Calm Your Squirrel - A DIY ADHD Aromatherapy Blend

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I have ADHD and so does the kiddo. It has been a reality for me my entire life. My mom did a good job at trying to avoid diet triggers and shoved me outside to play as much as possible, but sometimes it can still be very difficult to shut off my brain and just focus on one specific thing at a time until I am actually finished with it.

Syfy has already started showing signs of the same attention issues that myself and the ex have grown up experiencing. I am by no means labeling him, nor do I intend to medicate him or even get a Doctor's diagnosis for it. After all, I do not intend to medicate him with Ritalin just because of an ADHD diagnosis. From personal experience, the ex has said that Ritalin caused him a whole host of problems, as a child, and one of them was making him feel like a total zombie. He hated taking that medication and this experience combined with current research has led us to make different choices than those of our parents.

I have spent the last 9 months developing this aromatherapy blend so that it would be helpful to every member of my attention deficit, hyperactive clan. After doing as much research as I could, as well as testing out my creations on myself and the rest of my hyperactive clan, I have developed this aromatherapy blend, Calm Your Squirrel! Utilizing this blend along with making healthier life choices has drastically helped all of us to find our focus and calm our squirrels.

The wrong foods can give your child ADHD symptoms

Before we get to the aromatherapy of this subject, I think it's very important to talk about diet and ADHD. Scientists have been studying the effects of food additives and ADHD since the 1970's. There was always a suspicion that certain additives in our food were causing children to act out of the ordinary, but it wasn't until clinical trials in the early 2000's that solidified these suspicions. This new study, held by Dr. Lidy Pelsser of the ADHD Research Center from the Netherlands, has shown that

Food is the main cause of ADHD. The study found that in 64 percent of children with ADHD, the symptoms were caused by food. It's a hypersensitivity reaction to food.

If you or your child are experiencing ADHD symptoms, the first thing to do is to eliminate specific triggers from your diet. Many of the leading causes of these symptoms are additives in our food. Artificial food dyes, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, and other artificial sweeteners have all shown to either create ADHD symptoms in a child without ADHD or exacerbate these symptoms in children with ADHD. This pretty much means that highly processed foods and fast foods need to be avoided at all costs. Some of the worst offenders that should be avoided or made at home with healthy ingredients are:

Candy - Made with all sorts of artificial dyes and artificial sweeteners.
Sodas, Kool-Aid, Gatorade, Fruit Punch, and other beverages - these toxic beverages do not contain juice or anything healthy related...these are laden with artificial dyes, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and more!
Frozen fruits and veggies - look at the package because these can contain artificial colors and if not organic, can be treated with pesticides.
Cake mixes and frosting - Just like the above, these have plenty of artificial sweeteners, artificial dyes, and additives that should be avoided. Cakes and frosting are very easy to make yourself at home, without all the nasty additives!
Energy drinks - "Energy drinks are high on the list of things that cause teens to display behaviors mimicking ADHD," - Dr. Barnhill
Popsicles/Ice cream treats - many of the Popsicles on the market contain water, artificial sweeteners, and artificial dyes...no juice whatsoever!!! It's ADHD on a stick!!!

Studies show aromatherapy helps calm your squirrel

From 1999-2001, Terry S. Friedmann, M. D., A.B.H.M., conducted a case study involving the use of specific essential oils for children between the ages of 6-12 years, that had been diagnosed with ADHD. Using each oil for 30 days, at the end of the study, he came to the conclusion that essential oils DO help reduce the symptoms of ADHD, and some of them can make a drastic difference! The essential oils that were used in this study were:

Lavender essential oil - The use of lavender essential oil increased performance by 53%
Atlas cedarwood essential oil - The use of atlas cedarwood essential oil increased performance by 83%
Vetiver essential oil - The use of vetiver essential oil increased performance by 100%

There also are other essential oils that are known to help with concentration, focus, calming, and more. Using this information, I created my own essential oil blend to use in our own home. After help from some of my favorite Facebook fans, this blend was named Calm Your Squirrel!

Calm Your Squirrel ADHD Aromatherapy Blend

If you don't have the essential oils on hand or don't want to buy all of them, you can alternately use Plant Therapy's A+ Attention! Dilute accordingly before use! This blend is safe for use on children 2+ years of age. Combine these oils and store in a dark glass bottle away from heat, when not in use. This is a pure undiluted blend, so please follow dilution instructions below for topical use!

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Combine essential oils in a 15 ml amber glass bottle. Swirl the bottle gently to mix. Label and store in a cool dark place with your other essential oils, when not using!

The many uses for Calm Your Squirrel essential oil blend

There are many uses for your Calm Your Squirrel blend. This blend is not only great for ADHD, but can help to calm and soothe those that experience anxiety, ADD, PTSD, and even help some with Autism (Please consult your medical practitioner to be sure that these essential oils do not interfere with any medications you are currently taking). I like to dilute this blend in a carrier oil and carry it in a roll-on bottle so that I can always have mine with me. This can be useful for your children to be able to take with them to school and use when they need it!

In the diffuser –You can calm the entire household with this blend in the diffuser. When you are seeing fights break out among siblings, or have a study group over, this is a great option! The amount you use in the diffuser can vary depending on the diffuser size. Follow your diffuser's directions for use.
In a Body & Room Spray – It is great to have this spray on hand in your bag or purse. You can spray yourself, the air around you, or even pillows and couches, to give the room a concentration boost. Combine in a 2 oz. bottle: 2 Tbsp. witch hazel, 1 tsp. aloe vera gel, 1 tsp. vegetable glycerin (or other carrier oil), essential oils, and water to fill. For children 2+ years add 24 drops essential oil blend. For children 6+ years add 36 drops essential oil blend. For adults and children 10+ years add 50 drops essential oil blend.
In a massage oil/roll-on bottle – This method is very effective. I utilize this once in the morning and once around lunch time to keep Syfy and I on track throughout the day. I like to add the essential oils with a carrier oil to a roll on bottle and then massage this onto the bottoms of the feet as well as the spine/back of the neck, and even on the chest sometimes. Combine 1 Tbsp. carrier oil with the age-appropriate essential oil blend. For children 2+ years add 8 drops essential oil blend, for children 6+ years add 10 drops essential oil blend, for adults and children 10+ years add 15 drops essential oil blend.