Neurodivergent & smartcreativeawesomegenius

THE LINK BETWEEN FOOD AND MOOD

When it comes to parenting neurodivergent kids, such as those with ADHD and/or Autism, understanding the impact of nutrition on behavior is crucial! Research has shown that what we eat can directly affect our mood, and this is particularly true for those with ADHD & Autism. Our gut and brain are connected so much so that Seratonin, our “Happy Hormone”, is mostly produced in our gut. In fact, 90 % of Seratonin is produced in the gut. So if our kiddos’ guts are not operating properly then what do you think that can do to their mood?

One of the hallmarks of ADHD and Autism is impulsivity, which can lead to poor dietary choices and irregular eating habits. But what many parents may not realize is that these poor eating habits can actually worsen symptoms of ADHD & Autism. Studies have shown that diets high in sugar, preservatives, and processed foods can exacerbate symptoms of ADHD and Autism. This is due to adding to the inflammation in the gut. Research also shows that dyes can cause mood disregulation and long term health issues.

Most assume, “It can’t be harmful or they wouldn’t put it in our food, right?” …..WRONG! Our perspective on grocery stores has to change. They don’t put the healthiest things on the market. They put what will sell on the shelves not what is good for our health. It may or may not be good for you so you have to read the ingredients. Now what exactly are artificial dyes? Artificial dyes are made up of chemicals. Click here to learn more about what makes up yellow dye. Artificial colors mean artificial dyes. Now we’ll dive deeper into this topic in another blog but for now, let’s continue with how these dyes affect our kiddos’ moods. Now as you know, your child reacts different to certain environments, lights and sounds etc. As a part of their autism or ADHD they have a different way of processing information and the same goes with food! Their bodies may process some foods in a different way than other kiddos especially if it has dye, sugar and processed ingredients in it. Our ADHD & Autistic kiddos have inflammation in the gut. Minimizing these foods can lessen the inflammation. More of these foods can cause more inflammation. The gut and the brain send signals to each other and are more connected than we think. So basically, if there are problems in the gut, then we have problems in the brain as well which means focus, thinking, emotions and the list goes on. Now where do the harmful affects of dyes come in? Well, in addition to the harmful chemicals in dyes that can affect our physiological health, these dyes also cause negative changes in mood affecting our mental health.

Story time!

I first came across the idea of dye being a bad thing in 2001 when I worked as an ABA therapist for a autistic children. I worked for this family who’s mom was going into pre-med and the dad was a lawyer. They discovered that when they took away the blue dye from their child’s diet, he stopped banging and rocking. Then they took away milk and he started talking. I dipped my toes in the rabbit hole at this point but didn’t dive completely in until I had my own child and knew something wasn’t right. I remembered my past experience as an ABA Therapist and started looking into the harmful affects of dye when I came across a TED Talk of a mom who was also a doctor spoke about her son who was severely affected by dyes to the point where he was suicidal. I had suspected dyes were affecting my kiddo as well because every time we gave her a bright colored ice cream, candy or anything brightly colored we’d have a severe emotional reaction. Sometimes angry, sometimes sad and sometimes just completely confused. I knew this could not be coincidental and I felt in my gut that this was not right or natural.

Now what is considered a processed food exactly?

Ultra-processed foods are those made largely or completely from oils, sugars, starches, and ingredients you wouldn’t find in a standard home kitchen, like emulsifiers and industrial additives. But these wouldn’t be sold in stores if they were that bad right? WRONG AGAIN! As my family and I navigate through this world of health and nutrition for ADHD & Autism it has been so alarming and disgusting to see that MANY of our foods that we consider to be “safe” are absolutely not. Basic snacks such as fruit snacks, cereal or crackers that we’d typically bring to an outing are filled with ingredients that not only are not food but are chemicals that lead to long term health problems like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and mental health issues. Even foods such as bread or processed cheese can contain chemicals that can add to inflammation in the gut. Basically, these ingredients are poisoning our children’s minds and bodies.

THE SOLUTION

So what can we do as parents? My family felt helpless at one point but then we took the bull by the horns and decided to make actual real life changes that would be hard…very…very hard. It came down to either we keep eating what we are eating and see our daughter not function properly, have mood disregulation, and fall behind in school and in life or we make some changes. We felt that in order to see big results we’d need to make big changes, so we did just that.

Eating a diet rich in whole foods, healthy fats, and protein has been shown to improve focus, mood, and cognitive function. Animal fats have made such a difference in our little girl that we started making our own Beef Tallow. Who knew that animal FAT could be so healing? We use this in everything we cook. Other things like coconut oil have been a long time favorite that we started incorporating into her diet. I’m actually obsessed with coconut oil for different reasons (skincare, oral care, and I just put a little in my tea every morning)- if I could bathe in it I would! But now I see the other benefits and how healing they are for the gut! These healthy foods provide a steady source of energy for the brain, which is crucial for children with ADHD & Autism who struggle with regulating their attention and behavior.

So how do we change our lifestyle and what should we do first?

Start with the GAPS Diet! This stands for Gut And Psychology Syndrome which was started by Dr. Natasha Campbell. This is basically a diet rich in clean eating. Bone broth, animal fats, gluten free, and fermented food are just some of the staples of the GAPS diet.

I know what you’re thinking that this is impossible because that is exactly what I thought too. But anything is possible when you put your mind to it! Seriously, it’s hard but it’s totally possible.

• Clean out your pantry and get rid of all foods that contain harmful ingredients. It’s going to feel like everything. This will limit your child to snacking on unwanted foods. Click here to see how to get your kitchen ready for GAPS.
• Read about the GAPS diet and follow the recipes. This will include making your own bone broth, and using pure ingredients. Keep in mind getting used to this can take weeks but it’s possible because we did it! Use Sunday as your “prep” day and prepare to make everything from scratch with organic ingredients.
• Mark your calendar for when to implement certain foods so you all are on the same page.
• Try to get your entire family on this diet to make it easier for your kiddo. It’s actually a cleaner way of eating and the whole family would benefit greatly from eating this way. We are still working on this part but if you can do it then do it!
• STAY POSITIVE! If you mess up that’s ok! Keep trying. This will detox your guts and then magical things will start to happen with your kiddo! We noticed a difference in a week’s time and it just keeps getting better. Things we’ve noticed are happier moods, more social engagement, eating a wider variety of foods, less sensory issues and wanting to read a lot more.

So, if you’re parenting ADHD and/or Autistic kids, it’s important to pay close attention to what they’re eating. While it can be difficult to get neurodivergent kids to eat healthy foods, there are strategies that can make it easier. For example, involving them in meal planning and preparation can increase their interest in healthy eating and empower them to make better choices. Additionally, making healthy foods readily available and limiting access to junk foods can help steer them towards healthier options. Remember this diet is a great way to detox your kiddo’s gut but it doesn’t have to be a forever diet. You can keep a good portion of the GAPS diet and incorporate other things eventually then it won’t feel so daunting. We’ve revisited this diet and did it to completion a couple of times already and we keep seeing our little girl blossom. Then we keep like 85% or more of the diet in place as we incorporate “normal kid” foods. For example, I still give them kid food but it’s homemade instead of store bought like chicken nuggets from scratch, jello from scratch (natural coloring of course), or ice cream from scratch etc. The GAPS diet is strict and really hard and you might have to stick with it for a while (the longer the better) until their gut heals but do the diet 100% and you will see your child change. This diet is truly magical and now we have a different perspective on food. Food is medicine and food is healing.

DETOX, DETOX, DETOX!

Since toxins are in our every day environment, we have remember to detox their gut on a regular basis with food and other ways (metal detox, cellular detox, parasite cleanse etc– see other blog to dive a little deeper into this). So to put it simply, we have to make detoxing a consistent part of our kiddos’ lives. Their bodies have a harder time removing free radicals from their body because of their impaired detoxification and not enough antioxidants to help rid of the toxins. Autism & ADHD is a multifaceted disorder meaning it’s truly like a puzzle where you have to put many pieces together (blood tests, neurofeedback, social therapy, Methyl shots, cranial sacral therapy, GAPS diet etc.) to get your child to function optimally. It’s not as simple as “take this medication” because in reality the medication that was suggested time and time again is a temporary solution and will not cure the body. In fact, like any drug, you will have to eventually have to keep taking more and more to get the same affect. I’m not completely against medication, I’m only suggesting to start healing from the inside first and then if you still need the medication then go for it. We are true believers of the magic the body and mind has. Curing the body from the inside out has been our goal and so far it has been working! The mind has neuroplasticity and can grow new pathways and heal itself and so can the body, we just have to give our minds and bodies the tools it needs.

Overall, the link between food and mood is undeniable, particularly for neurodivergent kiddos. A happy gut makes a happy life is pretty much what it comes down to. By prioritizing a clean, healthy, whole-foods-based diet, parents can help support their child’s brain function and improve their overall mood and behavior. We improved our daughter’s diet and just that alone has made such a significant difference in her every day functioning, thinking, social interactions and overall quality of life.