They are all “hyper” conditions. Asthma presents as hypersensitivity of the bronchial airways; Allergies is a hypersensitive immune reaction; and ADHD as hyperactivity.

Three different symptoms of the body not being well, but the underlying factors are similar. Our health depends on various conditions to be healthy. When there is a diet lacking in nutritional value combined with lack of exercise yet high mental-emotional stresses and physical injury fueling our bodies, then naturally we become unhealthy. Our body engines cannot handle this input any longer, and it wants to eliminate these unhealthy factors. As a result, it reacts in a ‘hyper’ way. We thus develop Asthma, Allergies, ADHD and possibly a host of other conditions such as IBS, depression, eczema, psoriasis, anxiety, weight gain, arthritis, digestive problems and the list goes on.

When we become exposed to all these factors repetitively from childhood, our health may be affected earlier on. If these contributing factors are introduced while in the womb, it may seem as if we were “born with it”. Or we stay free from symptoms in childhood while our bodies continually fight to protect our health. But then as adults, the body just cannot handle the stressors anymore and symptoms appear as if ‘they happened overnight’. Actually they are an accumulation over the years of improper care.

The important point to consider in treating these conditions is to address the underlying cause instead of simply masking the condition further. This may actually lead to more chronic conditions down the road. Only by understanding what is at the root of the problem will help in clearing these hyperactive conditions.

The most common underlying factor in these three conditions is an allergy/sensitivity to foods (or the additives in foods) and the environment. Pesticides in fruits and vegetables, repetitive eating of the same foods, ingesting commonly ‘allergic’ foods and refined products are part of the problem. As a result, the foods we eat do not provide the vital nutrients needed so that we become very deficient in the vitamins and minerals essential to stay healthy. Environmental and household chemicals also contribute to part of the problem. What happens then is a ‘toxic’ build up of chemicals in the body. Not only is there a ‘toxic’ build up in our bodies, but the deficiency of vital nutrients in the body also weakens the detoxification pathways. As such we are unable to clean out our systems as efficiently and effectively as possible. All these ‘toxins’ are foreign to the body. Therefore the immune system does not recognize them as its own and thus will react and ‘fight back’, resulting in a ‘hyper’ reaction.

Naturopathic Medicine strives to address the root of the problem on an individualized basis.  In these cases, regulation of the ‘hyper’ inflammatory pathways is vital. To start off, it is important to eliminate foods that increase the inflammatory pathways causing this ‘hyper’ reaction, while increasing foods that can inhibit these pathways. At the same time, any environmental allergies should be addressed as well.

Once these external factors are eliminated, the ‘toxins’ in your body will have a chance to clear out as well. This will now give your body the chance to heal itself. During this process, various remedies such as nutritional supplementation, herbal formulas and homeopathics may be required in order to help moderate and stabilize the ‘hyper’ reactions. The most common nutritional deficiencies in Asthma, Allergies and ADHD are some of the B-vitamins, magnesium as well as essential fatty acids (EFAs). In addition, it is important to incorporate a balanced exercise regimen along with addressing factors such as stress and other mental-emotional concerns. Every individual is different and the specific recommendations relating to requirements and dosages should be advised and supervised under the care of your Naturopathic Doctor.