Cooking with Healing Herbs Can Help Your Child Thrive
Food plays an important part in reducing symptoms of ADHD. Hyperactivity, attention deficit, and impulsive behavior can be tempered by avoiding unhealthy dishes and cooking with healing herbs.
The common ADHD treatment includes drugs intake and behavioral therapy which aims at the kid’s adjustment to a certain daily routine. Lots of parents are worried about the side effects of pharmaceutical treatments. Thus, they prefer to find alternative and holistic approaches to improve conditions for their child.
What Healing Herbs to Include in a Hyperactive Child’s Menu?
A diet tailored to the needs of an energetic kid should contain an adequate amount of healthy fats, vegetables and healthy carbohydrates. Fast food dishes and low-nutrient snacks with food additives, colors and hard-to-pronounce ingredients can function triggers and augment the ADHD manifestation.
To give healthy meals an extra flavor you can use herbs with natural soothing effects. Chamomile jelly is a wonderful dessert while chicken soup with ginseng is perfect for a cold winter day.
In your kitchen, you should also have:
Lemon Balm which is a perennial plant belonging to the mint family. Its flowers are white or tainted with a bit of blue. The leaves have 0.05% essential oils in their composition, a savory taste, and a delicate citrus aroma. This plant has a high concentration of vitamin C, flavonoids, and organic acids.
Influence of ADHD symptoms:
- reduces anxiety
- improves the sleeping pattern
- adjuvant for stress and depression
This is a great herb to plant in your garden or a pot on your balcony.
Valerian has been used since ancient times to improve sleeping disorders and restlessness. The herb is indigenous to Europe, Asia, and North America. Its delicate flowers are white, pink, and purple. The root is the one hiding therapeutic substances such as valeric acid, isovaleric acid, and antioxidants.
Valerian Intake and the Restless Leg Syndrome
In 2009, researches from the University of Pennsylvania conducted a study on thirty-seven people with severe RLS. They received 800 milligrams of valerian per day for eight weeks. The results pointed out a significant reduction of the symptoms associated with RLS.
This plant is a source of proteins, iron, zinc, and vitamin C for its consumers. Most people use the herb to prepare tea or tincture. The infusion is easy and fast to make. You add a teaspoon of valerian to a mug of boiled water.
Good to Know
Valerian is closely related to Valerianella. Although they are part of the same family, these plants have different uses. The former is famous for its medicinal properties while the latter for its gastronomic versatility. Valerianella or Corn Salad has lots of vitamins so you can make room for it in your kitchen.
Ashwagandha or Indian Ginseng is a tropical herb appreciated for its healing characteristics. It belongs to the tomato family and its root is a genuine source of substances which reduce pain and induce a state of tranquility. The leaves and the fruit are highly appreciated by practitioners of alternative medicine.
Medical Research on Ashwagandha
Scientific studies showed that ashwagandha diminishes stress and protects the human brain against the negative effects of the modern lifestyle. A study published in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine revealed the plant’s positive impact on stress and cortisol level in the human body.
Blue Vervain is a robust plant with purple-pink flowers. Its therapeutic characteristics result from the active substances in the leaves, flowers, stem, and springs. Blue Vervain contains saponosides, tannin, verbena, aucubin, and ursolic acid.
The extracts and infusions from its leaves have tonic, antibacterial, astringent, antispasmodic, and soothing properties. They have a positive effect on the nervous system diminishing restlessness. In addition, blue vervain tea reduces blood pressure, lowering the incidence of hyperactive bursts.
Lavender has a healing reputation which exceeds 2500 years. Egyptians, Phoenicians, and the Arabs used lavender to prepare perfumes and cosmetic products. This plant has over 30 species cultivated for different purposes. Alternative medicine and the beauty industry do not use the same lavender varieties.
The delicate purple flowers play a substantial role in phytotherapy because of their antiseptic, curative, and assuasive powers. This apathogenic plant helps the human body to adjust to stress and disequilibrium. It is the best ally to induce relaxation and to regulate the circadian rhythm.
Oat is experiencing well-deserved popularity nowadays. It has significant nutritional value because it provides us with proteins, fibers, minerals, and vitamins. The beta-glucans diminish sugar levels in the blood and the antioxidants lower the blood pressure. As a consequence, hyperactivity decreases in force.
Oats make a delicious and nourishing breakfast when served with fresh fruit and Greek yogurt.
Ginkgo Biloba is famous for its positive action on blood flow but there is more to it than that. The Ginko extract leads to memory and attention enhancement, metabolic regulation, and eases depression symptoms.
One of the oldest trees on Earth, Ginkgo belongs to the Ginkoceae family being its sole survivor. The leaves are fan-shaped and the fruits have a powerful aroma. Their pulp is not edible, but the leaves are perfect for soothing infusions. The buds have extensive use in alternative pharmacology while the kernels are a valued ingredient in the Asian cuisine.
Good to Know
Ginkgo Biloba interacts with different medication. For this reason, it is important to discuss with a professional before including it in your child’s menu.
Skullcap is the name of a flowery perennial plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. It grows in humid habitats across North America. This plant has a lot of health benefits because it is:
- a strong anti-inflammatory
- a natural tranquilizer
and
- an anxiety reliever
Also, it decreases the level of stress hormones and lowers the frequency of meltdowns.
Wood Betony is a perennial plant, specific to European temperate regions. Betony is easy to spot due to its purple flowers and hairy stems. Most people ingest it in the form of infusion or tincture. The herb promotes liver health, but more importantly, it decreases irritability and symptoms associated with anxiety.
Brahmi comes from India and Sri Lanka. Nowadays, it grows in Australia, Florida, southerner California and around the Gulf of Mexico. Its capacity to improve memory and attention put it on the list of herbs which ameliorate ADHD.
Herbalists claim that Brahmi aids people to focus better by strengthening the conductivity of nervous tissues.
Cooking with herbs has numerous advantages and benefits. However, it is wise to consider a specialist’s opinion before operating any dietary changes.
5 Yummy Recipes with Herbs for Your Kid to Thrive
With the right herbs and a bit of imagination, you can prepare amazing dishes to ensure your child’s well-being.
Chamomile Jelly – A Stress-Free Treat
Kids love sweets and it is difficult for them to resist the temptation of a chocolate bar. Luckily, there are lots of healthy dessert recipes ready in no time.
To prepare a chamomile jelly, you need a medium pot. Put water and chamomile flowers in it and let them boil for 10 minutes. Remove the flowers and keep the infusion. Mix it with gelatin and a bit of granulated coconut sugar in a big pot. Boil and stir properly for 1 minute. Remove the foam and put the jelly in clean jars. You can use natural food coloring to make it more fun!
Chamomile can also be a surprise ingredient in healthy cupcakes. Six tea bags of chamomile give the dessert a delicate aroma which soothes all senses.
Lavender Salad – A Healthy and Fast Snack
To prepare this dish, you need 1 red onion, 1 bell pepper, 1 peach or 1 nectarine, 40 grams of feta cheese, and lettuce. The dressing comprises ½ teaspoon of dry lavender, 5 spoons of lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon of mustard, 5 teaspoons of olive oil, ½ teaspoons of sea salt, and 1 teaspoon of grated ginger.
Take a big bowl and mix all the dressing ingredients. Then, add the sliced bell pepper, the onion rings, the cubed nectarine, and the lettuce. The feta cheese goes on top and your delicious dish is ready.
Lavender can be your secret ingredient for lemonade, biscuits, pancakes, lamb chops, boiled vegetables, crème Brulee or ice cream.
A Palatable Ashwagandha Smoothie
The recipe is not a very rigid one and you may change the ingredients according to your child’s preferences. You need coconut or almond milk, ½ avocado, 1 banana, 1 teaspoon of Ashwagandha, spinach, parsley, and 1 or 2 dates.
Put all the ingredients one by one in a blender and mix everything together. The smoothie is ready in a few minutes.
Fruit and Vervain Syrup
This simple recipe needs the following ingredients: water, a bit of granulated coconut sugar, 3 spoons of dried vervain leaves and cherries, apricots or peaches. First put the water, sugar, and vervain in a pot. Boil for 5 minutes. Take the boiling pot from the oven and wait 15 minutes for the mixture to cool.
Wash the fruit and remove the stones. Cut the peaches and the apricots in two halves. Put the fruit in solid jars and then pour the syrup over them. Take another big pot filled with water. Place the jars in the pot and boil for 15 minutes if you put cherries inside them or for 30 minutes if you put apricots. Leave the jars to cool before eating the fruit.
How to Make the Best Lemon Balm Tea?
You should use fresh or dried leaves for the infusion because they have got the highest concentration of therapeutic substances. You need three spoons of lemon balm for 1 mug of water.
First, let the water boil in a pot and then add the herbs. Cover the pot and wait for several minutes before pouring the infusion in a mug. For extra flavor, you can add mint or ginger.
A diverse, healthy, and tasty menu can do wonders for your child’s well-being. Cooking with herbs adds flavor and extra nutrients to your meals. A balanced diet can help your child be more focused and able to finish his or her tasks.
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