Most ADHD diets involve avoiding processed food because of the artificial additives they contain and their lack of nutritional value. When doing the groceries, don’t be fooled by packaged foods that are “fortified” or “enriched with nutrients. Not only are these so-called “enriched” foods just as depleted as regular processed food; they have a negative health impact on people who eat them on a regular basis.
We are surrounded by toxins every day. No matter how hard you try to protect your child, he or she will invariably encounter toxins in the air, in the additives and preservatives in foods you eat, and other carcinogens lurking in the environment. Exposure to these toxins is one of the leading causes of childhood ADHD, but a detoxification system and a good ADHD diet can help fight the symptoms.
The human body is not entirely defenseless against these substances – our skin makes a good first line of defense. However, many toxins still pass through this barrier and enter the bloodstream, usually when absorbed from personal care products. Most of the time, the immune system can get rid of these foreign particles naturally, through the excretory system. However, a recent study shows that children with ADHD sometimes have a problem with detoxification and need special help. Though there are treatments that can improve detoxification, another way to go about it is by incorporating certain herbs and foods into your child’s diet.
Below are five detoxifying foods that might help.
If your child is on the gluten-free casein-free (GFCF) ADHD diet, you’re probably racking your brain thinking of ways to cook without wheat or dairy. The good news is that supermarkets and grocery stores now stock up on ready-made GFCF mixes or prepared foods. There’s also a new trend towards GFCF bakeries for parents who’d like to give their ADHD child a sweet treat every once in a while. The downside to these new products is that they often cost quite a bit of money and go beyond many families’ allocated budget for groceries. If you’d rather prepare GFCF foods yourself, here are some tips that will make cooking for your family a whole lot easier.
Did you know that stress and ADHD are closely linked together? There’s evidence which suggests that stressful situations can aggravate ADHD symptoms, especially impulsivity and attention. The converse is also sometimes true – ADHD symptoms make a child or adult more likely to be stressed out by things like long waiting time, sudden changes in plans, or new environments. There are many ways to cope with stress and life’s other pressures, but one way you can go about it is by eating foods that fight stress.
Food can be an important part of stress management in many ways. A warm bowl of oatmeal, for instance, can increase the levels of a neurotransmitter called serotonin, which regulates mood and calms you down. There are also foods that lower the levels of stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which are responsible for the negative effects of stress on the body. Finally, nutritious foods can reduce the overall impact of stress on the body by lowering blood pressure and boosting your immune system. This list of stress-busting foods will show you how.
Research and experience shows that there is a relationship between the food ADHD children eat and how they act, think, and feel. Neurotransmitters, the chemical messages that transmit actions and thoughts along the brain’s neural pathways, are affected by nutrients and minerals. Since food has this direct effect on neurotransmitter action and neurotransmitters are responsible for mood and behavior, it makes sense to conclude that food does affect mood. This can also explain why ADHD diets are a popular natural treatment for the disorder. Some children are more sensitive to certain foods like bread or milk, while others can eat a sandwich without any changes in mood. While it’s easy to identify these kids, it makes you wonder how much of the ADHD behaviors we encounter are actually the effect of nutrition.
While the food-mood relationship tends to vary from child to child, here are the most common effects of different food groups.
Ever wonder why your ADHD child gets more lethargic and fidgety after lunch? That’s because popular lunch time options put the brain to sleep rather than wake them up. Here are great lunch ideas that will help your child stay alert, calm, and attentive all afternoon.
The brain’s growth is mostly complete by adolescence, but a lot of its vital connections are still being made during the teen years. Next to infancy, adolescence is a period that requires a nutritious diet for healthy brain growth, especially if this brain has ADHD. Diets of the average teenager, however, tend to be sorely deficient in important nutrients and fatty acids. Teens either eat foods with high levels of hydrogenated fats and saturated fats, or they restrict their food intake in order to stay trim. Here are some ADHD diet tips to help your teenager develop healthy eating habits.
One of the most difficult parts about natural ADHD treatments – besides figuring out which ones work best for your child – is the support or lack thereof of the people around you. An ADHD treatment program is only as successful as the people who reinforce it, and there are many times when people allow your child to break the rules you’ve set for him or her. One such problem is the issue of relatives and grandparents who slip the occasional cookie or forbidden food to a child on an ADHD diet. Here’s what you can do when this happens.
You’re probably familiar about the role of diet in causing and preventing ADHD, especially among children. Certain foods can trigger hyperactivity or aggravate inattention because they contain substances or chemicals that have an adverse affect on the brain. Most ADHD diets revolve around eliminating such foods, but preparing dinner with alternative ingredients can be time-consuming, especially if the parent already has a busy schedule. It seems tempting to reach for that box of instant macaroni and cheese; in just five minutes, a meal is made. Never mind that it’s chock-full of artificial additives and has an abnormally orange glow; at least the kids are eating something!
In the morning rush before school, it’s perfectly natural for kids to skip out on breakfast. However, try to make sure your child gets a bite of a high-protein meal in the morning. A new study published in the Environmental Health Journal discovered that a healthy breakfast is good for children with ADHD, not only for the energy it provides, but because it reduces the body’s absorption of lead. As you may already know, lead is one of the leading ADHD causes in children today.