Todd Caldecott

ADHD is often framed online as simply an “overstimulated mind,” but the neurobiology is much more complex than that. Dopaminergic underactivation, executive dysfunction, trauma, sleep dysregulation, metabolic instability, and environmental factors all play important roles.

This is also why simplistic “calming” approaches — whether pharmaceutical or herbal — do not always produce meaningful clinical results. Understanding the actual mechanisms matters.

Curious to hear from clinicians, practitioners, and people living with ADHD: what interventions have genuinely made a difference for you?

Finding a dietary home in complex digestive disorders.

The chamomile flowers are just coming into season, which for me is a little melancholy, because I planted these for someone who’s no longer in my life.

This is German chamomile, Matricaria recutita, a gentle nervine and antispasmodic herb whose essential oils — bisabolol and chamazulene — contribute to both its fragrance and its medicinal properties. The sunny flowers with their lovely fragrance are a balm for the nervous system, but no herb can resolve the grief of losing something or someone you once held as precious.

If this resonates for you, by all means, pour yourself a cup of chamomile tea, and when the feelings come up, instead of getting caught up in the accompanying thoughts, notice and locate the feelings in your body, welcome and give space to them, staying focused on the feeling sensation itself rather than the thoughts, and gently let them dissipate.

Although the harvest may seem small, just like plucking a few flowers every day, over time it adds up. May your harvest, whether it is chamomile flowers, grief or both, be fruitful and abundant.

Spring pollen is inevitable, but chronic suffering is not.

When pollen counts rise, many people experience more than just congestion and itchy eyes. The inflammatory response within the mucous membranes can increase susceptibility to respiratory infection, while the broader immunological burden may contribute to systemic issues such as histamine intolerance, digestive disturbance, fatigue, brain fog, and joint pain.

When I was younger, spring was a season of dread for me. I suffered from severe allergies and systemic inflammation. But by understanding how to reduce my immunological load and support resilience, my experience changed completely. Now at 57, living with three dogs and a cat I was once told I was “profoundly allergic” to, I can walk through pollen-drenched forests and cut my acre and a half of grass, moving through spring free of symptoms.

Too often people normalize chronic symptoms, assuming they will resolve on their own. In Āyurveda, postponing the treatment of disease is considered a form of prajñāparādha, or “a crime against wisdom.” Specifically, this is reflected in the term dhṛti vibhramśa, referring to a failure of resolve: when we know what must be done, but delay action until imbalance becomes pathology.

Part of the problem is that many people eventually lose faith that chronic conditions can truly be resolved, and instead settle for temporary suppression of symptoms rather than addressing underlying causes. And the pharmaceutical industry banks on exactly that resignation.

The unfortunate reality is that health problems tend to gain inertia over time. The earlier we intervene, the easier they are to resolve. If you need support, I am here to help.

Can oil massage increase āma? It depends on the context.

In Ayurveda, daily abhyanga is not the same as bāhya snehana. Abhyanga uses a small amount of oil, usually for regulation: calming vāta, supporting the nervous system, improving sleep, and lubricating the skin. Bāhya snehana is a therapeutic procedure using much larger volumes of oil to saturate the tissues as part of a more intensive treatment process.

The type of oil also matters. Raw sesame oil is generally more heating but unless properly processed, may not be assimilated as well by the skin. In some people, especially where there is already āma and a cool damp climate, this raw oil may contribute to a sense of stagnation. Coconut oil is also heavy, but it is more cooling and soothing, making it a better choice where heat, irritation, or inflammation are part of the picture. It’s also way easier to wash out of your linens! For those who do not tolerate coconut oil well, a jojoba-based blend can be a useful alternative.

In 2023, my dog Bella suffered a sudden, severe disc injury and became paralyzed. Imaging studies showed a marked narrowing between two thoracic vertebrae, consistent with disc herniation.

As I was pricing out wheelchairs, the vet advised me to travel down to the big city to pursue an MRI and neurosurgery as soon as possible, with significant cost ($10K) and no guarantee of success.

Balking at the cost, inconvenience, and potential for failure, I decided to take things into my own hands.

We shaved the affected region of her back and I applied an intensive topical protocol using a liniment of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) tincture (1:1) and 20% DMSO (v/v), to enhance transdermal delivery. This was followed by the application of warm cottonwood bud oil — all of this five times daily.

Initial recovery began on day 7, followed by steady improvement, and further gains after resuming treatment when progress plateaued — demonstrating without a doubt, the efficacy of my approach.

Three years later, at the age of 10, she remains highly functional, at approximately 90% of her former capacity. She can run, jump into the back of my pickup, and out here in the boonies, still chase bears. She has the best life!

This is personal story, and one case history, illustrating the potential of consistent, targeted botanical intervention.

It’s times like these that make me so grateful for my life choice: to be in communion with the wisdom and grace of herbal medicine. 🙏

Have you had a similarly profound experience with herbal medicine?

Post taken down on IG, discussion continues. The response to this topic suggests a real appetite for a more nuanced conversation about sunlight, risk, and health—one that moves beyond simple, one-dimensional messaging and considers dose, pattern, and context.