Simple and Healthy Eating for ADHD and Neurodiversity

Are you struggling with healthy eating for yourself or a loved one who has ADHD and/or ASD? Maybe you aren’t achieving the veggie requirements on the daily? Or perhaps you’re just feeling fed up with always being on the backfoot with mealtimes? As dietitians for neurodiverse individuals, we get it! For many individuals with ADHD, autism, and other neurodiverse traits, maintaining a nutritious and balanced diet can be challenging. The difficulties aren’t just about not knowing what to eat. Executive functioning challenges, sensory issues, appetite dysregulation, and time constraints can all create roadblocks to healthy eating and having a consistent eating pattern.

Keep reading below to find out how with some simple, smart strategies, healthy eating can become easier and much more manageable for you to plan. Before we dive into those gamechanging strategies that help you level up your healthy eating repertoire, let’s take a quick look at why it might be important to pay attention to nutrition.

Nutritional priorities for ADHD and neurodiversity

More and more studies are being undertaken to uncover the powerful role nutrition might play in managing symptoms associated with neurodiversity. Have you noticed a difference to symptoms related to food too? Let’s look at some of the top priorities when it comes to nutrition for ADHD and ASD.

Gut health and the gut-brain axis.

Research suggests a strong link between gut health and brain function. There is emerging evidence that for individuals with ADHD and ASD poor gut health may impact symptoms, including behaviour. A diet rich in fibre, probiotics, and whole foods supports gut microbiome balance, which may positively influence mood and cognition.

Omega-3 fatty acids.

Found in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, omega-3s are essential for brain health. Increased omega-3 intake has been linked to improved cognitive function and focus. There is some emerging evidence that omega-3 supplementation may also directly benefit symptoms of ADHD, and growing anecdotal evidence of positive impact on individuals with ASD.

Blood sugar control.

Fluctuating blood sugar levels can lead to energy crashes, mood swings, and difficulty focusing. Low GI carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes, and vegetables, help sustain steady energy levels.

Reducing refined sugar

Excess sugar can lead to energy spikes and crashes, worsening hyperactivity and inattention. Choosing whole food sources of carbohydrates can help maintain balanced energy. Reduced sugar intake has also been linked to improved cognitive function.

Reducing highly processed foods

Research tells us that Western diets high in processed foods, fast food, high-fat dairy products, and sugary items may increase symptoms of ADHD. While following a Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, has been associated with a reduced risk of ADHD symptoms. Choosing whole food sources of carbohydrates can help maintain balanced energy.

What gets in the way of eating well?

Neurodiverse or not, none of us are foolproof when it comes to eating well, we all fall down sometimes. However, if you have ADHD and/or ASD you may face extra obstacles when it comes to healthy eating, including planning and preparing your meals. These can include:

• Executive functioning challenges. Maybe you find it difficult to stay organised, plan and sequence, or feel overwhelmed in these tasks;
• Food aversions and sensory sensitivities. These can sometimes make certain food seem unappealing.
• Digestive issues and food intolerances. This can sometimes make eating unpleasant, and it may be uncomfortable to eat a wide range of foods.
• Lack of hunger. Perhaps you don’t have the same cues other people do, so you are more prone to skipping meals and then binge eating later? Or perhaps your medication has caused you to lose your appetite?

Despite this, it is still possible to bypass the above challenges, and get to a place of more ease around mealtimes, and much better overall nutrition.

Practical solutions for making healthy eating easier

To make healthy eating work for you, here’s your three-word mantra:

You don’t have to try to do it all! In fact, by trying to do less, you may actually find you achieve more. Here are 6 practical strategies that often help our neurodiverse clients. We hope some of these help you too.

1. Create routine-based eating habits to help establish consistency in meal times. For instance, having the same things each week, or on a two-week rotation could help you enormously in your planning and your shopping list just got more predictable too!
2. Use visual tools like planners, apps, or sticky notes to reduce decision fatigue and provide reminders.
3. Keep a list of go-to, easy meals and snacks to prevent getting stuck in the “what should I eat?” cycle.
4. Focus on planning for minimal-ingredient, quick meals that help reduce preparation time and overwhelm.
5. Hack the extra prep time by choosing pre-prepped or convenience foods that still align with nutritional goals.
6. Identify food sensitivities and then get some help to work around those with helpful swaps. This ensures meals remain balanced, and are enjoyable and tolerated well.

A Tree of Life Nutrition dietitian can enhance your nutrition and help you plan well alongside neurodiversity.

Whether you’re feeding a neurodiverse child, or if you are a neurodiverse teen or adult, it’s time to stop going against who you are, and develop skills to work with it. Your brain works differently, and so, by working with the way it works best, you’re going to get much closer to achieving your health goals. Rather than forcing generic meal-planning strategies, we help you get better results by customising your approach to align with how your brain works.

Tree of Life Nutrition dietitians can help you identify foods that work best for you and then build meal plans around those foods. We support you with realistic and sustainable meal solutions that fit into your daily routine and allow you to take small, manageable steps toward improving your eating habits without adding stress.

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DISCLAIMER:
The content in this article is not intended as medical advice. It is also of a general nature and is not tailored to your individual circumstances. If you are experiencing significant digestive symptoms, a 1:1 consultation is always the best approach. Please contact our clinic to discuss your unique situation and our tailored and individualised IBS protocol.

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