Excessive activity and the inability to pay attention often have a common root in Oriental medicine: Insufficient Yin, where Yin represents the calm and receptive dimension of human personality. One reason children may exhibit yin deficiency is hereditary. Since children are in a Yang growth phase of their life, which needs the support of their yin resources, they can easily become deficient in Yin. As their Yin and its supporting nutrients are depleted by refined foods, synthetic chemicals, pesticides, radiation from computers and TV’s, highly spiced foods, fluorescent lights, and numerous other toxic elements of modern life, its advisable for children with Yin deficiency to have as natural diet and lifestyle possible. Chaos in the home, along with other stress can contribute to this syndrome in children.
FOODS AND NUTRITIONAL REMEDIES
Omega 3 and GLA oils in the form of flax seed can help yin of the liver which may be indicated when a child is angry and disruptive, children with ADHD may also benefit from taking a few kelp tablets daily.
People that think food has little effect on behavior need only need to observe the difference in children who begins to eat a balanced whole food diet. The child who eats an excess of poor-quality red meats is usually aggressive or emotionally stressed because of at least one factor – most common meats are high in the fatty acid arachidonate, which forms are hormone like prostaglandins of the E2 series in the body which in excess can promote mental and physical inflammation and aggression.
When refined sugar is dominant in the diet moodiness is commonplace as a result of sugar imbalances in the blood and brain. Positive results have been obtained just by eliminating processed sugars, other refined foods and foods which contain chemical ingredients and preservatives.
Refined and rancid cooking oils and well as margarine and the many commercial “treats” made with hydrogenated oil block fat metabolism, resulting in greater likelihood of incomplete nervous system development, emotional instability and degenerative diseases later in life.
Behavioral problems can also be triggered or irritated by consumption of cow’s milk products, for this reason it might be necessary to remove them from the diet of the child.
ACUPUNCTURE
Shonishin is the method of acupuncture used for babies and children and we offer it here in the Clinic! It does not use regular acupuncture needles, rather, it uses a variety of tools that are tapped, rubbed or pressed onto the body surface as a kind of very gentle non-invasive treatment approach rather than targeted to acupuncture points. Using this method can be very relaxing and calming for the child as it regulates their energy called Qi by moving it downwards. Shonishin restores balance to the channel system so as to help improve overall regulation of qi in the body.
1. Pitchford, P, Healing with whole foods, North Atlantic Books, 2002
2. Birch, S, Shonishin: Japanese Peadiatric Acupuncture, Thieme, 2011
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