How can you support an ADHD brain?
For my previous writings on what ADHD is, and how it shows up check out my last couple of blogs.
What can you do to support an ADHD brain?
While some people look at ADHD like a superpower and it brings a lot of awesome things to their lives (hello creativity, spontaneity, problem solving, compassion, ability to think outside the box and hyperfocus), others find the challenges that come with it , well, challenging. Some people find medication life changing for managing the symptoms, however like most medications there are side effects. I’ll talk about what I’ve found out about medication towards the bottom, but these other things might also be worth looking into.
Here I’ll talk about nutrition, primitive reflexes, breathing techniques, visual and auditory challenges, as well as medication, but if you want to skip the reading and just chat about it, contact me to book in a call.
Nutrients
Studies have shown that by increasing the nutrients in the body, and therefore the brain, symptoms can be reduced to the level where a person wouldn’t get a diagnosis. One of the books I read on this topic is The Better Brain . Julia Rucklidge, one of the authors, and also a professor at University of Canterbury, has a TEDx talk around nutrients and the brain that has been viewed over five million times in the last 10 years. Most of her research is based on using high dose micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) as a supplement, but the book goes into changes in diet and how that can change symptoms for a good number of people. However, some people have a greater need for nutrients than can be obtained in the diet, so supplementation might be helpful. Her theory is that you don’t know which nutrient could be helpful, or if its multiple nutrients that are missing, so they give them all.
However I have also heard other theories that not having enough copper, magnesium or zinc are the major factors, rather than all the micronutrients. I’m interested to keep following the research on this. Other theories are that protein is one of the big factors needed for a healthy brain. Another is the imbalance between omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids. Both are essential but often our diets contain too many omega 6 and not enough omega 3 to get the ideal ratio for our body, and this can lead to inflammation, which can lead to symptoms.
The healthy brain diet, is the healthy heart diet, the cancer avoiding diet, and the healthy weight diet ( I know this is an oversimplification but statistically it decreases your chances of having issues). Focusing on whole foods: fruit and vegetables, nuts and whole grains, fish and other forms of unprocessed meat, and minimising highly processed food seems to be shown time after time to give the best outcomes in virtually every area of life. In general, if your grandparents (or great grandparents) wouldn’t recognise it, limit it in your diet. This sort of diet is the most likely to give us the nutrients that we need without excess energy, and without being scientifically designed to make us eat more and more of it (which increases profits of the food manufacturing companies and decreases our health).
What we eat also has an effect on the microbes that live in our gut, and these have an effect on our brain. The gut brain axis, and microbiota in general, is something a lot of research is being done on at the moment and it’s a fascinating area of study. One book I really enjoyed about this topic is 10% Human. Eating a minimally processed diet is also the one that generally gives the best diversity in our gut bacteria, one of the markers of gut health. If we have experienced multiple courses of antibiotics, especially in the first few years of life while our microbiota is getting established, then this is going to take extra work to get to a healthy level. I feel this is an area I need to circle back to as I’m sure there has been a lot of research done in the last few years since I last looked into this.
Minimising highly processed foods has the added bonus of cutting out food colourings and additives which seem to trigger hyperactivity or ADHD type symptoms in some people. Specific additives linked to ADHD like symptoms include artificial food colors (particularly those with E numbers like E102 (tartrazine), E110 (sunset yellow FCF), and E129 (allura red)), preservatives like sodium benzoate, and certain sweeteners.
I totally understand a lot of people can be concerned about the cost of eating healthy. It does talk about this in the Better Brain book, and surprisingly most of the study participants who converted to a Mediterranean style diet (the traditional Mediterranean style rather than a more modern interpretation of it. This blog is a fascinating read on this topic!) ended up saving money. Cooking time and skills might also be a factor. But it might also be worth learning and making the time if at all possible. I’m working on a recipe book which I think would be a great place to start for this!
Retained primitive reflexes
Looking into this area has totally blown my mind. Primitive reflexes are reflexes our body is born with or develop shortly after birth, like the startle reflex, rooting reflex and the tonic neck reflex. A reflex is a controlled and predictable sequence of events in response to a stimulus. These have important functions in the first six to 12 months of life, but after this they should be integrated into the nervous system, or effectively disappear. Problems can happen when this doesn’t happen. Primitive reflexes may not integrate properly due to a few factors including stress during pregnancy, limited movement in the womb, excessive time spent in restrictive devices like car seats, limited floor time, illness, injury, chronic stress, or trauma experienced during birth, all of which can disrupt the normal neurological development needed for reflexes to integrate naturally. These reflexes need to integrate for our next level of brain development to happen. It could also be that a reflex was integrated, but reverts later in life due to trauma.
If a primitive reflex is retained, it can manifest in many ways. This list includes, but is not limited to: anxiety, emotional tantrums and meltdowns, being easily overstimulated, clumsiness, poor impulse control, social and emotional immaturity, continence issues, motion sickness, poor focus and concentration. And the list goes on, and on, and on. Interestingly, many of these symptoms can mimic or coincide with other diagnoses also, like ADHD.
There are tests you can do, or get done by someone trained in this area, to see which reflexes are integrated and which aren’t, then exercises that can be done to integrate the reflexes.
If this is something that you think could be a factor for you or your child, then seeing someone trained in this area could be a total game changer for you. I am currently doing some training around this (and the course can be bought online by anyone), or the most likely people trained in this area are chiropractors, occupational therapists, or physiotherapists. However it is also possible that they haven’t heard of this area of development. Some of the resources I’ve found super helpful in this area are the All Things Sensory podcast, their blog, and webinars. It is their course that I’m doing (this is my affiliate link), and I’m really looking forward to seeing what learnings come out of it, and maybe helping Bennys development (he definitely has two, possibly three or even more retained reflexes). I’m thinking of writing a dedicated blog on this topic at some stage. Let me know if this is something you want to know more about.
Other things that have been known to help with the neurodevelopmental side of things include learning music (helps link the two sides of the brain), dance, yoga, allowing free play, and setting up obstacle courses and challenges. This site has a bunch of ideas on movements you can do to help.
Breathing techniques
Mouth breathing, whether during the day or while sleeping, seems to be connected to ADHD-like symptoms. Sleep issues like snoring and sleep apnea can disrupt sleep quality, leading to daytime fatigue and difficulties with focus, hyperactivity, and impulse control. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids can partially block the airway at night, causing snoring and restless sleep, which may contribute to attention struggles the next day. Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose can make it harder to get the deep, restorative sleep needed for brain function and development, potentially resulting in symptoms that mimic ADHD. If you’re interested in learning more about this, the book Breath by James Nestor was my first real introduction to the topic and a total eye opener.
Visual or auditory challenges
Visual and auditory challenges are often overlooked contributors to ADHD-like behaviours, especially in children. A child with undiagnosed vision issues, such as poor eye tracking, convergence problems, or difficulty with visual processing, may struggle to focus during reading or writing tasks, lose their place easily, or avoid close work altogether. This can look like inattention or frustration, but the root issue is that the eyes and brain aren’t working together efficiently.
Similarly, auditory processing difficulties can cause a child to appear distracted, slow to respond, or as if they're not listening, when in reality, they may be struggling to make sense of spoken information, especially in noisy environments like classrooms. The modern learning environment of larger, open-plan classrooms could potentially be making these issues even more obvious. For someone with auditory processing issues, this can make it extremely difficult to filter out irrelevant sounds, focus on a single voice, or follow verbal instructions. They may miss key information, misunderstand directions, or become mentally fatigued from trying to tune in. This often looks like inattention, daydreaming, or even "acting out", behaviours that can be mistaken for ADHD. This is not a hearing issue, it is how the brain processes the things it hears and the ability to filter out background noise and focus on and follow the important things.
These challenges are not typically identified through standard hearing or vision tests, so it's important to seek assessments from specialists such as behavioural optometrists or audiologists trained in auditory processing disorders. Treatment and support can include vision therapy (I’ll talk about this more in a dedicated blog post), glasses with special lenses (like prisms), or auditory training programs to help the brain process sound more effectively. In both cases, accommodations in the classroom, like sitting closer to the teacher, using visual supports, or breaking tasks into smaller steps, can also make a big difference. Recognising and addressing these sensory processing issues can not only reduce ADHD-like symptoms but also improve a child’s confidence, learning, and wellbeing.
Medication
Before I talk about medication, I’d like to mention caffeine. Caffeine can have a unique effect on the ADHD brain, sometimes improving focus, alertness, and even calming restlessness by boosting dopamine and norepinephrine, similar to how stimulant medications work. For some people with ADHD, especially adults, small amounts of caffeine can help with concentration and self-regulation. However, its effects are short-lived and can vary widely. Caffeine can also disrupt sleep, increase anxiety, and lead to dependence if overused. Used mindfully, it might offer a mild boost, but it’s most effective when part of a broader, supportive ADHD strategy.
ADHD medication can be a helpful tool for managing symptoms like inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, especially when these significantly interfere with daily life. The two main types are stimulant medications (such as methylphenidate (Ritalin/Rubifen) and amphetamines (Adderall, Vyvanse)) and non-stimulants (like atomoxetine/Strattera or guanfacine). Stimulants work by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine activity in the brain, which can improve focus, motivation, and self-regulation. Non-stimulants tend to act more gradually and may be preferred for individuals who don’t respond well to stimulants or who experience side effects.
While medication can improve quality of life for many, it's not a cure and doesn't work for everyone. Some people experience side effects such as appetite loss, sleep disruption, mood changes, or increased anxiety. There's also concern in some circles about potential long-term effects, though research so far doesn’t show conclusive evidence of brain shrinkage. It's true that while medication can reduce classroom disruption and improve behaviour, it doesn’t necessarily lead to better academic performance unless paired with supportive strategies. For some, non-medication approaches like diet, exercise, therapy, and environment changes may be enough, or can be combined with medication for a more holistic approach. The decision to medicate should always be individualised, based on careful assessment and ongoing monitoring.
If you started to see symptoms as perimenopause hit, then it’s better to start with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) rather than ADHD medication. Oestrogen plays a significant role in how ADHD symptoms show up, especially for women and people who menstruate. This hormone influences dopamine levels in the brain, a key chemical involved in attention, motivation, and emotional regulation. When estrogen is higher, such as in the first half of the menstrual cycle, many people experience better focus, improved mood, and more emotional stability. But when estrogen drops, in the second half of the cycle, after childbirth, or during perimenopause, ADHD symptoms like brain fog, forgetfulness, and irritability often become more intense. Understanding this hormonal connection can be a game-changer in managing ADHD more effectively across different life stages, including using HRT in perimenopause and menopause.
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My belief, and that of many people in the field, is that ADHD is a normal variability in in neurotype, or the way our brain is wired. However there can be things that make things more challenging, and others that can make it easier to function. Because there are a lot of factors that can contribute to the level of symptoms, there are also a lot of different avenues to investigate and things that can be done to support the brain, and executive functioning.
If you’re interested in exploring some of these options and would like some support, I’d love to hear from you and support you through this exploration.
