Eating a well-balanced diet that is rich in healthy nutrients can be beneficial if you suffer from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Adults with ADHD who incorporate healthy eating into their daily life can experience positive changes in their symptoms. However, proper nutrition may not be the only thing needed to reduce your symptoms; thus, it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations.
Basics
Adult ADHD begins in childhood, but can go undiagnosed into adulthood. As you age, the effect ADHD has on your life can begin to change. Some adults notice a decrease in symptoms, while others notice a change in symptoms, such as their hyperactivity decreases and their symptoms shift more to inattention. Despite the changes in symptoms, dealing with ADHD in adulthood can compromise your success in relationships and at work.
Symptoms
There are symptoms that are common in adult ADHD, such as inability to organize, lack of focus, restlessness, unstable mood, relationship problems, poor time management, leaving tasks unfinished and irritability.
Significance
According to HelpGuide.org, eating a healthy diet overall can significantly reduce your distractibility, hyperactivity and stress. A healthy diet should include a rich assortment of fruits and vegetables. Also, include fiber-rich whole grains, which will keep your blood sugar up. Fit healthy proteins into your diet such as fatty fish, nuts, seeds, beans, tofu and white meat chicken. Skip out on the sugar. Eating too much sugar can zap your energy, which can depress your mood and make it harder for you to deal with stress.
Considerations
Eating regular meals and including snacks throughout your day can help you manage the symptoms of ADHD. Regular intake of healthy food every two to four hours will help you avoid dips in blood sugar that can complicate your ADHD symptoms by negatively affecting your mood and decreasing your energy levels, which can make it harder for you to focus.
Also, beginning your day with a healthy breakfast will help keep symptoms under control. High-fiber and high-protein breakfasts will provide you with energy-boosting foods that will fill you up and keep you energized until the next meal. This added energy in the morning will help you increase your focus and attention.
Tips
ADHD is one of the many conditions that omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to improve. According to Mental Health Matters, various research studies have shown that increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet of a person with ADHD can reduce the symptoms. While the exact reasons for this effect are unknown, the benefits of adding omega-3 fatty acids outweigh the costs. You can consume flax seed, walnuts, olive oil and fatty fish to increase your dietary omega-3.
Stay away from refined carbohydrates such as white bread and white pasta; these can contribute shortened attention spans due to decreased energy levels. Refined carbohydrates are quickly digested, making the energy they provide short lived.
Also, sleep is important to managing ADHD symptoms. Therefore, it is important to avoid caffeine in the late afternoons and evening as this can make it hard for you to get to sleep.
