Nutrition Tips for ADHD: Protein + Fiber + Fat (Part I)
You probably need to eat more protein.
You can also read this article on Medium.
Well, my friends, I did a very ADHD thing this month.
I had an idea for a newsletter to share all the fascinating, affirming research I’ve been doing about using food and nature as symptom-soothing, confidence-boosting treatments for ADHD in women.
I mapped out 26 topics to cover during the first six months of my new newsletter.
I told everyone about my new “weekly” newsletter, and invited you to sign up!
I wrote the first article, and then the next one!
And then I got so busy with travel, family, projects, and life that I let an entire month go by without publishing the next article. It was a very busy month, and I failed to anticipate the way my schedule would limit my productivity.
So, um, hi. 👋 I’m Caroline, and I have ADHD. If there was any doubt that I do indeed experience that stereotypical ADHD tendency to go in at 110% and then find oneself completely surprised by the unsustainability of that energy, now there’s proof.
Anyway, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, and I’m guessing you won’t hold it against me because you’re all too familiar with the pattern yourself. So, without any further delay, here is the next article in our series.
PFF is Magic for ADHD
I want to share with you the magic of including protein, fiber, and fat (PFF) in your meals and snacks. When I say magic, I’m proselytizing a little—it’s science, actually—but I want you to know what a profound impact this way of eating can have on your physical, mental, and emotional health.
If more medical providers were prescribing this way of eating, if these foods were more readily available, and if women with ADHD were supported in eating this way, the demand for medication would fall drastically. Those with mild symptoms could phase off meds entirely, and those with more severe challenges could reduce their dose (if they wanted to).
Whether you take meds or not, these three articles will teach you how to feed your brain, regulate your hormones, and balance your blood sugar through the inclusion of foods containing protein, fiber, and fat.
One of the most common complaints I hear from my clients and friends with ADHD is that they don’t really know what to eat, and because we so often find ourselves hangry and desperate after a long while without food, we eat foods that we know aren’t ideal because, well, they’re there.
We also struggle with binge eating at the end of the day when the responsibilities finally drop off, the medication wears off, and we realize for the first time that we are absolutely ravenous.
By the end of these three articles, you’ll have a customized list of foods containing protein, fiber, and fat to eat throughout the day, outsmarting analysis paralysis and preventing binges.
Our Dopamine Metabolism is Different
Protein is used by the brain to synthesize the very neurotransmitters that are involved with the presentation of ADHD symptoms. Perhaps the most famous of these neurotransmitters is dopamine.
In the ADHD brain, dopaminergic signaling functions differently than it does in neurotypical brains. According to the pathological perspective, our brains are either dopamine-deficient or our dopamine reuptake process is impaired. So we either don’t have enough, or we can’t get access to enough.
Because of this, we seek dopamine-stimulating behaviors and foods. Despite a lot of the pop media lately about dopamine fasting and dopamine hits, we’re not trying to get our next “fix,” we’re just trying to feel normal enough to do our jobs and function as helpful society members.
One way to correct a potential dopamine deficiency in your brain is to eat more of the foods that your body needs to manufacture dopamine.
Consider the possibility that many ADHDers aren’t getting enough dietary protein, especially if they’re taking medication that affects their appetite, if they have aversions or sensitivities to certain foods, or if they’re chronic dieters who may be afraid of overeating or gaining weight. (This describes 90% of the women I know with ADHD.)
So, in addition to an existing biological difference in inherent dopamine metabolism, a lack of protein in their diet has created an unnecessary deficiency due to lack of building materials. Now it’s not only a design issue, it’s a supply chain issue.
While eating protein won’t ever cure or solve the design issue, it can correct the supply chain issue and/or prevent it from developing in the future. In other words, more protein = more dopamine.
Including protein in our meals and snacks also helps us feel more satisfied by activating leptin, the hormone responsible for satiety and fullness. If you often find yourself hungry again just 1-2 hours after eating, you likely didn’t get enough protein. As a protein-deficient ADHDer, you’re far more likely to wander into the kitchen when you lose focus, using food as stimulation when you’re bored.
Protein’s Healing Effects on Mental Health, Emotional Eating, and Binge Eating
If your brain can’t meet its needs for neurotransmitter production, you’re more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, both of which rely on healthy production and reuptake of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Every woman I know with ADHD has dealt with a nasty bout of depression at least once in her life. Would you be motivated to eat more protein if you knew it could alleviate some of the horribly painful emotions associated with these mental health conditions?
Pleasurable foods can absolutely help dull the pain of unpleasant emotions, but my clients often feel so guilty during and after an episode of “emotional eating” that the soothing effect is counteracted by blame, shame, and judgment. Protein-rich meals and snacks will discourage you from overfeeding yourself, helping you recognize a potentially maladaptive coping mechanism for what it is, and work to address it instead of engaging in it further.
Now, if you’re overeating every evening and feeling powerless against the hunger monster that takes over your body, this may be actually binge eating rather than emotional eating. This is the body’s natural response to undernourishment, just like thirst when you haven’t had enough water. My clients never want to hear this—they’re so afraid of gaining weight that they have difficulty accepting the possibility that they need to eat more—but as soon as the daily nourishment needs are met through regular meals with protein, fiber, and fat, the binge eating subsides. (In addition to food itself, coaching or counseling is a vital part of this healing process.)
Over time, after a few weeks of adequate protein intake, our brains work better at helping us resolve our emotional challenges. With a healthy brain, we can speak our needs more clearly in relationships, articulate our feelings in therapy, and more easily discern between emotions that are safe for work and those that need to wait for a safe outlet like the woods or the next counseling session.
Knowing this, are you eager to include more protein into your daily meals? Here’s where you’ll find it:
Eggs
Fish
Poultry
Red meat
Shellfish
Tofu
Tempeh
Beans
Cheese
Lentils
Nuts
Peas
Seeds
Yogurt
So, I have a fun personalization exercise for you—grab a notebook and a pen. Take a look at the list above, and make a list of all the foods in the protein category that you like.
Don’t overthink it, but get as detailed as you can. For example, in the eggs category, list the different preparations you like (“scrambled, fried, deviled,” etc.). Within the category of fish, you might make a list like, “sushi, fish and chips, salmon, smoked salmon, pickled herring, halibut, tuna salad sandwiches.” Repeat for each of the other categories in the protein list. There’s no wrong way to do this exercise, just have fun with it. Within a few minutes, you’ll have a big list of personalized options for you to choose from for your meals and snacks.
Here is a reference sheet and a worksheet you can print out to help with this activity!
Eat More Protein (As Much As You Want)
Every meal (and ideally snacks too!) should include at least one item from your personalized protein menu if you want to feel your best.
You’ll notice that I didn’t list portion sizes or grams for any of these foods. In my practice and in my own life, I have seen expectations around portion sizes cause harm by pushing us to override our bodies’ inherent senses of hunger and fullness. I work with my clients to help them reconnect with their own definitions of “enough.”
If you’re curious about working with me, schedule a free consultation here.
Check out the next article in the series:
Nutrition Tips for ADHD: Protein + Fiber + Fat (Part II)
This is the third article in a series on simple strategies in food and nature for women with ADHD. The suggestions in this series will help you feed your brain and balance your nervous system, therefore easing your symptoms, boosting your confidence, and improving your quality of life.
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