Hi everyone. Welcome back to our channel.
ADHD is one of the most common disorders that we see in childhood affecting about 15% of children and more than 8% of adults conventionally.
ADHD is treated or managed with medications or behavioral therapy, but there are natural alternatives that have also been proven to be effective.
So in today's video, I'll be discussing:
What is ADHD?
What are some common symptoms and causes?
What role does nutrition play in managing ADHD?
And what five tips can help you manage ADHD naturally?
[Video Transcript Below + Supplement Links Discussed In Video]
Hi, I'm Katie Bailey. I'm a registered dietician at Flusso Nutrients where we provide supplement education and professional quality supplement options for you to make the world of nutrition supplements a little bit easier to navigate.
As always, be sure to check with your main nutrition literate healthcare provider before starting anything new. As we can't know your full medical history to make a personalized recommendation.
So without further ado, let's jump into today's video.
What is ADHD?
So ADHD stands for Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and this is a neurological condition that is characterized by persistent patterns of inattentive being inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsivity.
And it impacts our brain function and development, and it has varying degrees of severity as well as unique manifestations in each individual.
There are three types of ADHD that are the most common, predominantly in attentive ADHD, predominantly hyperactive and impulsive ADHD, and also a combined type inattentive.
ADHD is characterized by difficulty organizing or completing tasks, paying attention to details, as well as following along with conversations and instructions.
Hyperactive, impulsive, ADHD is characterized by difficulty sitting still, restlessness, fidgeting, as well as interrupting and commenting inappropriately.
And then the last type is that combined type, which means that they show signs from both the inattentive as well as the hyperactive ADHD.
What are some common symptoms and causes of ADHD?
So symptoms are going to vary by individual as well as according to the type of ADHD that they have.
And the three primary symptoms that we see are the inability to stay focused or attention, difficulty controlling behavior and hyperactivity.
Some other symptoms that we see, inability to sit still or restlessness, insomnia, mood swings, as well as being anxious.
Now, when it comes to causes, the potential root causes of ADHD are multifactorial, and they include exposures to environmental toxins like pesticides, heavy metals, alcohol and tobacco, smoke stress and trauma, as well as dietary inflammation and nutrient deficiencies.
What role does nutrition play in managing ADHD?
So proper nutrition plays a vital role in managing ADHD symptoms.
The foods that you consume can significantly impact your brain health and function and overall wellbeing.
Eating a balanced whole foods nutrient dense diet can really help to regulate your energy levels and improve your focus as well as support your overall brain function.
So now that we know a little bit more about ADHD, let's jump into the
5 tips that could help you manage ADHD naturally
1) Add Brain Foods
The first one I want to talk about is incorporating foods that really support brain function.
Add Protein Foods
So that's going to be your high protein foods, like your meats, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, because these are going to provide you with those amino acids that are really going to help support brain function and concentration.
Add Complex Carbs
The second one is your complex carbohydrates. Those whole grains, fruits and vegetables, which are going to help with sustained energy, help promote a stable blood sugar throughout the day and improved focus.
Add Omega 3s
And then lastly, those omega threes. So those fatty fishes, the nuts and seeds because that's going to help or contribute to your overall brain development as well as cognitive function.
2) Avoid Nutrient-Poor Processed Foods
The second tip I want to talk about is avoiding foods that make your ADHD symptoms worse.
So the first one we're going to talk about is processed foods.
So processed foods are going to contain a lot of artificial additives, food dyes, pesticides and preservatives and excess sugar and damaged fats that are going to make your ADHD symptoms worse as well as increase overall inflammation in the body.
And studies have shown that an increased consumption of artificial food dyes does lead to increased hyperactivity as well as other ADHD symptoms.
And you're going to see those food dyes in highly processed foods like cereals and soda and candy.
Another thing to be aware of is refined sugars and refined grains.
So sugar itself isn't going to cause your ADHD symptoms, but over consumption of added sugars is going to contribute to spikes as well as crashes in your blood sugar.
And that is going to contribute to hyperactivity, irritability as well as difficulty concentrating.
Food Sensitivities + ADHD
And the last thing to be aware of is food sensitivities.
So some individuals may experience adverse reactions to specific foods like gluten and dairy.
So you may want to eliminate these foods for a trial period just to see if it does help with some of your ADHD symptoms.
3) Address Nutrient Deficiencies
The third tip is to address nutrient deficiencies.
So nutrient deficiencies are very common in individuals with ADHD, and it's so important to make sure our body has the basic nutrients that it needs to function properly.
The most common deficiencies we see with ADHD are a deficiency in magnesium, zinc, iron, vitamin D and B six, magnesium in particular, A deficiency in magnesium can cause things like irritability, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating.
And there was one study that was done that showed that up to 95% of those individuals that were diagnosed with ADHD were actually also deficient and magnesium.
4) Add Beneficial Supplements
The fourth tip is to add in beneficial supplements.
So while dietary changes are highly beneficial, some individuals still may need some additional support. One of the first things you could do is to start a probiotic.
So probiotics are going to help to promote a healthy gut microbiome, which has been linked to improved cognitive function and behavior.
Now, if you're suffering from any nutrient deficiencies like we discussed before, you can get those through food or supplements.
One supplement in particular that may be beneficial is magnesium.
Magnesium is going to help to regulate those neurotransmitters and promote relaxation, which can be beneficial for those individuals struggling with hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors.
And then lastly, omega 3s.
Omega 3s have those essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA, which are super important for brain function as well as cognitive development.
5) Exercise
So the last tip I want to talk about is exercise.
So getting regular physical activity in has proven to be an effective remedy for ADHD.
So exercise is going to help to regulate your neurotransmitters.
It's going to help improve your focus and concentration, and it also releases endorphins that can help to promote a positive mood and emotional regulation.
In Summary for ADHD
So to wrap up our topic for today, managing ADHD naturally often requires a multifaceted approach.
So by integrating your dietary changes like really limiting those processed foods while adding in those healthy fats and proteins, really addressing any nutrient deficiencies that you may have, adding targeted supplements in like omega threes or probiotics as well as getting regular physical activity in can really help you create a comprehensive plan for managing ADHD naturally.
So that's it for today's topic. If you like this video, please hit the like button and subscribe for more nutrition videos.
Let us know your experience in the comments with ADHD, and if you've tried any of these tips to help, if you'd like to work with that clinic, you could click the link here to schedule an appointment.
We do take insurance and you can find more information about that on our website.
Thank you for watching. I'll see you next time.
Bye!
Check out the high-quality supplements we discussed in this video - links below for your convenience!
1) Adults:
Magnesium: https://flussonutrients.nutridyn.com/magteinr
Omega 3s: https://flussonutrients.nutridyn.com/omega-pure-epa-dha-300
Probiotic: https://flussonutrients.nutridyn.com/ultrabiotic-complete-r893
2) Kids: powders/liquid
Magnesium: https://flussonutrients.nutridyn.com/mag-calm-pro
Omega 3s: https://flussonutrients.nutridyn.com/omega-pure-kids-r180
Probiotic: https://flussonutrients.nutridyn.com/probiotic-pro
3) ALL PROFESSIONAL QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS: https://flussonutrients.nutridyn.com & https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/flussonutrients