Breaking the Cycle: Eating Well When You Have ADHD
Part 1: Getting Prepared

Our relationship with food is complex.  We eat several times a day and each time we are faced with making decisions: What should I eat?  When?  How much?  Where do I get it?  Healthy eating is a challenge for many, but for those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, it can feel like an endless battle.

ADHD has been linked to disordered eating – the inability to adopt healthy eating patterns.  Clinical studies have found a 30 percent higher rate of obesity among people with ADHD, while women are up to three time more likely to develop anorexia and six times more likely to develop bulimia.

In 2002, while conducting an obesity study at Nutritional Disorders Clinic in Toronto, Dr. John Fleming discovered some patients simply couldn’t follow dietary instructions.  Further investigation revealed that a third of these people met criteria for ADHD.

There are countless anecdotes of people with ADHD hooked on snack foods, binging on ice cream late at night or living on fast food and prepackaged meals.  It’s easy to see why.  ADHD hardwires us for impulsivity, obsessive thinking, anxiety, mood instability and addiction, traits shared by those with disordered eating.  Good eating requires good habits, planning and organization, areas notoriously problematic for adults with ADHD.  It’s hard enough to finish work and get to appointments on time…forget making dinner.

Medical research suggests a person’s eating habits can profoundly affect their mental health. Consuming complete proteins, healthy fats (especially Omega 3), and certain vitamins and minerals may help with neurotransmitter activity, thought to be deficient or dysregulated in people with ADHD.  Starches and sugars, conversely, can cause blood sugar to spike and contribute to lethargy and mood instability.

As someone who is struggling with adult ADHD and recovering from a decade of bulimia, I can testify: developing healthy eating habits, along with regular exercise, is how you start feeling better. When I was in the depths of disordered eating, I could not control my mood or behavior.  Long before I began treating my ADHD, I learned to eat well to overcome my eating disorder.  When my eating improved, I became calmer, less easily enraged, was better able to keep track of my belongings, and I started sleeping a full eight hours a night, something I could never do before.  When I would relapse, these symptoms would intensify.  Eventually, healthy eating became routine.  Healthy eating did not cure my ADHD, but learning to eat well lessened the severity of my symptoms, and gave me the energy to face it.

Better eating begins when you take control, by making your own meals.  Yes, this is a chore.  With so many steps—and options—it can quickly become overwhelming.  So if you are committed and ready to make healthy eating a priority, you must be realistic.  Changing your approach to eating is a big job, and one best tackled with a narrow focus.  Do not try to lose weight.  Do not get creative and experimental with your cooking.  Do not expect to be able to follow a diet of strictly organic/local foods.  Do not attempt to follow ethical diets or other nutritional fads.  Do not insist you always make every meal.  All of these things are possible, with time, but your priority is learning to make healthy meals regularly.  Like any well thought out routine, preparation is essential.  Before you hit the grocery store:

1. Make Space. Give your new practice room.  Divide your kitchen into labeled spaces: canned/dried goods; spices and cooking oils; fruit rack; shelf for healthy snacks; cooking tools; storage containers (like Tupperware and jars.)  Make refrigerator sections—meat/protein, dairy, condiments, produce and stored meals—with the oldest and most frequently used items in front so you know what’s missing and what needs to be thrown away.

Your schedule needs two time blocks: one to two hours for food shopping and three hours for cooking.  Schedule food shopping for when you’re near a store or market (on your way home from work, for example).  Schedule cooking for a time you’re planning to be home.  Personally, I’ve had more success with four smaller blocks: two (or three) one-hour shopping trips and two two-hour cooking sessions.  The smaller the task, the more manageable it is, particularly with food shopping.  You are less prone to “getting lost” if you’re only grabbing a few items, and fresh produce can go bad in a few days.  If you buy produce weekly, you may throw a lot out or need to prepare it all in a rush before it goes bad.

2. Simplify Utensils. Stick to the basics—pot, pan, cast-iron frying pan, mixing bowl, casserole dish, spatula, spoon, strainer, knife, spice grater—you only need one of each.  A crockpot and a food processor are also useful.  Put your utensils on a shelf or in a cabinet near the stove.  Store or sell your other cooking gadgets.

3. Get containers. Buy some good quality glass containers or Tupperware in different sizes for storage.  Save several (but not all!) glass jars as they’re useful for spices and storing the contents of opened cans.  Large Mason jars are great for bulk, dried goods like nuts, dried fruits, flours/baking supplies and dried beans.  Well organized transparent jars will remind you what’s running low.  Get a quality insulated lunchbox, thermos and metal drinking bottle for meals on the go.

4. Build a Pantry. The better stocked your dry food items, the lighter your shopping trips and the easier it is to whip up “Plan B” meals, should you need them.  Creating a pantry is a long term project.  It took me a few months to build my pantry by purchasing extras or bulk sizes when replacing dry items.  These include canned fish, canned beans, grains, pasta, cooking oils, vinegar, salts and spices, flours and nutritional supplements.  I also keep bottled condiments such as sauces, salsas and “pastes,” but these items go a long way so I don’t buy more than a few varieties, one or two bottles of each.  Dried fruit, nuts and energy bars I keep separate as “snack items.”  Make sure to label pantry sections.  If you’ve got a lot of space, use milk crates to separate like items.

5. Know What You Eat. If you write your shopping list in the grocery store parking lot, you’re too late. Grocery lists have a rhythm.  Some suggest writing a simple menu for the week and breaking the recipes into items.  Personally, I make my list based on food groups because simple cooking rarely requires specific ingredients.  My refrigerated items, replaced frequently, include 2 protein, 2 dairy, 3-4 vegetables and 3-4 fruit.  A list might look like this: a dozen eggs; cheese; two leafy greens; one fruit.  This way, I take advantage of specials and seasonal items.  Check dried goods and add items that are running low to your list.

Eating from home isn’t necessarily “exciting”, but it can be incredibly satisfying.  The payoff is tremendous.  Along with improved mood and sleep, my weight stabilized and I have more energy.  Not to mention the savings!  I eat fresh meals packed with fruits and veggies for $50 a week.  Some people spend that much in a day.  Best of all, I feel better about myself and more in control of my own life.  Learning how to eat well may be the best thing you can do for yourself.  It was for me.