A Good Diet for Those with ADHD/ADD
In all the debate about treatment for kids with ADHD, the subject of diet is always important. You may choose to use a number of treatment methods but regardless of your choice, diet must always be considered. And that means a good diet. Sure there are things to exclude and others to include but a good diet must always be a top priority.
To help you in your choice of food for your ADHD child, here are some things which should be given and then some things which should not be given. Common sense is often a good rule but there are some tricky items as will be explained in the items listed below. One excellent piece of advice is to drink plenty of water. There are filters which you can put in jugs these days if you are concerned about your water supply but don’t stint on your water consumption.
DON’T EAT
Don’t ever give your child junk food. It’s not good for their weight, fatty foods are bad and there is little nutritional value therein.
Sugar should be avoided altogether or severely restricted. Sugar does not help a hyperactive child. And don’t think that a sugar substitute will save the day. In fact sugar substitutes are worse than plain sugar. Do not give these to your child.
Likewise with most dairy products and certainly with cow’s milk. These are well and truly on the DON’T list. Breakfast cereals often promote their healthy ingredients but for a child with ADHD, most if not all cereals are not to be eaten.
Then there are additives in food. You must learn how to read the packaging on food [that’s why fresh food and vegetables are so good to consume – no packaging labels] and know what the ingredients are. Colors are a form of additives. They make the food look right but can play havoc with your child’s ADHD condition. Reds and yellows in particular are to be avoided.
You should check all additives to see how they might affect your child. A nutritionist will give good guidance and only by careful selection can you build up a list of items on your DON’T list.
Fish is often promoted as being good for our brain but sadly today a lot of fish has traces of mercury and that is a definite problem for a young brain affected by the condition of ADHD. Processed meat of all types is not recommended.
DO EAT
Fresh fruit, vegetables and water are a brilliant basis for a healthy diet for everyone and especially for a child with ADHD. Of course kids want variety and for breakfast, for example you could serve toast and eggs.
You should aim for a high protein diet which means that nuts, beans and eggs are all ideal. Giving healthy and natural foods is half the battle. The other half is avoiding bad foods and drinks especially those with sugar and additives. It really gets down to common sense. A healthy diet for anyone is pretty close to the ideal diet for someone with ADHD.
To help you in your choice of food for your ADHD child, here are some things which should be given and then some things which should not be given. Common sense is often a good rule but there are some tricky items as will be explained in the items listed below. One excellent piece of advice is to drink plenty of water. There are filters which you can put in jugs these days if you are concerned about your water supply but don’t stint on your water consumption.
DON’T EAT
Don’t ever give your child junk food. It’s not good for their weight, fatty foods are bad and there is little nutritional value therein.
Sugar should be avoided altogether or severely restricted. Sugar does not help a hyperactive child. And don’t think that a sugar substitute will save the day. In fact sugar substitutes are worse than plain sugar. Do not give these to your child.
Likewise with most dairy products and certainly with cow’s milk. These are well and truly on the DON’T list. Breakfast cereals often promote their healthy ingredients but for a child with ADHD, most if not all cereals are not to be eaten.
Then there are additives in food. You must learn how to read the packaging on food [that’s why fresh food and vegetables are so good to consume – no packaging labels] and know what the ingredients are. Colors are a form of additives. They make the food look right but can play havoc with your child’s ADHD condition. Reds and yellows in particular are to be avoided.
You should check all additives to see how they might affect your child. A nutritionist will give good guidance and only by careful selection can you build up a list of items on your DON’T list.
Fish is often promoted as being good for our brain but sadly today a lot of fish has traces of mercury and that is a definite problem for a young brain affected by the condition of ADHD. Processed meat of all types is not recommended.
DO EAT
Fresh fruit, vegetables and water are a brilliant basis for a healthy diet for everyone and especially for a child with ADHD. Of course kids want variety and for breakfast, for example you could serve toast and eggs.
You should aim for a high protein diet which means that nuts, beans and eggs are all ideal. Giving healthy and natural foods is half the battle. The other half is avoiding bad foods and drinks especially those with sugar and additives. It really gets down to common sense. A healthy diet for anyone is pretty close to the ideal diet for someone with ADHD.
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