Oriental Medicine

This discipline, in existence for thousands of years, posits that various conditions result from yin and yang energies, present in all of us, being out of balance. Excessive activity and inability to focus attention result from insufficient yin, where yin represents the calm and receptive aspects of human personality.

yin deficiency may result from genetics, or because this energy is depleted by refined foods, food additives, or environmental toxins. AD/HD symptoms may also be described by the Chinese wind syndrome, which includes a mind and body that move chaotically from one action or idea to another. Wind conditions are exacerbated by heat-producing foods, diets that cause liver stagnation, stressful activity, and certain foods.

To alleviate AD/HD type symptoms, a Chinese Medicine practitioner might prescribe the following:

• Acupuncture, to free up blocked qi, the life force present in all human beings
• Dietary restrictions and/or additions
• Herbs
• Bodywork, such as Qi Gong

One 1999 anecdotal study noted that small gold beads, called acupressure seeds, placed at certain spots on the ear caused a reduction in AD/HD type symptoms among schoolchildren.

Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathy incorporates a Western medicine philosophy; for example, a naturopathic physician might perform physical exams or order lab tests. However, naturopathy expands on this approach by treating illness and disease as resulting from the interplay of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, environmental, and other factors.

A naturopathic physician encourages patients to take responsibility for their own health by attention to lifestyle, habits, diet, and emotional well-being. When treating a patient, the most gentle, least invasive solution will first be used.

Ayurvedic Medicine

Ayurveda was born in India over five thousand years ago, and is recognized by the World Health Organization as an effective system of medicine. According to Ayurveda, there are seven body types, or doshas. By identifying the doshas, an appropriate lifestyle, including nutrition and exercise, can be implemented, thus bring a person into balance and well-being.

An Ayurvedic practitioner might recommend the following for a person displaying AD/HD symptoms:

• Dietary restrictions and/or additions
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Oil treatments
• Breathing techniques

Homeopathy

This system differs from mainstream (allopathic) medicine in several ways:

• Homeopathy treats the individual, rather than just the disease, by attempting to understand not only what the disease is, but why the person is susceptible
• Homeopathy treats by working with the body’s natural responses; mainstream medicine treats by counteracting or opposing a patient's symptoms
• Homeopathy is a holistic approach that treats with the whole person in mind, including mental, physical, and emotional states. Mainstream medicine tends to treat parts of the body in isolation