Over the past few weeks we looked at the impact of the major food groups (carbohydrates, protein and fats) on brain function. This week we turn our attention to the last major nutritional category namely vitamins and minerals. The body, and the brain, needs a wide variety of vitamins and mineral to grow and to thrive. Deficiencies in certain minerals can therefore be potentially disastrous in the sense that the body cannot properly fulfil a particular function.
The human brain relies on certain vitamins and minerals in order to do its job of being the nerve centre of the body. These cannot be manufactured by our bodies and should therefore be derived from our diets. It is however quite difficult to design a diet that consistently provides adequate levels of all the basic vitamins and minerals. This is the reason why many people opt for a vitamin supplement in addition to eating a healthy diet. In designing a diet and/or choosing a supplement it is very important to include sufficient quantities of the most important vitamins and minerals and not just the latest ‘fad vitamin’! This is especially important when you consider the link between impaired brain function and the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. We should therefore all do our best to design our vitamin and mineral intake with the eye firmly on optimum brain performance.
As far as brain function is concerned the most important vitamins and minerals are the following:
Vitamin E
Study after study has shown that Vitamin E can play a significant role in delaying, or blocking, the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This is due to the fact that Vitamin E can significantly reduce oxidative stress in the brain. This anti-oxidative effect of Vitamin E means that it plays a vital role in combating the natural brain cell ‘damage’ that comes with time. There are several kinds of food that are rich in Vitamin E. They include: almonds, leafy vegetables, most vegetable oils and whole-grain flour. If you choose a supplement containing Vitamin E make sure that it contains ‘mixed topocherols’. This simply means that you will get the two most important Vitamin E components. (Alpha topocherol and gamma topecherol if you are interested)
B Vitamins
B Vitamins are perhaps the most important set of ‘brain vitamins’ that there is. This is because they play such a vital role in assisting the formation of brain messengers like dopamine, epinephrine and serotonin. The most important B Vitamins are:
I would like to find a multiple vitamin that has all the vitamins you are recommending.
i would also like to find a multiple vitamin that has all that. its for my grandson he is 10 yrs.old and getting him to take all these vitamins will be alot of fun.
I would like to also find a vitamin that tastes good for my son to take with all the above included.
I would also like to find a vitamin that has all the stuff you are recommending . Also would like to know if you can get them in chewables or liquid.
My children take Herbasaurs chewable multiple vitamins and minerals, these have most of the recommended except magnesium, which i buy Peter gillham’s powder form, this comes in different flavors and sweetened with stevia.(tastes good I drink it sometimes also)the vitamin E is only the one form though. They don’t taste the greatest but my kids have gotten used to them, they started out chewing one bite at a time and washing it down with grape juice.Herbasaurs is a Nature’s Sunshine product, available online and at some health food and healthy living stores. But there are many high quality children’s vitamins available but not at walmart or most retail stores.
I sale the children’s chewable vitamins and also liquid for infants that have all the things that are menchaned above. It is called Multivites Also Multivitamins with the same thing in it for adults. I have a grandson that is ADHD, ODD, PTSD and Bipolar. I have just started him on these vitamins and the childrens’ shakes with lots of protein and nutrients. I have been looking for the answers to help my grandson, Thanks for the book 3 Steps to Conquering ADD-ADHD I finally realized I had the supplements here all along and now I can get him off all the Meds that cause ticks and other medical problems.
luellabishop@sbcglobal.net
my husband and i decided to take our son off of ritalin and he’s been off of it for a week and half and hes only had two bad days and we are giving him the gummy vitamines and his behavior and is changing alot…. and this book is helping alot.
Is Attentianall a real product? If so, is it available to the public? Please send me information at beth4casa@gmail.com Thanks!
Attentional is a product that remains in “development” indefinitely. It is supposed to be like an upgraded version of the neu-beCALM’d. As for now, the best option is neu-beCALM’d (which is amazing btw) + the liquid vitamins + smart diet + techniques
My child has been taking vitamins and omega -3 fatty acid vitamins for about a month and i’ve seen small, but to us BIG improvements. Hang in there everyone it takes time and A LOT of patience……and it;s so much better than CII medication.
where can i buy this micellized liquid vitamin for a 6 years old?
Where do I buy the neu-becalm’d????
http://neu-be-calm.com/
http://3stepsadd.com/premium/liquid-vitamin-information/