Diet for ADHD is a simple, common sense approach to addressing symptoms.
Stop the struggle and follow an ADHD diet that is simple and natural!
If you are like many adults with ADHD in your family, finding a diet for ADHD that works is very important to you. Perhaps people have mentioned to you that there are specialized diets that might work for your family member with ADHD? You may have done some research about diets for ADHD, but it is time consuming and frankly not conclusive, to search out all the information available. Let me save you some time and energy and share with you what I have learned about diets to help with ADHD. Research For every suggestion you hear about diets for ADHD, you are likely to hear an opposite opinion that also has worked for someone else. There is a lot of information out there and it can all be very confusing. The one thing that most experts in the field agree upon is that there is not one diet for ADHD that has proved clinically significant. Generally accepted medical advice indicates that poor eating habits do not cause ADD, but good eating habits can improve mood, the ability to focus and manage impulsive behaviors.
What makes the most sense when considering a diet for ADHD is very similar to what makes sense when planning a healthy, balanced diet for anyone else. I have noticed over the years in watching my own diet that it seems to come down to “what is good for a healthy heart is also good for almost everyone else.” While the most publicized nutritional research in recent years tends to focus on preventing heart disease, it is also fairly consistent in its recommendations, and can be generalized for most of us.
Good nutrition includes eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains as well as cutting down the carbs and eating enough protein. (For those people who are taking medication for ADD/ADHD, appetite suppression, especially in children, can be a problem. The goal in this case is to make the most of the food you do eat, which fits in very nicely with “eat a healthy diet!”) Reduce sugar, salt and fats. Cut back on alcohol intake, sodas and even fruit juice (due to the high sugar content.) Not too much new here folks! So the question is: how to put this healthy diet into motion for you and your family, especially when you are challenged by impulsivity, restlessness and inattentiveness. Let’s develop an action plan!
Develop an action plan for an ADHD diet that works for YOU!
An action plan is something that coaches help clients accomplish. It’s a way to create a desirable goal, identify obstacles as well as strategies to success, and then put the plan into action with steps that lead to the goal.
Action plans are a lot easier to develop than they are to implement. That’s why we hire a coach. If it was so easy we would have accomplished our goal already! Many years ago I heard a statement that has continued to ring true for me: “when we set a goal, the first thing that comes our way are all the reasons why we can’t accomplish that goal.” It can become quite a murky quagmire. The coach’s job is to keep our “eyes on the prize,” to help us from getting sidetracked by our sabotaging behaviors, to keep us taking actions that will lead to our goal, no matter what.
Looking at a healthy diet for ADHD, we first have to ask ourselves:
1) What is it I really want? I doubt it’s healthy, green, leafy vegetables that we crave, but perhaps more energy or better focus is closer to our heart’s desire.
2) What has stopped me in the past from achieving my goal, ie., eating an ADD friendly diet? Perhaps it’s been the frantic pace in our family life that has not allowed us time to think and plan ahead for what is best for us.
3) What can I (and am I willing to) do this time to ensure success? What steps might I take that will take me towards accomplishing my goal? For example, perhaps the turning point for you this time might be involving your family in the menu planning, shopping and cooking.
4) How committed am I to making this goal become a reality? What needs to happen for me to make these changes? Is it worth it for me to call a family meeting, discuss how a healthy diet might lessen some of the chaos, while at the same time, build the connections between us? Maybe we could get everyone’s input on how to make it simple and doable!
5) What kind of support do I need to carry through on my goal and action steps? Is the support of my family (or not) going to make or break my plan? If not, then who or where can I turn to as a sounding board when it looks impossible?
