With the implementation of the lockdown left and right due to COVID-19, it’s pretty hard to stick with your usual diet. It might be because some shops are closed, stocks in the groceries are limited, or you don’t have the means to buy the ingredients due to unemployment.
However, it might be more challenging for you if you live with a family member with ADHD. These people need to come up with a healthy diet for them to be able to control the symptoms brought about by this disorder.
With this in mind, here is a comprehensive diet plan that you can integrate with your child’s meal. Keep in mind that we made sure to present a diet plan that will be easy to comply with while we’re still in the middle of this global pandemic.
Maintain Iron Levels
Believe it or not, the majority of parents and a couple of professionals are unaware of how vital iron is when it comes to controlling ADHD symptoms. A research in 2004 showed that the average iron level of individuals with ADHD was 22 as compared to the 44 of those who did not have the disorder.
To be able to increase the ferritin level, you can start preparing iron-rich food. It includes beans, chicken, and lean red meat.
Drink Fruit Smoothies
Vitamins, minerals, and fiber from fruits offer a big help to those children with ADHD. The amount of folate and Vitamin C that they get from these juicy foods plays a direct role in terms of enhancing brain function. They aid and guide the neurotransmitter’s formations, and this then results in positive behavior.
For this option, you can try making a fruit smoothie through the combination of fresh fruit and yogurt. You blend strawberries, bananas, orange juice, and ice in a blender. Then, add a scoop of yogurt, which is optional to add to the drink’s thickness. Blend it again for a couple of seconds, and it’s ready!
Take note that you’re not limited to the fruits mentioned above. You may create your combination depending on the fruits and vegetables present in your kitchen.
Add Multivitamins
Your child is probably not receiving the daily recommended value of both vitamins and minerals if he loves eating junk food and soda or if he is a picky eater. To remedy this, instruct him to drink multivitamins or multimineral every morning. Vitamins will help him reach his daily recommended amount.
It might be too difficult for you to accomplish this strategy if he is finicky. What you can do is to trick him into drinking one through the use of Yummi Bears multivitamins + minerals. These are supplements that take the shape of gummy bears – perfect to attract the attention of your child!
Prepare Whole-Wheat Bread With Peanut Butter
Kids with ADHD, or even those without this disorder, love snacks! Therefore, you should maximize this opportunity by providing the best diet for your child during snack time. What you can do is to prepare something that contains protein as this helps with both learning and memory.
One excellent idea you can venture to is by making whole-wheat bread with peanut butter. Peanut butter is a rich source of protein, whole wheat bread aims to add some fiber to the diet.
Incorporate Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s are vital to the nerve and brain cell function.
A study by Goteborg University in Sweden concluded that daily doses of omega-3s reduce ADHD symptoms by almost half. This result came from the experiment, where he focused on a group of kids with ADHD and instructed them to take fish oil daily. There was a significant decrease in ADHD symptoms in more than a third of the children within six months.
If you want to incorporate this into your child’s diet, you may find this acid in foods like sardines, salmon, and tuna. Good thing these cold-water fatty fishes are not that hard to find!
Balanced Diet
Ned Hallowell, M.D., tells his patients to plan their meals carefully by including fruits or vegetables, carbohydrates, and one-fourth a protein. Richard Brown, M.D., who wrote the book How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care, says, “Many diets are deficient in key vitamins, minerals, and fats that may improve attention and alertness.”
Overall, there is still a need to implement a balanced diet.
Always keep in mind that a healthy diet contributes a significant difference to those with ADHD. As a parent, it is your job to make sure that your child complies with the rules of nutrition no matter what.
