If you find that your child is always inattentive in class, easy to wander, unable to sit still and easy to be irritable, impulsive to do things, don't be careless, this may not be a child naughty, but a manifestation of the child's ADHD/attention deficit (hereinafter referred to as ADHD).
They have 3 neurotransmitters that are low:
dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps focus, but also a hormone that gives the brain a reward, low dopamine levels will lead to distractment, look east, look west, do a question for a long time, and high dopamine will lead to excitement, impulsivity, easy to conflict with people.
Serotonin, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
They are inhibitory neurotransmitters that have a calming and pleasurable effect, but these two signals in the brain of children with ADHD are low, resulting in temper temper, restlessness, and difficulty falling asleep.
To improve concentration through diet, do the following 5 points:
01 Magnesium and VB6 supplementation:
Magnesium can nourish the nerves, lack of magnesium, can lead to low dopamine, serotonin levels, poor attention, anxiety, insomnia and other phenomena. Magnesium deficiency is very common in children with ADHD, up to more than 90%.
Studies have shown that supplementing 200 mg of magnesium daily in hyperactive children can reduce hyperactivity symptoms by 88.9% and attention deficit by 66% after 8 weeks. In addition, magnesium can also relieve anxiety and constipation caused by ADHD treatment drugs.
02 Eat magnesium-rich foods: including nuts, black qiao, and green leafy vegetables.
But it's not enough to treat ADHD with food supplements. Magnesium glycinate supplements are recommended over magnesium oxide supplements because of their laxative effects.
In addition, it is recommended to supplement VB6, which participates in more than 150 enzymatic reactions in the body, and is an indispensable raw material for the synthesis of dopamine, serotonin and GABA in the brain, which can expand brain blood vessels, increase cerebral blood flow, and provide more energy to the brain.
03 Zinc:
If you find that your child is a picky eater, has a decreased appetite, does not like to eat meat, and has white spots on his nails, pay attention to whether your child is zinc deficient. In the body, zinc and copper are like seesaws, one rises and the other decreases. Too high copper can block the production of serotonin, causing dopamine to overdose, producing impulsive, aggressive symptoms. The treatment of copper excess is zinc supplementation, which can inhibit copper damage to the brain and maintain the balance of neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. Take your child to check for imbalances in the copper/zinc levels in the hair. If copper levels are high, your child needs to be given zinc supplementation.
Organic zinc supplementation is an option, but it is not recommended for children 5 years of age and younger because the cause of their hyperactivity is more likely to be due to disturbances in the gut flora.
04 Probiotics:
The intestine is called the second brain, and the gut bacteria of hyperactive people are different from ordinary people, and the microbiota of attention-deficit people was transplanted to mice, and it was found that mice were more anxious, hyperactive, and the visual and motor function of the right brain was reduced.
The most representative of these is HPHPA (3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropionic acid) produced by Clostridium, which blocks dopamine metabolism and makes brain barmine levels too high and excited. In the urine of people with schizophrenia, the content of this organic acid is 300 times higher than that of the average person.
If the child has been often infected with antibiotics, constipation, diarrhea: it is recommended to take probiotics (3~5 strips a day) for 2-3 months to increase the beneficial bacteria of the intestine and inhibit the growth of Clostridium. Do not choose sugary probiotics, because sugar is yeast's favorite food, which is not conducive to the reproduction of good bacteria in the intestine.
05 Ω-3:
Children with ADHD have 38% lower Ω-3 than non-regular children, and supplementation with Ω-3 can improve attention deficit problems.
This is because Ω-3 has anti-inflammatory effects and can maintain the fluidity of brain cell membranes, which will help dopamine and serotonin better delivery. Supplementing with fish oil can reduce hyperactivity, stabilize mood and enhance memory.
Encourage your child to eat more fatty fish and seafood, and if your child is taking ADHD medication, a supplement that combines Ω-3 will work better.
06 Proanthocyanidins
This plant pigment has strong antioxidant properties, can help the brain resist the damage caused by tobacco, pesticides, food additives, and can also increase the brain's β waves and improve concentration.
You can replace other high-sugar snacks with berries, blueberries, mulberries, grapes, or you can choose anthocyanin supplements, as well as eye protection.
Everyone has a stubborn impression of children with ADHD, in fact, most of the time children show inattention, hyperactivity is caused by neurons sent by nerve signals can not be properly conducted, these symptoms are like rhinitis runny nose, they can not control.
Therefore, parents should understand their children's behavior and be more patient and encouraged.