DISCLAIMER: Please be advised that I am not a doctor and what I share here is my personal experience and not intended to diagnose, treat or advise. Please seek the care of a trained professional when needed.
When our daughter began having anxiety it never dawned on me to address her diet. I took her to the pediatrician a number of times and her doctor never told me to explore possible food allergies or heavy metal toxicity. She never considered that Lyme infections could be the cause for the anxiety in my child.
Most doctors do not seem to be aware of the fact that bacterial infections cause a high percentage of mental illness cases.¹
My daughter’s doctor didn’t explain to me how certain foods can actually trigger anxiety and OCD or how I could use natural supplements and amino acids to calm the raging storm inside my little girl. Instead, she gave me a list of parenting books and told me if the problem persists then I should seek out a psychiatrist. We did see a psychiatrist, a psychologist, and a family counselor. Medication did little to help my daughter and the side effects were not worth having her on them.
Healing with Food
I began researching and I talked with a good friend of mine who is trained in natural medicine, nutrition, and natural healing. She convinced me that I had to change my daughter’s diet in order to help alleviate her symptoms. I learned further that I could also use amino acids and calmatives to help her anxiety.
My daughter’s anxiety and OCD were brought on by tick-borne disease and exasperated because of heavy metal toxicity.
Her true healing didn’t come until we addressed the infections she had but we were able to provide relief by making some key changes. You can read more about her story in a previous post How A Tick Bite Changed My daughter.
What We Did
We began to notice that eliminating gluten, sugar, preservatives, food coloring, and junk food all helped to calm her anxiety.²
We then eliminated dairy which was very difficult because my daughter craved milk. We were already a whole foods family but allowed junk foods, sodas, and ice cream on special occasions and weekends. We cut those out completely for her.
We addressed her gut by giving her a good quality probiotic. I then began to give her B-6, evening primrose oil, GABA, fish oil, zinc, and Vitamin D. We used l-Theanine, GABA, and Bach’s Rescue Remedy when she needed extra help. I also used essential oils like Lavender, Valor, and Peace and Calming.
These changes helped my daughter so much and eased her symptoms.
When you notice your children having difficulties with moodiness, temper tantrums, or trouble with school, please consider what they’re eating and drinking. With a few basic changes, you might just find that those problems disappear.
My daughter is older now and has taken ownership of her health. She knows what sets her off and she knows what makes her feel great. She is very serious about exercising and is very strict with her diet.
Since we homeschool, we used our journey living with chronic Lyme disease as part of our school. All three of my girls have earned more than an entire credit because they have gone deeper, learning more about health, nutrition, and fitness.
Many moms already understand the connection between food and their children’s health but usually implementing these steps is much more difficult, especially if our child is old enough to resist the changes. Keep researching and keep working to do whatever you can to help them. I believe the more you are convinced and the more you involve your child in these changes the easier it will be to transition to a lifestyle that will help to calm the storm of anxiety within them.
¹ Microbes and Mental Illness
Infectious Agents in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
ILADS Psychiatric Lyme Brochure
Do Bartonella Infections Cause Agitation, Panic Disorder, and Treatment-Resistant Depression?
² Fix Your Brain by Going Gluten Free
Gluten Psychosis
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