As an ADHD parent, you sometimes feel you have everything under control just to find yourself back at square one again. One issue that is commonly overlooked when a child is ADHD is their diet. Why is this important? Proper nutrition is a key element when keeping your ADHD child on track.
ADHD Help
In today’s world, it can be hard to find foods that haven’t been loaded down with artificial sweeteners and preservatives. Grocery stores and fast food restaurants make it all to easy to whip up a quick meal or pick something up at the drive-thru window.
As an ADHD parent, you’ll have to rethink your steps and get back to the basics. What are the basics? Cooking like our grandparents. First, look for food at the grocery store that has been marked with ‘no artificial sweeteners’ and ‘no preservatives’.
You’ll also want to keep a check on the growth hormones added to meat and given to chickens and cows. All of these hormones enter your child’s body when they eat the food.
ADHD Diet for Children
When rethinking what your child eats, start with each meal you feed him and write down the type of food he ate, how much of each item he ate, and be sure to add if there are any unwanted ingredients in each. Next, you’ll want to keep notes as to how your ADHD child reacts or behaves after each meal. Is he more hyperactive? Is he more angry? Did he lose focus?
After a couple of days of keeping track, you should begin to see what your child will be able to eat and what he cannot. The hard part will be learning to read labels. I have always heard, “if you can’t say the ingredient, then it is probably an added chemical”. Keep this in mind when shopping.
With this in mind, shop for the brands of food that have the least amount of additives and ingredients. Also, stay away from foods that contain dyes. Many foods contain dyes that we wouldn’t think about like chips, yogurts, fruit flavored roll-ups, and so on.
ADHD Diet Plan
Learning what an ADHD child can eat is an on-going process and the parents will have to be committed, but with a little knowledge, you’ll have your child on a diet plan that will work for him in no time. One thing to remember is to balance out proteins and carbohydrates. In case you hadn’t thought of it already, carbohydrates turn into sugar inside your body and can cause an ADHD child to react as if he has eaten a candy bar.
One way to keep him balanced is to add protein with each meal. If you give your child a baked potato, be sure to give him a protein like a pork chop or even some beans. If he will not eat meat, try to get him to eat a handful of nuts shortly after the meal to help counteract the carbohydrates. Also, add a glass of organic milk along with his meal as milk contains protein.
These are all tips I have learned from working with my son who is ADHD. With love and time, you’ll be able to get your child on an ADHD diet plan that suits him. Don’t worry, frustration comes along with ADHD, but getting past that an onto the next positive step is where you need to set your next goal.