WHAT DO YOU SEE? A wonky fence doesnt mean it is broken, it is just different.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is now a widely discussed subject. There is debate as to whether some associated behaviours are not ADHD connected but rather linked to other factors such as environment, lifestyle, mental health history, head trauma, and diet. Also, as these can also be associated with ADHD it can be difficult to separate them.
As diagnosis lines can be blurred, diagnosis can take time. Adult ADHD can take many years or come in later life as an accidental finding. There is an increasing population of individuals who have discovered that they do in fact have ADHD and this can be received with a huge sense of relief as they find explanations for stages in their lives that they may not have previously understood.
Some individuals are resistant to taking medications for various reasons including potential side effects. When this is the case, it is important that other alternatives are considered. Factors such as diet should be investigated - however, before I discuss the dietary implications connected with ADHD, here is a little bit about this neurodivergent condition.
What is ADHD?Neurodivergence is a relatively modern description of the natural variants in human brain function. ADHD can present as:
Working memory is the ability to turn information into action such as remembering instructions and an ability to finish a task. ADHD individuals can be forgetful, disorganised, have difficulty finishing a task and therefore their working memory may not be efficient.
Scientists believe that ADHD individuals store information in a disorganised manner which makes recall of information more difficult and distractions going alongside this will contribute to poor recall and disorganisation.
The frontal lobe is also responsible for executive function (EF). EFs are skills that help you get things done such as managing time, paying attention, formal planning and organising, remembering detail and multitasking. Being able to manage impulses and act appropriately leads to better EF control.
Executive function starts to develop at birth and the development increases through the ages of three to five and continues into teenage years. Where trauma, substance abuse, head injury, poor diet, malnutrition, and other factors are considered, executive function can become executive dysfunction - for example, a trait is difficulty planning, organising, strategising, time management, and following stepped tasks which could be cooking for example.
High IQ does not correlate with executive dysfunction as it is the brain's ability to coordinate and carry out tasks rather than an IQ that is an indicator of ADHD.
Executive dysfunction causes (ED) can include ADHD, depression, autistic spectrum conditions, OCD, substance abuse, head injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, brain tumour, dementia and genetic factors.
Calculative flexibility (CF) is the ability to adjust behaviour to the circumstances at hand. Where an individual has difficulty adapting to stress, change, difficult or unhappy events, they may have poor CF and/or attempts to be CF are sabotaged by the ADHD traits mentioned above. Also, there may be a tendency to behave or react inappropriately to situations due to poor CF.
Research in 2020 demonstrated that ADHD symptoms and sleep disturbances have common neural matches. Indicators in the frontal striatal circuitry of the brain are related to ADHD and sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbance can represent as insomnia, wakefulness during sleep time and restless sleep. There are small study populations of between 25 and 50 individuals which are claiming that head trauma can be associated with ADHD. This does make sense as if there is frontal lobe trauma, ED and CF could be affected.
Approaches for ADHD supportThere are many medications which can be used to help reduce the symptoms and patterns of ADHD. As mentioned earlier if individuals are resistant to medicating it is suggested that a holistic approach is taken.
Limiting screen time and social media helps reduce overstimulation and can therefore contribute towards calm and reflective behaviour. Also, hyperfocusing can be reduced so individuals learn to be more mindful and present in the moment and learn to delay gratification and improve CF.
Keeping routines and managing projects with lists or instructions; even with cooking, housework and planning travel should have its own set of boundaries and directions. The reward still comes but with less hyperfocusing and confusion.
Avoiding quick-hit sugars such as sweets, cakes, biscuits, high-sugar drinks and alcohol helps keep blood sugars level. Spikes in blood sugars can exaggerate and heighten ADHD-associated behaviours. This has been seen in children with ADHD. In children where sugars have been significantly reduced it has been noted that fidgeting, poor concentration, full communication and poor sleep have, for some, significantly reduced or even disappeared. It goes without saying that if the same approach was taken with adults, they may see significant improvements.
Introducing plenty of green vegetables and root vegetables, keeping tropical fruit low, and using whole grains including whole grain pasta and bread introduces a wide range of vitamins and minerals and slow-release carbohydrates giving longevity to the energy provided rather than quick-hit spikes.
There has been considerable research on essential fatty acids and how they affect behaviour. Although there is limited research on their connection to ADHD specifically, their role in brain function and hormonal development is significant enough to associate their potential effectiveness with helping individuals with ADHD.
It is important that an individual seeks professional advice with regard to their diet and supplementations, so they are able to gain specific guidance relevant to their personal circumstances. This will reduce the likelihood of malnourishment, inappropriate supplementations which could exaggerate symptoms, and financial implications with incorrect supplementation. They will be supported during changes so the individual can keep focused and directed on the changes to help alleviate and support their lifestyle.
#adhd #bloatng #ibs #ocd #autism #mental #health #menopause #vitamindeficiency #weightlossinjections #nutritionist #allergy #testing #intolerance #diabetes #bloodtesting #phlebotomist #faversham #canterbury #kent #dover #folkestone #hernebay #whitstable #hythe #herbalist #privateclinic #
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is now a widely discussed subject. There is debate as to whether some associated behaviours are not ADHD connected but rather linked to other factors such as environment, lifestyle, mental health history, head trauma, and diet. Also, as these can also be associated with ADHD it can be difficult to separate them.
As diagnosis lines can be blurred, diagnosis can take time. Adult ADHD can take many years or come in later life as an accidental finding. There is an increasing population of individuals who have discovered that they do in fact have ADHD and this can be received with a huge sense of relief as they find explanations for stages in their lives that they may not have previously understood.
Some individuals are resistant to taking medications for various reasons including potential side effects. When this is the case, it is important that other alternatives are considered. Factors such as diet should be investigated - however, before I discuss the dietary implications connected with ADHD, here is a little bit about this neurodivergent condition.
What is ADHD?Neurodivergence is a relatively modern description of the natural variants in human brain function. ADHD can present as:
- Inability to focus on a subject/project or something that is boring or uninteresting to the individual.
- Hyperfocus: Individuals have difficulty breaking away from something, such as a project that may be all-consuming and absorbing. Screen time can cause hyperfocus and, therefore, exacerbate ADHD symptoms. This includes extended TV time, video games, and excessive use of social media. However, this is not an official symptom; it is anecdotal.
Working memory is the ability to turn information into action such as remembering instructions and an ability to finish a task. ADHD individuals can be forgetful, disorganised, have difficulty finishing a task and therefore their working memory may not be efficient.
Scientists believe that ADHD individuals store information in a disorganised manner which makes recall of information more difficult and distractions going alongside this will contribute to poor recall and disorganisation.
The frontal lobe is also responsible for executive function (EF). EFs are skills that help you get things done such as managing time, paying attention, formal planning and organising, remembering detail and multitasking. Being able to manage impulses and act appropriately leads to better EF control.
Executive function starts to develop at birth and the development increases through the ages of three to five and continues into teenage years. Where trauma, substance abuse, head injury, poor diet, malnutrition, and other factors are considered, executive function can become executive dysfunction - for example, a trait is difficulty planning, organising, strategising, time management, and following stepped tasks which could be cooking for example.
High IQ does not correlate with executive dysfunction as it is the brain's ability to coordinate and carry out tasks rather than an IQ that is an indicator of ADHD.
Executive dysfunction causes (ED) can include ADHD, depression, autistic spectrum conditions, OCD, substance abuse, head injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, brain tumour, dementia and genetic factors.
Calculative flexibility (CF) is the ability to adjust behaviour to the circumstances at hand. Where an individual has difficulty adapting to stress, change, difficult or unhappy events, they may have poor CF and/or attempts to be CF are sabotaged by the ADHD traits mentioned above. Also, there may be a tendency to behave or react inappropriately to situations due to poor CF.
Research in 2020 demonstrated that ADHD symptoms and sleep disturbances have common neural matches. Indicators in the frontal striatal circuitry of the brain are related to ADHD and sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbance can represent as insomnia, wakefulness during sleep time and restless sleep. There are small study populations of between 25 and 50 individuals which are claiming that head trauma can be associated with ADHD. This does make sense as if there is frontal lobe trauma, ED and CF could be affected.
Approaches for ADHD supportThere are many medications which can be used to help reduce the symptoms and patterns of ADHD. As mentioned earlier if individuals are resistant to medicating it is suggested that a holistic approach is taken.
Limiting screen time and social media helps reduce overstimulation and can therefore contribute towards calm and reflective behaviour. Also, hyperfocusing can be reduced so individuals learn to be more mindful and present in the moment and learn to delay gratification and improve CF.
Keeping routines and managing projects with lists or instructions; even with cooking, housework and planning travel should have its own set of boundaries and directions. The reward still comes but with less hyperfocusing and confusion.
Avoiding quick-hit sugars such as sweets, cakes, biscuits, high-sugar drinks and alcohol helps keep blood sugars level. Spikes in blood sugars can exaggerate and heighten ADHD-associated behaviours. This has been seen in children with ADHD. In children where sugars have been significantly reduced it has been noted that fidgeting, poor concentration, full communication and poor sleep have, for some, significantly reduced or even disappeared. It goes without saying that if the same approach was taken with adults, they may see significant improvements.
Introducing plenty of green vegetables and root vegetables, keeping tropical fruit low, and using whole grains including whole grain pasta and bread introduces a wide range of vitamins and minerals and slow-release carbohydrates giving longevity to the energy provided rather than quick-hit spikes.
There has been considerable research on essential fatty acids and how they affect behaviour. Although there is limited research on their connection to ADHD specifically, their role in brain function and hormonal development is significant enough to associate their potential effectiveness with helping individuals with ADHD.
It is important that an individual seeks professional advice with regard to their diet and supplementations, so they are able to gain specific guidance relevant to their personal circumstances. This will reduce the likelihood of malnourishment, inappropriate supplementations which could exaggerate symptoms, and financial implications with incorrect supplementation. They will be supported during changes so the individual can keep focused and directed on the changes to help alleviate and support their lifestyle.
#adhd #bloatng #ibs #ocd #autism #mental #health #menopause #vitamindeficiency #weightlossinjections #nutritionist #allergy #testing #intolerance #diabetes #bloodtesting #phlebotomist #faversham #canterbury #kent #dover #folkestone #hernebay #whitstable #hythe #herbalist #privateclinic #
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