Product Description

Millions of children who are diagnosed with ADHD can reduce or eliminate their medication while vastly improving their quality of life-just by exercising more, according to Stephen C. Putnam, author of this landmark book on the subject.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become an epidemic, with an estimated 5 percent of American children now on prescription drug regimens and the numbers increasing at a rapid rate. Meanwhile, the average child gets less exercise than in past generations, thanks to television, video games, and other inactive pastimes.

Putnam, in testing his theories, brought together a wide range of studies, anecdotal evidence, and laboratory research, reaching a firm conclusion that for many ADHD children, an exercise regimen controls the condition as well as drugs-without the unwanted side effects. The result of that research is the new book, Nature's Ritalin for the Marathon Mind: Nurturing Your ADHD Child with Exercise (Upper Access Books, $9.95). The findings include the following:

• Laboratory experiments have established that aerobic exercise has a chemical effect on the brain similar to that of Ritalin and other psychostimulant drugs, and the same ability to help people to focus their minds.

• ADHD has a variety of symptoms and causes, and neither exercise nor drugs is effective in treating all cases. However, in general, the children who respond the best to medication also respond the best to exercise.

• Psychostimulant drugs reduce a child's desire for rough-and-tumble play, thereby decreasing exercise and increasing the dependence on drugs. This can be turned around if activities involving aerobic exercise are worked into the child's schedule.

• While children usually need help from parents and others to become motivated to take up a regular exercise routine, the motivation-once it starts-is self-perpetuating. In other words, once children understand that the exercise regimen makes them feel better, improves social life, helps them with school, and provides other benefits, they pursue it with enthusiasm.

Putnam emphasizes that "This is not an anti-Ritalin book. The benefits of Ritalin and other medications for many children have been well established." He also notes that any change in treatment must be undertaken in consultation with the child's physician. Yet in case after case, he notes that by adopting a regular exercise routine, children have been able to reduce, and often eliminate, medication while improving social and academic life.

In addition to explaining the scientific issues, the book provides details on how to determine the optimum amount of exercise and the optimal schedules, plus numerous suggestions of ways to motivate your children to take up appropriate activities. "Motivation is the tricky part for most kids," Putnam says. "They're not going to exercise just because a parent is nagging them. But once they start feeling the benefits, they'll want to keep it up. Parenting is never easy, and every situation is different. In researching and writing the book, I tried to cover the wide range of situations that parents face. "

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #894862 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 148 pages

Review
"Steve Putnam shares an important concept that needs to be considered as a useful and rational alternative to drugs." -- Jaak Panksepp, PhD, Dept of Psychology, Bowling Green State Univ.

"Steve Putnam's book is fascinating. It is a 'must-read' for anybody interested in ADHD." -- Thom Hartman, author of several major books on ADHD

I find this volume exciting. It could have a major impact on our lives and the lives of our children. -- Dr. Mark Shipman, dir., Inst. for Developmental Research

Putnam shares a . . . useful and eminently rational alternative to popular drugs whose long-term effects remain to be evaluated. -- Dr. Jaak Panksepp, Dept of Psych, Bowling Green Univ.

About the Author
If attention deficit is a disorder, Stephen Putnam had a chance to try it out. No matter what he was doing as a child, he was always restless. As an adult, he moved from job to job, unable to control his restlessness.

After years of turmoil, two major events changed Putnam's life. He started marathon canoe racing and he was diagnosed with ADHD. While taking Ritalin, he noticed that exercise intensified the calming and focusing effects of the medication. Putnam researched the literature and found ample evidence that the neurochemical effects of exercise and medication are similar. He also found that many others had discovered the benefits of exercise in treating ADHD.

With the benefit of exercise therapy, he has held the same job for fourteen years and has conducted the intensive research needed to write this book--a thoroughly documented source of information that will benefit others with the condition.

Customer Reviews

The Exercise Approach to ADHD
As a nurse working with children and adolescents in Residential Treatment I am aware of the many problems families, teachers, counselors, and medical professionals face related to ADHD and the myriad of other psychiatric diagnoses placed on our youngsters.

In "Nature's Ritalin for the Marathon Mind" Steve Putnam has gotten the word out on the body-mind connection and the effect of exercise on the brains neurochemical system. More importantly, this is done in an easy to read manner making it possible for those in need to understand and to be able to develop a plan that is workable for them.

There is no one treatment for these children. A combination of medication, therapy, and a consistent daily routine is needed. Often exercise is completely neglected but can, as is pointed out in Putnam's credible book, address a number of psychiatric diagnoses while building self esteem, developing consistency in daily routines, and enhancing the general health of our youth. All of these issues need to be seriously addressed in our culture. The rationale to use the "marathon mind" in this positive, healthy way is completely plausable and could greatly decrease or make more manageable these problems for many children and their families. In some cases it may even eliminate the need for medication or placement outside the family home.

I hope the general public and the professionals working with our youth heed this important message. The book is an essential read for anyone living or working with children with these issues.

Marathon Mind - an apt analogy for any creative thinker
This book provides a common sense, lay-language approach not only to its intended audience - adults dealing with ADHD children - but also a general populous.

It's the simple and obvious that is so often forgotten or dismissed. Putnam effectively outlines how exercise impacts behavior, mental acuity, attitude and pleasure. While the book is intended to address the issues associated with ADHD, it is applicable to any parent, child, teacher or adult seeking possible avenues for relief and release. His casual writing style, anecdotal fodder and how-to approach makes this book an easy read and useful resource for anyone who deals with kids (or is a kid at heart).

Given the increasingly sedate nature of our culture, this book is an inexpensive and valuable resource for anyone trying to balance attitudes, actions and performance.

Of course, parents dealing with ADHD children have tremendous challenges. I've witnessed the trauma an ADHD family faces, particularly when medication is not effective and/or accepted. This book provides some wonderful possibilities for these frustrated, exhausted parents, to redirect and focus their child's intellect through exercise. Putnam doesn't claim (and carefully cautions readers to seek expert input) to offer a panacea, but does provide some interesting, documented and easily implemented ideas for encouraging and monitoring regular physical activity in the ADHD child with the goal of minimizing symptoms and encouraging excellence.

A Common-sense Approach to ADHD
Stephen Putnam has written a book that will undoubtedly help many parents of ADHD children who are seeking remedies that can enhance therapies already in place. He provides ample evidence of the therapeutic benefits of aerobic exercise for children while at the same time acknowledging the efficacy of medication for some children.

Putnam's positive labeling of ADHD as "marathon mind" removes the stigma for families who are faced with the ADHD diagnosis. As someone who suffered from Major Depressive Disorder for more than a decade as an adult, I am well aware of how exercise enhances mental health. While ADHD and anxiety/depressive disorders do not necessarily accompany one another, there is common neurobiological ground. I've seen enough cases within my own family-the most dramatic being a brother who would have been diagnosed as having ADHD some 40 years ago-to know that Putnam is on to something. This brother's adult mental illness was delayed, in my opinion, by his athletics participation. He turned from athletics to abusing drugs with predictable results. Surely an exercise program is a godsend for the juvenile with the marathon mind, regardless of whether there is any predisposition to other mental health problems.

This book will likewise be beneficial for educators, all of whom are challenged with ADHD children in their classrooms. Putnam offers some sound and workable advice and interesting anecdotal evidence for consideration. Like me, the author was his own laboratory. This is not the blind leading the blind, as is so often the case. He now passes on his success formula to others. I believe this book belongs on every primary care physician's shelf, as well.