Dr. Brady on Alternatives for Ritalin
- Neurotransmitter test results mentioned in the above video
- Ritalin is generally used to increase concentration and slow motor movement.
- Ritalin works by increasing dopamine levels in the brain. It has the same mechanism as cocaine.
- Dopamine, a neurotransmitter, becomes out of balance for a reason. This reason needs to be identified in order to truly promote proper function. This can be easily done by laboratory tests that most insurance plans cover.
- In order for brain neurotransmitters, like dopamine, to be produced you must have several aspects optimized: fatty acids (fats), vitamin and mineral utilization, and amino acid (protein) utilization. All of these can be tested for (see example of a neurotransmitter test). The reason why they are not typically tested for is that most doctors are not trained to look for imbalanced, only full on disease. No one wants to wait that long.
- Natural medicine can dramatically help those wanting to remove themselves from Ritalin by promoting natural dopamine production.
- Lifestyle change along with nutritional supplementation and laboratory monitoring can help children and adults with ADD, ADHD, anxiety, depression and other condition dealing with brain imbalances away from pharmaceuticals.
We encourage you to take action in your health goals whether it is addressing a chronic health problem or creating a wellness plan to prevent disease in the future. Become part of our team. True health is not easily achieved alone.
Our goal is to identify and address the “spider web” of biological dysfunctions that play a role in chronic diseases. We do this through our clinic in Atlanta, Georgia and around the world through our TeleHealth phone/video consultation service.
Dr. Brady Hurst
True Health Center for Functional Medicine + Chiropractic.
www.TrueHealthDC.com
Dr. Brady,
I am new to your practice and just found this blog concerning Ritalin. I am a Veterinary student at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine who was diagnosed with ADD borderline ADHD when I was 7 years old. I have a long history of intermittent use of all of the available pharmaceutical treatments. I required different products for different stages of my life dictated by excessive adverse side effects of the drug I was currently on. I have attempted to find and read information concerning ADD and get quite bogged down in the scientific data and research. Would you possibly provide me with your resources concerning this topic so that I might further understand my condition?
Thank you for your attention,
Jennifer Cockburn
LSU-SVM class of 2010
Jennifer Cockburn
January 6, 2009
Thank you for leaving this comment Jennifer.
A “condition” is traditional terms is a name given to a set of symptoms. Once those set of symptoms can be given a name and ICD-9 code can be attached to it so that a physician can be paid by an insurance company. My point is that under the symptoms of ANY disease or condition lies subtle metabolic changes that promote dysfunction–>disease. When those dysfunctions are identified (immune imbalances, infections, metabolic DNA variations, nutrient absorption, food and air sensitivities…and the list goes on…), a plan using aggressive nutrition can be put in place to reverse those biological dysfunctions meaning that body can now do what it was trying to do in the first place, heal itself. Drugs were never meant to restore nor support proper function. They are meant to temporarily subdue symptoms while that person is working to rebuild their true health. Today we have confused health with a lack of symptoms…great for business, bad for you.
Some good doctors to look up on the subject are: Dr. Datis Kharrazian, Dr. Jeffery Bland, and Dr. David Perlmutter
Google Scholar is also a very good resource.
Do not hesitate to pass these vlogs on to other forums or individuals you know. A big part of our practice is doing phone/video consultations with individuals in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and some parts of Asia.
Thanks again Jennifer for leaving the comment. I encourage others to follow your lead.
To your Health,
Dr. Brady Hurst
http://www.TrueHealthDC.com
Dr. Brady Hurst
January 6, 2009
Thank you for the information. I will put it to good use.
Jennifer Cockburn
Jennifer Cockburn
January 7, 2009