4 Ways to Diet for ADHD

1. Diagnose Sensitivities With an Elimination Diet

There is evidence that people with ADHD struggle with food sensitivities and allergies. To determine whether your attention deficit is affected by foods such as milk or wheat or the intake of dyes, preservatives or caffeine, try an elimination diet. Make a list of suspicious foods and chemical additives and completely omit them from your diet for several weeks. After cleansing your body of these elements, reintroduce them one at a time. If you notice a symptom response to a specific food or additive, you may have isolated the offending substance and can avoid ingesting it in the future. Don't expect to cure ADHD by identifying and eliminating a food sensitivity, however. Instead, consider it a healthy step toward managing your attention disorder when used in conjunction with other therapies.

2. Back Off on Sugars

While the role of sugar in attention disorders elicits controversy within the medical community, some studies indicate that many people with ADHD may suffer from an inability to metabolize sugars properly. For some ADHD sufferers, this metabolic issue leads to increased hyperactivity, aggressive behavior and difficulty concentrating.
There is another important reason for people with ADHD to steer clear of refined sugars: it is devoid of nutrients, but requires a great deal of energy for the body to process. Processing these empty calories depletes the body of energy stores that could be used for more important physical and mental tasks.

3. Balance Carbohydrates With Proteins

High-carbohydrate, low-protein diets can backfire for those battling attention deficit symptoms. Balancing complex carbs with a protein serving at each meal and snack lowers the secretion of insulin, which in turn, stabilizes the blood sugar. In addition, some studies show that high-protein foods trigger the production of alertness-inducing neurotransmitters, which help people with ADHD remain focused and on task. Remember, high-carb, low-protein diets do not cause ADHD, but they may exacerbate unwanted symptoms.

4. Monitor Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake

While Americans typically get more than enough Omega-6 fatty acids in their diet through the consumption of margarine, vegetable oil and shortening, many people lack sufficient Omega-3 levels. Some learning specialists have correlated behavior and learning problems with these Omega-3 deficiencies, which may play a role in ADHD severity as well. If you suffer from attention deficit issues, try adding flax seed and flax oil -- rich in Omega-3s -- to your diet on a daily basis. Mix flax oil with yogurt, smoothies or maple syrup, or sprinkle flax seed on your salads, cereals and oatmeal. As with any other nutritional change, be patient. It may take up to 12 weeks to notice the effect of this brain-boosting element on your ADHD symptoms.