There are many components to mood, emotional, and behavioral disorders like: ADHD, Depression and anxiety in youth. I touch on a few areas that impact mental health. All must be addressed to create the most health and balance in your child or adolescent teen.

In the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry titled Gluten Sensitivity is a neurological illness; it states that a common dietary protein introduced to the human diet relatively late in evolutionary terms, can create human disease not only of the stomach or intestinal tract, but ones skin, as well as the nervous system.

The role of diet in the development of mental health disorders is overlooked in the general medical models and as mental health psychotherapists we receive no training in nutrition they will rarely consider an issue such as food allergies or gluten sensitivity when looking to treat a patient.

There are specific tests to test for gluten. Traditional blood tests and intestinal biopsies are not as accurate as the newer tests that test for gluten antibodies.

Here is a list of illnesses associated with gluten sensitivity: ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Arthritis, Diabetes, osteoporosis, brain fog, cancer, chest pain, depression, migranes, alzheimers, dementia, parkinsonism, and more.

There are many stories of how getting off gluten helped with severe depression and anxiety disorders. Individuals stating they were thinking clearly and were not depressed anymore since getting off gluten. Many state they have more energy since weaning off gluten. Feeling free of depression as well as free of unclear thinking. Being able to think clearly again once off gluten.

Medications for ADHD can lead to : anxiety, addiction, and psychosis.

The definition of childhood is being replaced with ADHD meds and is having a horrific impact on society. Children and adults.12/20/16

I do not believe that all depression or all ADHD is caused by Gluten, however, I do believe that there are many components that impact health and disease.

Drugs used to treat ADHD have resulted in cases of permanent Tourettes syndrome. Research to support this has been extensive going back over thirty five years.

ADHD symptoms were reduced by 30 percent for those that were able to eliminate gluten for 6 months among children and teenagers and adults ages three to fifty seven years old.

Depression and anxiety disorders are very severe with those with gluten sensitivity. Neurotransmitters are being blocked like serotonin by cytokines these are essential in regulating mood like anxiety and depression.

Almost fifty percent of children with autism spectrum disorder have stomach issues and problems.

There is great research on mind and body. What you tell yourself impacts your mood, behaviors, and feelings. There is great research on this over a 100 years. CBT Cognitive behavioral therapy in psychology and counseling is a powerful tool to treat unhealthy behaviors, Anxiety, ADHD, depression and more. CBT is not the only way to treat mental health disorders.

There is vast research on exercise and mental health. Exercise is a great tool to manage: ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, OCD, Autism, ADD and more.

There is research to show that inadequate sleep impacts mood and behaviors. Children over 8 and teens need at least 9-10 hours of sleep. Obtaining 8 hours is better obviously than 6 hours.

Lifeworksaz.com looks at all areas of a child’s life to create health and balance and success.