CLS Parent Support

  I Cut Out Sugar for a Month—Here’s What It Did for My Mental Health All good things come in moderation I’ve never been one to turn down something sweet. A bar of chocolate to reward myself for a successful grocery shop, some dessert after dinner—since I only indulged a few times a week, I thought it was pretty harmless.  But after noticing how sluggish, irritable, and foggy I felt after sugar-heavy days, I started wondering: could my sugar intake be affecting my mental health? With that question in mind, I decided to cut out added sugar for an entire month. No packets of jelly beans, no sweetened boba teas, and no honey in my morning oats. The goal wasn’t just to see how my body felt, but to observe whether eliminating sugar had any impact on my mood, energy levels, and mental clarity. The result? Let’s just say it wasn’t what I expected.  Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

School-Aged Vision: 6 to 18 Years of Age A child needs many abilities to succeed in school and good vision is key. Reading, writing, chalkboard work and using computers are among the visual tasks students perform daily. A child's eyes are constantly in use in the classroom and at play. When his or her vision is not functioning properly, education and participation in sports can suffer. As children progress throughout their education, they face increasing demands on their visual abilities. The size of print in textbooks becomes smaller and the amount of time spent reading and studying increases significantly. Increased workload and homework place significant demands on the child's eyes and children depend on their vision to function properly so they can learn efficiently and excel. Vision skills needed for school Vision is more than just the ability to see clearly or having 20/20 eyesight. It is also the ability to understand and respond to what is seen. There are many basic vis...

  Deeper Look at the Brain- Gut Connection .... One of the biggest reasons we’re so successful in treating patients is because when someone’s brain health is suffering we know to begin looking at the gut for answers. Most people think when your gut isn’t working properly, you feel it in the form of constipation, IBS, diarrhea, upset stomach or slow digestion. And while this certainly can be true, gut issues often manifest themselves in other ways throughout the body — including hair, skin and nail problems, sinus issues, ear ringing, headaches and weight gain — and especially in the brain! Most doctors either don’t know about the all-important BRAIN-GUT CONNECTION or fail to take it into account when treating patients. This is a complete travesty because if you don’t focus on what’s causing the problem, you will never truly be well! With that in mind, let’s dive deeper into the brain-gut connection. THE BRAIN-GUT CONNECTION: A TWO-WAY STREET As you probably know by now, your digest...

  Think you’re bad at math? You may suffer from ‘math trauma’ Published: November 1, 2018 6:50am EDT   Updated: July 2, 2020 1:36pm EDT I teach people how to teach math, and I’ve been working in this field for 30 years. Across those decades, I’ve met many people who suffer from varying degrees of  math trauma  – a form of debilitating mental shutdown when it comes to doing mathematics. When people share their stories with me, there are common themes. These include someone telling them they were “not good at math,” panicking over timed math tests, or getting stuck on some math topic and struggling to move past it. The topics can be as broad as fractions or an entire class, such as Algebra or Geometry. The notion of who is – and isn’t – a math person drives the  research   I do  with my colleagues  Shannon Sweeny  and  Chris Willingham  with people earning their teaching degrees. One of the biggest challenges U.S. math educators ...

  ADHD Hyperfocus: The Secret Weapon to Unleashing Productivity and Creativity Think about the last time you were doing something you enjoyed, like reading a book or playing a musical instrument. Did the hours fly by, and your surroundings disappear? For those with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), this phenomenon is called hyperfocus. And it can happen pretty often. ADHD hyperfocus is a state of intense and prolonged concentration that some ADHDers experience. The individual can become so engaged in a particular activity that they become unaware of their surroundings and the passing of time. [1] This abundance of focus can be both a blessing and a curse – depending on how you channel it. It might help you  stay focused  on a task until you complete it. Or it could make it harder to manage the amount of time you spend on certain activities. But by implementing self-regulatory strategies, you can use the ability to hyperfocus to your advantage! Note:  T...

  Glyphosate: The Health Risks of the Most Common Herbicide Glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide, has become a central figure in agricultural practices across North America since its introduction in the 1970s. Known commercially as Roundup, it revolutionized weed control, making it easier and more efficient for farmers to manage their crops. However, as its use has proliferated, so too have concerns regarding its health impacts. Let’s take a look at the health risks associated with glyphosate, its effects on the health of North Americans, the differences in its regulation globally, and the benefits of sourcing organic produce. ‍ The Rise of Glyphosate Glyphosate works by inhibiting an enzyme pathway, the shikimic acid pathway, which is crucial for plant growth. This pathway is absent in animals, initially leading to assumptions about its safety for humans and animals. Glyphosate’s widespread use can be attributed to the advent of genetically modified (GM) crops designed to resist...

  ADHD Paralysis Is Real: Here Are 8 Ways to Overcome it You  really  need to get things done but just can’t seem to get the ball rolling. You’re overwhelmed, frozen in place, and can’t even think about what to do first. That’s exactly what ADHD paralysis feels like. But what is ADHD paralysis? Also known as analysis paralysis or ADHD shutdown, ADHD paralysis happens when a person with ADHD is overwhelmed by information, emotions, or their environment. As a result, they freeze and can’t think or function effectively. Adults who experience ADHD paralysis find it much more challenging to focus and complete their tasks. Because of this, they may struggle to keep up with their commitments and responsibilities at work, school, or home. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to learn more.