Counselor Notes

Counselor Notes 47

May 25, 2016

How To Raise An Adult

 

The other book that I want to cover this school year is How To Raise An Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims It is divided into four parts: the present situation, the effects of over-parenting, an alternative to over-parenting, and “daring to be different.” This is a wonderful book addressing the issue of over-parenting (“helicopter parents”). It is well written with lots of examples and research (and very little (if any) “psycho-babble”). As a parent herself Ms. Lythcott-Haims is well aware of the pressures of raising children in this day and age. She includes lots of personal experiences and observations and does so as one who has realized that she and her husband may have made some mistakes along the way. As the former Dean of Freshman at a one of the nation’s leading universities (Stanford), she has a wealth of experience with those who over-parent and their children.

Chapters 1 - 5: What We’re Doing Now

Ms. Lythcott-Haims opens her book noting that parents naturally want to keep their children safe as well as grow up to be successful. While this in itself is good, things may have gone too far. Just as a house that is too clean may actually contribute to childhood allergies and asthma http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20140606/too-clean-homes-may-encourage-child-allergies-asthma-study so too may over-parenting hinder the emotional development children. She notes that parents are trying to raise adults so they should act accordingly. Too often parents are doing too much for their children for far too long. (This is not to be taken as an excuse to give children tasks, freedoms, or responsibilities earlier than would be appropriate.)

Ms. Lythcott-Haims goes on to assert that our contemporary definition of success is defined far too narrowly. This also has led parents to unintentionally harming their children. It plays out in things such as the pressure children feel to get into “the right college” and overly competitive youth athletics.

Chapters 6 - 11: Why We Must Stop Over-parenting

In chapters 6 through 11 Ms. Lythcott-Haims lays out her reasons why parents should avoid the over-parenting trap.

6. Kids need basic life skills and over-parenting is hindering them learning such. If parents are doing it for them, they aren’t learning to do it them self and isn’t that what a parent wants in the end? (This is not to be taken as an excuse to put too much on a child too soon. The book comes from the point of view that parents are too often doing too much for their children for too long.)

7. It hurts their psychological development. The knowledge that one can do certain (age-appropriate) things for them self is a great source of self-confidence.

8. It fuels the overuse of attention medications like Ritalin and Adderall.

9. In the end it hurts their job prospects. Nobody wants to hire the applicant that literally or figuratively tries to bring their mom or dad to the interview.

10. Over-parenting ends up stressing out the parents and hindering healthy marriages.

11. The push to get into a top college fails to recognize that there are LOTS of good colleges and “the college admission process is broken.” (And many parents are highly competitive about the college their child gets into.)

Chapters 12 - 20: Another Way

Ms. Lythcott-Haims encourages parents to avoid falling into the over-parenting trap. She specifically suggests:

12. There are other ways to parent than just over-parenting.

13. Children should have unstructured time. (They don’t need every moment of their day scheduled.)

14. Teach life skills. Parent with an eye towards their eventual independence.

15. Teach them to work hard.

16. Prepare them for hard work.

17. Let them chart their own path.

18. Normalize struggle.

19. Have a wider mindset about college.

20. Listen to them.

Chapters 21 - 22: Daring To Parent Differently

The book concludes with two chapters on parenting “differently” in the modern age.

21. Reclaim your self

22. Be the parent you want to be

 

I hope that interested parents will consider reading the entire book for themselves. This quick summary gives a nice overview, but of course can’t provide the depth of the full book. For some information on the web regarding the issue of over-parenting and its effect on children, please look at:

· http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/08/28/434350484/how-schools-are-handling-an-overparenting-crisis

· http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/08/28/434350484/how-schools-are-handling-an-overparenting-crisis

· http://people.howstuffworks.com/5-signs-of-overparenting.htm

· https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/compassion-matters/201204/the-abuse-overparenting

· http://www.huffingtonpost.com/abilash-gopal-md/helicopter-parenting-has-_b_9657534.html

Have a great summer!

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

P.S. Those that want to visit Ms. Lythcott-Haims web page may find it at: http://www.howtoraiseanadult.com/

Counselor Notes 46

April 8, 2016

Positive Discipline Chapters 10 - 12

 

Finishing up with Positive Discipline, we are now at the highlights of chapters 10 through 12.

Chapter 10: Personality: How Yours Affects Theirs

In the book Dr. Nelson emphasizes the point that “adults don’t realize … that any child which is misbehaving is subconsciously saying ‘I just want to belong, and I have some mistaken ideas about how to accomplish belonging.’” (p. 141)

 

Priority	Comfort	Control	Pleasing	Superiority
Worst Fear	Emotional and physical pain and stress	Humiliation; criticism; the unexpected	Rejection; abandonment; hassles	Meaninglessness; unimportance
Believes the way to avoid the worst fear is to:	Seek comfort, ask for special service; make others comfortable; choose the easiest way	Control self and/or others and/or situation	Please others active – demand approval passive – evoke pity	Do more; be better than others; be right; be more useful; be more competent
Assets	Easygoing; few demands; minds own business; peacemaker; mellow; empathetic; predictable	Leadership; organized; productive; persistent; follows rules	Friendly; considerate; compromises; nonaggressive; volunteers	Knowledgeable; idealistic; persistent; social interest; gets things done.
Liabilities	Doesn’t develop talents; limits productivity; avoids personal growth	Rigid; doesn’t develop creativity, spontaneity, or social closeness	Doesn’t check with others about what pleases them; doesn’t take care of self.	Workaholic; overburdened; over-responsible; over-involved
Unknowingly invites from others	Annoyance; irritation; boredom; impatience	Rebellion; resistance; challenge; frustration	Pleasure at first and then demands for approval and reciprocation	Feelings of inadequacy and guilt; “How can I measure up?”; lying to avoid judgments
Creates and then complains about	Diminished productivity; impatience; lack of personal growth	Lack of friends and closeness; Feeling uptight	Lack of respect for self and others; resentment	Being overwhelmed; lack of time; “I have to do everything”

Chapter 11: Putting It All Together

Chapter 11 is a bit of a review of the book. It reviews and reiterates the following points (directly from the list on p. 286 – 287; see book for full details – one could misconstrue and then wrongly apply these):

1. Take some cooling off time because you do better when you feel better.

2. Decide what you will do instead of what you will try to get children to do.

3. Let your children know in advance of what you will try to make children do.

4. Use kind and firm action – not words. (Keep your mouth shut and act.)

5. When words are necessary, make them few and stated kindly and firmly.

6. Use emotional withdrawal to stay out of power struggles and wait for a calm time to focus on solutions.

7. Use routine charts to avoid power struggles.

8. Avoid bedtime hassles by sharing happiest and saddest moments while tucking children in.

9. Avoid power struggles by getting children involved in solutions.

10. Stay out of children’s fights – or treat children the same.

11. First comfort the one who did the hurting. Then invite that child to help you comfort the one who was hurt.

12. Validate feelings.

13. Give hugs.

14. Use your sense of humor.

15. Get children involved in mealtime planning, cooking, and cleaning.

16. Establish nonverbal reminders with children for what needs to be done.

17. Offer choices instead of making demands.

18. Use “As soon as ___, then ____.”

19. Use allowance money to teach money management not for punishment or reward.

Chapter 12: Love and Joy in Homes and Classrooms

Dr. Nelsen finishes Positive Discipline with three important parenting reminders:

1. What we do is never as important as how we do it.

2. See mistakes as opportunities to learn.

3. Sometimes we have to learn the same thing over and over again.

She also reminds parents to:

· Express your unconditional love

· Teach and model communication and problem-solving skills.

· Help children develop a sense of responsibility.

· Take full responsibility for your part in any conflict.

· Have compassion for yourself.

With all the technological advancements society has made, no one has come up with anything to make parenting any easier – at least not good parenting. But on the other hand, few things are more rewarding. Our roles as parents are worthy of our best efforts.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

P.S. Those that want to visit Dr. Nelsen’s Positive Discipline web page may find it at:http://www.positivediscipline.com/

Counselor Notes 45

March 10, 2016

Positive Discipline Chapters 7 - 9

 

Moving along through Positive Discipline, we are now at the highlights of chapters 7 through 9.

Chapter 7: Using Encouragement Effectively

In the book Dr. Nelson emphasizes the point that “adults don’t realize … that any child which is misbehaving is subconsciously saying ‘I just want to belong, and I have some mistaken ideas about how to accomplish belonging.’” (p. 141)

In helping children learn better ways to belong, Dr. Nelson notes the importance of:

· Timing – parents may need to time the encouragement they give their child to a time when the child can hear it. (i.e. there may need to be a cooling off period.)

· Mutual Respect – this “incorporates attitudes of (a) faith in the abilities of yourself and others (b) interest in the point of view of others as well as your own; and (c) willingness to take responsibility and ownership of your own contribution to the problem.” (p. 143)

· Noticing improvement instead of expecting perfection.

· Redirecting Misbehavior – Find the positive attributes in misbehavior and put that to constructive use.

· Making Amends – give the child ways to make up for the issues their misbehavior created.

· Schedule “Special Time” with children.

· Encouragement Vs. Praise – Parents often have the mistaken idea that they can build their child’s self-esteem through praising them. Dr. Nelson makes the important point that “self-esteem can’t be given or received, it is developed through a sense of capability and the self-confidence gained from dealing with disappointments, solving problems, and having lots of opportunities to learn from mistakes.” (p. 157)

Chapter 8: Class Meetings

This is a chapter for classroom teachers so I will pass over it here.

Chapter 9: Family Meetings

Dr. Nelsen uses family meetings as a cornerstone of resolving conflicts in a productive manner. There are a number of nuances to running family meetings though. The best information I can give you here is to see Dr. Nelson’s web page on family meetings:https://www.positivediscipline.com/articles/family-meetings

Psychology Today has a good web site with 10 tips on family meetings: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/emotional-fitness/201209/10-tips-holding-family-meeting

Other good sites on the topic include:

· https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/How-to-Have-a-Family-Meeting.aspx

· https://www.caregiver.org/holding-family-meeting

· http://centerforparentingeducation.org/library-of-articles/healthy-communication/holding-family-meetings/

Dr. Nelsen’s Positive Discipline web page is at: http://www.positivediscipline.com/

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

P.S. Visitation with Ms. James' family is Saturday 3/12 (tomorrow) from 5 to 8 p.m. at the McEwen Baptist Church's Fellowship Hall. At approximately 7 p.m. there will be a time for a sharing aloud of memories of Ms. James.

P.P.S. Psychology Today had another interesting article on probiotics. Individuals who have children with anxiety &/or depression issues (or have those issues themselves) are encouraged to read it. It can be found at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201507/the-reach-probiotics?collection=1075813

Counselor Notes 44

March 4, 2016

Grief

 

As many parents know, Our beloved music teacher Ms. Libby James had a car accident on the evening of February 23rd. She went off Powers Blvd and hit a tree head on. She suffered numerous injuries (13 broken ribs, broken left wrist, broken femur, broken ankle, and internal bleeding.) She was in Vanderbilt's Trauma Unit and initial signs were encouraging. That did not hold though and the middle of this week things quickly turned for the worse. To our great sadness, she went into a coma and passed on late yesterday afternoon.

Today in school students, classroom teachers have appraised students of our great loss. As a whole, students have handled the situation as well as may be expected under the circumstances. (Our 3rd Graders have known Ms. James for approaching 4 years now.) Students talk about issues such as this at different times though - and may prefer talking about it with their family. In light of that, I thought I might put out a few thoughts on helping grieving children.

Different children have different temperaments and varying relationships with Ms. James. Their reactions to the news will vary. Pent up grief from other losses may surface. (i.e. a child’s reaction may not be solely about the passing of Ms. James. Grief over the loss of a grandparent, pet, friend, etc. may be turned up.)

Make a time for your child to ask questions. (The t.v. should be off! Don’t have this discussion while you are driving a car. Give the child your FULL attention.)

· Let them ask any questions they have. Be sure you understand what they are asking.

· Answer honestly and directly

· It is okay to say “I don’t know”

· Don’t use terms that may be misleading / confusing like “she’s sleeping”

· Avoid saying things like “Don’t cry” or “It’ll be okay.”

· Attempt to do more listening than talking. Use active listening skills.

· Having children tell their favorite stories may be helpful.

· In the discussion include your religious beliefs! I can tell you from experience that children have questions that we don’t answer at school.

 

Children will grieve in different ways. Some will not want to talk about it and that’s okay.

Be ready to hug and pat on the shoulder, but also ready to give children a bit of space.

Be aware that younger children often think death is “reversible” You should be truthful here, but it is not the time to attempt to “break” that belief.

Also be aware that more mature children may have “magical thinking” – thoughts that if they did something (ex: wore a lucky shirt or thought more kindly of her), Ms. James would still be okay.

Maintain normal family routines to the extent possible.

Young children can work out that which they can’t communicate through things like play and art. Get them away from the television set and give them some “down time” with crayons / magic markers.

Creating a picture (with crayons or markers) for Ms. James’ family can give an outlet and direction to their feelings.

There are a plethora of children’s books on loss. Select one along the lines of your theology and read it with them.

Children may not have questions or want to talk with you about Ms. James’ passing today. If that is the case, respect it. Don’t force the topic upon them thinking the child “needs to talk about it.” Let it go. They may want to talk about it at some future point in time, so do check back with them.

How we deal with loss often stems from how we were taught as children – early life experiences. We are role models in dealing with loss. Let us be good ones for helping the children here.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

 

P.S. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.

Counselor Notes 43

December 17, 2015

Positive Discipline Chapters 4 - 6

 

For this edition of the Counselor Notes, I am going to give some of the highlights of Positive Discipline’s chapters 4 through 6.

Chapter 4: A New Look At Misbehavior

This is one of the longer chapters in the book – and one of the most important. We act in accordance with our perceptions. If we perceive a situation accurately we are more like to react in ways that address a problem rather than make it worse.

Dr. Nelsen breaks children’s problematic behavior down into four mistaken goals with the corresponding mistaken beliefs:

1. Undue Attention – The mistaken belief: I belong only when I have your attention.

2. Misguided Power – The mistaken belief: I belong only when I’m the boss, or at least when I don’t let you boss me.

3. Revenge – The mistaken belief: I don’t belong, but at least I can hurt back.

4. Assumed Inadequacy – The mistaken belief: It is impossible to belong. I give up.

Dr. Nelsen gives a chart on these mistaken goals, how to identify them, and how to appropriately respond. I have previously provided the chart in Counselor Notes #35 (Goals of Misbehavior). It is posted on my web page which can be accessed from the school’s web site. (Go to http://wes.hcss.org/then under “Parents and Students” select Counselor. Previous issues of the notes are on the right hand side. Click on the small “View More” near the bottom right hand side of the page and then scroll down the page.)

Dr. Nelsen provides a lot more detail in her book and I encourage parents to study it. The approach may sound easy, but it is not so simple to gleam from merely reviewing a chart. (And it is important to accurately perceive the child’s goal!)

Chapter 5: Beware of Logical Consequences

Logical / natural consequences are what logically / naturally happens when adults don’t step in. (EX: You go outside on a cold day without a coat, you get cold. You don’t treat your friends right, they don’t remain your friends.) In this chapter, Dr. Nelsen makes a number of important points:

“… most logical consequences are poorly designed punishments.” (p. 98)

“Some children decide not to repeat the behavior that caused the punishment, but they do so because of fear and intimidation, not because they have adopted principles regarding right and wrong.” (p. 98)

“… adults may think they are winning many discipline battles. However they have inevitably lost the discipline war when children are inspired to get even, avoid detection, or conform out of fear or a sense of worthlessness.” (p. 99)

Dr. Nelsen acknowledges that when uses correctly logical consequences can be effective with children at times. She does advise to be sure it isn’t just punishment in disguise and to avoid the “I told you so” type comments. (She also notes that there are times you can’t use them. An example would be you don’t use natural consequences to teach a child not to play in the street.)

From Dr. Nelsen’s point of view, parents who make the “I told you so” type comments “…actually lessens the learning that can occur from experiencing natural consequences because a child stops processing the experience and focuses on absorbing or defending against the blame, shame, and pain.” (p. 101)

Chapter 6: Focusing on Solutions

“Positive discipline focuses on teaching children what to do because they have been invited to think through the situation and use some basic guidelines, such as respect and helpfulness, to find solutions. They are active participants in the process, not passive (and often resistant) receivers. Children start making better behavior choices because it makes sense to them and because it feels good to be treated with respect and to treat others with respect.” (p. 122)

The theme for focusing on solutions is: What is the problem and what is the solution? Children are excellent problem solvers and have many creative ideas for helpful solutions when adults take time for training and allow many opportunities for them to use their problem-solving skills.” (p. 123)

Dr. Nelsen promotes solutions to issues being: related, respectful, reasonable, and helpful. She cautions against using things that are more harmful than helpful.

 

Though not a big supporter of using time-out, Dr. Nelsen does advocate for cooling off periods when called for. One does a much better job generating helpful solutions to problems when they are in a frame of mind that can actually think clearly. (A highly frustrated, aggravated or despondent frame of mind is not going to be much use in generating helpful solutions.)

In helping children explore the consequences of their choices, Dr. Nelsen is not one to ask they child “Why?” That is seen as too accusatory and creating defensiveness. Instead she advocates parents be in the proper frame of mind (i.e. not upset), not having an agenda, and using “curiosity questions” to help the child process situations. Some of her suggested curiosity questions are:

· What were you trying to accomplish?

· How do you feel about what happened?

· What do you think caused it to happen?

· What did you learn from this?

· How can you use in the future what you learned?

· What ideas do you have for a solution now?

I do hope parents will consider picking up Dr. Nelsen’s book (or some other parenting book of your choosing). Parenting isn’t easy and just trying to do it (or in some cases, avoid doing it) the way your parents did you may not necessarily be the best approach for these times.

When all these school days are past, your children have “left the nest”, and you get a chance to reflect back on your life, what more important thing will you have done than the proper raising of your child/children? May you look back on your efforts knowing that you did your very best. Dr. Nelsen’s book can help you achieve that.

Those that want to visit Dr. Nelsen’s web page may find it at http://www.positivediscipline.com/

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

P.S. Disney is about to release “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to an eager public. I look forward to seeing it myself. The reason I bring it up at all is this movie is rated PG-13. For those that may have forgotten, PG-13 means “parents strongly cautioned” against letting elementary school age children see the movie as “some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.” Please note that again some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Just because the country is caught up in anticipation of the movie and merchandise from the movie is already all over the store shelves, doesn’t mean that elementary school age children should be seeing it! (And what should we make of those the market things to elementary school age children – or younger – from movies that parents are “strongly cautioned” against letting the child see?)

Who is going to protect the innocence of childhood if not their parents?

Counselor Notes 42

December 4, 2015

Positive Discipline Chapters 1 - 3

 

For this school year, I had said that I wanted to delve into parenting using the books Positive Discipline by Jane Nelsen Ed.D. and How To Raise An Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims.

For Counselor Notes #42, I am going to pass along some thoughts from the first three chapters of Positive Discipline. It would be a gross error to think that one newsletter is going to a great job covering three chapters of a book. So while I am passing along some highlights, I do hope it will create enough interest for parents to go out and get a copy of the book. (And read it! In one’s later years, it is a lot easier to find peace of mind if one feels they have been successful as a parent.)

Chapter 1: The Positive Approach

One of the more interesting things in this chapter is Dr. Nelsen assertion that kids growing up today are facing two changes that earlier generations did not face to the degree this one has. I found them interesting as I had not heard the differences in today’s children from earlier generations explained this way before and it makes some sense. The first is that “adults no longer give children an example or role model of submissiveness and obedience.” She also notes that this isn’t necessarily bad. Moms don’t have to be submissive to dads. As there has been progress towards equality of the sexes, so to has there been progress in equality among the races. (It is not my intention to get into a debate about how much room for improvement remains, just that things are better than they were say 50 years ago.)

The second factor Nelsen notes is that “in today’s society, children have fewer opportunities to learn responsibility and motivation. We no longer need children as important contributors to economic survival.”

Dr. Nelsen is big on the idea that to make a kid do better you don’t need to make them feel worse. Her four criteria of effective discipline (p. 16) are:

1. Is it kind and firm at the same time? (Respectful and encouraging
2. Does it help children feel a sense of belonging and significance? (Connection)
3. Is it effective long-term? (Punishment works in the short term, but has negative long term results.)
4. Does it teach valuable social and life skills for good character?

Chapter 2: Some Simple Concepts

Four Steps for Winning Cooperation

1. Express understanding for the child’s feelings. Be sure to check with him or her to see if you are right.
2. Show empathy without condoning. Empathy does not mean you agree or condone. It simply means that you understand the child’s perception. A nice touch here is to share times when you felt or behaved similarly.
3. Share your feelings and perceptions. If the first two steps have been done in a sincere and friendly manner, the child will be ready to listen to you.
4. Invite the child to focus on a solution. Ask if he/she has any idea on what to do in the future to avoid the problem. If he doesn’t, offer some suggestions until you can reach an agreement.

A child’s primary goal is to belong and to feel significant.

A misbehaving child is a discouraged child.

Make sure that the message of love gets through.

Chapter 3: The Significance of Birth Order

This chapter focuses on the impact a child’s spot in the birth order has. The oldest child has a slightly different situation growing up than would the youngest. Only children face some different factors. In a family of three children, middle children have some unique factors impacting them. The impact of the birth order often is overlooks and it shouldn’t be. Those interested in reading more on this can get a great deal of information from this chapter. There are plenty of sources on the web regarding the influence of birth order on your child’s personality. Here are three:

http://www.parents.com/baby/development/social/birth-order-and-personality/

http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/birth-order-traits

http://www.bestpsychologydegrees.com/birth-order/

The next issue of the notes will cover Chapters 4 through 6. It should be out before the winter break. In the mean time, those that want to learn more a little more about Positive Discipline may want to visit Dr. Nelsen’s web page may find it at: http://www.positivediscipline.com/

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

Counselor Notes 41

April 22, 2015

Personality Types

For this issue, I thought I might bring in something fun for the parents: a personality inventory. One way psychologists look at personality is along four distinct spectrums. Knowing an individual’s preference on each of the four spectrums reveals a personality type.

Your personality type is going to have an impact on many aspects of your life including parenting, romantic relations, and leadership. Different personality types have different ways of interacting with others. You will likely better understand those whose personality type is most similar to your own. (As fate would have it, we tend to marry people with the complete opposite personality type.) Personality types also tend to cluster together in specific occupations. If you are aware of which type you are, then you can learn the strengths and weakness of that type. Knowing the type of your friends, spouse/significant, boss, subordinates other can reveal insights into them. (Children are too young for this inventory.)

Those that want to see what type they are encouraged to try the free 72 question yes/no Jung Typology Test at http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp (They call it a test but it would better be termed an inventory or “type indicator” as there is no right/wrong answer, just preferences.) The inventory is free though they will offer you some more feedback for a small fee. You need not buy the extra feedback, there are plenty of sites on the internet that will give you free feedback based on your “type.” Here are a few that I like:

http://typelogic.com/

http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/the-16-mbti-types.htm

http://keirsey.com/4temps/overview_temperaments.asp (links to the specific types are on the right hand side)

You can find a listing of famous historical figures as well as contemporary celebrities at http://www.celebritytypes.com/istj.php (PLEASE NOTE: this link is for ISTJ’s. To find the information for your code, you will have to click on the link for that code on the left hand side of the page.)

A few notes though before anyone starts jumping to broad sweeping conclusions based on their type:

1. These types of inventories put everyone in one of 16 different categories and things just aren’t that simple. There are 4 scales and the types are derived from individuals clearly at the ends of the spectrum. Most people lie somewhere in between the two poles/extremes. The most accurate profiles of type are for people with the most distinct preferences. Those closer to the middle aren’t going to be as clearly “pegged” by the inventory.

2. No profile is better than another, though it will give advantages and disadvantages depending upon the job one is in.

3. Personality types can change, but for adults major shifts along any of the spectrums is uncommon. (Though individuals with slight preferences may find that a later administration of the inventory show a slight preference for the opposite type.)

Those who really enjoy this sort of thing and want to play around with it a bit more are encouraged to purchase the book Please Understand Me by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates (1984) or Please Understand Me II by David Keirsey (1998). I like the first one better than the second, but both are quite enjoyable. They aren’t expensive either – each is under $20. (Used copies are even cheaper.) You can read a lot more about yourself as well as give the personality inventory to others. Keirsey also has a web site http://www.keirsey.com/ , but I have never tried it. (There are fees involved.)

Enjoy!

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

P.S. According to Time Magazine http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1176994-1,00.html, 89 out of the Fortune 100 companies use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (essentially a longer version of the humanmetrics inventory) in hiring and promoting. The article also notes that at least 3 in 10 employers use personality tests in hiring.

Counselor Notes 40

April 14, 2015

Mindset

As we approach the yearly standardized testing (TCAP), I would like to point out to parents that so-called “intelligence” may not be something that is completely fixed at birth. Dr. Carol Dweck of Stanford University wrote an interesting book on the way we view things (which includes intelligence) that has some application here. The book is called Mindset (ISBN # 1-4000-6275-6) and here are a few interesting quotes from it:

“Whether human qualities are things that can be cultivated or things that are carved in stone is an old issue. What these beliefs mean for you is a new one: What are the consequences of thinking that your intelligence or personality is something you can develop, as opposed to something that is a fixed, deep-seated trait?” p.4

“... Robert Sternberg, the present day guru of intelligence, writes that the major factor in whether people achieve expertise 'is not some fixed prior ability, but purposeful engagement.' Or as his forerunner Binet recognized, it's not always the people who start out the smartest who end up the smartest.” p. 5

“... my research has shown that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life....” “Believing that your qualities are carved in stone – the fixed mindset – creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over.” “...Every situation is evaluated: Will I success or fail? Will I look smart or dumb? Will I be accepted or rejected? Will I feel like a winner or loser?” p. 6

“In this (the growth) mindset, the hand you're dealt is just the starting point for development. This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts. Although people may differ in every which way – in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments – everyone can change and grow through application and experience.” p. 7

(We).... “were trying to understand why some students were so caught up in proving their ability, while others could just let go and learn. Suddenly we realized that there were two meanings to ability, not one: a fixed ability that needs to be proven, and a changeable ability that can be developed through learning.” p. 15

“At the University of Hong Kong, everything is in English. Classes are in English, textbooks are in English, and exams are in English. But some students who enter the university are not fluent in English, so it would make sense for them to do something about it in a hurry.”

“...we asked them (students not fluent in English)... if the faculty offered a course for students who need to improve their English skill, would you take it?....”

“Later we looked at who said yes to the English course. Students with the growth mindset said an empathic yes. But those with the fixed mindset were not very interested.”

“Believing that success is about learning, students with the growth mindset seized the chance. But those with the fixed mindset didn't want to expose their deficiencies. Instead, to feel smart in the short run, they were willing to put their college careers at risk.” p. 17 – 18

I think that the teachers of Waverly Elementary School would agree that “purposeful engagement” really does help students grow and that their “intelligence” isn’t locked in at birth. The TCAP test is designed to measure the gains students make through “application and experience.” Parents who are interested in their child doing well on TCAP and life’s more important things would do well strive to cultivate the growth mindset within their child/children.

As the famous inventor Thomas Edison once said: “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration.”

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

Counselor Notes 39

March 27, 2015

Attitude, Attendance, and School Performance

In the book Raising Cain by psychologists Dr. Dan Kindlon and Dr. Michael Thompson they cite a rather interesting statistic:

“... Greg Duncan of Northwestern University, along with colleagues at the University of Michigan, studied a group of more than a thousand intact families in the United States over the course of twenty seven years, examining many aspects of family life that were thought to be influential in determining the future occupations and incomes of their children.... Of the dozen or so factors they considered, father attendance at PTA meetings was the most influential in terms of the child's income at age twenty-seven.” (p. 99)

I am sending this out just prior to our Parent – Teacher conferences for a reason. I don’t think it is as simple as if the father would attend Parent – Teacher conferences their child would achieve more materially later in life. Rather I think it is the attitude held in such households – the attitude that school is important. It is so important that the fathers make the effort to attend the conferences.

So while I would certainly encourage fathers (and mothers) to attend parent-teacher conferences, I am more interested in putting emphasis on families doing the things to show that school is important. At the elementary school level, some things to do that are:

1. Send your child to school each day. If they aren’t sick, they should be in school.
2. Get them here on time.
3. Leave them here for the full day. Make every effort to schedule necessary appointments with health professionals on days the child doesn’t have school. Don’t pick them up early because you are “in the area.”
4. Check homework and sign their daily report.
5. Communicate with the teacher. When the child complains of a situation in school, check with the teacher before taking the child’s word for it. Teachers have to make an incredible amount of decisions each day as they go about teaching and supervising the children in their class. They may make mistakes occasionally, but they also have A LOT of experience dealing with children and they also get to lean on the experience of their peers who have “been around the block” a few times as well.

Education can help a child earn more later in life. Making school a priority can help. The U.S. Department of Labor http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm notes:

 

Education does pay off so please do those things that help establish it as a priority.

“The research also shows how these missed days as early as preschool translate into weaker reading skills…. Good attendance habits begin at home with the right messages from parents and caregivers.” http://www.attendanceworks.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Attendance-in-the-Early-Grades.pdf

“Students with poor attendance in the month before taking the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress scored significantly lower on the test than their peers who had no absences in that time frame, a new analysis by Attendance Works finds.” http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rulesforengagement/2014/09/attendance_affects_achievement_study_provides_state-by-state_look.html

I am not trying to say that material attainment is the goal of life. I would note though that it stands to reason that in today’s world a well educated child will be more likely to “be all they can be” than a poorly educated child. That being said, then I would encourage parents to establish in your child’s mind that school is a priority and do so by getting them to school every day, on time, and leaving them here for the full day. Help them with homework and communicate with the teacher. They’ll thank you later.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

Counselor Notes 38

March 23, 2015

Emotional Intelligence

A study once done at Bell Labs in northern N.J. sought to see why some extremely intelligent people were not rising as high in the corporate hierarchy as might be expected by their superior I.Q.’s. The researchers found that those geniuses that “flamed out” did so because of interpersonal flaws. The study saw those that those who were building good relationships with others before they needed cooperation from them were the ones getting ahead. These people had “emotional intelligence.”

On the back of jacket of the best seller Emotional Intelligence, author Daniel Goleman (ISBN # 0-553-37506-7) “argues that our view of human intelligence is far too narrow, ignoring a crucial range of abilities that matter immensely in terms of how we do in life.”

Now if that is all true, emotional intelligence would be pretty important stuff!

I have an article that claims IQ counts for about 20% of the factors that determine a person's success in life. The other 80% come from their EI (Emotional Intelligence). The article goes on to label the biggest components of E.I. as:

1. Self-Awareness - the ability to recognize your own feelings as they are occurring (not just the surface ones, but the deeper feelings as well).
2. Mood Management - You may not be able to control what emotions hit, but you should have a lot of control over how long those moods last. (Rage is generally the toughest to manage)
3. Self Motivation - the ability to muster up feelings of enthusiasm, zeal and confidence. An optimistic outlook helps immensely (and this type of optimism can be learned).
4. Impulse Control - the ability to sacrifice short term interests to achieve long term goal (ability to delay gratification).
5. People Skills - The ability to understand how another person feels (empathy).

 

University of Washington psychologist John Gottman Ph.D. wrote a book called “Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child” (ISBN 978-0-684-83865-6). In the book Gottman talks of helping children become emotionally intelligent by parents being emotional coaches to their children. He says the process typically happens in five steps (p. 24):

1. The parents become aware of the children’s emotion (i.e. what the child is feeling);
2. Recognize the emotion as an opportunity for intimacy and teaching;
3. Listen empathically, validating the child’s feelings (i.e. support the child feeling as they do without condoning any negative behavior);
4. Help the child find words to label the emotion he/she is having; and
5. Set limits while exploring strategies to solve the problem at hand. (i.e. Help the child find appropriate ways to deal with the emotion. Do not allow negative behavior in doing so. Children still need to respect other’s rights.)

(For more details, please see the book. It is safe to assume that Daniel Goleman liked the book as he wrote the introduction.)

As so much of our own behavior is copied by our children, it stands to reason that parents would do well to become as emotionally intelligent as possible. The site http://core.eqi.org/summary.htm offers these ten tips on developing your emotional intelligence:

Counselor Notes 37

March 16, 2015

How Children Succeed

I recently read a book titled How Children Succeed by Paul Tough. In it the author cited some interesting research which I want to forward along to parents for their consideration as they go about raising their child/children.

“What matters most in a child’s development, they say is not how much information we can stuff into their brain in the first few years. What matters, instead, is whether we are able to help her [or him] develop a very different set of qualities, a list that includes persistence, self-control, curiosity, conscientiousness, grit, and self-confidence.” (p. xv)

“Heckman and his researchers were able to ascertain that those noncognitive factors, such as curiosity, self-control, and social fluidity, were responsible for as much as two-thirds of the total benefit that Perry [a pre-school program] gave to its students.” (p. xx)

(p. 76) Peterson identified a set of strengths that were, according to his research, especially likely to predict life satisfaction and high achievement…..

Grit

Self-control

Zest

Social intelligence

Gratitude

Optimism

Curiosity

“… student’s self-discipline [self-control] scores … were better predictors of their final GPA than their IQ scores.” (p. 61-62)

The good news on these strengths is that they are not set by genetics and thus can be developed by schools and parents/guardians alike. Those parents/guardians that want more details are encouraged to read the book. In the mean time, let’s get about building those strengths in our children. (And the best way to lead is by example.)

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

Counselor Notes 36

March 2, 2015

Follow Up

In Counselor Notes 18 last school year (February 20,2014) I tried to shine a spot light on the role inflammation may play in children’s attention issues like ADHD. Recently in the news it was noted that:

Similarly, depression, ADHD and obesity— as well as other conditions affected by hormones— have now been linked to inflammation. Where the problems show up depend on the affected organ, but the underlying cause is one and the same. “ http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/02/25/whats-inflammation-how-to-decrease-your-disease-risk/

Parents of children with attention issues may want to look into that article closely. There are things that you can do to help your child with attention.

Counselor Notes 29 sought to encourage parents to cut back on the amount of soda they are allowing their children to consume. One part of the notes warned about caramel coloring. This has also been in the news lately:

“Soft drink consumers are being exposed to an avoidable and unnecessary cancer risk from an ingredient that is being added to these beverages simply for aesthetic purposes,” senior author Keeve Nachman, director of the food production and public health program at the Center for a Livable Future (CLF), Johns Hopkins’ diet and food production arm, and an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said in the news release. “This unnecessary exposure poses a threat to public health and raises questions about the continued use of caramel coloring in soda.” http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/02/18/half-americans-at-risk-carcinogen-exposure-from-soda-study-finds/

Parents may want to look into this article as well. It may be time to re-think how much cola we are allowing our children to drink. We may want to re-think it for ourselves too!

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

Counselor Notes 35

February 13, 2015

Goals of Misbehavior Chart

Part of parenting is effectively dealing with children's behavior. One of the more helpful ways of looking at children’s misbehavior is a chart from http://www.docstoc.com/docs/25038914/Mistaken-Goals-Chart . It may not be perfect, but it seems at least a good starting point to view children’s misbehavior and how adults should respond. Those that want more detail on the approach of the chart’s author are advised to read the book Positive Discipline by Jane Nelson. There is also information on her web site: http://www.positivediscipline.com/

 

Here is the chart. I hope parents find it useful.

Counselor Notes 34

February 11, 2015

Bullying Quiz

 

To promote awareness on the topic of bullies, here is a little just-for-fun quiz. These are all true/false questions. The answers are listed at the bottom. You can record your answers and check your score and see how you do if you wish.

Counselor Notes 33

January 30, 2015

Victims of Bullies

The last issue addressed bullies so this time I want to focus on their victims. Bullies tend to target two very different types of individuals: the passive and the provocative. At Waverly Elementary School we strive to help both groups. There are things that parents can do at home to help as well.

In the book Preventing Bullying At School by Dr. Beverly Title and James Bitney, the authors note that both these types of students:

• Exhibit a great deal of affect
• Get chosen last by fellow students for activities
• Appear isolated and friendless
• May have a learning disability
• May have a physical or mental disability
• Depend upon adults in general for emotional support more than do most children their age
• Rarely report incidents of bullying out of fear it will cause the matter to worsen
• Don’t believe adults can help with bullying

In addition, passive students who are targeted by bullies:

• Don’t invite attack
• Cry easily, are sensitive, and lack a sense of humor
• Are considered to be pushovers, or “easy targets”
• Lack social skills and are temperamentally shy
• Show high levels of insecurity, anxiety and distress
• May have experienced a trauma such as rape, abuse, or incest
• May try to use bribes to protect themselves
• Are often small for their age

The characteristics of provocative students who are targeted by bullies:

· Pester and irritate others repeatedly

• Display a quick temper, and will fight back
• Get others charged up
• May be clumsy, immature, restless
• Provoke attacks repeatedly
• May display problems with concentrating
• Often characterized as hyperactive
• Show high levels of distress

 

Parents who are concerned that their child may be subject to bullying are advised to alert the school. We want all students to have a positive experience at school.

The school always seeks to address bullying behavior. Even if we are 100% successful, this will not insure the child isn’t bullied elsewhere. To guard against this, parents are encouraged to help the child address the ways in which the child meets the characteristics of the victims. “Passive” students can learn to be more self-assertive and confident as well as less anxious. “Provocative” students can be taught how to be less reactive and temperamental. They can also learn ways in which they may inadvertently invite problems.

Of course not all of the characteristics are going to lend themselves well to intervention (ex: a child who is small for their age isn’t likely to become overly tall in a short time), but others can. Your child will thank you for your help. When it comes to helping a child with a bully, an ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

Counselor Notes 32

January 20, 2015

Bullies

Today’s parents remain concerned about the issue of bullying in schools. According to http://www.brighthorizons.com/about-us/child-care-news/bullying-tops-concerns-for-parents-of-school-aged-children/ :

“… bullying remains the top overall school-based concern for today’s working parents with nearly eight in 10 saying it worries them. It remains the top concern regardless of the parents’ geographic location, income, or whether they live in a rural (84 percent), urban (78 percent) or suburban (77 percent) community. It was also the top concern for both moms (83 percent) and dads (75 percent). Younger working parents, those between the ages of 18 and 49, are more likely to be concerned about bullying (81 percent) than those 50+ (71 percent).”

The term “bully” gets thrown around a lot these days so let’s start with taking a look at what bullying is and isn’t. Bullying occurs when an individual repeatedly and unfairly uses their physical power (ability to inflict physical pain,; i.e. beat another up), social power (ex: exclude others from a group), and /or emotional power (i.e. hurt another’s feelings; ex: mean teasing). Thus, while all bullies are acting in a cruel manner, not all children who do something mean are bullies.

In Guidance class, we will specifically address the issue of bullying in the next few weeks. This goes for students from kindergarten through third grade. Yet while we will address it in school, I really could use some parental help at home. From my point of view, the roots of bullying are in our culture at large. Let me explain what I mean.

To me, bullying is an extreme example of one person’s lack of consideration for another. This problem is not unique to our schools. It is also something that children will see a great deal of in the world today. I would ask parents who want their children to live in a world in which people have consideration for others to point out to their children instances where they see it and where they don’t.

Some places where examples of inconsideration may pop up are: when politicians start talking about their opponents; incidents of violence in the news; television shows and commercials; sporting events; drivers out on the road; and of course how we interact within our own families.

We should of course endeavor to raise children strong enough for this world. In attempting to do so, we will fail them if in the process we should make them inconsiderate of their fellow man.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

Counselor Notes 31

December 15, 2014

The Importance of Family Meals

When we surveyed our third graders earlier this year, we found that three quarters of them had dinner at home the previous evening. The entire family was there for the meal (where ever they ate) in two-thirds of the cases. That’s good and should be encouraged! There are numerous benefits that accrue the more a child eats dinner with their family.

“…..children who eat at least five times a week with their family are at lower risk of developing poor eating habits, weight problems or alcohol and substance dependencies, and tend to perform better academically than their peers who frequently eat alone or away from home.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timi-gustafson/family-dinner_b_1898387.html

Quality family meals promote adolescent mental, physical and psychological health. Eating dinner as a family is correlated in teens to higher self esteem, abstinence from alcohol, drugs, smoking and sex and, provides better health habits and nutrition. http://www.schoolchoiceintl.com/fostering-emotional-intelligence-in-your-teen/

Frequent family dinners have a positive impact on children's values, motivation, personal identity, and self-esteem. Children who eat dinner with their family are more likely to understand, acknowledge, and follow the boundaries and expectations set by their parents. A decrease in high-risk behaviors is related to the amount of time spent with family—especially during family dinners.

http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/hot_topics/families_and_consumers/family_dinners.html

Research by two Emory University psychology professors shows that families who regularly share meals together have children who know more about their family history and tend to have higher self-esteem, interact better with their peers and show higher resilience in the face of adversity. http://www.wellbeingjournal.com/childhood-self-esteem-and-family-togetherness/

A Perdue University web site http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/cff/documents/promoting_meals/spellsuccessfactsheet.pdf notes the following connections between family meals and school performance:

• Improved vocabularies and reading skills

A study by Dr. Catherine Snow at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, followed 65 families over 15 years, looking at how mealtime conversations play a critical role in language acquisition in young children. The conversations that occur around the family

table teach children more vocabulary and forms of discourse than they learn when you read to them. Improved vocabularies lead to better readers. Better readers do better in all school subjects.

• Improved achievement test scores

A University of Illinois study of 120 boys and girls age 7 – 11 found that children who did well in school and on achievement tests were those who generally spent large amounts of time eating meals with their families.

• Greater academic achievement

A Reader’s Digest survey of more than 2,000 high-school seniors compared academic achievement with family characteristics. Eating meals with their family was a stronger predictor of academic success than whether they lived with one or both parents. Share that with families who may not have money or education or a spouse, but do have it in their power to eat with their kids!

• Higher grades

Research by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA), and others, has found a striking relationship between frequency of family meals and grades. In 2003, the percent of teens who got A’s was 20% of those who ate with their families 5 or more times per week compared to only 12% of those who ate with their families 2 or less times per week.

A team at the Harvard Ed School wanted to know where children learned the rare words that they had found were particularly good markers of literacy. Of the 2,000 words they were looking for, only 143 of them came from parents reading to their children. More than 1,000 were learned at the dinner table. This is why dinner loses its power when we isolate kid meals from adult meals. http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/raising_happiness/post/what_kids_learn_during_dinner

Family meals may be protective against obesity or overweight because coming together for meals may provide opportunities for emotional connections among family members, the food is more likely to be healthful, and adolescents may be exposed to parental modeling of healthful eating behaviors. As noted by Dr. Berge, "Informing parents that even having 1 or 2 family meals per week may protect their child from overweight or obesity in young adulthood would be important." Using this information, public health and health care professionals who work with adolescents can give parents another tool in the fight against obesity. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141003135258.htm

“Children who eat regular family meals tend to have lower rates of obesity and eat more nutritiously.” http://time.com/3487457/family-dinner-weight-obesity/

One final note: the quality of the dinner conversation may play into a child’s weight.

 

“Children who were overweight or obese had family meals that included more negative emotional interactions — hostility, poor quality interactions, little communication and more controlling behavior from their parents — compared to children who weren’t obese. Their meals tended to have a warmer, more communicative atmosphere. For example, these children were given positive reinforcements to eat, and were encouraged to eat foods to get stronger or run faster, while heavier children experienced more negative pressures including threats and made to feel guilty about those in the world who can’t afford to eat three meals a day. If parents or caregivers talked constantly throughout the meal about food, and lectured about homework or attempted to control what the children ate, the youngsters were also more likely to be heavy.

 

“I was surprised by how consistent the patterns were,” says Berge. “Almost every single one of the emotional factors we coded were in the right direction, and there were really clear patterns in how much positive or negative interactions were associated with overweight and non overweight.”

 

The analysis also revealed other things that distinguished the family meals of overweight children and normal weight youngsters. Heavier children tended to have shorter meals — spending 13.5 minutes on average eating with their family compared to 18.2 minutes for non obese kids. Children who weren’t obese were also more likely to have a father or step-father at the table. The reason, says Berge, may be practical. “It might be a matter of having one more person at the table for crowd control, another person to help make the meal and be a model for children to emulate,” she says.” http://time.com/3487457/family-dinner-weight-obesity/

Bon appetite!

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

P.S. When enjoying a family meal, remember to turn off the television! Television curtails the type of positive family time that the meal seeks to foster. (Among our 3rd graders, 53% reported eating dinner with the television set on.)

Counselor Notes 30

December 5, 2014

Second Hand Smoke

 

Each year at about this time, the Guidance curriculum turns to cigarettes. This is often a difficult topic for parents as our survey of 3rd grade students revealed that almost half of their parents smoked cigarettes. I recognize that is their right and I support them having the freedom to make that choice. Still, while supporting their right to make that choice, I would like to speak up a bit for the children who do not have the right to make the choice, but are taking in cigarette smoke second hand.

Our survey of third grade children found that almost half (48%) of them have at least one parent that smokes cigarettes with them in the car and almost a third (31%) have a parent that smokes in the house. It may be time to rethink that.

The Center for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/health_effects/ notes that secondhand smoke can cause serious health problems in children:

• Studies show that older children whose parents smoke get sick more often. Their lungs grow less than children who do not breathe secondhand smoke, and they get more bronchitis and pneumonia.
• Wheezing and coughing are more common in children who breathe secondhand smoke.
• Secondhand smoke can trigger an asthma attack in a child. Children with asthma who are around secondhand smoke have more severe and frequent asthma attacks. A severe asthma attack can put a child's life in danger.
• Children whose parents smoke around them get more ear infections. They also have fluid in their ears more often and have more operations to put in ear tubes for drainage
• Other sites echo the dangers of second hand smoke on children:

· http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/healtheffects.html

· http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/tobacco/Pages/Dangers-of-Secondhand-Smoke.aspx

· http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/effects-of-secondhand-smoke

· http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/tobaccocancer/secondhand-smoke

Second hand smoke boosts the risk of learning problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20110711/secondhand-smoke-may-boost-risk-of-learning-problems-adhd

The longer parents smoke, the more likely their kids will smoke: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/13/us-teen-smoking-parents-idUSKBN0DT1QV20140513

And if your children become smokers…..

If your daughter becomes a smoker and is pregnant, your grandchildren are at risk for a host of health problems: http://www.webmd.com/baby/smoking-during-pregnancy

The children of smokers are at greater risk for learning and behavior problems (including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) http://www.cbsnews.com/news/smoking-when-pregnant-may-lead-to-behavior-problems-in-kids/

… and there is a greater risk of the child having bipolar disorder: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/10/03/smoking-in-pregnancy-may-be-tied-to-bipolar-disorder-in-adult-offspring-study

Men who smoke may be giving their child (your grandchildren) asthma, even if they quit smoking years before: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2747833/Men-smoke-unborn-baby-asthma-ve-quit-years-birth.html

It isn’t enough just to not smoke around children

Parents who smoke in the car or home while their child is not there are still exposing their child to danger through the problem of third hand.

Third hand smoke - http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/adult-health/expert-answers/third-hand-smoke/faq-20057791

Third hand smoke damages DNA - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140316203156.htm

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/274143.php

Third hand smoke may cause cancer: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/03/17/thirdhand-smoke-poses-cancer-risk/

In the best long term health interests of our children, I would ask that parents who choose to smoke do so outside and not in their cars or homes where your children will pick up the smoke second &/or third hand. I would also ask parents to strive to minimize the time your child spends in the cars and homes of people who do smoke there. Talk to your children about the dangers of smoking and the expense involved. Also, let them know how extremely difficult it is to quit. If you wish you had never started, tell them so.

Parents won;t likely be there when your child first gets some peer pressure to try cigarettes. Better that we all start talking to our children about cigarettes too early than too late.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

P.S. Those parents that smoke may want to quit or run the risk causing brain damage that will start to show up in midlife.

“The present results show that heavy smoking is associated with cognitive impairment and decline in midlife. Smokers who survive into later life may be at risk of clinically significant cognitive declines.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447882/

Counselor Notes 29

December 1, 2014

Soda

 

In Counselor Notes 27, I addressed the issue of children seeing far too much violence on t.v. or in the movies and video games. In Counselor Notes 28, I tried to focus some attention on the role models we are holding up for our boys (i.e. superheroes). For this issue, I want to “switch gears” a bit to take a look at soda.

The survey of third grade students revealed 41% had soda with their dinner the previous evening. As the health of our children is of importance to all Americans, I would encourage parents to limit soda to a treat on special occasions. The links provided below make a case for doing just that.

Soda and disease:

• http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/soft-drinks-and-disease/
• http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/02/10/10-diseases-linked-to-soda.aspx

 

Soda causes cells to age as fast as smoking does:

• http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/21/health/sugar-soda-age-faster/index.html?iref=allsearch
• http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/10/21/soda-causes-our-cells-to-age-as-much-as-smoking-does-study-finds/?intcmp=latestnews

You may want to cut soda out of your child’s diet if you have concerns about their weight:

• http://healthland.time.com/2012/09/22/studies-show-that-cutting-out-soda-curbs-childrens-weight-gain/
• http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/sugary-drinks-fact-sheet/
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/21/obesity-soda-sugary-drinks_n_1904732.html

 

What is in soda may be of concern:

Sodas typically contain carbonated water and high fructose corn syrup (among other things). Let’s see what those do:

Carbonated water- avoid it if you are at risk (or have) irritable bowel syndrome, otherwise it is seems to be okay. http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/expert.q.a/05/06/carbonated.water.jampolis/

High fructose corn syrup – not everyone thinks it is safe:

• http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/07/24/how-high-fructose-corn-syrup-damages-your-body.aspx

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/high-fructose-corn-syrup_b_4256220.htm

• High fructose corn syrup may alter the magnesium balance in the body. In one study of ADHD children, 95% were found to have low magnesium levels. (The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution by Marcia Zimmerman)

Food dyes – the color of some sodas is obtained by using food dyes. At least some of these dyes MAY be linked to attention problems in some children. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/possible-link-between-food-dyes-and-adhd/2014/07/14/b17d2be4-01fc-11e4-b8ff-89afd3fad6bd_story.html

Caramel color (in colas; it’s name is really 4-methylimidazole, caramel coloring is just a name the government allows them to use) - http://www.cbsnews.com/news/caramel-coloring-chemical-linked-to-cancer-found-in-too-high-levels-in-some-colas/

Phosphoric acid (in colas) MIGHT:

• Raise the risk of kidney stones - http://www.livestrong.com/article/468217-why-is-phosphoric-acid-bad-for-you/ (Meat and dairy might be a larger source of phosphoric acid for most Americans: http://blog.fooducate.com/2009/06/30/11-quick-facts-about-phosphoric-acid-yes-that-chemical-in-coca-cola/ )
• Deplete calcium levels in the body setting the stage for osteoporosis and weak bones http://www.livestrong.com/article/484669-does-phosphoric-acid-deplete-your-calcium/ (Please note: calcium deficiencies may be a big factor in depression http://www.livestrong.com/article/91388-calcium-depression/ )
• Deplete the body’s level of magnesium http://www.rd.com/health/healthy-eating/4-reasons-to-avoid-all-soda-even-diet/ (Please note: This article in Psychology Today calls magnesium “The Original Chill Pill“ http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201106/magnesium-and-the-brain-the-original-chill-pill )

Those giving their children diet soda (or drinking it them self) may be doing something even worse:

People drinking diet soda ought to read these articles:

• http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/diet-soda-bad-you
• http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/10/29/10-reasons-to-give-up-diet-soda/

 

Does diet soda cause weight GAIN?

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/11/diet-soda-health-risks_n_3581842.html
• http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink-more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight

 

Is diet soda just as bad for your teeth as meth or crack cocaine? http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/29/diet-soda-just-as-harmful-to-teeth-as-meth-and-crack-cocaine-study-claims/

Why is diet soda considered one of the 5 foods women should avoid? http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/09/12/5-foods-women-should-avoid/

Does the artificial sweetener used for diet soda “set the stage” for diabetes: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/health/2014/09/18/new-study-raises-questions-about-artificial-sweeteners-and-potential-link-to/

Is aspartame (the sweetener in diet soda) really this bad? http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/16/aspartame-diet-soda.aspx

I have done my best to provide sound information, but would not be willing to argue that history will find every one of these links is completely accurate. On the other hand, is there anyone that wants to argue that time will find them all to be inaccurate?

If there is some truth to some of these links then in the best interests of the long term health of our children, let’s use soda only as a treat on special occasions and not a regular drink with meals.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

P.S. If you like Coca-Cola (I do!), you probably better not check out this site (or if you do read it, then hope that it is inaccurate):http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/09/what-happens-to-our-body-after-drinking-coca-cola.html

This article has some interesting facts & trivia about Coca-Cola: http://www.businessinsider.com/facts-about-coca-cola-2011-6?op=1

Counselor Notes 28

November 20, 2014 (revised 11-30-15)

Role Models For Boys

A psychologist at Yale University (Kelly Brownell) once figured that if a normal woman was to look like Barbie and have her hips remain the same size, she would have to be a foot taller, have 4 inches added to her chest, and lose 5 inches from her waist. Lots of people have been concerned about the image put forth to elementary school age girls about how they should look when they grow up.

The issue of what images are being put forth to young boys has gone largely unaddressed. As much as girls are hit with the image of how their ideal figure should be Barbie, boys are seeing the image of Hollywood superheroes like Batman, Superman, and Iron Man. Doesn't this make for another reason to monitor what our children feed their minds? Look at the pictures of bulked up superheroes (in padded suits) that Hollywood is giving us. Are these images of men realistic? Do we really want to intentionally or inadvertently hold them up as an ideal to our young boys?

As we seem to be in a national hurry to show these PG-13 superhero movies to our young boys, I can’t help but wonder what seeds we are planting and what “fruit” they bear later. Like the Barbie doll, these superheores do not have realistic bodies. Does this leave boys grasping to attain such an image – even using drugs to do it or feeling “less than” should they not be built like a superhero?

From http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/11/19/dangerous-trend-kids-and-teens-using-steroids/

A new study shows that about five percent of middle and high school students have used anabolic steroids to put on muscle, and that as many as one-third of boys and one-fifth of girls have used protein powder or shakes. Between five and 10 percent admitted to using non-steroid muscle-enhancing substances like creatine.

I was shocked to read these numbers. This is a brewing epidemic and parents need to become aware. We live in a complex world, and just like the war on drugs, we have make this a priority when it comes to our children.

Many kids see steroids as a tool to speed up the process of achieving their ideal body type and enhancing their athletic performance. And of course, this keeps them preoccupied with an image that they feel the need to achieve at any cost. And what’s even scarier, is that many people who abuse anabolic steroids often use more than one kind of drug at a time – a practice that’s called stacking.

From http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/steroid-use-hitting-closer-to-home :

In June 2004, the CDC published its latest figures on self-reported drug use among young people. It's called the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance or YRBS report.

"We had been looking at 1% to 2% of girls and 5% to 6% of guys who'd used steroids," Yesalis says. "Now the girls are over 5%. You are talking more than a million kids now. From 2001 to 2003, girls' steroid use went up 300%. Guys went up 20% or so."

And the kids taking these drugs are getting younger. Among 12th graders, 3.3% of girls and 6.4% of boys have used steroids at least once. But 7.3% of ninth grade girls -- and 6.9% of ninth grade boys -- have already been using these hormones.

Okay, we don’t have a problem with boys at the elementary school using muscle building steroids or things like creatine. On the other hand superhero costumes were quite popular on Halloween and I do see lots of children commenting on how they would like to be a superhero when they grow up. When it was time to have “Student of the Week” pictures taken, a surprisingly large number of boys chose the Avengers poster as the background. (Yes, I erred there. I am now more sensitive to the issue and have removed the poster.)

I hope that parents will be the parents and monitor what their sons are watching and holding up as heroes. It would also likely be a good idea to talk to children about who your real heroes are and what they did to become such.

Veteran's Day was this month. Our veterans served our country through times a lot longer than a 2 hour movie and did it without “superhero powers.” I would think that other qualities that superheroes may not show so prominently may come up as well. Things like graciousness, humility, dedication/persistence, temperance, and patience might be spoken of. These are some good qualities for children to aspire to, no?

There is an old Chinese saying “if you don’t change your direction, you are likely to end up where you are going.” Let’s give our boys realistic heroes and body images.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

Counselor Notes 27

October 22, 2014

Limiting What Children Are Exposed To

In the last issue of Counselor Notes, I addressed the issue of limiting screen time. In this issue I want to address what we are collectively allowing our children to see.

The following are PG-13 movies:

• Mean Girls (2004)

• Star Wars – Revenge of the Sith (2005)

• The Hunger Games (2012) and Hunger Games Catching Fire (2013)

• Superman Returns (2006) and Superman Man of Steel (2013)

• All four of the Transformers movies (2007 – 2014)

• Harry Potter: Goblet of Fire (2005); Order of Phoenix (2007); Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010) and Part 2 (2011)

• All 5 of the Spiderman movies (2002 – 2014)

• All 7 of the Batman movies (1989 – 2012)

Our survey of 3rd Grade students showed that 72% had seen one of the two most recent Spiderman movies and another 57% had seen Batman The Dark Knight. (The movie in which the “superhero” beats up the unarmed and unresisting Joker in the police interrogation room.) In terms of video games, a full 57% report that they have played video games rated “Teen” or “Mature.”

The University of Michigan notes that:

Literally thousands of studies since the 1950s have asked whether there is a link between exposure to media violence and violent behavior. All but 18 have answered, "Yes." The evidence from the research is overwhelming. According to the AAP, "Extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed." http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/tv.htm

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry would seemingly agree:

Extensive viewing of television violence by children causes greater aggressiveness. Sometimes, watching a single violent program can increase aggressiveness. Children who view shows in which violence is very realistic, frequently repeated or unpunished, are more likely to imitate what they see. Children with emotional, behavioral, learning or impulse control problems may be more easily influenced by TV violence. The impact of TV violence may be immediately evident in the child's behavior or may surface years later. Young people can even be affected when the family atmosphere shows no tendency toward violence. http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/Facts_for_Families_Pages/Children_And_TV_Violence_13.aspx

Numerous other sites echo the same sentiment &/or negative affects on children

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-gail-gross/violence-on-tv-children_b_3734764.html

• http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/tv-violence-cause-child-anxiety-aggressive-behavior

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329095742.htm

Parents need to be the parents regarding what children are allowed to watch on t.v. and which video games they can play. As much as we may wish corporate America would look after children’s best interests, one must wonder if they do. How many of the movies listed have toys included in children’s meals at fast food restaurants? How is it that a PG-13 movie has a toy in a meal designed for a pre-school child? Are they looking after developing healthy children or increasing their profit?

In response to the potential negative effects of children viewing violence on t.v. or playing teen &/or mature rated video games, I am asking parents of children at Waverly Elementary School to prohibit their child from watching violent television shows, viewing PG-13 movies, and from playing teen or mature rated video games.

How badly do our children need to see PG-13 movies or play teen or mature rated video games? What do they lose if they don’t see them until they are older? If parents aren’t going to protect children’s childhood, then who is? I know lots of people who say kids grow up too fast these days. How much of a role do parents play in that by their lack of attention to matters brought up here?

To those parents who choose to allow their child to watch or play something meant for a more mature audience (including PG rated movies), I would ask that they take the time to fully process the movie with them (i.e. the parental guidance). From what I have seen, there has not been enough of that going on.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

P.S. I haven’t been immune from missteps as a parent. There are plenty of things I wish I could “do-over.” Each day we get another chance to do it right. May we all take advantage of that opportunity.

P.P.S Counselor Notes 25 listed WebMD as saying that children 7 to 12 years old should get 12 to 14 hours of sleep a night. That was a mistake. It should have said 10 to 11 hours a night.

Counselor Notes 26

October 13, 2014

Limiting Screen Time

 

In the last issue of Counselor Notes, I addressed the issue of insuring children get enough sleep. In this issue I want to take a look at how much time children are spending watching t.v. / movies or playing video games.

Nationally, children 6 through 11 years old spend about 28 hours a week sitting in front of the t.v. screen watching t.v. or playing video games. Children with a t.v. in their room watch about an hour and a half more t.v. per day than those without. http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/tv.htm

This high level of viewing is a problem for children at Waverly Elementary School. In a recent survey of third graders, 42% reported that the preceding day, they could watch as much t.v. as they wanted. A full 40% reported that they could spend as much time playing video games as they wanted. A full 80% of them reported they had a t.v. in their bedroom.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/managing-media-we-need-a-plan.aspx notes that:

Excessive media use has been associated with obesity, lack of sleep, school problems, aggression and other behavior issues. A recent study shows that the average 8- to 10-year-old spends nearly 8 hours a day with different media, and older children and teens spend more than 11 hours per day. Kids who have a TV in their bedroom spend more time with media. About 75 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds own cell phones, and nearly all teenagers use text messaging.

The AAP recommends:

Limit entertainment screen time to less than one or two hours per day; in children under 2, discourage screen media exposure.

In line with the AAP recommendations, I am asking parents to:

Limit your child to no more than 2 hours of screen time per day.

There is a lot of information on the internet supporting the limiting of screen time. Parents who want to read more should check out:

• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientinstructions/000355.htm
• http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/childrens-health/in-depth/children-and-tv/art-20047952
• http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19560-too-much-screen-time-is-bad-for-active-kids-too.html
• http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/moral-landscapes/201404/does-too-much-screen-time-make-kids-sick

 

If the research is wrong and you unnecessarily limit your child’s screen time, how much are they really missing out on? There is potentially much to be gained and little (if anything) to be lost by limiting screen time. I am asking parents to be the parents and limit the amount of time you allow your child to stare at a screen each day.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 25

October 3, 2014

Getting Children A Sufficient Amount of Sleep

 

In the next few issues of the notes this year, I want to turn some attention to some things that I am going to request of parents. The first is:

Make sure your child(ren) is (are) getting a sufficient amount of sleep.

Regarding how much sleep a child needs, WebMD http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/sleep-children recommends the following:

1 – 3 years old 12 to 14 hours of sleep per day

3 – 6 years old 10 to 12 hours of sleep per day

7 – 12 years old 12 to 14 hours of sleep per day

12 – 18 years old 8 to 9 hours of sleep per day

Sleep is important in attention, learning, behavior, and decision making. A lack of sleep is also likely to be a factor in childhood obesity. http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/en/news/newsandfeatures/pages/growing-consequences-of-not-enough-sleep.aspx (Please note how they recommend even more sleep for children than WebMD does.) Adults know how they function on a lack of sleep. Should we expect different of children?

There is some concern that children at Waverly Elementary School are not getting enough sleep. In a survey of 3rd Grade students, one-third of them reported that they did not go to bed by 9 o’clock the night before. This is troubling as a child who could sleep all the way to 7 in the morning would need to be not only in bed, but asleep by 9 o’clock the night before to get the minimum recommended 10 hours of rest. (Children who have to get up earlier, would have to be asleep earlier.)

I hope parents will take the necessary steps to make sure their child(ren) are getting enough rest. I would also add that I hope parents will help to spread the word to others to get their children enough sleep too. Your children go to school with their children and if their children aren’t getting enough sleep it will have an impact on the entire class.

There are free printed notes on dealing with childhood sleep disorders outside of the school cafeteria. A Google search will also yield information on getting a good night’s rest. I will also be available during the Parent – Teacher conferences Monday 10/20 and Tuesday 10/21. (Yes, I had those dates wrong on the last newsletter.)

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

P.S. I specifically avoided get into the issue of adults getting enough sleep but will say that according to the Center For Disease Control, insufficient sleep is an epidemic in this country. http://www.cdc.gov/features/dssleep/ Please take care to make sure you get enough sleep too!

Counselor Notes 24

September 25, 2014

Follow Up on 2013 – 2014 emails

 

I have a lot of interesting information to send along this year. The focus is going to be on parenting issues. Before getting into that, I want to follow up on some things that came up in the last school year’s notes:

Counselor Notes 18 talked about the possible role of inflammation in ADHD. Here is a relatively short article postulating environmental toxins producing inflammation and thus leading to ADHD: http://unritalinsolution.com/adhd_immune_imbalance

Counselor Notes 16 looked at the role of omega 3 fatty acids in attention problems. Dr. David Rabiner of Duke University noted in a September 2, 2014 issue of his Attention Research Updates that:

…. Dietary supplementation of long-chain fatty acids as an intervention for ADHD has generated considerable interest in recent years. Certain highly poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are known to play an important role in many aspects of physical health, and may also play a role in a wide range of neuro-developmental and psychiatric conditions. For example, children with ADHD have been shown in several studies to have low blood levels of PUFAs. Because PUFAs are important for healthy brain development and functioning, some researchers have suggested that increasing PUFA levels via dietary supplements could enhance brain functioning and reduce ADHD symptoms.

Several prior issues of Attention Research Update have reviewed studies of fatty acid supplementation as a treatment for ADHD symptoms - see www.helpforadd.com/2007/may.htm and www.helpforadd.com/2006/august.htm - and some encouraging results have been reported. And, recently published reviews of fatty acid supplementation indicate that it yields reductions in ADHD symptoms for many children; the best results have typically been obtained with the combination of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. …

…. In this randomized trial, Omega-3/6 supplementation was associated with reductions in children's ADHD symptoms over one-year that were roughly comparable to those seen in children treated with medication. There was also evidence of better treatment adherence for children receiving combined treatment and that children receiving combined treatment required lower medication doses than those receiving medication alone. Overall, therefore, study results suggest that Omega-3/6 supplementation may be a viable alternative to medication for some children and/or that it can have value when combined with stimulant medication.

Addressing the more widespread diet issues (which were covered last year in Counselor Notes 11 through 21), Rabiner noted in a June 17, 2014 issue of Attention Research Update that:

…. Results from a study published in 2011, however, suggests that dietary interventions for ADHD may be more powerful than previously thought [Pelsser et al., (2011)….

…. What is especially noteworthy is that the majority of children with ADHD who were placed on the few foods diet showed a 40% reduction in ADHD symptom ratings; their oppositional behavior improved as well. In fact, the magnitude of the benefits obtained were larger, on average, than what is commonly found with medication. These results suggest that a restricted elimination diet can have substantial benefits for many children with ADHD, and not just for a small minority of diagnosed children. Although results from this study indicate a potentially larger effect of a restricted elimination diet on ADHD symptoms than has been reported in previous work, the results are largely consistent with other studies that have examined this issue in a similar way.

Based on this finding, the authors recommend that all children should be considered for dietary intervention for ADHD, provided that parents can to follow a restricted elimination diet for at least 5 weeks so that its value can be determined and that close supervision is available…..

The newsletter has much more information and discussion of the results than I am reporting here. For parents of a child with attention issues, I highly recommend signing up for it. Attention Research Updates is a free email newsletter devoted solely to attention issues. It is written by Dr. David Rabiner of Duke University. You can sign up for it at http://www.helpforadd.com/ .

Parents who are interested in seeing the older issues of Counselor Notes mentioned here or want to be forwarded the full Attention Research Update that the above quotes were taken from should email me at [email protected]. I will also be available during the Parent – Teacher conferences next Monday 9/29 and Tuesday 9/30. (You can call me at the school too! 931-296-2371)

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 23

Unpublished (November 20, 2015)

Food Additives, Preservatives & Attention Issues

 

In October 2015, the World Health Organization came out with the finding that processed meat is bad for you. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34615621

WebMD http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/news/20120109/is-there-an-adhd-diet has said that processed meat is potentially linked to ADHD:

 

There isn’t a specific diet or magic vitamin that will curb hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and other symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but steering clear of certain unhealthy foods may make a difference, a new review shows.

Foods that may predispose a child to ADHD include:

• Fast foods
• Red meat
• Processed meats
• Potato chips
• High-fat dairy foods
• Soft drinks

In looking at these foods WebMD listed, it may be that parents may want to pay particular attention to the additives/preservatives: phosphates, nitrites, and sodium bezonate

PHOSPHATES

Regarding phosphates in the diet, http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science/Phosphate-in-food-is-health-risk-that-should-be-labelled-claim-researchers notes:

“Phosphate additives also play an especially important role in the meat industry where they are used as preservative. They are also used as a component of melting salts in the production of soft cheeses and are found in flavored soft drinks and powered products.”

“Because of the increased use of food additives, the estimated daily intake of phosphate containing food additives has more than doubled since the 1990s….”

http://unritalinsolution.com/phosphate_free_diet would seem to agree:

Because of the fast-paced Western world’s preference for processed “instant” foods, people in developed nations now consume three times more phosphates than is considered normal. This upsets the body’s calcium/phosphorus balance, resulting in mineral deficiencies and numerous health problems. ADHD is just one of them.

Several years ago, a German pharmacist named Hertha Hafer discovered that a low-phosphate diet dramatically reduced hyperactive behavior in children with ADHD.

http://www.phosadd.com/foods/foodselection.htm adds that

Hafer argues that other diets have failed to provide consistent results [about ADHD] because the problem constituent - phosphate - was not recognized in earlier studies. Many experimental diets eliminated some of the sources of excess phosphate but permitted other problem foods to continue to be consumed. Thus such diets and experiments yielded very variable and conflicting results. Hafer's approach lies in the identification of added phosphates in modern, processed diets and avoiding them. The experience of thousands of families in Germany, Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe provides strong support for her claim.

Phosphate is a very common ingredient in modern diets. It is a highly versatile food-additive which food manufacturers use in abundance. It is used in the form of preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, thickeners; it is added to the flour aerators in self-raising flours; it is put into soda and cola drinks in the form of phosphoric acid and the list continues. Industrial phosphates are produced each day in most countries by the tonne.

There are also a number of natural foods that have elevated phosphate levels. Naturally occurring phosphates are designed to nourish fast growing animals and plants. Whilst they do not present as big a problem as the manufactured foods, it nevertheless is important to be aware of their presence.

In this context, it is important to mention that ADD/ADHD is not a condition with a long history, unlike a wide range of other health problems which have been recorded regularly for thousands of years. ADD/ADHD is not reported in countries where people continue to eat a traditional diet of unprocessed foods. However, in countries in which there has been progressively a shift to processed and convenience foods and in which natural foods high in phosphate have become more readily available throughout the year, ADD has become a major problem. http://www.phosadd.com/diet/diet.htm

http://www.phosadd.com/mainpage/main33.htm adds:

Today it is known that phosphate run-off from cleaning products, fertilizers and agri-chemicals has a highly damaging effect on the earth's eco-systems. Environmentally concerned people across the world very quickly instigated successful programs to protect plants, waterways, marine life, and so forth. In contrast, few people realize that phosphate-rich foods and beverages pose an equally serious health hazard to sensitive children and adults. This page discusses the connection between the high intake of phosphate-rich foods and ADD/ADHD and the link between the high intake of phosphate and other health conditions.

(The bit on ph was noted in Counselor Notes 21; the part of pollution in Counselor Notes 7)

NITRITES

Nitrites are going to be controversial and should be investigated fully. They are found in naturally occurring in vegetables which most people don’t get enough of. They are also artificially put in meat. Does that make them bad? There is controversy. I list them here as when trying to help a shild with attention problem, one should at least consider the critics of nitrites.

Prevention magazine http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/nitrites-and-nitrates notes:

Nitrites keep the fat in meat from going rancid while inhibiting the growth of dangerous bacteria like listeria and botulinum. But in the 1970s, researchers discovered that when meat containing sodium nitrite is heated above 266°F, it creates nitrosamines, or compounds that are carcinogenic to animals. That triggered the USDA to limit the amount of nitrites that may be added to cured meats and to require that all products containing nitrites include vitamin C, which prevents the formation of nitrosamines. Still, in 2010, WHO listed ingested nitrates and nitrites as probable human carcinogens.

Other web sites focusing on DHD would have you consider if nitrites are a problem: https://healingautismandadhd.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/the-truth-about-nitrites-for-my-bacon-and-hot-dog-lovin-friends/

WebMD http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-diets?page=2 notes that:

Based on this and other recent studies, the American Academy of Pediatrics now agrees that eliminating preservatives and food colorings from the diet is a reasonable option for children with ADHD. Some experts recommend that people with ADHD avoid these substances:

· Artificial colors, especially red and yellow

· Food additives such as aspartame, MSG (monosodium glutamate), and nitrites. Some studies have linked hyperactivity to the preservative sodium benzoate.

 

SODIUM BENZONATE

Sodium benzonate may deserved to be scrutinized as well. http://www.livestrong.com/article/525531-facts-on-sodium-benzoate/ says that:

Sodium benzoate is a preservative found in a variety of foods, beverages and condiments. While it is generally recognized as safe in small doses, sodium benzoate may cause harmful health effects under certain conditions….

….Sodium benzoate can trigger allergic reactions in some people, though. According to the December 2007 issue of "Environmental Health Perspectives" it has also been implicated as a potential trigger for hyperactivity in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

http://www.naturalnews.com/033726_sodium_benzoate_cancer.html#ixzz3s3aAbos0 notes:

Organic consumers and nutritionists may already know, but the rest of the general population does not know about sodium benzoate. It has the ability to deprive the cells of oxygen, break down the immune system and cause cancer.

 

Regarding sodium benzonate, http://healthwyze.org/index.php/component/content/article/204-are-you-getting-enough-sodium-benzoate-in-your-diet.html writes:

One of the dirty secrets of the soft drink and processed food industries is sodium benzoate. It is a benzene compound that is produced by mixing benzoic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a common preservative in processed foods and soft drinks. It has been associated with a vast array of health problems, including all of our major epidemics……

Countries throughout Europe have been pressuring the food industry to voluntarily remove sodium benzoate from products, before more aggressive action is taken. Several European media outlets have called for an absolute ban on this toxic preservative due to concerns about children's developmental safety.

http://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/foods-to-avoid#Chemicals5 says:

When an influential study combined synthetic food dyes with the preservative sodium benzoate, it found increased hyperactivity. You might find sodium benzoate in carbonated drinks, salad dressings, and condiments. Other chemical preservatives to look for are:

· butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)

· butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)

· sodium nitrate

· tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)

 

http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/ADD/ADHD_Diet would agree with watching the preservatives.

FOOD DYES

Food dyes are another additive that parents of children with attention issues should also consider. The Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adhd/expert-answers/adhd/faq-20058203 writes:

Countries differ on which food color additives, sometimes called food dyes, they'll allow in food and drinks and how they're labeled. For example, the European Union (EU) requires that foods containing certain food color additives include a statement on the label that this color "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." The FDA only requires that FDA-certified color additives be listed on the food label.

I won’t go into greater detail on that here as food dyes were discussed in greater detail in Counselor Notes 11.

Many of these links talk about the drinking soda. Counselor Notes 6 and 29 addressed in more detail the ways that soda may contribute to attention and health problems.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

[email protected]

Counselor Notes 22

April 22, 2014

Exercise & Attention Issues

This issue of Counselor Notes seeks to cover the importance of exercise for children with attention issues.

From Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey, M.D. and Eric Hagerman (Dr. Ratey is a professor at Harvard Medical School):

“It turns out that there’s a lot of overlap between attention, consciousness, and movement.” (p. 149)

“It’s not simply a matter of whether the signals get through to capture our attention, but how fluidly that information travels. This is where the attention system ties in with movement and thus exercise: the areas of the brain that control physical movement also coordinate the flow of information.” (p. 151)

“Several of these patients had discovered on their own that they could use exercise as a way of self-medicating to allow them to be more productive.” (p. 157)

“… exercise tempers ADHD is by increasing these neurotransmitters [dopamine and norepinephrine]. And it does so immediately. With regular exercise, we can raise the baseline level of dopamine and norepinephrine by spurring the growth of new receptors in certain brain areas.” (p. 158)

“Chronic exercise improves the tone of the locus coerulus…. The result is that we’re less prone to startle or to react out of proportion to any given situation. And we feel less irritable.” (p. 158)

“… I think of exercise as administering the transmission fluid for the basal ganglia, which again, is responsible for the smooth shifting of the attention system. This area is a key binding site for Ritalin, and the brain scans show it to be abnormal in children with ADHD. Exercise increases dopamine levels in the rat equivalent of this area by creating new dopamine receptors.” (p. 158 – 159)

“In boys, rigorous exercise improved their ability to stare straight ahead and stick out their tongue, for example, indicating better motor reflex inhibition, which is the missing ingredient in hyperactivity.” (p. 159)

“An overactive cerebellum also contributes to fidgetiness in ADHD kids, and recent studies have shown that ADHD drugs that elevate dopamine and norepinephrine bring this area back in balance. Exercise also increases norepinephrine. And the more complex the exercise, the better.Rats don’t do judo, but scientists have looked at the neurochemical changes in their brains after periods of acrobatic exercise, the closest parallel to martial arts. Compared to rats running on a treadmill, their cohorts who practiced complex motor skills improved levels of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) more dramatically, which suggests that growth is happening in the cerebellum.” (p. 159)

“His experience begs the question of whether exercise can replace Ritalin or Adderall or bupropion (Wellbutrin) and for the vast number of cases I would say the answer is no.” (p. 164)

“For ADHD in particular, the complex, focus-intensive sports such as martial arts and gymnastics are a great way to tax the brain.” (p. 165)

“Researchers haven’t quantified how long the spike in dopamine and norepinephrine lasts after exercise, but anecdotal evidence suggests an hour or maybe ninety minutes of calm and clarity.” (p. 165 – 166)

This article from WebMD also notes how exercise can help those who have ADHD http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adult-adhd-and-exercise :

The stimulant medicines that are often used to treat adult ADHD work by increasing the amount of dopamine in the brain. So it makes sense that a workout can have many of the same effects as stimulant drugs. Because of these effects, some people with ADHD are able to lower their medication dose -- or even stop taking medicines altogether.

Fitness can have the following benefits for adults with ADHD:

• Ease stress and anxiety.

• Improve impulse control and reduce compulsive behavior.

• Enhance working memory.

• Improve executive function. That's the set of skills needed to plan, organize, and remember details.

• Increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. That's a protein involved in learning and memory. It's in short supply in people with ADHD.

Other articles do too:

The evidence is mostly anecdotal for now — not much research has been done yet on the exact link between ADHD and exercise — but some studies suggest that regular physical activity may help relieve stress, regulate hyperactivity, and improve concentration in people with ADHD. Outdoor exercise in particular is associated with milder symptoms overall, and workouts such as ballet and tae kwon do, which require individuals to really zero in on their bodies, may teach better focus. http://www.everydayhealth.com/add-adhd/can-you-exercise-away-adhd-symptoms.aspx

And this one from http://www.wired.com/2012/05/exercise-memory-and-adhd/:

Initial research suggested exercise helps reduce ADHD-like behavior in rats, with female rats seeing better improvement than male rats. The researchers also found exercise improves object memory — the kind of memory that is not linked to context or events. That’s when you remember something, but can’t remember when or where it happened.

From there, Bucci’s team examined the mechanism through which exercise appears to improve learning and memory. It is called the brain derived neurotropic factor, or the BDNF protein, and it is involved in the growth of the developing brain. Researchers found the degree of BDNF expression in exercising rats correlated positively with improved memory. They also found exercise had a longer, and more pronounced, effect on learning and memory in juvenile rats compared to adults that performed the same amount of exercise.

Counselor Notes 21 noted the issue of lymph in ADHD. Exercise in general and rebounding in particular are good ways of moving the lymph. (Rebounding is like that which is done on a trampoline, not the basketball type of rebounding):

The body has a built-in need for activation. The lymph system, for example, bathes every cell, carrying nutrients to the cell and waste products away. Yet the lymph is totally dependent on physical exercise to move.

Without adequate movement, the cells are left stewing in their own waste products and starving for nutrients, a situation that contributes to arthritis, cancer and other degenerative diseases. Vigorous exercise such as rebounding [jumping on a therapeutic mini-trampoline] is reported to increase lymph flow by 15 to 30 times. Also, bones become stronger with exercise.

Vertical motion workouts such as rebounding are much different and much more beneficial and efficient than horizontal motion workouts, such as jogging or running.

The lymph fluid moves through channels called “vessels” that are filled with one-way valves, so it always moves in the same direction. The main lymph vessels run up the legs, up the arms and up the torso. This is why the vertical up-and-down movement of rebounding is so effective to pump the lymph. https://www.wellbeingjournal.com/rebounding-good-for-the-lymph-system/

Counselor Notes 17 took a peek at the issue of how candida albicans perhaps plays a role in ADHD. http://www.life-enthusiast.com/candida-indepth-review-a-690.html (scroll down for part on lymph) notes a connection between exercise, lymph, and candida albicans:

Your Lymphatic System has no pump, such as the heart that pumps and circulates your blood, it depends upon exercise to keep it moving, especially walking and weight bearing exercise. This is so because it's the expansion and contraction of muscles that pumps and moves the lymphatic fluid throughout the body.

For example, routine exertion pushes lymph through its network at the rate of only about 4.25 ounces per hour. However, vigorous exercise boosts this amount to as much as 61 ounces, or approximately two quarts of fluid. Too little exercise will result in lymphatic stagnation, edema of lower limbs and inadequate removal of waste matter from around the cells. It is this congestion that allows infection to flourish. (The Seven Golden Plus One, C. Samuel West, N.D.)

It's a vicious cycle: Because of Candida over-growth you developed a leaky gut condition, which allows foreign invaders into your bloodstream. This results in the formation of antibodies to oppose the invaders creating even more overgrowth! Round and round it goes - until such debris is trapped by your lymphatic system and eliminated from your body.

With the return of nice weather, it seems a good time to get children away from the television and the video games and playing active games outdoors.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 21

April 7, 2014

Acid – Alkaline Balance & Attention Issues

The food we eat affects the ph level of the body. Some foods are acidic and some are alkaline. The typical western diet has strayed to be a more acidic diet than mankind has had over the course of history. Does a more acidic diet factor into health and attention issues? (Some celebrities also claim it helps them lose weight.) Is any of this true? I don’t know for sure and there isn’t an extensive amount of research available. Still, it may be something for parents to look into.

In Counselor Notes 14, it was noted how the lack of zinc in the body may be connected to ADHD. Well, http://www.shapefit.com/acidity-alkalinity-facts.html claims that: “One of the foremost trace minerals driven from the body in an excessively acidic environment is Zinc.”

The web site http://www.holistic-healing-for-adhd.com/ADHD-diet-acids.html (retreived 3-17-14) would seem to agree, claiming:

“The primary reason to monitor the acid-alkaline balance in your ADHD diet is to prevent or restore mineral depletion. Low-level acidosis, a condition caused by too many acids in the body, is very common these days. Acidosis is caused by a stressful lifestyle and a diet high in refined carbohydrates, vegetable oils, sugars and animal foods - and low in fruits and vegetables. Physical problems related to low-grade acidosis are fatigue, decreased immunity, inflammation* (at all levels of the body), osteoporosis and premature aging to name a few….”

“…mineral depletion has long been associated with ADHD symptoms. An ADHD diet high in acid forming foods can seriously affect overall mental and physical health.”

* See Counselor Notes #18 for more on the connection between inflammation and ADHD.

One on the systems of the human body that adults often know little of is the lymphatic system. The body’s lymph system is an important though one as it functions “as the body’s drainage system.”

http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/lymphatic/lymph-system.htm Caregivers need to consider how this system plays a role in ADHD.

In his book An Undetected Acid-Alkaline Imbalance, author John Ossipinsky writes:

“If you are overly acidic, your lymphatic system is slowed…. If an undiagnosed tissue acidosis is slowing your lymphatic system, it can create a backup of cerebrospinal fluid, acidic wastes and proteins in the brain. This backup of debris causes congestion and may play an important role in migraines, depression, anxiety, learning disabilities, autism, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases of the brain.” (p. 81)

 

Mr. Ossipinsky further states on his web site http://lymphman.com/Blog/tabid/197/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/12/Help-for-Parents-of-Children-with-Learning-Disabilities-ADHD-and-Autism-Spectrum-Disorders.aspx :

“You can assist your child in attaining better cognitive function and emotional growth by learning how to activate their lymphatic system for just a few minutes each day. Research shows that 48% of cerebrospinal fluid is reabsorbed by the lymphatic system. Increasing lymph flow improves circulation and detoxification of the cerebrospinal fluid and the brain. In my office I saw some children progress and then regress a little after treatment. They improve because activating their lymphatic system opens the lymph/brain connection improving function. Then they go home to an acidic diet and no lymphatic maintenance and the lymphatic system becomes congested again limiting circulation and function. Remember most diseases occur due to lack of circulation.”

The web page http://www.nostudentleftbehind.org/Diet.html (retreived 3-19-14) breaks down foods into acid forming and alkaline this way:

ACID AND ALKALINE FORMING FOODS

We need to have the correct balance between alkaline and acid in our systems to be healthy. This chart is valuable as it lists foods which

have an alkaline or acid reaction in the system. Nutritionists agree that when the system is balanced, a diet of 80% alkaline and 20% acid

forming foods will keep the balance, and a healthier system. We highly recommend a good enzyme, especially if you eat cooked foods;

1. Vegetable (Alkaline)

Artichokes - Asparagus - Avocados - Bamboo Shoots - Beans (String) Beans - (wax) Beans - Lima (Dried or fresh)

Beets - Bread, Soy Bean - Cabbage (Red) - Carrots - celery - Chard - Chives - Corn - Cucumbers - Endive - Garlic - Herbs (All)

Horse-Radish - Kale - Kohlrabi - Leeks - Lettuce (Leaf) - Okra - Onions (Some) - Oyster Plant - Parsley - Parsnips

Peas (Fresh) - Peppers (Sweet) - Pimento - Potatoes (Red) - Potatoes (Sweet) - Pumpkin - Rutabagas - Sauerkraut

Soy Bean - Spinach (Raw) - Sprouts (All) - Squash (All kinds summer) - Tomatoes (Yellow) - Watercress - Yams

2. Vegetable (Acids)

Brussels Sprouts Broccoli Cauliflower Cabbage Egg. Plant Lettuce (Head) Mushroom (Fungus) Potatoes (Not Red) Radishes Spinach (Cooked)

Tomatoes Turnips

3. Nuts Raw (Alkaline)

Cashew - Macadamia - Pecan

4. Nuts Raw (Acid)

Almonds - Hickory - Pine - Pistachio - Walnuts (Black & English)

5. Fruits (Alkaline)

Apples (Yellow Delicious) - Apricots - Berries (All dark) - Cherries (Bing) - Grapefruit (Pink) - Grapes (Flame & Concord) - Lemons (Tree

Ripened) - Kumquats - Mango - Kiwi - Logan Berries - Loquats - Lemon (Ripe) - Melons (All kinds) - Papaya Passion Fruit - Peaches - Pears

(Bosc -Japanese)

6. Fruits (Acid)

Apple (Red & Green) - Bananas Berries - Cherries (Light) - Coconut - Currants - Cranberries - Dates - Figs - Grapefruit (White) Grapes

(Thompson) - Limes - Lemons (Picked Green) - Nectarines - Olives - Oranges - Peaches - (Most) Pears (Bartlett) Persimmons - Pineapple -

Plums - Pomegranate - Prunes - Raisins - Raspberries - Rhubarb - Quince Strawberries - Tangerines

7. Starches & Sugar (Alkaline)

Beans (Pinto) - Carob - Corn Bread (Yellow) - Corn Meal (Yellow) - Corn Meal Cereal - Cornstarch - Crackers (Alkaline!

Whole grain) Hominy - Soybeans (Bread/dried) - Spaghetti (Egg Noodle) - Popcorn (Yellow) - Maple Syrup (100% Pure) - Pancake (Alkaline

Flour) Pastries (Alkaline Flour) - Peas (Dried Green ) - Rice-Brown (Organic - Short grain) Vegetable Pasta

8. Starches & sugar (Acid)

Banana Squash - Barley - Bran - Bread (Graham) - Bread (Rye) - Bread (White) - Bread (Whole Wheat) - Cereals (All kinds packaged) -

Cornmeal (White) - Crackers (White) - Doughnuts - Dressings - Dry Beans (Most) - Dry Peas (Yellow) - Dumplings (White) Flour (List) - Gravies

(Most kinds) - Hubbard Squash - Jelly (All kinds) - Jerusalem Artichokes - Molasses - Pancakes (White) - Pastries (White) - Peanuts -Peas

(Dried white) - Potatoes (Brown skin) - Preserves (White sugar) - Puddings - Pumpkin Rice (White/Wild Lg. Grain Brown Rice) - Rye -Soups

(Thick) - Spaghetti (White) - Sugar (All kinds) - Syrups (White sugar) Tapioca - Waffles (White) - Wheat

9. Flour List (Alkaline)

Artichoke - Chick Pea - Duram Flour - Masa Harina - Millet - Oat - Rye - Semolina - Soy

10. Flour List. (Acid)

Brown Rice - Buckwheat - Barley -Gluten Potato - Wheat (Whole)

11. Proteins (Alkaline)

Avocados (Ripe) - Beans (Pinto) - Buttermilk - Catfish (Farm) - Clams - Cheese (White) - Cornish Hen - Duck - Fish (White)

Goat Milk (Raw) - Lamb - Nuts - Rabbit - Raw Milk - Seeds (Sprouted all) - Turtle - Yogurt Plain

12. Proteins (Acid)

Avocados (Hard) - Cashews - Catfish -Cheese (Yellow) - Cottage Cheese - Crabs - Buck (Wild) - Eggs - Hazel Nuts - Hickory Nuts Lentils -

Lobster - Meats ( Beef, Pork, Veal) - Mutton - Olives (Green) - Oysters -Peanut (Legume) - Peanut Butter - Pine Nuts Pistachio Nuts - Poultry

(Chicken) - Turkey (Dark meat) - Shrimp - Scallops - Squab - Venison - Milk (Low protein)

13. Misc. (Alkaline)

Butter (Sweet) - Carob - Chocolate Bitter - Chlorophyll (NSP) - Herbal Beverage (NSP) - Herb Teas (NSP) - Olive Oil (Bertolli)

Proper food combining - Meat & Potatoes are bad

Proteins & Starches are a POOR combination.

Proteins & Green Leafy Vegetables are a GOOD combination.

Starches & Fruit are a POOR combination.

Starches & Green Leafy Vegetables are a GOOD combination.

Proteins & Fruit are a POOR combination.

Green Leafy Vegetables & Fruit are a POOR combination.

Acid Fruits & Sweet Fruit (Banana, Dates, Figs, Prunes, Raisins, etc) are a POOR combination.

Acid Fruits, Sub Acid Fruits (Apples, Apricot, Grapes, Cherries, Mangoes, Papayas, Pears, etc) & Sweet Fruits are Fair.

There are a lot of web sites and books that promote a more alkaline diet. The amount of hope it offers for children dealing with attention issues is undetermined at this point, but I would still encourage parents to at least look into it.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 20

March 26, 2014

Water (especially fluoridated water) & Attention Issues

Earlier this month, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health published a study connecting chemicals, including the fluoride in tap water, to ADHD (and other mental health issues). http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/03/05/harvard-research-finds-link-between-fluoridated-water-adhd-mental-disorders/ (Side note: fluoride may – or may not - be linked to thyroid problems as well. See: http://thyroid.about.com/cs/toxicchemicalsan/a/flouride.htm and http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/08/13/fluoride-and-thyroid-dysfunction.aspx )

The chemical load borne by children has, in these notes, long been suspected of playing a role in ADHD. (See the April 2012 Counselor Notes or email me for a copy of it.) Still, while some parents may now be looking to avoid fluoride in their children’s drinking water, I hope they will remember the importance of sufficient (non-fluoridated) water intake – especially for a child with attention issues.

In Healing ADD, Dr. Daniel Amen writes:

“Water is an essential part of every function in the body, including brain blood flow and cell function. Necessary for proper metabolism, water helps transport nutrients and waste products in and out of cells. Without enough of it, the body struggles to function properly. An abundance of it gives cells the opportunity to work right.” P. 224 - 225

In her book Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All In Your Head, author Dr. Carla Hannaford makes these points for drinking plenty of water:

“It [water] makes up eighty percent of our body weight at birth, and seventy percent of an adult’s body weight…. Water comprises more of the brain (with estimates of ninety percent) than of any other organ of the body, with muscles next at seventy-five percent, and then kidneys. P. 150

“Under normal circumstances, it is recommended a person drink one third of an ounce of water per pound of body weight (about a quart per hundred pounds of weight) each day with that amount doubled or tripled in times of stress.” P. 150 – 151

“Our bodily systems are electrical. Ultimately it is the electrical transmissions within the nervous system that make us sensing, learning, thinking, acting organisms. Water, the universal solvent, is essential for maintaining the electrical potential within our bodies.” P. 151

“Water causes salt to disassociate into the atoms that make it up. In the case of table salt (NaCl), water will cause it to dissociate into two atoms with unequal charges: Na and Cl. These then have the ability to transmit electrical current.” P. 152

“Optimal nerve and muscle function depend on proper membrane potential (polarity). The water/electrolyte balance is so critical to the living system that if the membrane potential within the cells drops to -30 mv and remains there, death will ensue. This can occur through radical dehydration or malnutrition. Even under normal circumstances, the polarity across the membrane can decrease just from inadequate levels of water in the body.” P. 152

“Surrounded as we are by a world of stimuli, high membrane polarity gives us a choice. It takes more of a stimulus to activate a nerve impulse, so we can choose what stimuli we wish to focus our attention on and not be distracted by irrelevant stimuli. As we will see, this enhances selective focus for increased learning, strengthens immunity and health, and protects against the effects of external electromagnetic fields.” P. 152

“Coffee, tea, chocolate, and alcohol are all diuretics.” P. 155 [Diuretics cause the body to expel water. Caffeine is also a diuretic – be wary of giving children “energy” drinks or colas with caffeine.]

“… a mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, low energy, grogginess, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.” P. 156

“… drinking a lot of water all at once, may cause important salts and minerals to be washed out of the digestive system before they can be absorbed, thus decreasing the body’s electrolyte balance. It is better to sip water throughout the day.” P. 156

“… anything that decreases membrane polarity damages the functioning of the nervous system.” P. 157

“Proteins in our diet form albumins which hold water in the blood, preventing it from seeping out just anywhere, and assuring that it will arrive where it is most needed, usually the brain.” P. 157

“An important longitudinal study over 28 years showed that drinking five or more glasses of water daily decreases the risk of fatal heart disease by half. This supports other research that shows drinking five glasses of water a day decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, decreases the risk of breast cancer by 70%, and decreases bladed cancer by 50%.” P. 157

“The brain makes up only one-fiftieth of the body’s weight and yet it uses an amazing one fifth of the body’s oxygen.” P. 158

“… increased water intake increases the capacity of hemoglobin (a large protein that depends on adequate water supply for its structural integrity) to carry oxygen by one hundred to one thousand times. Hemoglobin is the iron-bearing pigment in red blood cells that caries oxygen.” P. 158

“ATP traps energy from food and makes it available to structures within the cell, such as the sodium-potassium pump. Interesting… ATP may be low in patients with depression and Alzheimer’s disease. This ATP deficiency may be due in part to inadequate oxygen uptake and distribution to the cells, caused in turn by low levels of water in the system.” P. 158

“… found that getting inactive men and women in their fifties and sixties, on a four month brisk walking program increased their performance on mental ability tasks by 10%. .... active rats had 20% more blood vessels in their brains than sedentary ones. Movement facilitates the development of increased blood vessels that carry learning-essential water, oxygen, and nutrients to the brain.” P. 159

“The importance of drinking water in order to maintain adequate, balanced electrolyte concentrations for high polarity across all the cellular membranes, cannot be overestimated. Water is an essential ingredient in maintaining the body’s natural EMF’s against these external fields.” P. 163

(Please see the book for a full listing of the information.)

Parents may want to look to make sure their child is properly hydrated. The color of urine is one way to tell. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/03/14/what-color-your-urine-reveals-about/?intcmp=obnetwork (Food dyes and/or Vitamin B supplements may affect urine color.) A skin pinch is another way to check for hydration: http://www.ivillage.com/forums/pregnancy-parenting/coffee-break/time-out-me/lets-chat/are-you-dehydrated-heres-quick-test

Here are the Mayo Clinic’s symptoms of dehydration: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/basics/symptoms/con-20030056

As always, the information in these notes is to increase your awareness of factors potentially impacting attention. Adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle is encouraged, but this is not say that one should consider it a substitute for professional care. Parents & Guardians who are working with a qualified professional &/or doctor regarding a child’s attention issues should continue doing such. Should you suspect hydration plays a role in attention issues, discuss such with them and see what modifications – if any - are appropriate. Parents of children with attention issues who have not yet gone to a doctor are still encouraged to do so. If you suspect hydration is an issue, bring such up with them.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 19

March 17, 2014

Other Vitamins & Attention Issues

I have been working through the six supplements The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook considered giving the biggest potential benefit with the fewest side effects. So far we have done magnesium and zinc (Notes #14), Vitamin D (Notes #15), Omega 3 fatty acids (Notes #16), and pro-biotics (Notes #17). With this issue, I want to address the final of those six supplements: multivitamins.

“… simple deficiencies in brain nutrition, caused by our unhealthy and often toxic food supply, can contribute to the onset of not only full blown autism, but also ADHD, allergies, and asthma.” (Healing the New Childhood Epidemics by Kenneth Bock, M.D. & Cameron Stauth, p. 13)

Most parents already know of the usefulness of supplementing a child’s diet with a multivitamin so I want to zero in on some vitamins that in particular need to be fully present: Vitamin B5, B6, & B12 and Vitamin C.

Counselor Notes #18 took note of a connection between inflammation and ADHD. Please observe below where some of these vitamins counter histamine and thus reduce inflammation.

"Histamine triggers the inflammatory response." http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Histamine.aspx

"Suspect histamine as contributing to your child's symptoms if behavioral symptoms are worse during allergy season." The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook by Dana Godbout Laake and Pamela Compart, p. 42

 

Vitamin B5

 

 

“Pantothenic acid (B5) is a water-soluble B vitamin antioxidant that is essential to all forms of life. It is useful in reducing histamine.” The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook by Dana Godbout Laake and Pamela Compart, p. 36

Dietary sources of B5: cheese, trout, salmon, tuna, avocados, eggs, lean pork, beef, chicken, turkey, sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, yogurt. http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-pantothenic-acid-vitamin-B5.php

Also see: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=87

Side note: some people claim B5 helps with adolescent acne but nothing has been clinically proven yet. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/853.html

 

Vitamin B6

 

 

“Glutamate is a transmitter with excitatory effects in the brain. Excitatory glutamate converts to the calming neurotransmitter, GABA. Glutamate can increase in the brain if there is an inefficiency in the glutamate decarboxylase enzyme or deficiency in the vitamin B6, which is necessary for the enzyme to function.” The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook by Dana Godbout Laake and Pamela Compart, p. 47

Along with other B complex vitamins, B6 is known as an anti-stress vitamin because it is believed to enhance the activity of the immune system and improve the body's ability to get through stressful situations. If there is a B6 deficiency the symptoms could be:

• muscle weakness

• nervousness

• irritability

• depression

• difficulty concentration

• short term memory loss

“Vitamin B6 is required for normal brain development and is essential in the synthesis of brain chemicals including serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. One study found that vitamin B6 was a little more effective than methylphenidate, which is a medication used to treat ADHD, in improving behavior in hyperactive children.” http://www.progressivehealth.com/vitamin-b6-for-adhd-and-add.htm

Dietary sources of B6: fish, beef liver, potatoes and other starchy vegetables, poultry, non-citrus fruits. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB6-HealthProfessional/

 

Vitamin C

 

 

“Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble anti-oxidant, important in immunity, neurotransmitter function, and well known for antihistamine activity. It prevents histamine release and increases the detoxification of histamine. There is an inverse relationship between vitamin C and histamine. Low vitamin-C serum levels result in high histamine levels.” The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook by Dana Godbout Laake and Pamela Compart, p. 36

“Vitamin C is necessary to the body’s manufacture of norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, three of the neurotransmitters involved in AD/HD…. One of the most remarkable protections vitamin C affords is the chelation of reactive metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and aluminum. Chelation “wraps up” the metal so it can be eliminated from the body.” (p. 150)

- The ADD Nutrition Solution by Marcia Zimmerman

“Eat lots of vitamin C. I say eat because the vitamin C in pills is not as good as the vitamin C you get from eating fruits and other foods that contain vitamin C. Vitamin C helps modulate the synapse action of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter needed in treating ADD.” (Delivered From Distraction by Edward Hallowell, M.D. and John Ratey, M.D, p. 210)

"The body is not able to make Vitamin C on its own, and it does not store Vitamin C. It is therefor important to include plenty of Vitamin-C containing foods in your daily diet." http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002404.htm

Dietary sources of vitamin C:

All fruits and vegetables contain some amount of vitamin C.

Fruits with the highest sources of vitamin C include:

• Cantaloupe

• Citrus fruits and juices, such as orange and grapefruit

• Kiwi fruit

• Mango

• Papaya

• Pineapple

• Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries

• Watermelon

Vegetables with the highest sources of vitamin C include:

• Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower

• Green and red peppers

• Spinach, cabbage, turnip greens, and other leafy greens

• Sweet and white potatoes

• Tomatoes and tomato juice

• Winter squash

Some cereals and other foods and beverages are fortified with vitamin C. Fortified means a vitamin or mineral has been added to the food. Check the product labels to see how much vitamin C is in the product.

Cooking vitamin C-rich foods or storing them for a long period of time can reduce the vitamin C content. Microwaving and steaming vitamin C-rich foods may reduce cooking losses. The best food sources of vitamin C are uncooked or raw fruits and vegetables. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002404.htm

Foods containing vitamin C (see Dietary Sources of vitamin C) also enhance non-heme iron absorption when eaten at the same meal. http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/vitamins/iron.html

Taking multivitamins is in the news: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/02/20/health-myth-do-really-need-to-take-multivitamin/

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 18

February 20, 2014

Inflammation & Attention Issues

People don’t tend to think of cellular inflammation being a contributor to children’s attention issues, but could it be a factor in some cases? It may be time to consider the possibility.

Psychology Today http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-the-zone/201107/adhd-inflammatory-condition reports:

“There two types of inflammation. The first type is classical inflammation that hurts. The second type is cellular inflammation that is below the perception of pain. Although this type of inflammation can be measured, it tends to be ignored since there is no associated pain. It is this type of cellular inflammation that causes disruption in the cellular signaling networks in individual cells that are required for the body's organs to run at peak efficiency. If the inflammation is in the fat cells, the result is increased accumulation of body fat. If the inflammation is in the brain cells, the result is increased neurological disorders, including ADHD.”

Other sites seem to agree:

Recently studies have suggested involvement of cytokine pathways in those with ADHD. There is accumulating evidence that catecholamine and indolamine imbalances may be a cause or result of inflammation. Cytokines are key mediators of immune function and can be either pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. Therefore, ADHD may be linked with other systems in the body including the immune system, endocrine system, gastrointestinal system and biochemical pathways. Effective treatment for ADHD should address one or more of these underlying biochemical components. http://www.integrativepsychiatry.net/adhd.html

“When regions of the brain are chronically inflamed it signals the primitive regions of the brain to be on overdrive. This inhibits frontal lobe function which is the region responsible for concentration and emotional stability. The primitive regions on overdrive include the reticular activating system and limbic system. When this primitive brain is imbalanced it leads to poor concentration and emotional outbursts.”

http://www.naturalnews.com/032275_ADHD_natural_remedies.html##ixzz2tmJXAPSs

If a parent wants to look at the possibility of cellular inflammation being a factor in a child’s attention problems, they may start with looking at the child’s diet. Livestrong https://assets-livestrong-org.s3.amazonaws.com/media/site_proxy/data/35506370a2126d3306050a05817e2ad31a6d1852.pdf (retreived 2-18-14) notes:

Diet plays a big role. The following foods can contribute to cellular inflammation.

• Poor quality or too much fat

• Poor quality or too much sugar

• Too many calories

• Too many or poor quality animal foods

• Foods with a high glycemic index

How to avoid cellular inflammation:

• Avoid trans fat

• Keep your blood sugar stable

• Eat less processed and packaged food

• Cook more often; eat out less

• Eat more plant proteins

• Eat more oily fish (salmon, sardines, herring)

• Eat more healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil)

To avoid inflammation, http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20705881,00.html advises eating:

1. Fatty fish

2. Whole grains

3. Dark leafy vegetables

4. Nuts

5. Soy

6. Low fat dairy

7. Peppers

8. Tomatoes

9. Beets

10. Ginger and turmeric

11. Garlic and onions

12. Olive oil

13. Berries

14. Tart cherries

This site http://www.bulletproofexec.com/real-superfoods-that-destroy-inflammation-in-your-brain-the-body-response-that-may-change-your-mental-health-forever/ advises drinking coffee and eating butter, vanilla, and chocolate to help ward off brain inflammation.

These sites also comment on ADHD and inflammation:

http://www.natural-alternative-adhd-treatment.com/anti-inflammatory-diet.html

http://www.corepsych.com/2012/09/adhd-insights-inflammation-cognition-cytokines/

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12402-010-0038-7

I am not advocating anyone doing anything extreme, only work more healthy foods into their child’s diet and phase out as many of the potential problems foods as possible.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 17

February 18, 2014

Pro-biotics & Attention Issues

Continuing on with six supplements The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook considered giving the biggest potential benefit with the fewest side effects, this issue addresses pro-biotics. Now those who have been getting these notes since they started may remember notes being sent out on this topic before. This issue contains some of that information, but is updated with lots of new material and broadened to specifically address attention issues.

A healthy digestive system is home to more than 500 types of friendly bacteria. Things like anti-biotics, stress, and the modern diet (which is all too often high in sugar) skew the balance of healthy bacteria in your guts. Probiotics aim to restore the healthy bacteria in your guts.

As WedMd http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/features/what-are-probiotics puts it:

"Researchers believe that some digestive disorders happen when the balance of friendly bacterial in the intestines becomes disturbed. This can happen after an infection or after taking antibiotics. Intestinal problems can also arise when the lining of the intestines is damaged. Probiotics may help."

"Probiotics can improve intestinal function and maintain the integrity of the lining of the intestines," sayd Stefano Guandalini, MD, professor of pediatrics and gastroenterology at the University of Chicago Medical Center."

Those who have children with attention issues may want to take a close look at adding pro-biotics to their child’s diet. These over the counter supplements, help balance the digestive system and a healthy lining of the intestines. The lining of the intestines may be compromised when the guts have insufficient amount of healthy bacteria. In particular, a yeast overgrowth which can occur by the use of anti-biotics can be part of the problem for children with attention issues.

Probiotics help control yeast overgrowth (candida albicans):

“… an overgrowth of yeast in the intestines may be contributing to hyperactivity. Yeast is a potent allergen and also ferments sugar, producing chemicals which can be toxic to the nervous system. Yeast overgrowth can be countered by avoiding sweets and supplementing the diet with probiotics like Lactobacillus or Bifidobacteria.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/adhd-is-on-the-rise-_b_783381.html

There is a close connection between abnormal gut flora and abnormal brain development—a condition Dr. Campbell-McBride calls Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS). GAPS is the result of poorly developed or imbalanced gut flora and may manifest as a conglomerate of symptoms that can fit the diagnosis of autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), attention deficit disorder (ADD) without hyperactivity, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, just to name a few possibilities. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/05/03/probiotics-impact-brain-performance.aspx

Few controlled studies have evaluated the connection between probiotics and ADHD. In one study of 75 children with ADHD, the majority had little or no friendly bacteria in their gut, coupled with an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and/or yeast. The study author concluded that by taking probiotics, the symptoms of ADHD may be reduced. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/real-healing/201210/the-dirty-good-bacteria

Other professionals have written the same thing:

The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook by Dana Godbout Laake R.H.D. and Pamela Compart M.D. has this to say about yeast overgrowth, ADHD, and probiotics:

“Imbalanced intestinal bacteria and yeast overgrowth are conditions commonly seen in children with autism and to a somewhat lesser degree in children with ADHD. Antibiotic use can lead to these imbalances by killing beneficial bacteria in the intestine. When bacteria are present in suboptimal numbers, yeast and other problematic bacterial can inappropriately flourish. Resulting problems can include both physical symptoms (e.g. diaper rashes, loose stool, gas) and behavioral symptoms (e.g. inattention, silly giggling, etc.)…. Probiotics can help restore appropriate balance of bacteria in the intestine. (p. 226)

They also wrote this:

“Yeast organisms are normal residents of the intestinal tract. Contrary to popular understanding, problematic yeast growth is common in children with a variety of digestive, behavioral, and developmental issues. Treatment may result in notable improvement in a subset of children.”

“When present in normal amounts along with adequate numbers of beneficial bacteria, yeast does not cause a problem. When yeast is present in an excessive amount, it can:

1. Cause intestinal inflammation, which may be a trigger for systematic (total body) inflammation, including inflammation of the brain, particularly in children with autism spectrum disorders. [that would include ADHD]

2. Affect intestinal permeability (referred to as “leaky gut”), which allows unwanted molecules to cross from the intestine into the bloodstream.

3. Produce toxic chemicals, which can aggravate the intestinal lining and subsequently enter the bloodstream. If these toxins reach the brain, they can adversely affect brain function.

4. Interfere with the DPP-IV enzyme, which helps digest opiate-like peptides from casein or gluten.

Probiotics are beneficial live microorganisms called the microbiome, found throughout the body, including the intestinal tract. There are more than 100 trillion good bacteria in the body with 500 to 1,000 different species (forty to fifty of which are main species) in the human gut. These beneficial bacteria serve many important functions including maintaining healthy flora, preventing overgrowth of harmful pathogens and yeast, and producing healthy nutrients. (p. 150 - 151)

Children With Starving Brains, author Jaquelyn McCandless M.D. makes these points about the importance of the guts and the problems with too much yeast (candida albicans):

• • “Antibiotics not only irritate the intestinal wall and cause gut inflammation, but also destroy the beneficial bacteria, creating an opportunity for Candida (a yeast), Clostridia (an anaerobic bacteria) and other pathogens normally kept in balance by the 'good bugs' to overgrow and cause further damage.” p. 89

  • “... yeast overgrowth interferes with the absorption of nutrients (the yeast takes them from their own growth and multiplication, particularly the sugars); this is often the cause of the diarrhea and/or constipation.” p. 90

  • “Furthermore, yeast cells can convert to an invasive colony form, imbedding themselves into the lining of the intestinal tract and, via secreted enzymes, destroy intestinal tissue. This type of injury creates 'holes' in the intestine through which undigested food molecules can pass. This hypermeable state is called 'leaky gut syndrome.'” p. 90

  • “This process (leaky gut) leads to greater allergic susceptibilities. Effective treatment of yeast or bacterial overgrowth often decreases or eliminates these allergic reactions.” p. 90

Here’s a simple free home test for yeast overgrowth: http://www.candidasupport.org/test_saliva.html (It shouldn’t be considered the final authority!)

Work with your doctor on this issue. Like most anything else, probiotics can be overdone and some types are better than others. In addition, WebMD http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/features/what-are-probiotics warns:

“…probiotics may be dangerous for people with weakened immune systems or serious illnesses. One study found that patients with severe pancreatitis who were given probiotics had a higher risk of death.”

 

In addition to attention problems, probitoics may also help with….

Depression:

"Mood dysregulation has long been linked to inflammation, suggesting that there's immune dysfunction in depression, Researchers report that treating animals with gut probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis leads to positive changes in neurochemical function. The microbe raised levels of serotonin precursor tryptophan in the frontal lobe and the amygdala, two brain areas associated with mood and emotion." - The November/December 2010 issue of Psychology Today, p. 46.

“Some psychobiotics have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. This is important because depression and stress are both associated with inflammation in the body…..” “”This intriguing new area of research may open new possibilities for the treatment of depression," said Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry.“ http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131114094754.htm

“Several preclinical studies showed a link between specific probiotics and beneficial behavioral effects. These included one in which rats with depressive behaviors resulting from maternal separation displayed normalized behavior and an improved immune response after ingesting the Bifidobacterium infantis probiotic.” http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/814672

Anxiety disorders:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/anxiety-head-gut/story?id=20229136

http://hbcprotocols.com/probioticarticle/

http://www.herbs2000.com/articles/09-04-17_probiotic_anxiety.htm

Skin Problems: (ex: Psoriasis & eczema) http://www.dermaharmony.com/skinnutrition/probiotics.aspx

Obesity: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/10/27/are-gut-bacteria-in-charge/

Migraines: http://headacheandmigrainenews.com/probiotics-for-ibs-study-review/

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 16

January 30, 2014

Omega 3 Fatty Acids & Attention Issues

An earlier edition of Counselor Notes mentioned six vitamins/minerals that The ADHD Nutritional Supplement Handbook though had the most impact with the least side effects. The last two notes addressed magnesium & zinc, and vitamin D. Continuing on with those six, this issue focuses on omega 3 fatty acids. (For information on what omega 3’s are and what are good sources of them, check out: http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/omega-3-fatty-acids-fact-sheet)

In a previous school year, I wrote of omega 3’s. This issue here has some overlap, but is mostly new information. Here are the notes I have on them:

From The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook by Dana Godbout Laake R.H.D. and Pamela Compart M.D.:

· “Essential fatty acids are not manufactured in the body and must be consumed. Omega-3 and omega-6 are the two types of essential fatty acids….”

· “Omega-3 fatty acids help keep cell walls flexible rather than rigid, which in turn helps cells function optimally…. Approximately 60% of the dry weight of the brain is composed of fat, including cholesterol and fatty acids. Omega-3 DHA is a critical structural component of the human brain, retina, and nerves affecting cognition, vision, mood, and behavior. In the brain, omega-3 fatty acid deficiency can result in less than optimal transmission of messages.” P. 24

From Healing ADHD by Dr. Daniel Amen (ISBN# 0-425-18327-0):

• • “Fat is necessary for brain development….Saturated fatty acids (found in animal products like milk and fatty meat like beef) are also the basis for many hormones.” (p. 227)

  • “Monounsaturated fatty acids are found in vegetable and nut oils…. An essential subgroup of these fats, omega-3 fatty acids, are found almost exclusively in coldwater fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel. Monounsaturated fatty acids tend to raise the HDL or good cholesterol.” (p. 227)

• “The brain is a unique organ in that more than half of its weight is composed of fat. Nearly one-third of that fat consists of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids must be part of your diet and is required, not only for maintaining healthy nerve synapses, but also for the development of new brain pathways. It has been shown in rodent studies that diets high in DHA increase the levels of both dopamine and serotonin in the frontal cortex.” (p. 227 – 228)

From Delivered From Distraction by Edward Hallowell, M.D. & John Ratey, M.D.:

• “Current estimates are that the average American eats 125 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids per day, only about 5 percent of what the average American ate a century ago.” (p. 215)
• “Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids leads to chronic inflammation throughout the body….” (p. 215)
• “… omega-3 fatty acids increase the levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that the medications we use to tread ADD also act to increase.” (p. 215)
• “The early data shows that people with ADD are especially low in omega-3’s.” (p. 216)

From: The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution by Marcia Zimmerman ISBN# 0-8050-6128-2

· “Several studies have compared fatty acid levels in AD/HD children with those of normal children. Researchers have confirmed that lower levels of the critical fatty acids exist in the red blood cells and serum of AD/HD individuals. Supplementing the AF/HD sufferers’ diet with the correct fatty acids has reversed their hyperactivity, aggression and impulsivity.” (p. 138)

· “High carbohydrate diets and carbohydrate-related disorders interfere with the body’s ability to manufacture LCP’s.” (p. 139) (Note: LCPs are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: omega-6 (from canola, olive, safflower, and corn oils) and omega-3 (from flaxseed oil and fish oil))

· “Allergies frequently disrupt fatty acid metabolism….” (p. 140)

· Side Note: fertility problems and post-partum depression may also be linked to problems with LCPs. (p. 141)

The University of Maryland Medical Center http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/omega3-fatty-acids#ixzz2riUpk27c notes:

• Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have low levels of certain essential fatty acids (including EPA and DHA). In a clinical study of nearly 100 boys, those with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids had more learning and behavioral problems (such as temper tantrums and sleep disturbances) than boys with normal omega-3 fatty acid levels.

• However, studies examining whether omega-3 fatty acids help improve symptoms of ADHD have found mixed results. A few studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids helped improve behavioral symptoms, but most were not well designed. One study that looked at DHA in addition to stimulant therapy (standard therapy for ADHD) found no effect. More research is needed, but eating foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids is a reasonable approach for someone with ADHD.

Purdue University also found a link between ADHD and omega 3 fatty acid deficiency: http://www.neuroimmunedr.com/Articles/ADHD___ADD/Purdue_Study/purdue_study.html

Psychology Today notes that ADHD may be associated with inflammation: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-the-zone/201107/adhd-inflammatory-condition (Omega 3 fatty acids may help with that, thus helping ADHD symptoms)

“Omega-3s are thought to play an important role in reducing inflammation throughout the body.” http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/omega-3-fatty-acids-fact-sheet (retrieved 1-28-14)

Breast milk is known to be high in Omega 3’s and children who are breast fed are less likely to have ADHD. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130722152739.htm

Omega 3 fatty acids reduce ADHD symptoms in rats: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130823094331.htm

And last but not least, one online blog gives this summary of ADHD and omega 3 fatty acids and if you read just one link I have posted here in this letter, I would recommend it be this one: http://adhd-treatment-options.blogspot.com/search/label/omega%203%27s%20and%20ADHD

Do see your pediatrician should you think omega 3’s might be a part of the solution to a child’s attention problems. (Or work with a professional nutritionist.)

If you choose to supplement your child’s diet with omega 3 fatty acids, do be sure to remain within recommended doses and use fresh pills as omega 3’s can go rancid after a period of time.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 15

January 15, 2014

Vitamin D & Attention Issues

In the last issue of Counselor Notes, I mentioned six vitamins & minerals that the ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook considers as the “quick start” supplements because of their connection to ADHD. In that issue I focused on magnesium and zinc. In this issue, I want to pass along some notes on Vitamin D:

¡ “Lots of studies have shown that ADHD kids had an insufficient quantity of Vitamin D which is particularly important for the functioning of the brain. This was the result of a study done at the Children's Hospital in Oakland CA. Other studies support this and Vitamin D is regarded as a vital element in helping the brain to function normally and that will mean, improved concentration, less impulsivity and better focus.” http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/adhd-alternative-vitamins-which-ones-do-you-include-in-your-diet--849622.htm

¡ “It’s very important to get enough calcium, because it works in close partnership with vitamin D, which is critically important for the immune modulation that is generally needed to heal the 4-A disorders. Vitamin D deficiency can be triggered by low calcium.” (p. 219) From Healing the New Childhood Epidemics by Kenneth Bock, M.D. and Cameron Stauth

¡ “Vitamin D deficiency is very common. It is important for brain development, and cognition. Deficiencies affect attention, focus, development, communications, immunity, and skin health. Risk factors for deficiency of vitamin D include: inadequate sun exposure (or the use of sun block), darker skin pigmentation, obesity, breast feeding, low dietary intake, and fat malabsorbtion.” The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook – Dana Godbout Laake R.D.H. and Pamela Compart, M.D., 54)

¡ “Vitamin D – this fat-soluble vitamin is actually a hormone that directs the conversion of tyrosine to cats [catecholamines – neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, adrenalin] in the brain and your adrenal glands. Vitamin D orchestrates much of this action through its relationship with calcium, which is literally at the controls in your brain cells (as well as your bond cells).” The Mood Cure by Julia Ross M.A.

Vitamin D actually helps with more than just attention: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/929.html

I am going to finish off this issue with a lot of material from http://adhd-treatment-options.blogspot.com/2010/03/adhd-and-vitamin-d-deficiency-any.html. This is a web site that parents of an ADHD child may want to allocate some time to exploring. There is A LOT of good information there. Here is just some of what they have to say about ADHD and Vitamin D:

However, given the fact that vitamin D is such a "hot" vitamin and has been a popular supplement as of late, we should investigate some of its potential benefits with regard to ADHD and related disorders. Please keep in mind that many of these points below are more theoretical or speculative, because most of the hard, concrete evidence in well-documented clinical controlled studies simply does not exist at the moment. Nevertheless, here are some possible ways in which vitamin D may help in cases of ADHD or related disorders:

¡ Vitamin D can boost levels of the antioxidant glutathione in the brain. One way that vitamin D does this is by regulating an enzyme called gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, which plays a role in both the metabolism and recycling of glutathione. We have spoken at length about how antioxidant deficits can worsen ADHD symptoms, and how fatty acids (namely omega-3's) are frequently administered for ADHD and related disorders. Given the high makeup of these omega-3 fatty acids in the brain, and their susceptibility to oxidation and damage in the central nervous system, protecting them by boosting antioxidant levels (either directly or indirectly) is a good bet.

¡ One of the current theories surrounding ADHD is that it is (at least partially) an energy deficiency syndrome, or is the result of impaired metabolic abilities in key regions of the central nervous system. While highly debatable, this theory holds that impaired glucose metabolism in various parts of the brain may be a major contributing factor to the presence or severity of this disorder.

While this blogger is currently neutral on this deficiency theory, it is interesting to note that vitamin D can help regulate glucose transport into the brain, which would (at least in theory) improve this possible cause of the disorder. It is believed that vitamin D works by targeting multiple enzymes involved in glucose transport and metabolism. Much more study needs to be done to confirm this assertion, but this may be another potential benefit of boosting vitamin D levels in the ADHD patient.

¡ Vitamin D may play a role in catecholamine synthesis. Catecholamines include the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, both of which are believed to be tightly regulated and highly involved in the treatment of ADHD (deficiencies of both dopamine and norepinephrine in the "gaps" between neuronal cells are often seen in cases of ADHD).

¡ Vitamin D boosts the effects of an enzyme called choline acetyltransferase in the mammalian brain. This enzyme is used in the manufacture of another neurotransmitting agent called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is thought to play a major role in maintaining a state of sustained attention, a critical shortcoming in those with ADHD. In other words, keeping adequate levels of vitamin D could potentially help prop up lower levels of this attention-sustaining neurochemical.

¡ Learning and memory deficits, both of which are heavily present in the ADHD population, have been tied to prenatal vitamin D deficiencies in the rat model. This involves a process called synaptic plasticity, which relates to memory formation in an individual. If this finding extends to humans, it could have serious implications on maintaining adequate vitamin D intake in pregnant women.

¡ Problems with fine motor control are sometimes seen as a secondary characteristic in a fraction of the ADHD population. These problems may be exacerbated in a vitamin D deficient state.

¡ Perhaps the strongest correlation, however, may be between vitamin D and depressive-like symptoms, particularly those associated with seasonal affective disorders (SAD). Please keep in mind, however, that studies on vitamin D levels and depression are highly variable; a number of studies have been done on the topic and found no such linkage between the two. We have previously investigated possible connections between ADHD and SAD in an earlier post.

This may make intuitive sense, since vitamin D production is triggered by sunlight, so in the dark winter months, the levels of this vitamin are often much lower (this may also be a major contributing factor as to why illnesses run so much more rampant during the winter months). In other words, vitamin D supplementation may be particularly useful in individuals with ADHD who also have co-occurring depressive or anxiety-ridden symptoms.

Children today as a group are spending increasingly less time outdoors. That means less exposure to sunlight and the vitamin D it helps produce. Considering how much closer mankind lived to nature throughout human history, spending some more time outdoors might not be such a bad thing. Parents who choose to use Vitamin D supplements should be careful not to give their child too much – as with other vitamins & minerals, an excess of Vitamin D can be detrimental to one’s health. (For more on that, please see: http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/features/the-truth-about-vitamin-d-can-you-get-too-much-vitamin-d )

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 14

December 20, 2013

Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, & Attention Issues

In the last issue of Counselor Notes, I brought up the issue of dietary iron and its connection to attention. While iron has its place it isn’t actually one of the ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook’s “quick start” supplements. The six dietary supplements they note for having the biggest benefit and fewest side effects are: magnesium, zinc, Vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, pro-biotics, and multivitamins. Probiotics and omega three fatty acids were discussed in previous Counselor Notes so I’ll start with magnesium and zinc here. (Body levels of magnesium, zinc, and calcium are inter-related and thus supplements of them are generally sold together. Thus I will add notes on calcium here too.) I’ll address the others and update the previous notes on omega 3 fatty acids and probiotics after the holidays.

In looking at diet, I am not trying to say that a poor diet is the cause of all attention problems, but does anyone want to make the case that it makes things better? My hope is that by looking at issues in a child’s diet, parents may find some areas to modify. If over time, parent try a number of different things and some work a little, each of those “little” improvements add up to making a positive and noticeable change. Please keep in mind adding too much of a vitamin/mineral supplementation to a child’s diet can be toxic. It is wise to consult with a doctor or nutritional expert before embarking on a program of vitamin or mineral supplementation. (I am neither a doctor or nutritional expert.)

Before jumping into the notes on magnesium and zinc, I would add this:

“… it is important to note that just because low levels of a particular nutrient are seen alongside the disorder, it does not necessarily mean that this deficiency is the cause of ADHD (i.e. correlation does not imply causation). In other words, the nutrient deficiency and ADHD symptoms might both be secondary effects of a larger primary cause, such as an enzyme deficiency or metabolic dysfunction.” http://adhd-treatment-options.blogspot.com/2010/03/adhd-and-vitamin-d-deficiency-any.html

That all being said, here are some notes I have on magnesium and zinc (and calcium) as they relate to attention:

From The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution by Marcia Zimmerman ISBN# 0-8050-6128-2

¡ “…the USDA reports that 30% of Americans, including children are low in calcium, magnesium, zinc and other trace minerals.” (p. 148)

¡ “Calcium is a second messenger in neuronal membranes, which means it acts like a traffic signal for uptake and release of neurotransmitters.” (p. 148)

¡ “…calcium regulates the speed, intensity, and clarity of every message that passes between brain cells.” (p. 148)

¡ “In 1997, a Polish research team … assessed the magnesium levels of 116 children with AD/HD…. They found low magnesium levels in 95% of the children….” (p. 148)

¡ “The (magnesium) supplemented children showed an increase in body tissue and a decrease in hyperactivity.” (p. 149)

¡ “… zinc also acts on the surface of neurons as an electrical “contact” for neurotransmission, and it helps convert serotonin into melatonin, which is an important regulator of bio-rhythms.” (p. 148)

¡ “They (researchers in Poland and Israel) found serum zinc levels were significantly lower in the AD/HD group, averaging two-thirds the level of those without AD/HD.” (p. 149)

¡ “All of these neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and acetylcholine) are synthesized in the brain from dietary precursors. In order for this to occur, vitamin B6, magnesium, zinc, ascorbate, biotin, folic acid and niacin all must be present.” (p. 153)

From Children With Starving Brains by Jacquelyn McCandess (ISBN # 1-883647-10-X)

 

¡ “While no patient has been 'cured' with the vitamin B6 and magnesium treatments, many patients report the treatments produced calming effects and resulted in improved, more normal behavior.” p. 123

¡ “Zinc is present in over 200 body enzymes, and its deficiency results in a weakened immune system. It is well know that most ASD children [ASD is autism spectrum disorders of which McCandess would include ADHD] are deficient in zinc and excessive diarrhea is known to be one of the leading causes of zinc depletion.” p. 123 – 124

¡ “... children with ASD have abnormal copper and zinc levels in their blood. Since MT [Metallothionein] has an important role in regulating the balance of copper and zinc in healthy individuals, the fact that 99% of the patients in the Pfeiffer Treatment Center study had copper/zinc imbalances supports MT dysfunction as an important part of ASD pathology.” p. 33 (Here is the link to the Pfeiffer Treatment Center: http://www.hriptc.org/index.php Don’t supplement copper or MT on your own.)

¡ “Zinc is present in over 200 body enzymes, and its deficiency results in a weakened immune system. It is well know that most ASD (autism spectrum disorders - which includes ADHD) children are deficient in zinc....”

From The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook by Dana Godbout Laake R.D.H., L.D.N. and Pamela Compart M.D. ISBN # 978-59233-517-6:

Zinc:

“Zinc deficiency can result in poor attention and other problems that can contribute to inattention: poor eye contact, developmental delays, sensory deficits, vision dysfunction, auditory processing problems, communication delays, and poor glucose control. Other symptoms of zinc deficiency include poor muscle endurance, growth delays, and picky appetite.”

“Zinc deficiency can stem from poor intake, higher needs, and/or depletion by a glycemic diet, medications, or toxins, Zinc is part fo the insulin molecule and depleted by diets that are glycemic (raise blood sugar quickly). Low zinc levels lead to poor appetite for healthy foods and an increased appetite for the “quick fix” foods (e.g. pasta breads, crackers, pretzels, sweets, sodas, and juices.” (p. 52)

Magnesium:

“Magnesium is needed for more than 350 biomedical reactions in the body, affecting 75% of enzyme functions. Magnesium is critical to neurotransmitter function, core energy metabolism, hormone metabolism, protein synthesis, cell membrane function, blood pressure regulation, calcium metabolism, muscle function, bowel function, and memory.”

“A person deficient in magnesium may experience neuromuscular excitability, which can lead to hyperactivity, distractibility, impulsivity, muscle spasms, and poor sleep quality. Magnesium is a common nutritional deficiency in children with ADHD or autism and in the general population.” (p. 19)

 

From Food and Mood by Elizabeth Somer ISBN # 0-8050-3125-1

· “In 1997, a Polish research team … assessed the magnesium levels of 116 children with AD/HD…. They found low magnesium levels in 95% of the children….”

From Healing ADD by Daniel Amen M.D ISBN # 0-425-18327-0

· “Joseph Egger reported in the British medical journal Lancet that 116 of 185 hyperactive children had a positive response to a low allergen diet (higher in protein and lower in simple carbohydrates) supplemented by calcium, zinc, magnesium, and vitamins.” (p. 224)

From Healing the New Childhood Epidemics by Kenneth Bock, M.D. and Cameron Stauth ISBN # 978-0-345-49451-1

· “Calcium and magnesium, working together, tend to have a calming effect, and can sometimes help provide relief from the anxiety and insomnia that are common among 4-A kids.” (p. 219)

And a few other notes from various sources (Do we need to be wary of colas and high fructose corn syrup?)

¡ “In humans, fructose feeding leads to mineral losses, especially higher fecal excretions of iron and magnesium, than did subjects fed sucrose. Iron, magnesium, calcium, and zinc balances tended to be more negative during the fructose-feeding period as compared to balances during the sucrose-feeding period.” http://www.westonaprice.org/The-Double-Danger-of-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup.html

¡ “Almost half of tested samples of commercial high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contained mercury, which was also found in nearly a third of 55 popular brand-name food and beverage products where HFCS is the first- or second-highest labeled ingredient, according to two new U.S. studies. “ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html

¡ Colas contain phosphoric acid which lowers the body levels of calcium, zinc and magnesium. -http://www.blisstree.com/healthbolt/what-happens-to-your-body-if-you-drink-a-coke-right-now/

¡ “Grace Wyshak, Ph.D, a biostatician and the study's lead researcher believes that something in colas is interfering with the body's ability to use calcium.” http://www.prevention.com/health/diabetes/drinking-soda-4-reasons-stop-soda-consumption

¡ Magnesium, zinc, and calcium make up 3 of the 5 most important minerals according to:http://www.self.com/blogs/flash/2011/07/the-5-minerals-you-really-need.html (Iron makes the list too.)

¡ Some studies suggest that children with ADHD may have lower levels of zinc in their body. And some scientists have reported improved symptoms in children with ADHD who took zinc supplements along with traditional ADHD treatment. Several studies have shown a reduction in hyperactivity and impulsivity with zinc supplementation. The same studies, though, report no change in inattentiveness, which is another key symptom of ADHD. A 2005 study in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, though, did show a correlation between zinc levels and teacher- and parent-rated inattention in children. http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/vitamins-supplements-adhd

Best dietary sources of:

¡ magnesium: http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-magnesium.php

¡ zinc: http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/zinc.php

¡ calcium: http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-calcium.php

 

Okay, there is a lot here. Clearly most of it is going to be getting a bit over most of our heads (so-to-speak). My intention is not that parents go out and try to become nutritional experts (though improving one’s knowledge may not be a bad idea), it is my hope that parents go through this and decide for themselves if there is or is not something here. If they decide there may well be, then those parents make basic changes in their children’s diets and start working with a qualified health professional who can help direct them in further steps to take.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 13

December 9, 2013

Dietary Iron & Attention Issues

The issue of dietary iron has come back into the news for its possible connection to attention disorders in children. On December 2, http://healthyliving.msn.com/diseases/adhd/low-iron-in-brain-a-sign-of-adhd reported a new MRI scan called “magnetic field correlation” could pick up low iron levels in the brains of children with attention disorders. Earlier MRI’s (“MRI relaxation rates”) as well as blood tests of iron levels were not able to find this deficiency.

This is important as there is a possible connection between iron and ADHD. Specifically it seems that:

Low iron levels in the brain are known to alter the activity of dopamine, a chemical involved in controlling movement. The researchers suggest that this could explain the observed link between iron stores and ADHD. http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/news/20041217/study-links-low-iron-to-adhd

A review of studies of iron deficiency and ADHD http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23082739 would seem to confirm a connection.

Another site http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f11/iron-99500/ reports that: “In animal studies, iron insufficiency appears to cause abnormal dopamine function.”

This is an important finding too. For according to http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/adhd-causes :

Recent studies show that the brain chemical, dopamine, may play a role in ADHD. Dopamine is an important chemical that carries signals between nerves in the brain. It is linked to many functions, including movement, sleep, mood, attention, and learning.

The ADHD and Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook by Laake & Compart (2013) address the importance of iron as well. There the authors note:

“Iron-deficiency anemia contributes to decreased attention, arousal, and social responsiveness, most often observed in ADHD. They symptoms occur because iron is responsible for oxygen delivery to the tissues. Muscle function, tone, and endurance are iron dependent. Iron is one of the important co-factors in carnitine production. [Author’s note: Carnitine plays a role in turning body fat into energy.] Iron as well as tetrahydrofolate and tyrosine) is necessary for the synthesis of dopamine, the neurotransmitter most involved in attention. Iron deficiency is found in individuals with ADHD and Autism.”

“Body stores of iron as shown by low ferritin levels on blood testing decline first, prior to serum iron declining. These deficits occur before the complete blood count indicates anemia. For this reason, inattention, poor endurance, lethargy, or fatigue may show up before the complete blood count reveals there is a problem.” (p.55)

Okay so if low iron is connected to problems with the neurotransmitter dopamine and dopamine is connected to ADHD it seems we may be finally getting somewhere.

Well, not so fast. This is not all “cut-and-dry.” Giving your child iron supplements may or may not be helpful. The ADHD & Autism Nutritional Supplement Handbook warns that: “if blood levels of iron are too high or there is a metabolic disorder in which iron accumulates in the tissue, iron supplementation can be damaging, even toxic.” (p. 55)

The field is also moving in all sorts of other directions too. In late October, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/268016.php reported research that looked at dopamine problems and thought the problem lay elsewhere. The article said:

Writing in the latest issue of the journal Brain, the researchers... suggest instead that the main cause of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is to be found in structural differences in the brain's grey matter."

My hunch at this point is that those who are looking for a single “smoking gun” for all cases of ADHD are likely going to be disappointed. Look into iron deficiency if it seems applicable in your case. Don't be too dejected though if it doesn't solve everything. It seems more likely that it is going to be different things or different combinations of things causing the attention issues for different people.

My advice is for parents of children with attention issues to keep checking into things that they think may have some applicability in their child's situation. If you look into 12 things and each of six of them make things a little bit better, that might really start to add up to some noticeable improvement.

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 12

November 21, 2013

Trans Fats & Attention

The Washington Post recently had an article that trans fats are being phased out: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/trans-fats-to-be-phased-out-fda-says/2013/11/07/80cfc8be-47c4-11e3-a196-3544a03c2351_story.html

This is indeed welcome news! (Well, if they get replaced with something healthier.) Some have suspected that trans fats contribute to ADHD.

According to http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/01/6-incredible-brain-facts_n_914965.html#s319323title=Your_Brain_Is the brain is composed of about 60% fats. It would thus seem important that children be consuming healthy fats.

Regarding trans fats, the Franklin Institute http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/fats.html#brainblockers (Retrieved 11-18-13) notes:

 

By modifying natural fats, we have altered the basic building blocks of the human brain – weakening the brain’s architecture. And, like unstable buildings that come apart in an earthquake or storm, poorly structured human brains are failing to cope with the mounting stress of modern life.

 

Studies show that the trans fatty acids we eat do get incorporated into brain cell membranes, including the myelin sheath that insulates neurons. They replace the natural DHA in the membrane, which affects the electrical activity of the neuron.

 

Trans fatty acid molecules disrupt communication, setting the stage for cellular degeneration and diminished mental performance.

 

Brain cells need a certain degree of flexibility to function properly. This is accomplished by a maintaining a balance of different types of fatty acids in the cell membrane.

 

The particular physical size and shape of individual fatty acid molecules is what gives the brain cell membrane its structural flexibility and fluid-like properties.

 

Normal fatty acids have a natural curve to their molecular shape. When they fit together in vast numbers, enough space still remains so that the membrane has the proper structure it needs to function at its best.

 

However, if these same fat molecules are changed by manufactured food processes, or if they are heated for long periods – as in deep frying – they mutate into a form rarely found in nature. Now their molecules are straighter, narrower, and no longer have their original curved shape.

 

This means that these altered fats will pack more tightly together into the cell membrane, making it more saturated and rigid – less flexible and less able to function properly. These altered fats are called "trans fatty acids," and are finally being recognized for the damage they cause.

http://druglessdoctor.com/food/non-dr-bob-approved/trans-fat/the-adhd-and-trans-fat-link/ (Retrieved 11-14-13) writes something similar:

This is issue with ADHD and depression: The brain sends messages on a layer of fat called the Myelin Sheath. I want you to think of your nerves as wires. The copper in the wires, where the electric charges flow over, would be similar to the fat in the nerves. The configuration of a “normal” fat molecule is C shaped. The C’s connect with each other and become cell membranes; the C’s flip-flop back and forth to make a chain or linked fence. Can you imagine trying to connect C’s and T’s? This will confuse the body.

 

Trans fat or partially hydrogenated fats do just that to the body. The T-shaped Trans Fat (which is how it got its name) because of the T or twisted molecule cannot interlock with the C’s creating a “short circuit” in the body’s ability to send messages.

An article in Psychology Today http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/prime-your-gray-cells/201109/the-skinny-brain-fats (Retrieved 11-18-13) would argue for trans fats being a problem:

 

Here are two reasons you may want to ban trans fats from your diet:

1. Trans fat works against your brain by disrupting the production of energy in the mitochondria (the energy factories) of brain cells.

2. When your diet is high in trans fatty acids and low in omega-3 fatty acids, your brain absorbs twice as many trans fatty acids.

It is interesting to me that trans fats disrupt the “energy factories” of the brain cells and a common way of treating ADHD is to give children a stimulant drug like Ritalin.

Those looking to avoid trans fats have to be careful. Manufacturers are well aware of some members of the population avoiding trans fats. WebMD posts http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/understanding-trans-fats?page=2 (Retrieved 11-14-13) this on the issue:

 

Reach for the product whose label shouts "0 Trans Fats!" and what do you get? Maybe some trans fats. That's because the FDA allows that label on anything with 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.

 

As a result, keep in mind this advice:

 

1. Even if you're a conscientious shopper, it's easy to ingest a significant amount of trans fats without knowing it. A bowl of "trans-fat-free" cereal (that actually contains half a gram) plus a slice of birthday cake at the office and some microwave popcorn in the evening add up quickly.

 

2. Get in the habit of reading nutrition labels, the ones headed "Nutrition Facts."Look at all the fats listed there. Keep in mind that saturated fat is also unhealthy. If the label lists Trans Fat as 0 g, look at the Ingredients List for the words "partially hydrogenated." Any oil that is partially hydrogenated is a trans fat. So a single serving of cookies could have as much as a half gram of trans fat and be labeled "0 Trans Fats." Be aware, too, that often a "single serving" is often less than an average person eats.

Is the reason they have a single serving as less than an average person eats to get the serving size at a half gram of trans fat?

According to http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/understanding-trans-fats?page=2 (Retrieved 11-14-13),here are some common foods that manufactures use trans fats in:

· Cookies, crackers, cakes, muffins, pie crusts, pizza dough, and breads such as hamburger buns

· Some stick margarine and vegetable shortening

· Pre-mixed cake mixes, pancake mixes, and chocolate drink mixes

· Fried foods, including donuts, French fries, chicken nuggets, and hard taco shells

· Snack foods, including chips, candy, and packaged or microwave popcorn

· Frozen dinners

Health.com lists these as the 22 worst foods for trans fats: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20533295,00.html

The avoiding of trans fats may be of particular importance to a newborn child. The child’s brain grows from 25% of its adult weight at birth to 80% of its adult weight at the age of 3. That’s a lot of growing in three years! (For comparison, boys at age 3 average only about 31 lbs – less than 20% of their adult weight.)

While eliminating trans fats from your children’s diet is advised by many. It may also be advisable for adults to rid themselves of such as well.

 

Like saturated or animal fats, trans fats contribute to clogged arteries. Clogged arteries are a sign of heart disease; they increase your risk of both heart attack and stroke. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/trans-fats-science-and-risks (Retrieved 11-18-13)

 

The science that shows that trans fats increase LDL cholesterol levels is outstanding and very strong. All evidence is pointing in the same direction," Lichtenstein tells WebMD. [Alice H. Lichtenstein, Dsc, professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Boston]

 

In the Nurse's Health Study, women who consumed the greatest amount of trans fats in their diet had a 50% higher risk of heart attack compared to women who consumed the least.

Some researchers suspect that trans fats also increase blood levels of two other artery-clogging compounds -- a fat-protein particle called lipoprotein(a) and blood fats called triglycerides.

Equally worrisome, population studies indicate that trans fats may raise the risk of diabetes. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston suggest that replacing trans fats in the diet with polyunsaturated fats (such as vegetable oils, salmon, etc.) can reduce diabetes risk by as much as 40%.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/trans-fats-science-and-risks?page=2 (Retrieved 11-18-13)

It is nice to hear trans fats are being phased out of foods. As noted above, they MIGHT be contributing to ADHD. According to http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/08/health/fda-trans-fats.html?_r=0 the FDA say eliminating them may save 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths each year. It may also help some kids pay attention too!

Counselor Notes 11

November 15, 2013

Food Additives, Dyes, and ADHD

Recently in the news that Kraft is removing food coloring from some of its macaroni and cheese: http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/01/health/kraft-macaroni-cheese-dyes/. It seems that some members of the United States took exception to Kraft putting items in food for children here when those very items are banned in Europe.

Do food dyes (and additives) contribute to ADHD? Perhaps. The Center for Science in the Public Interest http://www.cspinet.org/fooddyes/ says:

Commonly used food dyes, such as Yellow 5, Red 40, and six others, are made from petroleum and pose a “rainbow of risks.” Those risks include hyperactivity in children, cancer (in animal studies), and allergic reactions. In 2008, because of the problem of hyperactivity, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of these dyes. The British government and European Union have taken actions that are virtually ending the use of dyes throughout Europe.

On September 24, 2007, Time Magazine (p. 68) looked at a British study on food dyes and additives and reported that:

“A carefully designed study published in the British journal the Lancet shows that a variety of common food dyes and the preservative sodium benzoate--an ingredient in many soft drinks, fruit juices and salad dressings--do cause some kids to become measurably more hyperactive and distractable."

 

“Stevenson [Professor at England’s University of Southampton] found that children in both groups were significantly more hyperactive when drinking the beverage with the higher level of additives.”

 

“Some kids got revved up after consuming the amount of food dye contained in two 2-oz. (57 g) bags of candy – hardly a mega-dose.”

 

It isn’t like children are only getting a tiny amount of additives either:

The Food & Drug Administration has estimated that the average child consumes between 150 mg and 300 mg of additives per day in processes food, beverages, and candy. This level is three to four times the amount used in some clinical trials that had caused hyperactive behavior to worsen in children.” (p. 92) From The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution by Marcia Zimmerman ISBN# 0-8050-6128-2

 

Still, we can’t say food dyes/additives will be the culprit in all cases of ADHD. As the British study noted “… some children responded strongly and others not at all.” (Time Magazine, 10-24-07, p. 68)

This leaves parents to play the detective and see what they find may impact their child. I would encourage parents to consult with a nutritionist before doing anything extreme. Nashville has several: http://nutritionists.healthprofs.com/cam/state/Tennessee.html

Parents looking at food dyes and additives being a contributor to ADHD may also wish to look into:

The 8 foods that are banned in Europe but companies legally package to be fed to children in the United States. http://blog.aarp.org/2013/06/25/8-foods-we-eat-that-other-countries-ban/ lists them as:

1. Artificially colored food made with dyes derived from petroleum and coal tar. Yellow 5, Red 40 and six others dyes — used to enhance products from Froot Loops to Nutri-Grain cereal bars — are called the“rainbow of risk” by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. They are banned in Norway, Finland, France, Austria and the U.K.

2. Chicken with arsenic. Arsenic in chicken feed cuts down on parasites, makes chickens grow faster and gives their meat more color. It also gives the chicken we eat higher levels of arsenic, known to cause lung, bladder and skin cancers, a study last month by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore found. Arsenic-laced feed is banned in the European Union.

3. Drinks with brominated vegetable oil (BVO). Bromine is a chemical used to keep carpets from catching fire, among other things, so why is it in our food? PepsiCo is removing it from Gatorade but keeping it in Mountain Dew. BVO is banned in more than 100 countries.

4. Breads with potassium bromate, used in bromated flour to make bread products rise higher and faster. Found in rolls, bagel chips, bread crumbs and flatbreads, potassium bromate has been linked to thyroid and kidney cancers in lab animals. It has been banned in Europe, Canada and China. California declared it a carcinogen in 1991.

5. Frozen dinners with azodicarbonamide. This is used to bleach and stabilize flour and also to make foamed plastic products like yoga mats and sneakers. Found in frozen TV dinners, packaged baked goods and some breads, it has been associated with inducing asthma. It is banned in Australia, the U.K. and most European countries.

6. Food preserved with BHA and BHT. These preservatives are added to cereal, nut mixes, gum, butter, meat and dehydrated potatoes to keep them from turning rancid. The debate over their safety has been going on in the U.S. for years. Meanwhile, they’re banned in the U.K., Japan and many European countries.

7. Milk with rBGH and rBST, also known as bovine growth hormones. Synthetic hormones, these are given to cows and therefore found in milk and other dairy products (unless the label specifically says otherwise). They have been linked to cancer and infertility and are banned in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and the European Union.

8. Chips with Olestra or Olean, a fat substitute used in fat-free chips, like Ruffles Wow. Olestra and Olean can produce cramps and leaky bowels and are banned in the U.K. and Canada.

10 American foods that are banned in other countries: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/10/banned-foods.aspx

WebMD weighing in on food dyes and ADHD: http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/food-dye-adhd

Here is a good site on what foods are likely to contain additives the may impact ADHD: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20439038,00.html

Doug Muha Ed.S

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

P.S. The prevalence of ADHD in children in Europe is under 5% according to: http://www.adhd-institute.com/burden-of-adhd/epidemiology/ Our own CDC http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.htmlThe notes that in the U.S. in 2007 “Parents report that approximately 9.5% of children 4-17 years of age (5.4 million) have been diagnosed with ADHD.” I do not expect the rate has been going down in the last few years either.

Counselor Notes 10

October 21, 2013

Attention Disorders Exist

Welcome to the first edition of Counselor Notes for the 2013 - 2014 school year. I have allocated the whole year to addressing the issue of attention problems. This means a lot of material on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (though I would add that not all problems with attention stem from ADHD).

Those parents that are hopeful that I can provide a simple way of eliminating attention problems may as well stop reading now. I don’t have any simple answers. I would expect though that the information I will send out this year would help minimize issues. Unfortunately, completely eliminating a true case of ADHD is not something that I can do. (Other cases misdiagnosed as ADHD there can often be a lot done for.)

Children didn't ask to have these challenges though so let’s hang in there.

For this issue, I want to establish that there really is such a thing as attention deficit disorder. I know there are those that say the whole issue with attention problems is generated by the drug companies. Well, I for one would have to differ with that. There is something going on with far too many children these days. In my mind there are a host of factors that contribute to it. (More on them later.) At this point I would seek to establish that the disorder exists and there are actual measurable brain differences for kids who get lumped into the ADHD group. It is going to contain a good bit of biology and technical terms, but you don’t really need to understand all that to come to see there really is something going on. Here's my argument:

Dr. Daniel Amen did single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) on people with ADHD. (SPECT is a “nuclear medicine study that evaluates brain blood flow and activity patterns.” Amen, p. 44) Amen found that there were six distinct types of brain scans (Healing ADD by Daniel Amen, M.D. p. 61 – 66):

1. Classic ADD – normal brain at rest, but when concentrating, there is “decreased activity in the underside and lateral prefrontal cortex.”
2. Inattentive ADD – normal brain at rest, but there is “decreased activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex” during periods of concentration.
3. Overfocused ADD (“trouble shifting attention, frequently gets stuck in “loops of negative thoughts or behaviors, obsessiveness, excessive worrying, inflexibility, frequent oppositional and argumentative behavior.”) - “at rest and during concentration there is increased activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus. During concentration there is also decreased activity in the underside and lateral prefrontal cortex.”
4. Temporal Lobe ADD ('inattentiveness, irritability, aggressiveness, dark thoughts, mood instability, learning problems, inattention and impulsivity.”) - “at rest and during concentration, there is decreased and infrequently increased) activity in the temporal lobes. During concentration there is also decreased activity in the underside and lateral prefrontal cortex.”
5. Limbic ADD (inattentiveness, chronic low-grade depression, negativity, 'glass-half-empty' syndrome, low energy, and frequent feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness.”) - “at rest there is increased deep limbic activity (thalamus and hypothalamus) and decreased activity in the underside and lateral prefrontal cortex. During concentration there remains increased deep limbic activity and decreased prefrontal cortex activity.”
6. Ring Of Fire ADD (Inattentiveness, extreme distractibility, anger, irritability, oversensitivity, moodiness, hyperverbal, and extreme opposition) - “at rest and during concentration (often worse during concentration) there is patchy increased uptake across the cerebal cortex with focal areas of increased activity, especially in the left and right partial lobes, left and right temporal lobes, and left and right prefrontal cortex. In addition there is often increased activity in the cingulate gyrus.”

If there was noting going on then these types would not have similar brain scans. There is more though.Ten days ago, this article was in the news also indicating brain differences: http://www.healthline.com/health-news/mental-brain-scans-reveal-differences-in-ADHD-subtypes-101113

Harvard Medical School’s Edward Hallowell M.D. and John Ratey, M.D. write in Delivered From Distraction:

• “…ADD is associated with slight but significant differences in specific regions of the brain.” (p. xxxv)

• “Four different studies done in the past decade using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) all found a slight reduction in the size of four regions of the brain: the corpus callosum, the basal ganglia, the frontal lobes, and the cerebellar vemis…. The frontal lobes help with organization, time management, and decision making, all areas that people with ADD struggle with. The basal ganglia help to regulate moods and control impulsive outbursts, which people with ADD also struggle with. And the cerebellum helps with balance, rhythm, coordinated movements, language and other as yet to be proven functions.” (p. 8)

• “…PET (positron emission tomography) scan study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed differences in glucose metabolism in the brains of adults who had ADD compared to adults who did not.” (p. 55)

• “In patients with ADHD, parts of the cerebellum are smaller in volume and don’t function properly, so it makes sense that this could cause disjointed attention.” (p. 151)

• “The molecule that transports dopamine is called DAT, which stands for dopamine transporter…. Using a brain scan and a radioactively labeled molecule called altropane, scientists have measured the concentration of DAT in adults who have ADD and adults who do not.” (p. 154)

• “DAT turned out to be 70% higher in adults who have ADD than in those who did not.” (p. 154) Note: “High levels of DAT are also associated with a high risk for developing addictions of various kinds.” (p. 154)

Carla Hannaford Ph.D. writes in Smart Moves that:

“PET scans of children who were labeled ADD and ADHD showed substantially lower dopamine levels and smaller brain volumes than normal children, particularly in the gray matter in the right front area having to do with movement and integration of ideas. Also, two regions in the front of the corpus callosum were found to be smaller in these children: one region connects to the part of the brain involved in suppressing the impulse to fidget, the other activates the proper production of dopamine.” (p. 220 – 221

I also once went to a conference on ADHD where the presenter (Marilyn Thatcher Ph.D.) noted that a true ADHD person has:

· an average of 10% less total brain volume than normal (Note: the brain volume difference doesn't mean that they are unintelligent though - remember Einstein had a rather small brain.)

· right hemisphere differences

· a reduced hippocampus volume

· atypical development of cerebella vermis.

For those interested, here are two good sites on the facts vs. myths of ADHD check out:

http://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/cf/slideshows/adhd-myths-vs-facts/sugar/?ap=825

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/19/12-adhd-myths-and-facts-p_n_785466.html#s185808

Last summer, Psychology Today had an interesting article on raising a child with a disability. The article focuses on a child with autism, though some of the stresses and strains on finances, marital relationships, etc. would overlap to a degree with parents of a A.D.H.D. child. It is worth reading: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201306/love-in-the-time-autism

We have parent – teacher conferences this week from 3:30 to 6:30 on Tuesday and Thursday. I will be in Room 405 (green striped hall, past the cafeteria) if any parent should wish to see me.

Please feel free to email these notes to people you think might find them of use.

If you wish to be taken off this mailing list, please email me

Next issue, I am going to launch into a series of notes on diet and attention. It will be of a similar “flavor” to this email. I have heard an unconfirmed report that Eden's Bounty (Waverly Court Square) will have a speaker from NY discussing using diet to help control ADHD symptoms tomorrow at 6:30. This is unconfirmed. I will send along more information tomorrow (if the presentation time & topic are confirmed).

Stay tuned!

Counselor Notes 9

May 9, 2013

Vision and Attention

Most parents are well aware of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). What many parents aren't aware of however is that undetected vision problems have many of the same symptoms as ADHD. A typical eye exam does NOT check for all the things that go into vision and thus even a child with 20/20 eyesight could have undiagnosed vision problems.

I have been reading the book Eye Power by Ann Hoopes and Stanley Appelbaum on this subject. I would encourage all parents of children who seem to have some issues with learning disabilities, attention, and/or hyperactivity to check into this book. It may be that some (or all) of your child’s symptoms can be ameliorated with vision therapy.

Here are some notes from the book:

“Millions of people do not realize they have vision problems because they've been told they have good eyesight, or they wear corrective eyeglasses or lenses. They do not realize that eyesight and vision are not the same. That their ‘ADHD’ symptoms, reluctance to read, ‘tension’ headaches, ‘counting the pages’ when they read, fear of driving at night, problems looking people in the eye, or even fidgeting, may well be vision problems, not eyesight problems. P.1

“What few people realize – including many doctors – is that most common ADHD symptoms are identical to visual performance problems. Inattentive behaviors such as making careless mistakes and distractability, and hyperactive behavior such as fidgeting or interrupting others are just a few of the symptoms of vision problems that match ADHD problems.” P. 3

“Another 2005 study published in the journal; Strabisumus established a direct link between ADHD and CI.” P. 4 (CI is convergence insufficiency, a vision problem)

“Vision development is often delayed in children with ADHD, seizure disorders, cerebral palsy, autistic behaviors, or pervasive development disorders. Vision therapy is key for helping children build their sensory skills for better learning and function in the activities of daily living.” P. 7

“… over 80% of learning takes place through the visual system.” P. 9

“The 20/20 eyesight test measures how clearly you can see – it does not measure your visual function, and does not test your ability to see at closer distances, such as for reading and computer work. It does not tell you if you have headaches with reading, double vision, or visual stamina. The test was developed in the 1800’s by an eye doctor, Dr. Herman Snellen. This old fashioned chart also does not evaluate many other important aspects of normal vision such as eye focusing, eye coordination, focus stamina, eye teaming (binocular vision), eye movement, visual perceptual skills, and color vision. This means that though you might not need eyeglasses to see clearly, you still could have a vision problem.” P. 12

 

Clearly there is something for parents of children with ADHD and other learning problems to look into. I encourage you to check out the Eye Power book ($19). Even better would be to use the summer break to schedule a screening with an eye doctor that specializes in vision therapy. There are at least three in our region:

1. Dr. Paula Johnson in Jackson (http://www.johnsonvision.com/ 731-660-1100)

2. Dr. Daxx Dunn in Cool Springs (http://drdaxxdunn.com/ 615-771-2550)

3. Dr. Christina Danley in Franklin (http://center4vision.vpweb.com/?prefix=www 615-791-5766)

I hope it helps!

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 8

December 2012

ADHD

A few "housekeeping items":

• Last year I noted the stomach as essentially a second brain: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/11/28/your-guide-to-digestive-health/

• Advocated for probiotics:

• Warned against high fructose corn syrup: http://video.foxnews.com/v/2005507916001/researchers-link-high-fructose-corn-syrup-to-diabetes-rise

• Someone asked about helping a child who is a bit “shy”: http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/child-rearing-and-development/8-ways-help-shy-child

• In Guidance class, 1st through 3rd grades are now through the cigarettes and alcohol prevention lessons. I know that usually creates a bit of awkwardness for some parents who do choose to smoke and are asked about it by their child. I hope these parents take the opportunity to talk to your child/children about tobacco. http://www.life123.com/parenting/tweens-teens/effects-of-smoking/talking-to-kids-about-smoking.shtml

Attention Problems In Children

For the rest of this letter and the next few I want to address attention problems in children. This gets controversial as I know some say it is just the doctors doling out medication or teachers expecting too much too soon, but as a collective whole, children really are having more attention problems than in the past.

When you work in a school system you get to see an awful lot of kids. The children with some type of attention problem are really standing out. The hyperactive ones are going to be blatantly obvious. The inattentive ones aren't going to show up as much until there are tasks/demands placed upon them.

 

There may be a multitude of causes (diet, toxins, anxiety, home life, sleep disorders, food allergies, too many immunizations too soon, genetics, etc.) but it does seem to me that there is something going on.

 

Let me make the case for ADHD actually existing:

Dr. Daniel Amen did single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) on people with ADHD. (SPECT is a “nuclear medicine study that evaluates brain blood flow and activity patterns.” Amen, p. 44) Amen found that there were six distinct types of brain scans (Healing ADD by Daniel Amen, M.D. p. 61 – 66):

1. Classic ADD – normal brain at rest, but when concentrating, there is “decreased activity in the underside and lateral prefrontal cortex.”

2. Inattentive ADD – normal brain at rest, but there is “decreased activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex” during periods of concentration.

3. Overfocused ADD (“trouble shifting attention, frequently gets stuck in “loops of negative thoughts or behaviors, obsessiveness, excessive worrying, inflexibility, frequent oppositional and argumentative behavior.”) - “at rest and during concentration there is increased activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus. During concentration there is also decreased activity in the underside and lateral prefrontal cortex.”

4. Temporal Lobe ADD ('inattentiveness, irritability, aggressiveness, dark thoughts, mood instability, learning problems, inattention and impulsivity.”) - “at rest and during concentration, there is decreased and infrequently increased) activity in the temporal lobes. During concentration there is also decreased activity in the underside and lateral prefrontal cortex.”

5. Limbic ADD (inattentiveness, chronic low-grade depression, negativity, 'glass-half-empty' syndrome, low energy, and frequent feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness.”) - “at rest there is increased deep limbic activity (thalamus and hypothalamus) and decreased activity in the underside and lateral prefrontal cortex. During concentration there remains increased deep limbic activity and decreased prefrontal cortex activity.”

6. Ring Of Fire ADD (Inattentiveness, extreme distractibility, anger, irritability, oversensitivity, moodiness, hyperverbal, and extreme opposition) - “at rest and during concentration (often worse during concentration) there is patchy increased uptake across the cerebal cortex with focal areas of increased activity, especially in the left and right partial lobes, left and right temporal lobes, and left and right prefrontal cortex. In addition there is often increased activity in the cingulate gyrus.”

Harvard Medical School’s Edward Hallowell M.D. and John Ratey, M.D. write in Delivered From Distraction:

• “…ADD is associated with slight but significant differences in specific regions of the brain.” (p. xxxv)

• “Four different studies done in the past decade using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) all found a slight reduction in the size of four regions of the brain: the corpus callosum, the basal ganglia, the frontal lobes, and the cerebellar vemis…. The frontal lobes help with organization, time management, and decision making, all areas that people with ADD struggle with. The basal ganglia help to regulate moods and control impulsive outbursts, which people with ADD also struggle with. And the cerebellum helps with balance, rhythm, coordinated movements, language and other as yet to be proven functions.” (p. 8)

• “…PET (positron emission tomography) scan study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed differences in glucose metabolism in the brains of adults who had ADD compared to adults who did not.” (p. 55)

• “In patients with ADHD, parts of the cerebellum are smaller in volume and don’t function properly, so it makes sense that this could cause disjointed attention.” (p. 151)

• “The molecule that transports dopamine is called DAT, which stands for dopamine transporter…. Using a brain scan and a radioactively labeled molecule called altropane, scientists have measured the concentration of DAT in adults who have ADD and adults who do not.” (p. 154)

• “DAT turned out to be 70% higher in adults who have ADD than in those who did not.” (p. 154) Note: “High levels of DAT are also associated with a high risk for developing addictions of various kinds.” (p. 154

Carla Hannaford Ph.D. writes in Smart Moves that:

“PET scans of children who were labeled ADD and ADHD showed substantially lower dopamine levels and smaller brain volumes than normal children, particularly in the gray matter in the right front area having to do with movement and integration of ideas. Also, two regions in the front of the corpus callosum were found to be smaller in these children: one region connects to the part of the brain involved in suppressing the impulse to fidget, the other activates the proper production of dopamine.” (p. 220 – 221)

I also once went to a conference on ADHD where the presenter (Marilyn Thatcher Ph.D.) noted that a true ADHD person has:

• • an average of 10% less total brain volume than normal (Note: the brain volume difference doesn't mean that they are unintelligent though - remember Einstein had a rather small brain.)

  • right hemisphere differences

  • a reduced hippocampus volume

  • atypical development of cerebella vermis.

I found this interesting as well:

http://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/cf/slideshows/10-medical-conditions-that-share-symptoms-with-add-adhd/getting-an-accurate-diagnosis/?ap=825

 

Counselor Notes 7

April 27, 2012

Pollution

With Earth Day having been this past Sunday, I though I would devote this issue of Counselor Notes to the problem of pollution and children. For as you will see, pollution impacts children in ways that affects their education. Even children who are not directly impacted by the pollution discussed here, are impacted as time and energy of school personnel are directed to those have needs caused by the adverse affects of pollution.

 

POLLUTION IN PEOPLE

 

“A comprehensive survey of more than 1300 Americans has found traces of weed and bug killers in the bodies of everyone tested....” (Note: survey was done by the Center For Disease Control)

- Tennessean 5-22-04 pg. 15A

 

“...99% of Americans, including virtually all children born in recent years, have DDT residues.”

-Tennessean 5-22-04 pg. 15A

 

On May 17, 2010 on the CNN web page, there was an article linking ADHD to pesticides: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/05/17/pesticides.adhd/index.html?hpt=Sbin

 

Pesticides are known to hurt IQ:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/23/pesticides-pregnancy_n_852785.html

 

“The Environmental Working Group and Commonwealth in cooperation with New York’s Mount Sinai School of Community Medicine conducted one study called Body Burden: The Pollution In People. The study analyzed the blood and urine levels of nine volunteers for 200 environmental chemicals. …the average number of chemicals found was 91. Of the chemicals found in Baltz’s (a 49 year old senior research associate for a Catholic social action agency in Berkley, CA) body:

-56 can affect the male reproductive system.

-61 can cause cancer.

-65 can cause birth defects.

-68 can affect hormones.

-73 can affect the brain and nervous system.

-64 can affect the respiratory system.

-68 can affect the digestive system.”

- The Tennessean 8-12-2003, pg. 1D & 8D

 

“Only a quarter of the 82,000 chemicals in use in the U.S. Have ever been tested for toxicity.”

- National Geographic October 2006 pg. 122

 

"Regulators have no health and safety data whatsoever on about 85 percent of the tens of thousands of industrial chemicals in widespread use." - Newsweek, April 26, 2010, p. 56

 

ADDITIONAL POLLUTION IF MOM SMOKED

 

Cigarette smoke contains at least 109 toxic chemicals including: lead, mercury, arsenic, carbon monoxide, aluminum, hydrogen cyanide (gas chamber poison), and DDT/Dieldrin.

-Arizona Smokers’ Helpline

- http://www.ashline.org/cigarette_smoke.html

 

“Mothers who smoke during pregnancy may be increasing the odds that their children will eventually become criminals. Three recently published longitudinal studies have added to a growing body of evidence linking prenatal smoking with central nervous system damage, drug abuse, and behavior problems in children….. Those mothers who had smoked during pregnancy were more than twice as likely as the sons of nonsmokers to have committed a violent crime, or a series of nonviolent crimes as adults…. In (a different) study, the likelihood of son’s having committed a violent crime in adulthood increased in proportion to the number of cigarettes the mother had smoked during pregnancy”

-Family Therapy Networker Sept/Oct. 1999. pg. 12-13

 

“In a study released in June 2000, Dr. Needleman (a professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh) found that juvenile delinquents had significantly higher levels of lead in their bones than non-delinquent youths.”

- Jaquelyn McCandless - Children With Starving Brains, p. 23

 

“About one-third of attention deficit cases among U.S. children may be linked with tobacco smoke before birth or lead exposure afterwards....” - Tennessean 9-19-06 pg. 5A

 

Cigarette smoke and lead exposure are indicated as one cause of ADHD. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,214523,00.html

 

On 3-15-99 USA Today ran a story about a study that found "male children born to women who smoke during pregnancy run a risk of violent and criminal behavior that lasts well into adulthood, perhaps due to central nervous system damage...." (p. D4)

 

It says: "Mothers who smoked more than half a pack of cigarettes daily during pregnancy were significantly more likely to have a child with conduct disorder (odds ratio, 4.4; P = .001) than mothers who did not smoke during pregnancy. This association was statistically significant when controlling for socioeconomic status, maternal age, parental antisocial personality, substance abuse during pregnancy, and maladaptive parenting. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal smoking during pregnancy appears to be a robust independent risk factor for conduct disorder in male offspring. Maternal smoking during pregnancy may have direct adverse effects on the developing fetus or be a marker for a heretofore unmeasured characteristic of mothers that is of etiologic significance conduct disorder." http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/54/7/670

 

 

THE PROBLEM WITH MERCURY POLLUTION

 

“Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can cause permanent damage to the brain and central nervous system, especially among young children. In pregnant women, mercury can pass through the placenta and harm the fetus.”

– www.checnet.org/healthehouse/chemicals/chemicals-detail.asp?Main_ID=472

 

“One in six U.S. Women of childbearing age have unsafe levels of mercury in their bodies for developing fetus, and 45 states want pregnant women to limit fish consumption from their waters.”

-National Wildlife Magazine Aug/Sept 2005 pg. 34

 

In the January 2012 Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency fish consumption advisory, there is a precautionary advisory for eating smallmouth bass from parts of the Duck River and largemouth bass from parts of the Buffalo River both due to mercury contamination. http://www.tnfish.org/ContaminantsInFishAdvisories_TWRA/FishFleshConsumptionAdvisories_TWRA.htm

 

“It looks as though being pregnant sort of protects the mother because the fetus takes up some of the mercury reducing the mother's exposure.”

- Bernard Weiss, Toxicologist at U. of Rochester in Nat. Wildlife Mag. June/July 1997 pg. 20

 

“For fetuses, infants and children, the primary health effects of mercury are on neurological development. Even low levels of mercury exposure such as result from mother's consumption methylmercury in dietary sources can adversely affect the brain and nervous system. Impacts on memory, attention, language and other skills have been found in children exposed to moderate levels in the womb.” (Note: Mercury is changed to the highly toxic methlymercury by bacteria in water.)

- http://heartspring.net/mercury_poison_symptoms.html .

 

“Plants that produce electricity from coal release 48 tons of mercury in the air each year....”

- Tennessean 3-16-05 Pg. 8A

 

“... coal-fired plants in the U.S. Produce 48 tons of mercury a year - 40% of the nation's total output, by some estimates.” (Nation's total would then be 240,000 pounds of mercury per year.)

- Time Magazine 9-11-06 pg. 68

 

In April 2005, the “Bush Administration announced weak mercury emissions standards for coal-fired power plants, the leading U.S. emitter of mercury. While states such as Massachusetts and New Hampshire are toughening their rules for the pollutant, the administration's new regulations will delay the national mercury reductions for several decades.”

- National Wildlife Magazine Aug/Sept 2005 pg. 34

 

“Amalgam dental fillings by weight are about 50% mercury.....”

- Tennessean 9-8-06 pg. 6A

 

“Dental fillings are an important source of mercury contamination. Amalgam fillings release microscopic particles and vapors of mercury. This shedding of mercury is increased by chewing and by drinking hot liquids. Those vapors are absorbed by tooth roots, mucous membranes of the mouth and gums and are inhaled and swallowed, thereby reaching the esophagus, stomach, and intestine. University of Calgary researchers report 10% of amalgam mercury eventually accumulates in body organs.”

- Jaquelyn McCandless M.D. - Children With Starving Brains, p. 58

 

“... people with amalgam fillings have four to five times as much mercury in their blood and urine as people without such filings.”

- Jaquelyn McCandless M.D. - Children With Starving Brains, p. 58

 

 

THE TOXIC LOAD OF CHILDREN

 

“Sexual development in the growing fetus may be as sensitive as the brain to the toxic effects. When certain chemicals bind to hormone receptors, they can interfere with the work of natural hormones in signaling the body to develop male and female organs. When that happens, studies in the laboratory and in the wild have shown that any number of reproductive disorders can result. These chemicals include PCB's, dioxins and many pesticides.”

- National Wildlife Magazine June/July 1997 pg. 25

 

“A recent study finds that babies come into this world pre-polluted, with an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in the umbilical cord blood.”

- Tennessean 8-23-05 pg. 1D

 

“Not only are kids' metabolisms faster than those of adults, babies don't excrete contaminants or store them away in fat the same way adults do. That means babies get continuous exposure at a time when all of their organs, including their brains are still developing.”

- National Wildlife Magazine June/July 1997 pg. 24

 

“In an adult, the blood brain barrier insulates the brain from many of the potentially harmful chemicals circulating through the body. But in a human child, that barrier isn't fully developed until six months after birth.”

- National Wildlife Magazine June/July 1997 pg. 24

 

“A key finding was that children have higher levels of many industrial chemicals than adults do. That is especially troubling because of the sensitivity and vulnerability of children.” (Report cited is the Center for Disease Control's “National Report of Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals.)

- Tennessean 8-12-03 pg. 8D

 

“Not only can the young get heftier proportional doses of pollutants because of their small sizes and fast metabolisms, the exposures can also impede development of rapidly growing bodies.”

-National Wildlife Magazine June/July 1997 pg. 19

 

“Not long ago, scientists considered cancer to be the main threat from exposure to toxics. Now there is a new understanding that poisons can affect the young's immune systems, brains and reproductive organs – again, not only in wildlife, but in humans.”

- National Wildlife Magazine June/July 1997 pg. 20

 

“Because women mobilize a lot of body fat during pregnancy to provide nourishment for their growing babies, the contaminants in their fat are passed to the children....”

- National Wildlife Magazine June/July 1997 pg. 24

 

Car pollution inhaled by pregnant women is linked to ADHD:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120322100211.htm

http://www.mentalhealthy.co.uk/news/1592-prenatal-exposure-to-pollutants-linked-to-attention-disorders-in-children.html

 

 

BOYS HAVE IT WORSE

 

“For every girl affected (with autism, Asperger’s disorder, or Pediatric developmental delay) three to seven boys were ....”

- USA Today Feb. 9-11, 2007 edition, pg. 1A

 

Boys diagnosed with ADHD outnumber girls by a 3:1 ratio.

- Nelson & Israel – Behavior Disorders of Childhood (6th Ed)

 

“... a boy is four times more likely to be referred to a school psychologist than is a girl.” - Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson in Raising Cain, p. 32

 

“Yet even though many health statistics have been improving over the past few decades, a few illnesses are rising mysteriously. From the early 1980's through the late 1990's, autism increased tenfold, from the early 1970's through the mid-1990's, one type of leukemia was up 62%, MALE birth defects doubles, and childhood brain cancer was up 40%. Some experts suspect a link to the man-made chemicals that pervade our food, water, and air. There's little firm evidence. But, over the years, one chemical after another that was thought to be harmless turned out otherwise once the facts were in.”

- National Geographic October 2006 pg. 122

 

“... in Western Minnesota – where wheat, sugar beet and potato farmers rely on insecticides, herbicides and other pesticides to protect their crops – children of farm families had significantly higher rates of birth defects than the state's general population.

The highest rates were among children conceived in the spring when spraying was most intense. And researchers found another oddity: male babies had far more birth defects than girls.”

- National Wildlife Magazine June/July 1997 pg. 20

 

In 1979 there was an explosion in Seveso, Italy. Dioxin spewed into the environment. Two weeks later 755 people were evacuated. In the following 8 years, the women of that area gave birth to 48 girls and 26 boys. “The parents with the highest levels of dioxin had daughters, but no sons at all. Perhaps, theorized University of Milan clinical pathologist Paolo Mocarelli last fall in the British medical journal The Lancelot, dioxin interferes with hormonal balances in developing embryos, either making normal male growth impossible or killing males.”

- National Wildlife Magazine June/July 1997 pg. 18

 

“In 1980, the double crested cormorants of the Great Lakes of the United States were being born with crossed bills. “Hatchlings with the deformity were almost always female, and scientists speculate the same chemical that caused the crossed bill also were killing the males before they hatched.”

- National Wildlife Magazine June/July 1997 pg. 18

(Okay, this isn't talking about humans, but I found it interesting that once again it was males that were being most adversely affected by pollution.)

 

“The 9/11 attacks have had myriad long-term consequences for Americans across the country. But the aftermath of the 2001 tragedy took a surprising toll on pregnant women -- by causing them to miscarry a disproportionate number of male fetuses.”…. “Experts speculate that male fetuses are more sensitive to female stress hormones. When a pregnant woman experiences some sort of crisis -- whether personal or not -- her male baby is more vulnerable to be miscarried.”

- http://www.aolnews.com/science/article/study-finds-more-male-babies-miscarried-in-aftermath-of-911-terror-attacks/19488786

 

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 6

March 30, 2012

Soda

Many people heard the news story about Coke and Pepsi changing their coloring to avoid having to put a warning label on their product. (See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/mar/09/coke-pepsi-recipe-change-avoid-cancer-warning ) While that may be a good thing, parents should still take a close look at soda before allowing their children to use it for more than an occasional treat. (It does seem that as a nation we are using it for more than an occasional treat.) We may even want to reconsider our own soda consumption. Here are some things to think about as you steer your child's (children's) and your own drink choices:

“In the 1950's, children drank 3 cups of milk for every 1 cup of sugary drinks. Today that ratio is reversed: 3 cups of sugary drinks for every cup of milk.” http://www.prevention.com/health/diabetes/drinking-soda-4-reasons-stop-soda-consumption?page=4

 

Colas Contain Phosphoric Acid

Colas contain phosphoric acid which lowers the body levels of calcium, zinc and magnesium. - http://www.blisstree.com/healthbolt/what-happens-to-your-body-if-you-drink-a-coke-right-now/

Calcium:

• • “Calcium is a second messenger in neuronal membranes, which means it acts like a traffic signal for uptake and release of neurotransmitters.” (The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution by Marcia Zimmerman, p. 148)

  • “…calcium regulates the speed, intensity, and clarity of every message that passes between brain cells.” (The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution by Marcia Zimmerman, p. 148)

  • Calcium deficiency is associated with depression, anxiety, and insomnia. http://www.livestrong.com/article/91388-calcium-depression/

  • Increasing calcium intake may help with PMS. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122937831273108391.html

Zinc:

• • “On the basis of the evidence that vesicular zinc may be essential to the functions of the amygdala....” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11988235 The amygdala “is involved in the processing of emotions such as fear, anger and pleasure. The amygdala is also responsible for determining what memories are stored and where the memories are stored in the brain. It is thought that this determination is based on how huge an emotional response an event invokes http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/p/Amygdala.htm

Magnesium:

• • “Magnesium is by far the most important mineral in the body, activating over 300 different biochemical reactions in your body all necessary for your body to function properly.” http://www.bodyandfitness.com/Information/Health/Research/magnesium1.htm

  • Magnesium is “Imperative for heart health and normal blood pressure. Needed by nervous system, "Nature’s tranquilizer." Used in storage and utilization of energy. May be helpful in relieving asthma.” http://www.bodyandfitness.com/Information/Health/Research/magnesium1.htm

 

Sodas Contribute To Our Weight Issues

• • “... the odds of becoming obese increased 60% for each can or glass a day of sugar-sweetened soft drinks.” http://www.prevention.com/health/diabetes/drinking-soda-4-reasons-stop-soda-consumption?page=2

  • “... we're drinking 18 ounces of liquid candy daily, we're adding about 225 calories to our diet. Over the course of a month, that's almost 7,000 additional calories, which can easily translate to a 2 pound gain. Over a year, these drinks could be adding 24 pounds to our bottom line.” http://www.prevention.com/health/diabetes/drinking-soda-4-reasons-stop-soda-consumption?page=2

  • “Naturally, consuming extra calories from added sugar will lead to weight gain. But even diet soda may lead to unhealthy pounds. While the research is not yet conclusive, recent data demonstrated an association between regularly drinking diet soda and larger waist lines.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/14/soda-and-heart-attacks_n_1343163.html?1331729185&ref=health-fitness#s779402&title=Weight_Gain_

  • “… a 25-year look at health habits, study author Sharon Fowler, an epidemiologist at the center, found that the more diet sodas a person drank, the greater his or her risk of becoming overweight. “ http://www.prevention.com/health/diabetes/drinking-soda-4-reasons-stop-soda-consumption#ixzz1qSiCidyN

 

Sodas May Negatively Impact Heart Health

• • “… researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that drinking just one sugar-sweetened beverage a day was associated with a 20 percent bump in a man's risk of having a heart attack over a 22-year period. What's more, that risk increased along with the amount of sugary drinks consumed -- even after researchers controlled for other factors like family history, tobacco use and BMI.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/14/soda-and-heart-attacks_n_1343163.html?1331729185&ref=health-fitness

 

Most Sodas Contain High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

• • “A two liter bottle of soda has the equivalent of 56 cubes of sugar.” http://books.google.com/books?id=XccDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA162&lpg=PA162&dq=%E2%80%9CA+two+liter+bottle+of+soda+has+the+equivalent+of+56+cubes+of+sugar.%E2%80%9D&source=bl&ots=0gzEtw8pVP&sig=G9m-c0ehn16Gfn4qasY9HM5VSPY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fLBzT4L-E5Lsggfql4lo&sqi=2&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9CA%20two%20liter%20bottle%20of%20soda%20has%20the%20equivalent%20of%2056%20cubes%20of%20sugar.%E2%80%9D&f=false

  • High fructose corn syrup may alter the magnesium balance in the body. In one study of ADHD children, 95% were found to have low magnesium levels. (The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution by Marcia Zimmerman)

  • HFCS may “interference with the heart’s use of key minerals like magnesium, copper and chromium.” - http://www.healthy-eating-politics.com/high-fructose-corn-syrup.html

  • HFCS promotes obesity. http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

 

Soda Is Bad For Your Teeth

• • “Soda eats up and dissolves the tooth enamel,” says Poonam Jain, director of community dentistry at Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine….. In a series of studies, Jain tested various sodas by measuring their pH – an indication of acidity. Battery acid, for example has a pH of 1; water scores a 7. Jain found that sugar sweetened sodas came in at about 2.5, while diet sodas scored a 3.2.” http://www.prevention.com/health/diabetes/drinking-soda-4-reasons-stop-soda-consumption?page=3

  • “... adults who drink three or more sodas a day have up to 62% more decayed, missing and filled teeth than those who drink less.” http://www.prevention.com/health/diabetes/drinking-soda-4-reasons-stop-soda-consumption?page=3

 

Sodas Promote Diabetes

• • “A study released today in the journal Diabetes Care found that people with a daily habit of just one or two sugar-sweetened beverages—anything from sodas and energy drinks to sweetened teas and vitamin water—were more than 25 percent likelier to develop type 2 diabetes than were similar individuals who had no more than one sugary drink per month.” http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/diabetes/articles/2010/10/27/even-1-soda-a-day-can-hike-your-diabetes-risk

 

Sweeteners in Diet Soda MAY Be Unhealthy

• • At least one web site is reporting that when aspartame (a sweetener in many diet sodas) gets above 85 degrees F, that it changes into neurotoxic substances. This line of thinking questions whether aspartame plays a role in Gulf War Syndrome (the sodas got too hot out in the desert) See: http://aspartame.tripod.com/gulfwar.htm Other sites have it connected to some cases of breast cancer. http://www.naturalnews.com/021920.html

 

Those who really find it hard to give up their soda may want to consider whether or not they have an addiction. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/help-soda-lovers

 

Green Tea Is A Better Alternative

• • Those looking to decrease their soda intake may want to consider switching to green tea.

  • “People who drink 4 or more cups of green tea a day are 44% less likely to be depressed than those who sip it less often. Its amino acid theanine may spur the release of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin.” - Prevention Magazine, Sept 2010, p. 21

  • It may help with fighting cancer and heart disease, lowering cholesterol, preventing diabetes and stroke, and dementia. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-benefits-of-green-tea

  • It may help those with ADHD http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/14/tea-adhd_n_925962.html

  • For those that want to lose weight, “epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, was shown to increase fat oxidation by 33 percent.” http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/29/green-tea-extract-effective.aspx

  • Green tea may help with memory loss. Check out: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/10/041030144110.htm

  • This site (among others) makes some other claims about the health benefits of green tea: http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm

 

I love a good cola as much as the next person. (Probably more!) I am going to work hard to make it an occasional treat rather than a regular habit though.

 

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 5

February 29, 2012

Getting Enough Sleep

Last month's Counselor Notes focused on the importance of sleep. This month I am passing along a list of tips for getting a good night's rest. These are for both children and adults. Individuals should also consider if their / their child's condition warrants a consultation with a medical doctor. For those that don't need a doctor, here are some thoughts on how to improve your / your child's sleep:

 

1. Emotional Situations / Stress - unsettling things in a person’s life affect their quality of sleep. Practicing effective stress management can hep you sleep better. http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tips-reduce-stress

 

2. Exercise - the proper amount of exercise to tire (not exhaust!) the body is helpful in getting a good night sleep. Too much exercise too close to bed time may hinder a person trying to get to sleep. Exercise during the daylight hours and take things a bit easier at night. Outdoor exercise is better than the indoor type. A good cardiovascular workout is better than something like golf or bowling.

"A good night's sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. And you guessed it — physical activity is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. There's a caveat, however. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you may be too energized to fall asleep. If you're having trouble sleeping, you might want to exercise earlier in the day." http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676/NSECTIONGROUP=2

 

3. Home Environment - A room that is too hot or cold, too noisy or too brightly lit will all hinder getting to sleep. Have enough, but not too many blankets. Maintain a place conducive to sleep. I have heard that people usually sleep better when the room is between 60 & 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This of course assumes that the person is actually warm enough. (People tend to think better in a cold room too.)

 

4. Medication - a side effect of some medications is difficulty getting to sleep. Talk to your doctor about any medications and possible substitutes if the medication is affecting sleep. (Sleeping pills tend to diminish R.E.M. sleep and thus a person may wake up not feeling as rested.)

 

5. Pre-sleep Activities - Engaging in highly stimulating activities (ex// video games) or watching something too lively on television may also hinder sleep.

 

6. Routine - a regular bedtime and routine prior to getting ready for bed are helpful. Keep the same bedtime on the weekends as on the weekdays for children who have trouble getting to sleep.

 

7. Naps - sometimes napping during the day to catch up on sleep missed during the night causes sleep to be missed at night - consider eliminating naps. Of course if other things fail, consider taking a nap during the day to catch up on sleep missed during the night.

 

8. Caffeine - the half life of caffeine is somewhere between 6 and 8 hours. I heard once that more than 300 mg per day is going to impact individuals. (Sensitive individuals may be impacted at lower levels though.) From the Mayo Clinic:

· "... some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than are others. In such individuals, caffeine may worsen existing depression. How or why this occurs isn't clear. But several theories exist.

· Although caffeine initially gives you a "lift," it may later have the opposite effect as the effects of the caffeine wear off.

· Caffeine can make it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. A lack of sleep can worsen depression.

· Caffeine appears to have some effect on blood sugar, especially in people with diabetes. Fluctuations in blood sugar can be associated with mood changes."

- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine-and-depression/AN01700

 

9. Diet - here is a good site on sleep and diet: http://www.holisticonline.com/Remedies/Sleep/sleep_ins_food-and-diet.htm

From http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T042400.asp comes this advice about diet and sleep:

I found that the best foods to help sleep are those containing Tryptophan. Some examples are

• Dairy products: cottage cheese, cheese, milk

• Soy products: soy milk, tofu, soybean nuts

• Seafood

• Meats

• Poultry

• Whole grains

• Beans

• Rice

• Hummus

• Lentils

• Hazelnuts, Peanuts

• Eggs

• Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds

Also, it's good to eat foods high in Carbohydrates and low in protein, two hours before bedtime to help give a calming sleep inducing effect. Examples are

• apple pie and ice cream

• whole-grain cereal with milk

• hazelnuts and tofu

• oatmeal and raisin cookies, and a glass of milk

• peanut butter sandwich

• pasta with parmesan cheese

• scrambled eggs and cheese

• tofu stir fry

• hummus with whole wheat pita bread

• seafood, pasta, and cottage cheese

• meats and poultry with veggies

• tuna salad sandwich

• chili with beans, not spicy

• sesame seeds

 

10. Supplements - from the book “Food & Mood” by Elizabeth Somer (ISBN 0-8050-3125-1):

· “Chronic insomniacs began sleeping better within days of taking daily B12 supplements.” (p. 212)

· “Vitamin B6 is also suspect in insomnia.” (p. 212)

· “74% of asthmatics and 90% of people suffering from depression report difficulties sleeping.” (p. 202)

· “Research indicates that more than half the time insomnia is caused by psychological and emotional stress.” (p. 202)

· “Sometimes sleep disturbances result from sporadic sleeping habits, a disruption in normal sleeping patterns (such as being on vacation or sleeping in an unfamiliar bed), or afternoon naps.” (p. 203)

· “Alcohol and other depressants suppress a phase of sleeping called REM …. Less REM is associated with more night awakenings and more restless sleep.” (p. 206)

· “Spicy or gas-forming foods also might be contributing to your sleep problems.” (p. 207

· Possible gas producing foods include: apples (raw), beans, broccoli, corn, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, peas, radishes, sauerkraut, soybeans, and watermelon. (p. 208)

· Food seasoned with MSG (monosodium glutamate)… can cause sleep disturbances in some people. (p. 207) (Note MSG is often added to Chinese food and is also used in things like Doritoes.)

· Tryptophan is an amino acid that is essentially your body’s sleeping pill. You can give yourself a boost of tryptophan by eating a high carbohydrate, low protein snack (ex: a bagel) one or two hours before bedtime. (p. 211) (Note serotonin levels are also dependent on tryptophan levels.)

 

11. Alcohol - also know to decrease REM sleep and thus a person will awaken not feeling as rested.

"Alcohol consumption can induce sleep disorders by disrupting the sequence and duration of sleep states and by altering total sleep time as well as the time required to fall asleep (i.e., sleep latency)." http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/alerts/l/blnaa41.htm

 

12. Nicotine - considered in the class of drugs known as stimulants. Not what the central nervous system needs as it tries to get to sleep.

"If you want to get eight straight hours of sleep, smoking is a major interference. Nicotine, like caffeine, is a stimulant, and it will keep you from relaxing and falling asleep at night." http://remsleep.overnightmiracle.com/rem-sleep-smoking-and-your-sleep/

 

13. The Pillow - There was an article in The Tennessean (3-29-06, p. 1D) which talked about the importance of the pillow. It spoke of how people really need the right pillow and lots of us are using old worn out ones. The advice: Try out several types of pillows on an actual bed before buying one and don’t be alarmed at spending over $20 on a pillow.

Stomach sleepers need a really soft pillow with little elevation; back sleepers need a “medium pillow with moderate elevation,” and side sleepers need a “firmer pillow with higher elevation.” Get a new pillow every two years. (This avoids build up of dust mites which hinder breathing for some people.) A flat or lumpy pillow that doesn’t “re-fluff” is a prime candidate to be replaced.

Test your pillow by folding it in half and putting a sneaker on top. If the pillow throws the sneaker off when released from the fold, it is okay. If the pillow doesn’t unfold, it is time for a new one. The article talked about the importance of “postural alignment” and pillows play a role in that. Some people who sleep on their side buy pillows that are specifically designed to go between their knees claiming it helps them sleep better.

 

14. Yoga / Massage - when the mind is wound up, the body will follow and get wound up too. That is a recipe for sleep problems. One can relax the body through yoga and massage. The body thus relaxed will help influence the mind to relax too. One mind-body system. This 8 minute yoga routine may help: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/yoga/poses/yoga-routine-before-sleep/

 

15. Lights - Nightlights hinder sleep http://sleepeducation.blogspot.com/2011/01/artificial-light-at-night-may-lower.html

Too much light (which would include light from watching TV) may not be good before bedtime either:

http://sleepeducation.blogspot.com/2011/01/artificial-light-at-night-may-lower.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090608071941.htm

 

16. Miscellaneous - A spine out of whack, even just a bit, is going to create problems. Try a good chiropractor and see if that doesn't help. (It certainly won't hurt!)

CNN had an interesting article with a number of good tips for getting a good night’s rest: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/10/29/health.great.sleep.secrets/index.html?hpt=Sbin

 

Some people sleep better with a "white noise" machine: http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/sleep/basics/how-to-fall-asleep13.htm

 

Health.com gives these sites that may help:

• · 8 natural remedies that may help you sleep: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306715,00.html?xid=comcast-hlh-factors-keeping-awake-061411

• · 7 tips for the best sleep ever: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20407230,00.html?xid=comcast-hlh-factors-keeping-awake-061411

A clean room might help sleep too! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-michael-j-breus/sleep-advice_b_826696.html

 

17. The Professionals - The medical world is paying an increasing amount of attention to the importance of sleep. There are some sleep disorders that like sleep apnea that require professional attention. http://helpguide.org/life/sleep_disorders.htm Individuals struggling with sleep issues should consider consulting with a medical doctor.

 

Noting all the issues connected to poor sleep, I hope that this helps those in need of a better night's rest!

 

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 4

January 31, 2012

Sleep and Learning

1. Sleep is Important For Learning

 

The brain's frontal cortex relies on sleep to function effectively. Insufficient rest adversely affects the frontal cortex's ability to control speech, access memory, and solve problems. http://www.sleep-deprivation.com/

 

 

· “scientists believe REM sleep may be important for complex brain functions, such as learning and consolidating new memories….”

· “… the amount of REM sleep increases after periods of stress or intense learning.”

Psychology In Action, Karen Huffman, 8th ed. (Note: REM is the stage of sleep in which a person dreams)

 

 

Getting enough sleep may help student grades:

· University of Pittsburgh revealed that poor sleep habits among high-schoolers led to lower grades, particularly in math.

· Overall, teens with poor sleep habits …. received lower grades than students who stuck with a more regular sleep routine. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1903838,00.html

 

· Sleep loss causes a range of schooling problems, including naughtiness and poor concentration.

Chronically sleep-deprived teenagers are more likely to have problems with impulse control, which leads to risk-taking behaviors.

High school students who regularly score C, D or F in school tests and assignments get, on average, half an hour less sleep per night than high school students who regularly get A and B grades. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Sleep_deprivation?OpenDocument

 

“It's not just memory that is improved by sleep. Recent studies indicate that sleep not only helps store facts, it also helps make connections between them. … a recent study by Ullrich Wagner and colleagues in Germany does. Wagner used a puzzle in which players were given a string of numbers, and required to make a series of seven calculations based on these numbers. The seventh calculation (which depended on the preceding six) was the "answer." Participants repeatedly played the same game with the same rules, but different sets of numbers. Some of the players played the game in the morning, then did other things for eight hours or so, then played the game again. Others played the game first in the evening, then slept, then played it again after awakening.”

“The players who slept did somewhat better—but that was not the important result. Cleverly, the researchers structured the game such that the second calculation always gave the same answer as the seventh calculation—the final answer. If players recognized this "hidden rule," they could get to the final answer much faster—and speed was a part of the game. The players who slept were almost three times more likely to have the insight that allowed them to spot the hidden rule—even though none of the players had been told there was a hidden rule to spot. Sleeping had allowed them to connect the dots.” http://www.newsweek.com/id/194650

 

From http://www.sfn.org/index.aspx?pagename=brainbriefings_sleepandlearning :

“In some of the work, researchers trained people to complete a procedural memory-based task and then determined if sleep improved their performance. Several studies show that it does. In one recent example, participants had to repeatedly type a sequence on a keyboard. A group trained in the morning and then tested 12 hours later showed no significant improvement. But a full night's sleep improved their performance by almost 20 percent. Another group, trained in the evening, improved their performance by about 20 percent after a full night's sleep. But after another 12 hours of staying awake, they showed hardly any improvement. This shows that sleep, not time, aids the learning.”

 

2. Children Aren’t Getting Enough Sleep

 

From http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/sleep-children

• · 3-6 Years Old: 10 - 12 hours per day

• · 7-12 Years Old: 10 - 11 hours per day (the average child is getting only about 9 hours)

• · 12-18 Years Old: 8 - 9 hours per day (teenagers generally get an average of only 7.4 hours a night) http://parentingteens.about.com/cs/teensandsleep/a/teenssleepwell.htm

•  

Overstimulated, over-scheduled kids are getting at least an hour’s less sleep than they need, a deficiency that, new research reveals, has the power to set their cognitive abilities back years. http://nymag.com/news/features/38951/

 

 

It has been documented in a handful of major studies that children, from elementary school through high school, get about an hour less sleep each night than they did 30 years ago…. Even kindergartners get 30 minutes less a night than they used to. http://nymag.com/news/features/38951/

 

Half of all adolescents get less than seven hours of sleep on weeknights. By the time they are seniors in high school, according to studies by the University of Kentucky, they average only slightly more than 6.5 hours of sleep a night. Only 5 percent of high-school seniors average eight hours. http://nymag.com/news/features/38951/

 

According to surveys by the National Sleep Foundation, 90 percent of American parents think their child is getting enough sleep. The kids themselves say otherwise. In those same surveys, 60 percent of high schoolers report extreme daytime sleepiness. In another study, a quarter admit their grades have dropped because of it. Over 25 percent fall asleep in class at least once a week. http://nymag.com/news/features/38951/

 

“Sleep-deprivation experiments have shown that a tired brain has a difficult time capturing memories of all sorts. Interestingly, sleep deprivation is more likely to cause us to forget information associated with positive emotion than information linked to negative emotion. This could explain, at least in part, why sleep deprivation can trigger depression in some people: memories tainted with negative emotions are more likely than positive ones to "stick" in the sleep-deprived brain.” http://www.newsweek.com/id/194650

 

3. Signs of Lack of Sleep

 

Sleep deprivation affects children in different ways to adults. Sleepy children tend to ‘speed up’ rather than slow down. Symptoms include:

 

• · Moodiness and irritability.

• · Temper tantrums.

• · The tendency to emotionally ‘explode’ at the slightest provocation.

• · Over-activity and hyperactive behavior.

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Sleep_deprivation?OpenDocument

 

As good parents want their children to learn the most they can while at school, it may the child if the parents take a close look at whether the child's sleep needs are being met.

 

Coming next month: tips on getting a good night's sleep.

 

Doug Muha Ed.S.

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 3

December 20, 2011

Stress Management

As the holidays are often one of the more stressful periods of the year, I though I would devote this issue of Counselor Notes to dealing with stress. Here are some ideas:

 

1. Get Your Priorities Straight

 

Not having enough time is one of the things people find most stressful. What is most important to you? One can only do so much. A lot of stress comes from trying to do too much. Decline and delegate some things. Make a plan. Be realistic. Some bring a great deal of stress on themselves by setting expectations too high.

 

2. Make A Budget

 

The other great stressor with lack of time is lack of money. Make a realistic budget and stick to it. Don’t run up the credit card. Talk to a financial planner if you need help.

 

3. Get Enough Sleep

 

A tired body is much more easily stressed. More on sleep coming up in a future issue of Counselor Notes.

 

4. Exercise

 

Exercise has a positive effect on stress (and anxiety): http://www.holisticonline.com/remedies/Anxiety/anx_exercise.htm

 

Aerobic exercise is particularly good for a person dealing with stress. It is going to help more than something like playing softball. Here are some of the benefits of aerobic exercise listed by http://www.aerobictest.com/AerobicFitnessImportance.htm

 

1. Lowering of high blood pressure.

2. Increasing the high density lipoprotein (HDL) in the blood which helps collect the cholesterol in the blood and dispose of it in the liver.

3. Lowering the plasma triglyceride levels (fatty substances).

4. Assisting in weight control, mainly by reducing body fat.

5. Improving the function of the heart, by promoting beneficial changes in the structure and function of the coronary arteries (which provide oxygen to the heart muscle.

6. Alleviating muscle pain and improving walking capability in people who suffer from peripheral arterial disease.

7. Reduction in the rate of occurrence of various types of cancer involving the colon, breast, prostate, and lungs.

8. Assistance in the prevention of osteoporosis (loss in bone mineral density).

9. Prevention of lower back pain. Reduction in the incidence of stroke.

10. Improvement in the functioning of the immune system.

11. Decreasing the insulin requirement and improving glucose control in Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes; preventing the development of Type 2 (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, and improving glucose tolerance if this condition exists.

12. Strengthening of muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints.

13. Assistance in the control of joint pain and swelling in people who suffer from arthritis.

14. Improving temperature regulation at rest and during exercise in different environments.

15. Improving blood pressure control, and minimizing fainting in people who are prone to this condition.

 

(Side note: Exercise also has a positive effect on the brain: http://www.thesuntimes.com/lifestyle/x782431144/What-does-physical-exercise-do-for-the-brain And a positive effect on aging too: http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/14/research-shows-exercise-reverses-aging-in-mice )

 

5. Get Out of the House

 

The University of California at Irvine once published a study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology about a study with 112 stressed our young adults. They split them into two groups: one spent time in a room with a view of trees and then took a walk in a nature preserve. The second group was in a room without a window and then went for a walk in an urban area. Those that were in the first group had lower blood pressure and a better mood.

 

6. Gardening

 

Okay, this is the wrong season for gardening, but do keep it in mind when spring rolls around. This is actually a good stress busting activity on several levels (outdoors, moving, creating, sunlight, fresh air, good smells of the garden, etc.) .

 

Though not traditionally considered a stress buster, gardening may actually have something to offer. From Time Magazine http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994173,00.html :

 

• Studies show that regular yard work can lower stress levels and provide a workout that compares with other exercise regimes. It's also an effective weapon in battling osteoporosis. Researchers at the University of Arkansas found that women over 50 who engaged in regular home gardening had higher bone-density readings than those who performed activities more typically thought of as exercise, including jogging, cycling, swimming, walking and aerobics.

• The group exposed to greenery had decreased blood pressure and elevated mood, some in just a few minutes. Studies by Texas A&M University's Roger Ulrich have found that surgical patients in hospital rooms with landscape views recover faster than those without.

HT is also a valuable tool for treating depression and substance abuse. "It's about using plants as the tool to reach therapeutic goals," says Easterling, who began her career as a clinical social worker but became frustrated when "words were not enough to reach some patients." By using plants, she says, you "create a connection with the natural world. Learning that you can take care of a living thing and it responds can be very powerful."

 

7. Laugh!

 

Laughter really is good stuff. From http://www.everydayhealth.com/blog/grossman-a-healthy-longevity/laughter-and-longevity :

 

Scientific proof of this has come from the medical school at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Dr. Sven Svenbak tracked 54,000 Norwegians for seven years and discovered that those individuals who found life the funniest lived longer than their less mirthful countrymen. People who found the world to be the most humorous were 35 percent more likely to still be alive at the end of the seven years of the study and cancer patients were many times more likely to survive if they managed to maintain their sense of humor despite their cancer diagnosis.

 

Norman Cousins calls laughter “a form of internal jogging” and recent studies from Greece have shown that the act of hearty laughter, just like physical exercise, decreases arterial stiffness. Japanese researchers have demonstrated better blood sugar control in diabetics who laugh regularly, while research from Western Kentucky University has shown that laughter can improve the cancer killing ability of NK (natural killer) cells. Other studies have shown that laughter can decrease stress, increase pain tolerance, reduce depression and improve quality of life.

 

Also check out: http://www.holisticonline.com/stress/stress_humor.htm and http://www.larrywilde.com/rxstress.htm

 

8. Diet

 

Here are some notes on stress from a favorite book of mine titled “Food & Mood” by Elizabeth Somer (ISBN #0-8050-3125-1) Chapter 7 is specifically devoted to stress and diet. Here are some of the things I found in the chapter:

• • A “nutritional deficiency” is stressful to the body.

  • “The link between magnesium and stress is so strong that researchers at the American College of Nutrition recommend supplementing with magnesium during times of stress because of magnesium loss and elevated requirements.” (p. 161)

  • In studies done on animals, “magnesium deficiency increased sensitivity to noise and overcrowding…” (p. 160)

  • “The immune system” depends on a constant supply of vitamin C.” (p. 161)

  • “People with poorly functioning immune systems also have low blood levels of zinc.” (p. 161)

  • “In short, sugar and caffeine only make stressed matters worse.” (p. 166)

  • “Coffee consumed with food can reduce mineral absorption, especially iron, by as much as 90% and can rob the body of other minerals such as calcium and magnesium….” (p. 166)

  • “…coffee drinkers take longer to fall asleep, sleep less soundly, and wake up more often…. It is not clear whether these effects are caused by caffeine or by one or more of the other 300 compounds in coffee.” (p. 167)

  • “A high sugar diet also increases urinary loss of minerals, including magnesium and chromium.” (p. 167)

Remember that calcium and magnesium, and zinc were noted in the earlier email on depression.

 

9. High Fructose Corn Syrup

 

It may be a popular sweetener, but it may also increase anxiety. Check out: http://www.foodaq.com/html/General/200771.html (And sodas like Coke and Dr Pepper are loaded with it. It is actually in lots of things including some breads, ketchups, and breakfast cereals. Best to read the labels. )

 

10. Quit Smoking

 

Some will say that smoking cigarettes relaxes them. This is only true in that it relieves the withdrawal symptoms your body is going into as it starts to crave more nicotine. If you truly want to relax, then you aren’t going to be giving your body addictive stimulants. (Nicotine is considered to be in the class of drugs known as stimulants.)

 

11. Aromatherapy

 

Smells (aromas) may actually help with stress. Check out this article from Discovery Health: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/aromatherapy/aromatherapy-stress-relief.htm

 

U.S. News & World Report once had this printed (P. 48 of the December 31, 2007 – January 7, 2008 issue http://www.usnews.com/news/50-ways-to-improve-your-life/articles/2007/12/20/smell-the-roses-really ):

 

The sense of smell influences people in subtle, unexpected—even emotional—ways. Rachel Herz, a research psychologist at Brown University and author of The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell, says that "unlike any of our other sensory systems, smells become...immediately attached to emotion because [smell and emotion are] basically processed in the same part of the brain." According to Herz, odor-evoked memory is "uniquely emotionally potent and evocative."

 

Smell not only unlocks memories; it also triggers changes in mood, heartbeat, breathing, and behavior, says Herz. For many women, body odor trumps looks when evaluating male attractiveness, and—according to the research—a woman can be especially drawn to a man whose sweat, to her, smells good. An impaired sense of smell can signal early-onset Alzheimer's; a lost sense of smell—anosmia—may lead to depression. Subliminal "good" or "bad" scents may affect people's assessments of "likability" in human faces. For some people, the smell of peppermint may enhance alertness while that of lavender may soothe anxiety. In one study, vanilla was used as a tool for controlling food cravings.

 

If this all sounds like a bunch of nonsense, next time you are stressed out, go spend 20 minutes in a flower shop and see if you aren't more relaxed when you leave.

 

12. Forgive

 

Forgiveness is apparently a means of reducing stress. (The famous Mayo Clinic’s web site http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/forgiveness/MH00131 had this posted:

 

What are the benefits of forgiving someone? Researchers have recently become interested in studying the effects of being unforgiving and being forgiving. Evidence is mounting that holding on to grudges and bitterness results in long-term health problems. Forgiveness, on the other hand, offers numerous benefits, including:

• • Lower blood pressure

  • Stress reduction

  • Less hostility

  • Better anger management skills

  • Lower heart rate

  • Lower risk of alcohol or substance abuse

  • Fewer depression symptoms

  • Fewer anxiety symptoms

  • Reduction in chronic pain

  • More friendships

  • Healthier relationships

  • Greater religious or spiritual well-being

  • Improved psychological well-being

Also, as stress and anxiety are tied together, check this out about war veterans:

“What we found is that the veterans who had difficulty forgiving others, difficulty forgiving themselves, and who used more negative religious coping approaches had greater levels of depression and more intense post-traumatic stress symptoms. Difficulty forgiving themselves was also related to more anxiety in general." - http://todaysseniorsnetwork.com/forgiveness_helps.htm

 

13. Yoga & Meditation

 

“… researchers found that the more a person practices [meditation], the more stress-reduction benefits he or she receives. It appears that just going to the six or eight weeks of classes is not enough, however; those who showed the best outcomes had meditated on their own time as well, Raison said. The available data suggest that you can get stress-related benefits from meditating three to four times a week, he said.” http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/18/meditation-reduces-stress-instills-compassion/?hpt=Sbin/

 

As for yoga, we can readily notice that when we feel stress in our minds, we can find it also manifesting in the body. (Ex: tight muscles.) As the mind and body are one interconnected system, relaxing the body through yoga can in turn help the mind relax.

 

14. Touch

 

This isn’t typically mentioned as a tip for dealing with stress, but I thought I would pass it along anyway:

 

In 2003, The Tennessean carried an article about the impact hugs had on stress. In the study (which was reported at a meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society), 100 adults with spouses or long-term partners held hands while viewing a pleasant 10 minute video and then asked to hug for 20 seconds. Another group of 85 rested quietly without their partners. All the 185 participants then spoke about an angry or stressful event. (This was to drive up their heartbeat and blood pressure.)

 

After the talk of the stressful/angry event, the researchers measured the heartbeat and blood pressure of all the participants. The blood pressure results showed the systolic (upper) reading of the no contact group jumping 24 points as opposed to 12 for the contact group. The diastolic (lower) reading also “increased significantly.” The no contact group also had a heart rate increase of double the contact group (10 beats per minute as opposed to 5 for the contact group).

 

The article further went on to say that “research shows touch lowers output of cortisol, a stress hormone. When cortisol dips, there’s a surge of two ‘feel good’ brain chemicals, serotonin and dopamine.” (Tennessean, March 30, 2003, page 7D)

 

This CNN article would agree:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/05/touching.makes.you.healthier.health/index.html?hpt=Sbin

 

Massage can be a great stress buster too. http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/massage-therapy-stress-relief-much-more

 

15. Monitor Your Media Diet

 

The news spends a whole lot more time broadcasting the scary and depressing stories than the uplifting ones. Be aware of what you immerse yourself in. Regarding movies and t.v., watch more comedy and less drama and horror.

 

16. Music

 

Relaxing music relaxes. Why listen to raucous music if you want to find peace of mind?

 

17. Therapy

Talk to a professional therapist about your stress level. A therapist who practices cognitive-behavioral therapy is using a form of therapy that has demonstrated its effectiveness in dealing with stress. (Note: not all therapists practice cognitive-behavioral therapy though.)

 

18. Faith

 

Remember the big picture! Find a faith that appeals to your "highest self" and practice it.

Here is a good article on stress from the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/stress-tips-calm-your-min_b_540885.html

I hope everyone has a very happy holiday!

 

Doug Muha Ed.S

[email protected]

School Counselor

Waverly Elementary School

Counselor Notes 2

October 28,2011

Depression

 

America has some mental health problems. Recently in the news were articles about how many Americans were taking prescription drugs for mental health issues. (See: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/16/women-and-prescription-drug-use_n_1098023.html and http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/11/17/one-in-five-american-adults-takes-psychiatric-drugs/ )

 

The biggest among these mental health issues is depression. The World Health Organization claims within the next 20 years, depression will affect more people than any other health problem. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8230549.stm

To be considered having a major depressive disorder an adult "must either have a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities consistently for at least a 2 week period. This mood must represent a change from the person's normal mood. Social, occupational, educational or other important functioning must also be negatively impaired by the change in mood." http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx22.htm

 

The site further goes on to explain that “clinical depression is characterized by the presence of the majority of these symptoms:

• • Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feeling sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). (In children and adolescents, this may be characterized as an irritable mood.)

  • Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day

  • Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.

  • Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day

  • Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day

  • Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day

  • Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day

  • Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day

  • Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide

 

In addition, for a diagnosis of major depression to be made, the symptoms must not be better accounted for by bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation.”

 

We tend to think of depression being something that doesn’t impact kids, but it can occur in children too. (See: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2058206,00.html ) According to http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-children , about 1 in every 40 children suffer from depression. They list the symptoms as:

• • Irritability or anger.

  • Continuous feelings of sadness, hopelessness.

  • Social withdrawal.

  • Increased sensitivity to rejection.

  • Changes in appetite -- either increased or decreased.

  • Changes in sleep -- sleeplessness or excessive sleep.

  • Vocal outbursts or crying.

  • Difficulty concentrating.

  • Fatigue and low energy.

  • Physical complaints (such as stomachaches, headaches) that do not respond to treatment

  • Reduced ability to function during events and activities at home or with friends, in school, extracurricular activities, and in other hobbies or interests.

  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.

  • Impaired thinking or concentration.

  • Thoughts of death or suicide.

(Suicide is very rare in children under 12, but it can happen.)

 

 

When dealing with depression a competent professional therapist is a good start. In addition, there are a number of things you can do as well:

 

 

1. Exercise

 

Getting enough exercise can help ease the symptoms of depression. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression-and-exercise/MH00043

 

And from http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1998021,00.html:

 

“In 1999, Duke University researchers demonstrated in a randomized controlled trial that depressed adults who participated in an aerobic-exercise plan improved as much as those treated with sertraline, the drug that, marketed as Zoloft, was earning Pfizer more than $3 billion annually before its patent expired in 2006.”

 

“Subsequent trials have repeated these results, showing again and again that patients who follow aerobic-exercise regimens see improvement in their depression comparable to that of those treated with medication, and that both groups do better than patients given only a placebo. But exercise trials on the whole have been small, and most have run for only a few weeks; some are plagued by methodological problems. Still, despite limited data, the trials all seem to point in the same direction: exercise boosts mood. It not only relieves depressive symptoms but also appears to prevent them from recurring.”

 

2. Get Enough Sleep

There is a connection between insomnia and depression: http://www.webmd.com/depression/features/sleep-problems If you deal with the sleep problems, you may clear up the depression. (More on sleep issues in a future Counselor Notes)

 

 

3. Eat Right / Vitamins & Minerals

 

"Let food be your medicine." – Hippocrates

 

There may be a link between obesity and depression. Check out: http://psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=pto-2828.html&fromMod=popular_foodndiet

Food & Mood by Elizabeth Somer (ISBN # 0-8050-3125-1) has a few comments on the relationship between diet and depression. Let me share them with you here:

• • Carbohydrates (pasta, bagels) elevate brain levels of tryptopan (an amino acid that is a basic building block of serotonin) and serotonin. This in turn elevates mood. (p. 135)

  • A high protein snack supplies more of the “competing amino acids and reduces trytophan and serotonin levels….” (p. 135)

  • A researcher at the University of South Alabama notes that “depression often vanishes when sugar (and caffeine) are removed from the diet.” (p. 135)

  • “Some people are so sensitive to sugar that even a small serving of something sweet… sends them on a mood swing roller coaster.” (p. 136)

  • “… the more sugar you eat, them more likely your diet will be low in essential vitamins and minerals. It could be that marginal intake of one or more of these nutrients, such as magnesium or vitamin B6, could be contributing to low energy and depression.” (p. 137)

  • “Numerous studies have shown that tryptopan supplements have an antidepressant effect and, in some people, may be as effective as antidepressant medications for improving mood.” (p. 137)

  • A researcher at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital in Chicago found that “a combination of vitamin B6 and phenylalanine improved mood in 9 out of 10 patients suffering from depression.” (p. 138)

  • “One study … (found) one out of every four depressed patients was deficient in vitamins B6 & B12. In fact, B6 deficiency is reported in as many as 79% of patients with depression, compared to only 29% of other patients.” (p. 139)

  • More than 70% of the B6 vitamins in whole grains are lost in processing. (p. 141)

  • “… 33% of patients suffering from depression-related psychological problems were borderline to clinically deficient in folic acid. (p. 141)

  • “One study of healthy people between ages of 25 and 83 showed that those with the highest blood levels of folic acid also has the best mood, while those with ‘low-normal’ levels were more likely to suffer from depression.” (p. 143)

  • “Iron deficiency … can cause depression associated with fatigue.” (p. 145)

 

Calcium may play a role in depression: http://www.livestrong.com/article/91388-calcium-depression/

 

Vitamin D may too: http://www.livestrong.com/article/269309-what-are-the-benefits-of-vitamin-d-for-depression/

 

Here’s a list of food to help with depression: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20351257,00.html?xid=comcast-hlh-metabolism-boost-022311

 

Others feel the key is to balance your fat intake: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-food/201109/balancing-your-fat-intake-controls-depression

 

 

4. Skip the Soda and Drink Green Tea

 

Some feel that soda and depression are linked: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201105/could-soda-and-sugar-be-causing-your-depression

 

It may be better to drink green tea. The September 2010 issue of Prevention Magazine (p. 21) noted:

 

“People who drink 4 or more cups of green tea a day are 44% less likely to be depressed than those who sip it less often. Its amino acid theanine may spur the release of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin.”

 

 

5. Watch Less T.V.

 

There was a research article I saw a few years ago that concluded that the excessive viewing of television produced a belief in a certain standard of living and materialistic consciousness. Yet this image of "the good life" was not realistic or attainable to most people. (It is easy for t.v. characters to find love, work out all their problems in under an hour, etc.) They would run up their charge cards trying to get it and ended up in debt. They would work long hours to get all these things they thought they had to have and when they couldn't get everything, quite often fell into depression. They showed how countries with lower rates of viewing television had lower rates of depression.

 

This is NOT to say that t.v. is the cause of every case of depression, but could it be involved in SOME cases of depression? It would seem so according to http://www.tvsmarter.com/documents/depression.html http://articles.latimes.com/2009/feb/03/science/sci-tv3 http://www.physorg.com/news145901411.html

http://www.rodale.com/watching-too-much-tv-0

 

 

6. Social Comparisons

 

Related to watching too much t.v. is the concept of relative deprivation.

 

“We tend to decide how well-off or deprived we are not from any absolute standard or how hungry are, but by comparing ourselves with other people. In particular, we decide on what we deserve and what we should expect from looking at other people. We then compare ourselves with this standard. http://changingminds.org/explanations/theories/relative_deprivation.htm

 

When we feel we can’t keep up, we can get depressed.

 

This Time Magazine article is interesting and related too: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1015883,00.html

 

“… sociologists call reference anxiety--or, more popularly, keeping up with the Joneses. According to that thinking, most people judge their possessions in comparison with others'. People tend not to ask themselves, Does my house meet my needs? Instead they ask, Is my house nicer than my neighbor's? If you own a two-bedroom house and everyone around you owns a two-bedroom house, your reference anxiety will be low, and your two- bedroom house may seem fine. But if your two-bedroom house is surrounded by three- and four-bedroom houses, with someone around the corner doing a tear-down to build a McMansion, your reference anxiety may rise. Suddenly that two-bedroom house--one that your grandparents might have considered quite nice, even luxurious--doesn't seem enough. And so the money you spent on it stops providing you with a sense of well-being.

Our soaring reference anxiety is a product of the widening gap in income distribution. In other words, the rich are getting richer faster, and the rest of us are none too happy about it.”

 

 

There are people who have it worse than you. Find and help them. Helping them may help you with your depression.

7. Cognitive Therapy

 

Cognitive therapy is known to be effective with addressing depression. Two of the more famous cognitive therapists are Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis.

 

Aaron Beck found several thinking patterns in depressed patients (From Visualizing Psychology, 2nd ed., p. 380):

 

1. Selective Perception- focusing on negative events while ignoring positive ones.

2. Overgeneralization – overgeneralizing and drawing negative conclusions about one’s own self-worth – for example, believing that you are completely worthless because you lost a promotion or failed an exam.

3. Magnification – exaggerating the importance of undesirable events or personal shortcomings, seeing them as catastrophic and unchangeable.

4. All-or-Nothing Thinking – seeing things as black or white: totally good or bad, right or wrong, a success or a failure.

 

Adopting more functional thinking patterns would ameliorate the depression.

 

 

In Ellis’ approach, he would have looked for irrational beliefs. When found, he would have tried to correct them. Here are what Ellis considered to be the 11 main irrational beliefs people suffer from (from http://changingminds.org/explanations/belief/irrational_beliefs.htm ):

 

1. It is a dire necessity for adult humans to be loved or approved by virtually every significant other person in their community.

2. One absolutely must be competent, adequate and achieving in all important respects or else one is an inadequate, worthless person.

3. People absolutely must act considerately and fairly and they are damnable villains if they do not. They are their bad acts.

4. It is awful and terrible when things are not the way one would very much like them to be.

5. Emotional disturbance is mainly externally caused and people have little or no ability to increase or decrease their dysfunctional feelings and behaviors.

6. If something is or may be dangerous or fearsome, then one should be constantly and excessively concerned about it and should keep dwelling on the possibility of it occurring.

7. One cannot and must not face life's responsibilities and difficulties and it is easier to avoid them.

8. One must be quite dependent on others and need them and you cannot mainly run one's own life.

9. One's past history is an all-important determiner of one's present behavior and because something once strongly affected one's life, it should indefinitely have a similar effect.

10. Other people's disturbances are horrible and one must feel upset about them.

11. There is invariably a right, precise and perfect solution to human problems and it is awful if this perfect solution is not found.

 

In therapy then Ellis would help another by helping them adopt a better belief system. He would seek to show them “how extreme and irrational their generalized beliefs are. Then discuss with them how more rational and useful beliefs can be found.” (quotes from the web site noted above)

 

8. Turn On The Lights

 

A number of individuals suffer from a type of depression known as seasonal affective disorder. It comes about when the days get short and the nights get long. “Bright light therapy” may offer them some relief. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/09/21/seasonal-affective-disorder-affecting-many-this-time-year/

 

9. Go to the Chiropractor

 

Traditional medicine may not completely value a good chiropractor, but I have seen people helped by them. Most will say they can help a person suffering from depression. Women who have just given birth and are dealing with post-partum depression are particularly advised to see a good chiropractor.

 

 

 

10. A Few More Links on Depression

 

Depression also can cause 4 big health problems:

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2007/12/12/happier--and-healthier?s_cid=related-links:TOP

 

Here are 12 non-drug ways for treating depression:

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20526272,00.html

 

Here’s a link on “9 sneaky causes of depression”: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/08/16/sneaky-causes-depression/

 

Ten things to say (or not say) to someone with depression:

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20393228,00.html?xid=comcast-hlh-metabolism-boost-022311

 

Twenty celebrities who have had troubles with depression: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20526304,00.html

 

 

 

One last note:

 

Here’s the link for the article mentioned in the last issue: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201110/your-backup-brain

Counselor Notes 1

October 29, 2011

Probiotics

Most of us have heard someone refer to another’s problems as “all in their head.” That may be true, but there is a new field opening up called neurogastroenterology which looks at the brain in a person’s stomach. One of the feature articles in the December issue of Psychology Today is titled “Your Backup Brain” and goes on to say: “There’s a ‘second brain’ in your stomach, and it influences mood, what you eat, all kinds of disease, and decision-making.” (The link isn’t available yet as it is a current issue. I’ll post it when it becomes available. For now, try this article in Scientific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=gut-second-brain ).

 

In her book “Children With Starving Brains,” Jaquelyn McCandless M.D. makes these points about the importance of the guts:

 

· “Research has shown that 60 – 70% of the immune system in humans is located in the intestinal tract and its digestive organs.... ...intestinal pathology can contribute to immune dysregulation, and vice versa.” p. 89

 

· “Antibiotics not only irritate the intestinal wall and cause gut inflammation, but also destroy the beneficial bacteria, creating an opportunity for Candida (a yeast), Clostridia (an anaerobic bacteria) and other pathogens normally kept in balance by the 'good bugs' to overgrow and cause further damage.” p. 89

 

· “... many autistic patients tend to have elevated yeast levels in their intestines.” p. 89

 

· “... yeast overgrowth interferes with the absorption of nutrients (the yeast takes them from their own growth and multiplication, particularly the sugars); this is often the cause of the diarrhea and/or constipation.” p. 90

 

· “Furthermore, yeast cells can convert to an invasive colony form, imbedding themselves into the lining of the intestinal tract and, via secreted enzymes, destroy intestinal tissue. This type of injury creates 'holes' in the intestine through which undigested food molecules can pass. This hypermeable state is called 'leaky gut syndrome.'” p. 90

 

· “This process (leaky gut) leads to greater allergic susceptibilities. Effective treatment of yeast or bacterial overgrowth often decreases or eliminates these allergic reactions.” p. 90

 

The microflora are important. Newsweek had this note in their October 29, 2007 issue:

 

“… the body’s natural microbial flora aren’t just an incidental fact of our biology, but crucial components of our health, intimate companions on an evolutionary journey…. Our microbes do us the favor of synthesizing our vitamins right in our guts; they regulate our immune systems and even our serotonin levels….” P. 45 (Note: low levels of serotonin are associated with depression.)

 

There are a number of causes of problems in the guts. Among them are poor diet (especially one high in sugar), toxins, and yeast overgrowth. Here’s a simple free home test for yeast overgrowth: http://www.candidasupport.org/test_saliva.html

 

If there are gut issues, you may want to try something called probiotics. http://www.prevention.com/health/nutrition/healthy-eating-tips/europe-s-best-kept-health-secret/article/56f468f271903110VgnVCM10000013281eac____

I am not a medical doctor and I am not the leading researcher on all of this so plesase do read up on these issues. I t may be that the whole thing is overblown. I put the information here though because there is a lot of buzz in the psychology world and gut issues may play a role in:

 

Depression:

 

"Mood dysregulation has long been linked to inflammation, suggesting that there's immune dysfunction in depression, Researchers report that treating animals with gut probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis leads to positive changes in neurochemical function. The microbe raised levels of serotonin precursor tryptophan in the frontal lobe and the amygdala, two brain areas associated with mood and emotion." - The November/December 2010 issue of Psychology Today, p. 46.

 

 

Anxiety disorders (obsessive-compulsive disorder):

 

"There is also a theory that the toxins can spread to the brain and develop into Obsessive Compulsive Disorder." http://www.breezecare.com/probiotics/index.html

 

Check these out too: http://hbcprotocols.com/probioticarticle/ http://www.herbs2000.com/articles/09-04-17_probiotic_anxiety.htm

 

 

Skin Problems: (ex: Psoriasis & eczema)

http://www.dermaharmony.com/skinnutrition/probiotics.aspx

 

 

Obesity:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/10/27/are-gut-bacteria-in-charge/

 

 

Migraines:

http://headacheandmigrainenews.com/probiotics-for-ibs-study-review/

 

 

For those afflicted, I hope this offers some relief. For those not afflicted, you may want to look into all this as an ounce of prevention.