5 Big Natural Remedies for ADHD: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep & More

No treatment plan for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is complete if it doesn’t harness the power of nutrition, exercise, and sleep to improve wellbeing.

What we eat, our physical activity levels, our sleep habits, and lifestyle factors ranging from stress management to screen time have a tremendous effect on health – a fact that’s amplified for ADHD brains and bodies.Regardless of whether your child’s treatment includes medication, maximizing exercise, sleep, and nutrition can effectively transform them into natural remedies for ADHD, and arguably establish the foundation upon which to build other interventions.Mounting research suggests that eating well contributes positively to the performance and abilities of any child with ADHD.1When working to improve your child’s wellbeing, begin by considering the glycemic index (GI), or how fast the body converts carbohydrates into sugar.All carbohydrates turn into sugar, but some are converted faster (high glycemic index) and some slower (low GI).

These rates of conversion affect a child’s energy levels over the day; anything that causes blood sugar levels to quickly spike (like sugary, processed foods) means that the body will work hard to quickly drop that sugar, actually bringing it below normal levels.

The result is often an irritable, fidgety, or nervous child who can’t focus as well.[Get This Free Download: Delicious (and ADHD-Friendly!) Eating]To maintain steady, normal blood sugar levels, ensure that your child’s meals, especially at the start of the day, are balanced:A significant percentage of children with ADHD are sensitive (not allergic) to some kind of food.