By now, most people understand the importance of proper diet in a healthy lifestyle and how the right food, vitamins, and minerals can help the body be the healthiest it can be. But what people may not always realize is that healthy lifestyle management can even have a dramatic impact on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). There has been a substantial increase in sales of stimulant medication to treat ADHD in recent years. Medications such as Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta, and Vyvanase have helped many people boost their focus and concentration while reducing impulsivity and hyperactivity. However, there are concerns that these medications have the potential for dependency, abuse, and are even being sold to friends and peers of prescribed users. Potential side effects also include anxiety, insomnia, cardiovascular effects, digestive issues, and metabolic interference and weight gain.
While all these issues and concerns may be worth the potential benefit of stimulants, more and more families of youth and adolescents with ADHD are looking for other, more natural ways to manage the disorder. New research has been investigating how diet may factor into ADHD, considering possible food intolerances and proper nutritional supplementation. Looking into the lifestyle as a whole, therapeutic options such as exercise programs, stress modification, and optimal sleep regimens may also benefit those managing ADHD.
Without a single cause for ADHD, it can make the road to the most advantageous management solution difficult to navigate. Managing ADHD is very much an individualized affair, as different people can experience it in different ways and levels. When a child is diagnosed with ADHD, starting a lifestyle-based management program early on can be incredibly beneficial, and requires the involvement of the family as a whole. Positive lifestyle changes and strong support from family members can make successfully managing ADHD with minimal medication a very real possibility.
Read the entire article here: The Role of Lifestyle Medicine in ADHD Management
