To Your Health
August, 2022 (Vol. 16, Issue 08) |
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The ADHD Diet
By Editorial Staff
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common pediatric neurodevelopmental conditions, affecting nearly one in 10 children ages 2-17, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If your child has an unusually hard time paying attention or controlling impulsive behaviors, they may be suffering from ADHD.
The condition is chronic, although symptoms may wane with age and management strategies may be successful. One strategy: Research suggests what we feed our kids can actually impact ADHD symptoms significantly. What's the secret? More of this ... and this.
We're talking about fruits and vegetables, and the benefits of consistently eating them, whether young or old, aren't limited to ADHD improvements. However, research findings published in Nutritional Neuroscience suggest fruit and veggie consumption plays a key role in reducing one of the hallmark symptoms of ADHD: problems with attention.
After reviewing questionnaires completed by parents of ADHD-symptomatic children that detailed the typical foods / portions their children ate over a three-month period, researchers discovered that children who ate more fruits and vegetables had less severe episodes of inattention compared with children who ate fewer fruits and veggies.
Considering that ADHD is commonly managed with medication (Adderall and Ritalin, among others), which have potential side effects more damaging than the ADHD symptoms they're designed to treat, understanding that eating more fruits and vegetables can help is great news. Talk to your doctor for more information about natural ADHD treatment and how improving your child's diet can benefit not only their ADHD, but also their overall health.
