Eating for my Brain

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Hello Dear Reader,

Nutrition is an incredibly complex and overwhelming topic in our current culture. We have a huge industry around the production of food, diet products, and fitness products that works hard to muddle and confuse the science on nutrition, which in and of itself is ever-evolving and complicated by research that is paid for by the companies that are attempting to promote particular products. Which makes it hard to make good and truly informed choices about what we are eating which is evidenced by all the data on American health. 

To complicate things for me, my family and I have a lot of food allergies and sensitivities that limit our choices further. We also have different safe foods and food aversions that make balancing our various needs a little harder.

At the moment I am focusing on learning more about how food, the modern industrial processed food, impacts the brain in general and ADHD in particular. While there is no consensus for "The ADHD diet" We can put together some ideas to try from the available research. 

Things I want to avoid: (1)

  • Simple carbohydrates 
  • Gluten
  • Red meat
  • Dairy
  • Artificial additives
  • caffeine (maybe)

Things I want to focus on:

  • Proteins
  • Fiber 
  • Zinc
  • Magnesium
  • Iron
  • Vitamin B
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids
  • Hydration!

Things I want to consider adding:

  • Ginkgo and Ginseng 
  • Pycnogenol 
  • Rhodiola Rosea
  • St. John’s Wort


Brain Food Meal Plan:

Snacks

  • Fruit
  • granola
  • Coconut yogurt
  • veggies and hummus
  • rice cakes with PB
  • Herbal teas

Monday

  • Breakfast: Oatmeal and tea
  • Lunch: Salad
  • Dinner: Turkey and bean chili

Tuesday

  • Breakfast: whole-grain toast and peanut butter
  • Lunch: Baked sweet potatoes with chili
  • Dinner: Pork roast 

Wednesday

  • Breakfast: Oatmeal and tea
  • Lunch: sausage and eggs
  • Dinner:  Fish tacos

Thursday

  • Breakfast: Bagels
  • Lunch: Sandwiches
  • Dinner: chicken soup 

Friday

  • Breakfast: whole-grain toast and peanut butter
  • Lunch: Nachos
  • Dinner: pulled pork and roasted potatoes

Saturday 

  • Breakfast: Oatmeal and tea
  • Lunch: sandwiches
  • Dinner: Turkey chili dogs

Sunday

  • Breakfast: Bagels
  • Lunch: Mother and child rice
  • Dinner: Salmon and rice
If you want to follow along with me while I attempt this diet change for a week check out my Instagram where I will be posting food photos, recipes, shopping hauls, and other related things in the coming week. This week I want to focus on documenting what we have been eating so I have a better idea of our "baseline." Let me know what things you avoid eating to support your own mental health. I am curious about what others have found helpful. 




Footnotes:

1. Some of these are for ADHD and some are because of allergies

Sources: 

  1. https://www.focusforhealth.org/adhd-and-nutrition/
  2. https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-diets
  3. https://www.additudemag.com/download/adhd-foods-to-improve-symptoms/
  4. https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-diet-nutrition-sugar/
  5. https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-diet-for-kids-food-fix/
  6. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325352#best-foods
  7. https://www.everydayhealth.com/adhd-pictures/how-food-can-affect-your-childs-adhd-symptoms.aspx

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