Diet and ADHD
Does diet affect ADHD? That’s the question this blog post tackles. Disability Living has been blogging this week about nutrition and how it affects individuals with disabilities, as well as older adults. What we have found is that diet has profound effects–either good or bad–on individuals. Poor food choices often result in poor health, whereas quality food choices result in good health. How has diet affected your health?
Studies have indicated there is a link between ADHD and diet.
Did you know that ADHD and diet are probably linked? It’s true. For kids who have ADHD, doctors often recommend:
– High protein foods
– Complex carbohydrates
– Omega-3 fatty acids
Does your child get a sufficient amount of these types of foods? If not, consider speaking to a nutritionist about easy ways to ensure your child is getting the nutrition he or she needs for good health. You can also ask a nutritionist if he or she would suggest any foods specifically for lessening your child’s ADHD symptoms.
Eliminate problem foods.
As a parent, it’s likely that you are aware of the foods that seem to aggravate your child’s ADHD symptoms. If you are not, consider keeping a food/behaviour journal for your child. Track your child’s intake of food and subsequent behaviour patterns for a few weeks, then try eliminating any foods that seem to “trigger” undesirable symptoms. Ask your child’s physician if it would be a good idea to remove certain foods before trying this.
How to make changes to your child’s diet.
Does your child have ADHD? Do you want to make changes to his or her diet? If yes, please consider the following:
– Make changes slowly instead of all at one time
– Always include your child’s doctor/health care professional in a new diet plan
– Do your best to help your child stick to the diet
How does diet affect your child with ADHD? Are there any specific foods that seems to trigger ADHD symptoms? Share with us by commenting on this Disability Living blog post.