. And because the flu vaccine causes an inflammatory reaction that often feels like the flu, a lot of people say they feel worse when they get the shot than they do from the flu.

But there are others who swear by the flu shot, and feel it has made a big difference for them. They are ready to be vaccinated yearly, because they have had good results.

For most people, getting the flu can cause them to feel miserable and often put them to bed for a few days, but rarely is it serious. It is generally more serious for those with weakened immune systems, such as the chronically ill and the very elderly, and infants who are not being breast fed. And rarely, someone seemingly healthy gets very sick and may die. But this is rare enough that most of us don't worry a lot about getting the flu.

But because of the hype surrounding the H1N1 flu virus, more of us are considering the possibilities of ourselves or our loved ones being possible victims of a more severe illness.

However, the vaccine for the H1N1 virus is being pushed through trials quickly, and no one knows the long-term effects. Is it going to be safe? We hope so, but we don't really know.

So what do we do?

This is a decision that each person must make within their own heart. There is something inside that will give us guidance about if the vaccine is the best thing for us and our families.

However, whether we get the vaccine or not, there are many things we can do to protect ourselves and prepare our immune systems to be able to fight whatever may come. Here are a few things that may help prepare you:

1. Wash your hands. With soap. Frequently. Of course. We've known this since kindergarten. But it works! Better than the alcohol anti-bacterial gels. However, both hand washing and alcohol gels work only to kill the germs in that moment. The next thing you touch will contaminate again. So I recommend a product called PureWorks Antibacterial Foam. It is non-toxic, and not only kills germs for several hours, but kills the germs on things you touch as well. I'm not a distributor, but I buy and use the product in my office.

2. A good multi-vitamin mineral supplement. Making sure the body has what it needs to be healthy is important. I would recommend my new line of supplements, but they are still in manufacturing. But even the CostCo or Sam's Club brand are good. If you do get sick, take two a day.

3. Extra Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin D. These are all important for a healthy immune system. Unless you are pregnant, consider taking 10,000 IU of Vitamin A during the flu season. If you get the flu, increase the dose to about 100,000 IU a day for 3 days (not longer). Vitamin A has virus fighting properties. If you are pregnant, it is recommended you take no more than 5,000 IU a day, or it could be toxic to the baby.
Take about 1,000 mg. of Vitamin C a day. If you start to get sick, increase it to 1,000 mg. every hour while you're awake. It that gives you diarrhea, back down to the level where it stops.
Vitamin D is very important for a healthy immune system, and most of us are deficient, even if we get enough sun. I recommend in general 1,000 IU a day, though some may need more. Ask your doctor to check your 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels.

4. Dramatically reduce sugars and refined carbohydrates this flu season. Sugar, besides using up essential minerals, has a depressing effect on the immune system. The sugar from one soda can inactivate the macrophages (that destroy viruses and bacteria) for up to four hours.
And don't depend on artificial sweeteners as a substitute. They have some toxic effects and are stressful to the body.
However, raw honey and xylitol have anti-bacterial and viral properties. And stevia and agave nectar are safe to use. Xylitol comes in a nasal spray as well to reduce bacteria in the nose and sinuses.

5. Take time for relaxation and Get enough sleep. Stress, more than anything else, makes us susceptible to getting sick. When we burn the candle at both ends and don't allow time to rebuild, we are more apt to get sick. Our bodies break down during the activities of the day (catabolism) and use the rest and sleep time to rebuild (anabolism). Make sure your body has adequate time to rebuild itself.

These simple things can be extremely effective in keeping us well this fall and winter. Take care and be flu-proof!

Until we meet again,
Dr. Judi

Breaking Away from the Chronic Depression Cycle

The Vanguard Center, a neurotherapy center I work with, has invited me to come and speak at one of their teleseminars on July 21st at 7:00 PM MST.

The title of the teleseminar will be Breaking Away from the Chronic Depression Cycle. It's free; you register at vanguardbiofeedback.com/rsvp.html and then call in using the information they send you. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Here's what they had to say about it:

Every day, millions of people struggle with issues of chronic depression. Here in Utah we have the highest rate of antidepressant use in the nation. Many avoid antidepressants, seeking to avoid the side effects from long-term medication use, and continue to suffer without any assistance whatsoever. Fortunately, there are a variety of additional options and alternatives that people can take advantage of to break free from depression.

Nearly everybody knows someone that is struggling with depression. But often we are unaware of the extensive offering of effective solutions. Too often, professional advice is merely, “Take this prescription. Call me if it’s not working and we’ll try a different one."

Unfortunately, precious few take the time to understand that there are solutions to depression and other emotional issues. Indeed, there is no such thing as a hopeless case. There is always a way to reduce or eliminate the problem.

Join us to learn how!

They have more information about it here on their social media page.

If you have any questions on the topic, you're welcome to post them in the comments!

Until we meet again,

Dr. Judi

ADD-ADHD Alternatives to Medication 3

It seems that ADD-ADHD is becoming epidemic. Why are so many more children being diagnosed with this problem today? The following may give a few answers.


Deficiencies and problems often found in ADD-ADHD:

1. Deficiencies in nutritional value from food. The diet many children eat today contains chemicals unknown to the human body and lack nutritional value. Many of these chemicals can affect our brains in a negative way. For example, Feingold hypothesized and did many studies showing that artificial colors and flavorings dramatically increased ADD-ADHD symptoms in those with that propensity. Eliminating processed foods, artificial flavorings, colorings, preservatives, and sugars have been shown to help the hyperactivity aspect of the affliction.

Many children are not introduced to or fed adequate fruits and vegetables to improve their nutrition. When they are used to eating the prepared foods with chemicals and sugars to make them taste better, the natural foods don't taste good to them. When they do get natural foods, often these foods are do not have adequate nutrient value because of the soil depletion.

The deficiencies found in the modern diet have a profound effect on the health of the brain. These deficiencies which have been found in many ADD-ADHD children include:

• B-vitamins, especially Vitamins B5 and B6, folic acid and Vitamin B12.
• Calcium, necessary for proper bone growth, muscle and nerve function.
• Tryptophan, an amino acid which is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin.
• Zinc, necessary for the function of many enzymes, required to make fatty acids and immune system function, deficiencies can add to mood disorders.
• Tyrosine, an amino acid which helps make dopamine and norepinephrine, and is needed for the thyroid hormone.
• Magnesium, necessary for the function of many enzymes. Depleted when eating too much sugar or over-stressed. Deficiency of magnesium causes the muscles and body to be hyper-excitable.
• Omega 3 and GLA fatty acids, because of the high levels of trans fatty acids (man-made fats that are unable to be used in the body and cause oxidation and inflammation, including in the brain) in todays diets, especially in processed and snack foods, the excess trans fats in the body also cause a deficiency of omega 3 fatty acids, which include EPA and DHA, and an omega 6 fatty acid called GLA, all very necessary for brain and for cellular function. It has been shown that a majority of ADD-ADHD children have excessive trans fats in their cells.
• Iron, necessary for adequate oxygen to the brain, as well as the executive centers in the brain. If iron is low, it affects learning and behavior. (Check with your doctor to see if iron is marginally low, as too much iron will also cause problems.)
• Good, clean water—few children like to drink water any more. They drink juice, sodas, artificially flavored and colored drinks, sweet drinks, etc., which do not increase the fluid levels in the body, and sometimes are actually dehydrating. Most children are marginally dehydrated. If the brain is only 5% dehydrated, brain performance will drop remarkably, and they will feel fatigued.

2. Deficiencies or imbalances of Neurotransmitters. This is often because of the lack of the nutrients above. Neurotransmitters are molecules in the body that transmit signals between nerves. There are many kinds, each having a different purpose. They each have their own receptors on the nerve endings that, when attached, tell the nerve what to do. Some tell the nerve to send signals, some tell the nerve to stop sending signals.

In ADD-ADHD, there are often deficiencies in some or all of the following neurotransmitters:

• Dopamine. This neurotransmitter is very important. It is the lack of dopamine that causes Parkinson's Disease. The deficiencies in ADD-ADHD are not as severe as in Parkinson's, but there are still problems. It is hard to pay attention, to focus and concentrate, and there seems to be a lack of caring and difficulty loving and connecting to others.
• Endorphins (natural opioids). These allow us to feel good and reduce pain. A lack causes a sense of urgency, a need to hurry, and an increased sensitivity to pain.
• GABA (Gamma amino butyric acid). This is a neurotransmitter that tells the brain to calm down and stops signals. A deficiency often results in a feeling of anxiety.
• Norepinephrine. This causes a release of adrenaline, and in many causes a good “rush” feeling. Many with ADD-ADHD become “adrenalin” junkies, seeking thrills to increase the feeling from this neurotransmitter.
• Serotonin. This allows a feeling of well being and enables sleep. The lack may increase depression symptoms and cause difficulty sleeping.

A good amino acid and vitamin supplement to assist the body in creating the needed transmitters is often useful. Also, changing the brainwave patterns through neurofeedback will often assist in balancing the neurotransmitters.

3. An excess of neurotoxins in the food and environment. Many of the chemicals in our food and environment are neurotoxins, meaning they are toxic to our nerve/brain cells. The chemicals in the food used as preservatives, colorings, flavorings, fillers, and artificial sweeteners (especially aspartame--Nutrasweet and Equal) are unknown to the human body and can have neurotoxic effects.

Our water supply is not immune to these pollutants. The soil which our food is grown in is becoming more polluted. Industry is spewing forth heavy metals. Mercury is found in our teeth, fish and immunizations. Lead poisoning is still a problem for both children and adults because of old paint, old pipes, industrial pollutants, etc.

Children born to mothers exposed to pesticide spraying in farming communities have a much higher incidence of autism and other brain problems. Pesticides are in our food supply and the spraying of lawns and houses magnifies the problem. Pesticides are neurotoxins and children eating a normal diet compared to children eating an organic diet were shown to have up to 20 times more pesticides in their urine. A single apple can deliver an unsafe dose of organophosphates to a child.

The foods most contaminated by pesticides, according to the FDA, are US-grown strawberries, apples, and peaches, and Mexican-grown cantaloupe. These should be only consumed if they are organic. You can dramatically reduce the exposure by peeling the apple and peach, though there are still pesticides in the fruit itself.

The fruits and vegetable which are least contaminated are US-grown cantaloupe, watermelon, bananas, kiwi, pineapple, peas, corn and onions.

Exposure to electomagnetic frequencies (EMF) is increasing both inside and outside of our homes. Children who live near high powered electrical lines or microwave towers have been shown to have a higher incidence of cancers, especially leukemias. Some people are “sensitive” neurologically to EMF, and their problems are aggravated by televisions, microwave ovens, computers, cell phones, etc. There are products that can reduce the effects of EMF on people.

Next visit we will talk about treatments and possible alternatives to medication.

Until we meet again,

Dr. Judi

ADD-ADHD Alternatives to Medication 2

Last blog we talked about what ADD-ADHD is, and the symptoms that often accompany it.


It is important for the clinician and the family to be aware and test for conditions that mimic ADD-ADHD:

• Allergies—many children are affected neurologically by sensitivities. Often misbehavior can be attributed to reactions to things they are eating or are in their environment.
• Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) –when the blood sugar goes too low a child may have ADD-ADHD symptoms.
• Anxiety—sometimes when a child or adult is suffering from anxiety they have trouble staying still and focusing. ADHD medication will make this problem worse. A QEEG can often determine if the medication will work or not.
• Learning disabilities—if a child is having problems learning, they will often exhibit poor behavior. School becomes difficult and they start losing attention. Many children labeled as having ADD-ADHD actually have learning disabilities.
• Hearing and vision problems—an undiagnosed hearing or vision problem can cause similar problems to learning disabilities.
• Hyper- or hypothyroid—the thyroid affects the metabolism and an imbalance in the thyroid can mimic ADD-ADHD in a child.
• Elevated toxins—such as lead. There is still a high amount of lead poisoning in children. Other toxins such as mercury in teeth, environment and immunizations, and chemicals in food and air can have an affect on their brain function.
• Poor parenting skills—we hesitate to blame parents for behavioral problems, as ADD-ADHD is very difficult for parents to live with and deal with. However, if a parent has not been taught good parenting skills by their own parents, they may be unaware that their way of treating their child may be increasing misbehavior by that child. Most of us can become better parents and help our children by learning better parenting skills.

If you or your child have one or more of these problems, medication will only cover the problem and sometimes not help. Even if you or your child has ADD, these problems will make the ADD worse. It's important to discover if these are part of the problem. Some of them will only be found by a more integrative physician, utilizing both regular Western medicine and alternative/complementary medicine, specialized optometrists (for vision problems), and specialists in learning disorders.

The next blog we'll discuss some of the deficiencies found in people with ADD-ADHD.

Until we meet again,

Dr. Judi