As drugs like Adderall, which are aimed to treat ADHD and similar symptoms, increase popularity, so does our knowledge of their negative side effects. According to the Clinical Research Program (CRP) at the University of Illinois, long-term use of the prescription drug can affect appetite and even personality change. CRP director Mark Steinberg told The Daily Illini that negative withdrawal effects can occur and cause people to be moody, irritable or angry. In some cases, hallucinations can even occur.
Statistics like these are frightening for parents who are considering medication for their children with ADHD, but there are other options to discuss with your doctor before resorting to prescription drugs.
Here are several dietary methods shown to fight the symptoms of ADHD without side effects:
Foods to Avoid
Sugar in almost any form can be detrimental to fighting ADHD symptoms. This may seem obvious to those familiar with ADHD, but even foods like flavored yogurt and some breakfast cereals contain high amounts of sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Hydrogenated oils and additives are also hidden enemies to an ADHD-fighting diet. The Food and Drug Administration has approved these ingredients for their improvement to taste in food, but it doesn’t keep disorders like ADHD in mind. Marcia Zimmerman, clinical nutritionist, notes with MSN Healthy Living that ingredients like these aren’t just unhealthy for the body — they interfere with natural brain activity a child needs for focus and productivity.
Avoid caffeine at all costs. Especially in children, this is no health benefit, mental or physical, to ingesting caffeine through food or beverage. According to Zimmerman, caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea are acidic and can lower the pH balance of the body, depriving children the ability to retain minerals needed to assist nerve function.
Do the Research
The research on dietary progress for children with ADHD is still new, but researching on your own can give you different perspectives on what could work for your child. From medical journals to popular internet sites and mademan manuals, there are different ways to craft a diet for your child that can improve behavior, mental health, and cognitive focus. Of course, always discuss any changes in your child’s diet with your doctor first.
Foods to Embrace
Whole dairy products like milk, eggs and cheese are great sources of calcium and vitamin D — two ingredients essential in fighting the symptoms of ADHD. As noted above, be sure to avoid sweetened dairy products like flavored yogurt and ice cream as this comes along with unnecessary sugars.
In a dietary study by ADDitude Magazine, fish is listed as a staple for a diet that supports healthy brain function. Although the evidence that directly links fish to fighting ADHD is still thin, the natural fats and oils found in fish have been shown to improve behavior and reading comprehension in children with the disorder.
Katherine Tallmadge, author of “Diet Simple” and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association says the effects of fats and omega-3 fatty acids in certain nuts and peanut butter can be “pretty miraculous.” Like fish, peanut butter can boost brain activity and fight symptoms of depression that could be caused by ADHD.
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