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Be careful . . . ADHD is much more than just attention and focus issues. We also have problems with emotional regulation. We can also be extremely sensitive to rejection. We have a thing called “time blindness,” and can also have problems with working memory and auditory processing. There are lots of other symptoms as well, that aren’t commonly known, but are a big part of the typical ADHD experience. I know the diagnostic criteria just focus on inattentiveness and hyperactivity, but there is really a lot more to the story. Just a pro tip: Those of us with ADHD really can’t stand it when people say, “We all have a little ADHD.” No you don’t. Would you tell a person on the way to chemo that we all have a little cancer? Of course not. I’m a huge fan of your work, but please tread lightly on this. It’s a real issue for many of us, as is more than just spacing out sometimes. The only thing that has really helped me with my ADHD is going on keto. I started it to lose weight and then suddenly realized that my procrastination habit had disappeared. This procrastination habit had been a deep source of shame for me for decades, and is one of the most common symptoms that us ADHDers experience. Procrastination for us is this feeling of wanting and needing to do something, but, somehow, it just doesn’t get done, no matter how much you berate yourself. And berate ourselves we do. Meanwhile, I, frankly, wouldn’t even bother recommending supplements. It’s just an extra thing to have to do, and most of us will forget to take the supplements after a few days.
My daughter was diagnosed with ADD while in grade 5 and we tried different things, including private tutors and meds off and on because I didn’t ĺike her taking them. What made a major difference for her was attending a high school in Montreal which specializes in teaching children with ADD, ADHD and other mild forms of learning disabilities. This one of a kind school is recognized for their highly successful teaching methods which are recommended for all children, not just those with learning disabilities. My daughter will be graduating from college in a few months.
ADHD is definitely something I’ve struggled sooooo deeply with. I almost cried when I took Adderall for the first time because it gave me so much relief and made me feel normal. But I stopped taking it in October due to the shortage and decided not to refill my prescription because the withdrawal was so severe, and I realized I didn’t want to be on Adderall for the rest of my life. I’m going to try this and report back July 2023. Update: Hello everyone! It is July 2023, and I wanted to follow up because many people have commented asking for results. I’m of the opinion, after much trial and error, that unfortunately this is not a magic cure-all. In hindsight, 6 months in, I actually find Dr. Berg’s article pretty insulting. To insinuate that ADHD is not real, and to present this article as if the symptoms are easily helped… is pretty messed up. I wanted to give you guys the answer that all my symptoms have gone away, but I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that I will have to continue my journey in naturally treating my symptoms. I have to note that meditation has largely helped, along with increasing my exercise. I’ve seen little differences, but I highly recommend Dr. Daniel Amen, as he has had a big impact on my perspective on ADHD. He has a YouTube website called Amen Clinics, and I’ve found it really insightful to help me understand ADHD, and how our brains work differently. I still think taking pharmaceuticals is still not the right answer for me, and I’ll try to update if I find anything that makes a notable difference.
This fluffy article is made for people who don’t genuinely have ADHD. I love your advice on the ketogenic diet and how it can improve diabetes. I used it to put T2 into remission. But no, a ketogenic diet and the nutrition you recommend does not fix ADHD. It will help mood, it will help brain fog, it will help many things, but NOT inattention! This is coming from somebody who used the advice in his articles to reverse diabetes and lower my blood pressure.
My brother had ADD. What helped him the most in his life was being around supportive, nurturing, and loving people. What harmed him the most was taking the prescribed drugs from his doctor which may have caused heart problems as an adult. He figured out for himself that he needed more B vitamins and to be on a Keto diet.
Sorry I hit the wrong button. I took B1, magnesium, omega3 for a year without much improvement DMAE is an answer to my prayer . Been taking it for ten days and I am a new person. Thank you for persisting in your research. I was on the verge of going on meds to survive the mess I made of my life and the shame when I saw your latest article explaining DMAE and the other nutritional needs. Thank you and God bless you. God answered my prayers through you.
I’ve been perusal your articles for several years now. My family and I (6 of us) done Keto for 18 months and lost a total of 750lbs and for the most part most of us is keeping it off. Thank you!! Yes, it was your articles that motivated us and kept us going!! Keep up your amazing research!!! perusal from somerset KY
It is very common for people, including doctors, to dismiss the significance of invisible disorders that they themselves have never suffered from. I was diagnosed in my 40s, over ten years ago, because I was on the verge of losing my livelihood, and it wasn’t simply based on an office visit. I had to be interviewed by a specialist in learning disabilities. Then I had to go through a three hour battery of tests to determine not only if I had a learning disability, but which type. And since insurance companies only cover this issue for children, I had to pay $1,200 out-of-pocket. I was diagnosed with ADHD (minus the H). This not only saved my job, it also helped me to understand myself better as it explained my academic and relationship failures. Since then I’ve developed my own solutions without the need for medication, like taking care of tasks when they cross my desk instead of putting them off in a pile; and putting other projects on the backburner so I can complete one. However, L-Tyrosine supplementation does help! Medications for ADHD deplete this amino acid, supplementing with it brings the desired results, without side effects.
I am in tears, I have to share, Dr.Berg, I did everything you said. My son didn’t want to take the multivitamin and the pill at first, but with popstickle and lots of praise, start taking them. Now, from the child who always did poorly at school and always bad notes to an amazing child with lots of positive notes. I am over the moon and can’t thank you enough. You are my guru ✨️ 🙏 ♥️.
So agreed, a good teacher is essential. I flunked a Biology class in college, well I withdrew before I got the bad grade because the teacher spoke poor English and was all over the place. I retook the course with another professor and graduated with honors. So important to have a teacher who can actually teach.
I always thought that I had some undiagnosed ADHD. I never checked it by a doctor and after going on a ketogenic diet I’m really thankful to you to teach me what’s actually going wrong in my body. I had the brain fog and low attention span, was overweight and I was often in a bad mood. I was really bad in School, but I trained myself to be highly reflective. My conclusion now: it wasn’t because I was dumb or lazy. It was because everyone told me how I have to be and everything I did was wrong in their eyes. I was constantly stressed out.
ADHD is real. I agree that it is probably over diagnosed and over medicated in the US. However, diagnosis as an adult in the U.K. is a very difficult process. The attention deficit symptoms are only one part. You have not mentioned the difficulty with social cues and the ‘internal chatter’. Anyone with ADHD will know what I mean by that! Diet definitely helps. I don’t take medication. Diet and exercise, plus adapting my life to avoid stress is how I manage my ADHD.
You are marginalizing the condition that so many people suffer with legitimately. I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD in my late 40s. My whole life suddenly made sense. A life of unfinished projects. Rumination. Forgotten appointments. You see it’s not about being a little forgetful now and then. In my case it’s about losing my keys or my wallet almost EVERY SINGLE DAY. It’s about forgetting when and where you’re supposed to be almost every single day. It’s about cleaning the bathroom but the bathroom doesn’t get cleaned but the lawn gets mowed. The urge to do something that you want to do or is stimulating to your brain overtakes ANY propensity to do the thing that you’re SUPPOSED to do. I didn’t want the stigma of being a stimulant junkie so I never took the adderall I was prescribed almost 10 years ago…. At 52 I think it’s time I do.
People who actually have ADD/ADHD have a mutation in the DRD4 gene in their brain. They are physiologically different than neurotypical people. They also have the ability to hyper focus, they can rapidly take in more information than their neurotypical peers and have higher energy (that higher energy is in the brain, it may or may not display itself as physical energy, in children it’s more likely to come out as physical, you do not GET, CAUSE, or GROW OUT OF ADHD, you are born with it and have it for life). They can also be distracted more easily because not only can they hyper focus but the part of your brain that scans for threats is also hyperactive, so someone with ADHD if they are in hyper focus, hears a pen fall from across the room, they will lock on to that sound and lose focus, that’s where the “easily distracted” symptom comes from. They also have a hyperactive DMN, the part of your brain that internalizes things and is critical of self, that’s where the symptom of being sensitive to feedback comes from. The mutation of the DRD4 gene is what makes stimulants help people with ADHD, it calms them down, where as it makes neurotypical people hyper, the reason is because the DRD4 gene is the reward and motivation system of the brain, it releases dopamine: In a neurotypical brain, it’s like telling a puppy to sit, when it sits it gets a treat, with ADHD you sit but don’t get a treat, stimulants increase the number of treats being given which is what motivates you and makes you feel rewarded, so a neurotypical person gets more treats and it’s like throwing a box of treats on the floor then trying to get the puppy to sit, for ADHD it increases the treats which gets them to baseline.
I generally appreciate your posts, but this one feels off. I am a high IQ sixty year old female who struggled terribly with focus, motivation, prioritization, organization & details my entire life. Even driving was a struggle. Can’t remember how many times I lost my wallet & keys. Diagnosed at 50 and prescribed Ritalin – it transformed my life. The same for my daughters who went from failing & anxious to excelling & outgoing within weeks of diagnosis. My generation of ADD/ADHD women is sometimes referred to as a lost generation – noone believed we could have it because we were well behaved (even if we couldn’t match our socks or track more than a few moments of classroom instruction). We were simply labeled stupid or lazy. And while I am philosophical about the condition & believe science has much more to learn about it – I know it is REAL. As real as the chaos in my cellar & the finances I still struggle to track. Even with medication, every day is still a new challenge- even with all the diet, exercise, & nutritional changes. Please don’t trivialize the condition. Doing so can keep children & adults trapped in a world of hurt, fearful of seeking help.
I have an official consultant psychiatrist diagnosis of Adult ADHD. I read that adhd was associated with ultra rapid lipid oxidation and lipid turnover. And I’ve always had naturally normal-low cholesterol levels, no matter what I ate. I found that radically upping my healthy fats intake (omega 3 + 6 + 9) via wholefoods (particularly shell fish) resulted in very significant improvements to my adhd. I eat almost no sugar and avoid all processed foods. I buy fresh wholefoods everyday and consume it on the same day. I react badly to synthetic vitamins, but am just fine in their natural form in wholefoods. Now I only take my stimulant meds from time to time when I need them, but not every day.
During my Hollywood film career I spent much of it on anti depressants. I developed many of the symptoms of ADD and great difficulty sleeping but never took medicine for these. Though this has incorrectly been atrributed to Sigmund Freud this has proven true for me: “Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, surrounded by assholes.” When I quit working with assholes I found my depression miraculously cured itself. When my sleep improved so did my ability to focus and my executive functions. To this day I stay away from the causes of depression, including most of my family, who, as I have since learned, had very thoroughly groomed me for work in the salt mines of Hollywood.
We had our 2 eldest adopted twin daughters in grade 4 for 6 months. We couldn’t believe the difference in their personalities, demeanor, attention spans and many other things. We took them back out and they settled right down. We adopted their 3 siblings and moved to a homestead. We homeschool and it’s mostly hands on with some curriculum in between. That and eating the wholesome food we now grow has completely changed our lives.
I came back here to give credit where credit is due. The intermittent fasting along with DMAE, potassium, magnesium, omega-3, really minimized the ADHD symptoms. But more importantly, it erased my brain fatigue. I used to suffer with extreme exhaustion, and I thought it was my body. But now I know it was my brain…That combination cured my extreme fatigue. I used to think I was dying in my 30s. Thank you!
I’m often appreciative of Dr. Berg’s articles and the great information they contain. However, as some others have pointed out in the comment section for this article — mostly by those who either have ADHD/ADD or who have a loved one with it — the reality of ADHD/ADD should NOT be downplayed or dismissed. To do so only adds to the burden one is already carrying. Yes, many of us may exhibit many of the ADHD/ADD symptoms that Dr. Berg listed, but when you actually have ADHD/ADD, those symptoms (and more) are RAMPED 24/7. You would (hopefully) never downplay the reality of a person living with arthritis by saying your joints sometimes ache, too, so you must have some arthritis, would you? Or, would you tell a person with ulcerative colitis/Crohn’s that your stomach sometimes hurts, too, so you must have a little bit of that illness? Or, would you tell a person with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis that you’re sometimes very tired and feel chilly, thus you must have a little bit of that illness? See how insensitive that sounds? ADHD/ADD, as well as the other illnesses that were listed, are (either from birth or after the diagnosis) lifelong and require management. THERE IS NO CURE. Thus, we can try various treatments for people with ADHD/ADD in an attempt to see what works best for them (note: individualized treatments will vary).
For the days I have been trying these tips. 1. B1 Vitamin 2. Fish Oil Omega 3 3. L-Tyrosine 1000mg 4. Caffeine – Green Tea is better for slower release than coffee but I prefer coffee taste 5. less carbs and sugars 6. more fats and meats 7. any exercise but I seem to really benefit most from HIIT/CrossFit which can be intense 10-15 minute work outs vs 30min-1 hour of running. 8. A lot of new Hobbies to keep my learning up and dopamine going. Magnesium I hear you can deplete it with sugar and not enough exercise so I heard to also consider organ meat like liver but I have not done that yet which is loaded with all kinds of vitamins and nutrients.
I usually love Dr Bergs work, but if you don’t think ADHD is a real condition just because it not detectable by a blood test..! It’s a pattern of behaviour / cognition of things experienced to a much higher degree than other people experience, and it has a huge impact of people lives. Yes a negative label also has a negative impact. Like dementia there are probably a great many factors in this, not a single cause. If you ever had day to day experience with people with brain injuries and / or personality disorders / learning problems you will see impulsivity, attention issues and lack of empathy / self insight are a huge factor.
Anybody who thinks ADHD is not real needs to go and work in a school for a while….I teach some amazing young people but ADHD blights their lives, its brutal and it is VERY VERY real. Educate yourselves before making such appalling comments. As for those claiming it didn’t exist 30 years ago, absolute rubbish, the difference is when we were at school kids with SEN were just put in the “thick class” and ignored. Thankfully those of us in the profession in 2023 spend our lives trying to understand, educate ourselves and help your kids learn rather than throw them on the scrap heap.
Of course, we all have these things. But some have it to the extreme point that it’s causing harm in their personal lives. The question isn’t a matter of whether we have those symptoms or not. It’s how much it impacts your activities of daily living. I can totally understand however if one has never personally experienced it, that it’s hard to comprehend the extent at which these minor things control and take over your life, and the feeling of powerlessness and frustration when you want to change, but can’t! My heart goes out to those struggling!
My whole life has been a struggle because of ADHD to the max.. Absolutely disabled but I seem normal so I’m expected to do the same. Everyday is a mountain to climb and I’m tired. I’m glad you are trying to help people with this, but its a serious condition that has to do with dopamine not making it to the limbic system. This controls motivation and dopamine reward . . .
Yes! It wasn’t until I was in Nursing school at the age of 38 after my husband died suddenly, that I learned how to study! I tried to take a coarse that was offered but it was filled up. So a classmate ( my daughter’s friend ) was also going to nursing school. She taught me simple steps to organize and prioritize! Then I got high grades and made it through. ( I had to teach myself math to get into a math class so I could get into nursing school in the first place.
I was about to loose my job before the diagnosis. I was diagnosed in my 30’s. Medication is totally necessary for me. However, with keto and intermittent fasting I can do with much smaller dose. I definitely need to take medication in the morning. If I fail to do so I will not be productive. However if I take it in the morning I generally don’t need more medication during the day. The medication I take last 4 hours.
As someone who suffers with extreme severe anxiety I can totally relate to her. I would stop eating for days at a time as a punishment. I worry a lot about my life, everyone around me and pleasing everyone. It’s absolutely crippling, so glad she got the help she needed, lovely young lady it’s so sad that society has 1 in 3 people suffering mental health issues. I hope everyone seeks help
He’s got an answer for everything! In fairness, I can attest to the benefits of Keto/IF for ADHD. I didn’t know until this year that I have had ADHD (inattentive) my entire life but worked out a long time ago that not eating breakfast helped. Prior to assessment/diagnosis I had observed that pushing a keto IF window to 4pm (if your workplace colleagues let you) has maximum benefits for me as a 44yo adult. Have just begun to supplement omega 3 and will be eating liver (chopped, raw, frozen) for choline. But, consider that ADHD is a neurological difference, (and an earlier evolutionary advantage) and endlessly shaming your child (my experience) is unhelpful
I knew I had ADHD for a while (my mom had been diagnosed but I was in denial). Back when the pandemic hit I decided to go in for official testing because I felt like it was starting to really negatively affect my everyday life. I was given a few options to try which helped marginally but ultimately to help with my major issues medication was suggested. I ended up being prescribed 20mg of adderall. At first it felt like it was all good but then “side affects” kicked in. Anywho, years later I ran into Anthony Williams medical medium series. I picked a few items from the ADHD protocol and implemented them religiously. I’m off my medication! I haven’t felt this mentally clear since high school. I’m 27 for reference. I also lost 50lbs, “lost” my asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, anxiety, allergies and nerve pain. If you’re open to believing that ADHD is not a life long neuro disorder. I highly suggest you look into his books. He states the reason for adhd is heavy metals (mercury, aluminum). You’d be surprised how many heavy metals are in our foods and everyday products. Aluminum foil, vaccines, baking soda, fish, etc… Happy healing yall!
A year ago, I had symptoms of diabetes. I weighed +22 pounds (+10 kg) more than today. I stopped eating carbs and sugar in general, and since that time I eat from 12 am to 5 pm only. It really helped. 3 months ago I started to solve my ADHD in the same way – through a diet and mineral/vitamin supplementation: B vitamins, Mg, Se, K, L-Carnitine, fish several times a week. Yet no improvements. I’ve realized this is not enough. An improvement of a gut microbiome must precede. Whatever supplements I take, it seems like it does not absorb to my body. There has to be solution in feeding the right bacteria. I hope fermented food will help. Fermented vegetables are easy to DIY. Plus mushrooms. How long it may take to perfect the microbiome? They say half a year at least. This is my last hope. ADHD is terrible!! I can work on interesting things only. Cannot force myself to do the necessary stuff, even if I shout, beg, persuade, force myself in many ways, train habits for years … nothing helps. Horrible, really.
I don’t agree with censorship on the whole, but I think coming out with articles about “curing” autism and reversing ADHD drives stigma about brain wiring a lot of us don’t want to altogether “fix.” I think articles like this absolutely should be subject to rigorous screening by neurodivergent experts within the neurodivergent community.
Very difficult to get help from school, does not qualify for I E P (individuals educational plan) but does for 504 Plan (certain accommodations, like taking more time on tests etc.). “Medication makes me feel like I’m inside looking through a think glass” that’s what my son said at age twelve. I tried to educate my self as much as possible (chadd* parenting classes, school ) became very involved in volunteering in his school, with teachers, took him to counseling, tried keeping him from food additives and sugars,. I had three others that I neglect because my focusing was one the one with ADHD the others have ADD, so do I, they are adults now, continue to have their struggles, and each one deals with it on their own, medicine, no medicine. I wish could of done more. Keeping them from getting in trouble with the law became my priority. Now I hope they find understanding supportive life companionship. Education can be expensive but price to pay in life could be worst. I will definitely share this article with them. Thank you. (I read the report Dr Berg mention about medication)
For those who are unaware; ADHD often presents with other co-morbidities such a depression, anxiety, oppositional behavior disorder, autism etc. Additional symptoms include poor decision making, planning, impulsivity to name but a few. Lack of focus is only a small part of ADHD. The lifetime consequences of untreated ADHD should not be underestimated. I have seen first hand the devastating consequences of undiagnosed and untreated ADHD and they were nothing that could have been addressed through fasting and a keto diet. While there maybe merit in using these approaches, they are no substitute for evidence based treatment approaches for this condition.
As a professional in the field I am disappointed that Dr. Berg referenced an old diagnostic manual. There is a third component to ADHD in some individuals which is impulsivity. An individual can struggle with any combination of inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The most current diagnostic manual is the DSM V TR which was published in 2022. This is important because the DSM IV TR, referenced by Dr. Berg, was published in 2000 over 20 years ago. There were many important changes made to criteria, including new and voided diagnoses in the latest manual. My colleagues and myself do not use the DSM V TR alone to diagnose. We use ADHD testing instruments in combination with the latest manual because some criteria overlap with other diagnoses. I still love Dr. Berg! I found his information very sound. I just want his information correct for his integrity and all of us that follow him. I wouldn’t want someone in the field to disregard sharing his information with their patients because of his manual reference:)
I do agree with the nutrition points of this article. I also believe that our culture in the United States contributes to a lot of adult ADHD. However, as a special education teacher, with two masters degrees in education, I can tell you I have seen such severe ADHD in children that it is interfering with learning basic skills. These children usually have severe learning gaps. ADHD and dyslexia are connected. It breaks my heart when I see a student whose parent refuses to try nutritional or medical intervention to help their child. Their quality of life could be greatly improved.
Yeah, ok, I’ve taken the vitamins and supplements you mentioned for about two years now (got the information from my own research) I’ve changed my diet and started exercising. I still need medication. I still suffer from severe executive dysfunction and sleep interruption. It’s super cool that you read through the symptoms with a snarky and incredulous tone, super helpful, not. Obvoulsyt the symptoms happen at an extreme, and the wording in the DSM makes it seem normal to a layperson, which I’m sure you were hoping to hit for followers. Some people can get off the medication, some can’t. Even with medication, it’s a crap shoot for me. So no, this article is only helpful to ADHD deniers and is most likely detrimental as a source of false hope for ADHD sufferers.
I am 3 minutes in, and you are failing to realize/mention that there is a threshold to be met for an ADHD diagnosis. EVERYONE struggles with attention/fidgeting/forgetfulness. But in order to be diagnosed, it must severely impact your everyday life and functioning. There are many other questions and inquiries that responsible physicians will ask before handing out a diagnosis and a prescription for stimulants.
I use chromium and vanadium for my ADHD on top of a paleo diet and heavy supplementing (this includes my magnesium, calcium, D3 and potassium, which I find is a really good complex) I love perusal your articles! It’s so refreshing to get information from a doctor that actually looks and behaves in a healthy manner. 🥰
I have ADHD, the inattentive kind, but I have to have everything extremely organized. If it’s not clean and organized, I feel overwhelmed. The more stimuli, the more stressed I am. My son also has ADHD, the inattentive kind. He has used the diagnosis as a scapegoat to not clean his room or do his schoolwork. I have had to explain to him that just because he’s diagnosed with something, doesn’t mean he is allowed to give up and allow the diagnosis to control his life. We have found ways for him to get through this by giving him step-by-step instructions. Instead of “clean your room,” I tell him to “pick up all your clothes.” Also, we changed schools. Instead of his teachers telling him he’s lazy because he’s bored because they made him sit still until everyone else was finished with their work and he was done in minutes, his new teachers tell him once his school work is done, he gets to play. I think a lot of the problems in society and ADHD is that 1. Kids who are diagnosed are treated like it’s a problem, when in fact, it’s just a different way of thinking. 2. Kids with ADHD are usually very smart, think fast, and are simply bored, thus they are told they need to just sit there and do nothing. (Einstein is believed to have had ADHD). Our brains need something to do! Give us something to do and we’ll be fine. Btw, Coq10 helps tons with brain fog and memory. ….And after owning a cat for a few months, I’m pretty sure cats have ADHD.
i’m sorry but as someone with this disorder i have to disagree on a foundational level. “to refer to adhd as inattention is to refer to autism as hand flapping and speaking funny. they are the most obvious symptoms of a failure to develop the ability to relate to others as special objects, as humans. and that is what autism really is underneath. the rest of it is the most superficial set of symptoms. so i would want my family to understand the profundity of these deficits because inattention hardly captures what’s going wrong in development.” -Russell A. Barkley Ph. D.
The issue I have with this article is that this fails to understand a core feature of ADHD. It is more of a difficulty in DIRECTING attention, rather than being ABLE to pay attention. Of course, both are prominent symptoms. I can with 100% confidence say that even after accounting for diet, exercise, sleep, and all other factors that may influence it, the symptoms of a neurodevelopmental disorder cannot be reversed. I still struggle massively with symptoms (combined type, both hyperactivity and inattention). These may help if there is an underlying deficiency, but this does not solve the problem that was created at birth, and the only thing that has been able to sufficiently improve my symptoms to the point of functionality is medications and therapy. That being said, for people who DO in fact have any of these deficiencies, this is not clinical ADHD and of course would not require intervention with medications. Is there misdiagnosis? Yes, absolutely. However, ADHD is also insanely UNDER diagnosed, mine being missed until I was nearly 19 and was failing school and at relationships. While this article does have some value, the thumbnail is misleading and just flat out incorrect from a clinical standpoint, and overgeneralizes a potentially serious disorder that cannot be cured simply by altering the diet. Trust me, we’ve tried.
My diagnosis was much more rigorous than what you are describing, and isn’t arbitrary as you put it. I’m on the medication. There are some side effects but the benefits outweigh these in my case quite significantly. I am categorically not suggesting that the benefits of your suggestions aren’t real. I have, tried various diets and fasting and meditation that have all had positive effects along side my medication. I feel as though the premise of your article is designed to cast doubt over the psychiatric understanding of ADHD,, and as I understand it ADHD in a very well understood psychiatric disorder that has been researched just as much as depression and more than bipolar disorder. Given that on average the life lifeexpectancy of people with ADHD can be reduced by as much as 13 years (Russell Barkley), and chance of death can increased significantly when you go undiagnosed (Russell Barkley), you shouldn’t be bringing in to question ADHD diagnosis because on balance, they reduce the chance of death.
I can say that a child in my family (not formally diagnosed but with all of the indicators for ADD) was put on a regime, by us, including omega 3 and magnesium supplements pluus we reduced their sugar intake. It’s worked wonders. When the magnesium supplement wasn’t available for a while and we relaxed their sugar restrictions a little it was as if someone flipped a switch and they were super busy and fidgety and unable to focus. During winter break we finally got the magnesium back in their system and back on their regime and the change was dramatic. Even the teacher noted a huge difference after winter break, Have since stocked up on those supplements!
I had to start Adderall here. I’ve tried a lot of natural stuff over the years and past drinking a lot of coffee and burning out, nothing really worked past the meds. I still at least eat clean past that now.I just hate depending on it to be able to function daily, but i have to say the stuff is life changing.
I was dx ADD in my 40’s when our son was dx, but was only on medication for a few years. (My hubby was dx ADHD as a child and medicated for years but not as an adult.) I have to have clear, close motivation/reward to press thru boring stuff. I have a touch of ocd so I can overfocus on lists and marking things off, and that helps “manage” the scattered thoughts and impulses. I have a motor, but am an introvert so not a lot of people would guess I have ADD. I think its unfair to clump a real disorder with “everybody does this”. I am 78 and ketovore for years (severe limit on sugar, grains, etc) and still jog and do calesthenics and vigorous physical work. And I absolutely still have ADD
I really appreciate this article. When I was a kid I talked to told my parents that I should be put on meds for hyperactivity and to the credit they decided not to do it. Eventually grew out of it and a lot of the traits that define my hyperactivity have gone on to serve me well in life. Now I’m father and my kid is hyperactive, and I’ve made the same choice. Sometimes it’s hard but we’ve recently removed sugar from our diet and it made a big difference in his overall behaviour and attention. It’s not perfect but it’s moving us in the right direction. I also think that the classroom setting is not going to be right for everyone, just like in the working world working in a cubicle all day is not right for everybody. If there are things in your life that aren’t working, it’s possible to make positive change.
I have ADD. I cannot be around more than 1 person. My mind goes and I cannot remember things I did. I cannot be around noise, I am always in a book looking or researching what I need to do. I don’t think you can sit and say its because of basics of life . I once was all together. Trauma, to me is the factor of why I am like this . I used to study and be going to music class and now I completely lose it . The trauma I have gone thru has left me anti social,depressed, and unable to deal with the public . THIS IS ONE article I CAN SAY I DO NOT AGREE WITH DR.BERG. I Say this with a due respect . I am on a keto diet and I do intermittent fasting. Im adding a b1 addition so maybe its medically helpful but not what I am about
Thanks for making this article, I’m a father of three boys and 1 girl that are all adults now. This is a subjective misdiagnosis that is a huge problem for boys in elementary school, teachers and schools that are mostly run by females don’t attempt to accommodate learning for active and normal boys, instead, they try to teach them how girls learn best. Boys need more physical activity, structure, and discipline. NOT drugs or separate classes for kids with “learning disabilities”.
I suffer from ADHD but without the hyperactivity. Actually, the hyperactivity happens inside my brain. Too many thoughts, often disruptive, too many daydreams, and too many windows open at the same time. The distraction is inside my mind and not so much from external factors, although that can be the case sometimes too, especially with social media. Thanks for this article. I’ve been doing keto and intermittent fasting and I feel better. I lean on hyperfocusing and trying to enjoy my work to get motivated to complete my assignments. After four months, it’s beginning to work.
Dr. Berg, I saw your post the other day about YouTube only suggesting approved AMA sources… I wanted you to know this article popped up as recommended while I was perusal other ADHD articles. I suspect this YouTube medical filtering is more in preparation for a new round of COVID issues. Anyhow, I wanted you to know I think you are awesome and YouTube hasn’t silenced you in everything. Thanks for all you do!
I thought I had ADHD but as Dr.Berg mentioned I was just needed a different teaching approach and one of my teacher provided me a method that I can get the why questions to learn. I was active but very picky on food when I was a kid. I did my masters degree and a successful professional now. He is very right that doctors nowadays tend to say ADHD to everything and solve the issue with pills. Thank you Dr. Berg!
ADHD can be heavily associated with eye problems. I have esotropia which when left untreated results in convergence insufficiency (eyes not wanting to work together). But my brain is pretty brainy and does it’s thing so i don’t notice the double vision that creeps in. I exhibit lots of adhd symptoms. I’ve tried meds before and sometimes they work sometimes not. The only thing that really improves my symptoms is doing my eye exercises. Vision therapy helped me feel like a different person. One that could manage. It’s not covered by insurance whereas meds are. Dr. Berg is a smart guy but he’s still human so do your own research. I’m also a dietitian and will say eating healthy food will not fix everything. Sometimes you’ll still have the issue because nutrition or lack there of was never the problem. Sometimes physical issues are just that and adhd is a physical issue of the brain that had many factors.
Been ADD my whole life. Of course no one knew about ADD back then. We were just absent minded. Definitely willing to try his suggestion. But I’m offended by anyone who would question how I feel or how anyone else feels for that matter. If you’re not ADD or ADHD. You don’t know what it’s like so don’t presume to understand. Our minds are always on fire. It never stops. Plus it’s not an inability to focus. It’s a susceptibility to distraction.
You’re a thousand percent correct about needing to be taught learning skills, Dr. Berg. I agree that poor pedagogy is the root of a lot of kids’ difficulty in school. Kids aren’t taught in school how to remember and recall. How can anyone expect to deeply learn when they are being taught in a passive state? I am a student teacher supervisor, and I tell my student teachers all the time that kids were not meant to sit and listen to them all day every day. Any teacher who does not take the time to learn and utilize solid, research-based teaching and learning techniques is doing a tremendous disservice to his/her students. For example, kids almost never write by hand these days, which is insane, because the hand-brain connection is key to learning and remembering. Kids act out because they are bored and not at all engaged in their learning.
I don’t let my ADD or ADHD slow me down but I have become more aware of how to manage situation‘s which I am a fan of and situation in which I do not like, for example it took me a few decades to realize that things like waiting in line traffic being an airplane for hours are just not my favorite thing in the world so I try to avoid that stuff. Fortunately I have a job that requires me to be very active and not sit in front of a computer all day which would be absolute torture for me. Getting through my bachelors degree was challenging but I was working so I didn’t have time to really stress and getting through my masters degree was difficult but it was my lifelong dream to get that degree so I just forced myself to do all the work and all the tests and all the projects and God just so much work but I didn’t give up. ADD and ADHD are absolutely things that some people struggle with more than others but you can’t use it as a crutch to say that you’re not accomplishing your goals because of it
I have been diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 30 and this trend of Unwillingness to recognize ADHD as a disorder or disease was one of the reasons that no one diagnosed me with this disorder or disease and that destroyed my life. The change in my Attention level, mode, Mental clarity and anxiety after using the medication was so obvious and fast that later make me sad and angry about all the time I could’ve lived a more focused and relaxed life. As a fan of your work, I beg you to please stop doing that, Dr berg.
I just found out I had ADHD at the age of 42. I am all about different approaches to healing and I know medicine is not for everyone but playing down ADHD symptoms to people who really struggle, it hurts when it comes from a professional. I struggled my whole life and was ignored. I just want there to be a happy medium where we do not need to insult other people’s view points.
9.3 million subscribers?! I remember when you had 100,000. Congrats 👏 👏 👏 Your advice is what got me off of carbs/sugar and let me tell you my withdraw was surprising. It was enough to let me know to stop for good. Down side is that i have a high metabolism still at 41 and im thin. Thin but very happy im like a different person. I eat literally all the time people at work are like how are you so thin lol 😆
As someone diagnosed with ADD as a kid; the diagnosis seriously held me back. The majority of my symptoms were as a result of growing up in a single mother household; I had a poor diet, no structure, no discipline, and no one pushing me to do better – Instead I was told and in turn internalised that there was something wrong with me. If you’re a parent I strongly urge you to look at what key aspects your child may be missing out on before giving them an excuse to play the victim!
While you are correct that many people are diagnosed with ADD willy nilly, it is real and if you ever meet one of these kids you will know it. When their meds are wearing off they have all of the symptoms listed but in the extreme, and are bouncing off the walls almost literally. I never used to believe it was a genuine condition either until I moved in with a gf who has one of these kids and I can assure you there is a medical problem going on. It is way more than just active kid stuff.
I have strong emotionality about natural treatments for ADHD. As a holistic health industry professional and also someone with ADHD inattentive, I deeply regret pursuing diet and supplements regimens for 20+ years before trying stimulant medication at age 45. Methylphenidate has completely changed my life for the better! If I had only known, so many years of suffering could have been alleviated. The ketogenic diet and your other recommendations have also been helpful for me personally, but they are not in the same league as stimulants in terms of efficacy in my ADHD treatment.
I reversed ADHD finally at the age of 50 and with no medication. I started fasting 18 hours stating at 6 pm. And I cut out sugar from my diet completely. Excercize by walking 3 miles a day. And finally, when I feel distracted at work, I get up and move around for a few minutes. This worked for me and not sure if it will for anyone else, but maybe it will help.
This is a prime example for why MD’s should keep their noses out of psychological issues and refer people with potential issues to psychiatrists or psychologists; you know, the experts who have have had more than a few hours of psychology in a classroom trying to understand these things, and let them make the decisions. If you suspect that you or a child of yours may struggle with ADHD, do NOT rely solely on the opinion of your generalist MD family doctor. They often approach the issue with pre-conceived ideas on whether the issue is even a “real thing”, saying nonsense like it’s just a lack of discipline on the parent’s part or too much screen-time. So irritating to not be taken seriously by people who are supposed to be helping. “Let me go through how ‘they’ diagnose this, it’s completely arbitrary…” putting his own ignorance of the actual process on display, and making light of the actual expert’s time, knowledge and abilities. Can it be over-diagnosed, yes. Is a prescription for a stimulant easy to get, no. Can a prescription for ADHD meds change your life for the better, yes. The fact that there’s no blood test or anything similar to nail down a diagnosis is precisely the reason these decisions should be kept out of the hands of generalist doctors and left in the hands of specialists who know what they’re doing and talking about.
There is actually brain imaging that shows ADHD brains are different. Everyone has a degree of inattention. It’s not that we can’t pay attention and any one of those symptoms are in everyone. It’s the degree it affects you and how much it affects your life. I’m an adult who existed in school before cell phones . I can tell you it’s not anything is distracting everything is. Your thoughts and anything around you. It’s alot more than just that. It’s like having a head ache or a debilitating head ache. There is a difference and it’s not just attention.
For clarity – diagnosis is not based just on a list. My daughters & I had extensive cognitive testing, lifelong behavioral/academic/vocational histories & written observations from educators/family/colleagues as applicable. Contrary to urban legend, parents & docs are not evil drug pushers keen to hook children on meth. Many try every other option first & do their homework. The saddest situation is the child who is not treated & gives up, such as my nephew who eventually took his own life. His father refused medication & the boy simply couldn’t take the failures & struggle any longer.
Why do I feel like for all those people who are complaining, they do so cuz they believe it’s not a problem that can be solved relatively simply. They are not agreeing with the solution. Because it’s too simple? This article may sound like it’s minimising if you are suffering from a strong conviction in your head that you are being wronged by multiple people throughout your life for reasons that are not yours. (Caused by ADHD symptoms) Trust me . I felt that too. Recently I realized my chronic fatigue, restlessness (what a contrast!), my inability to sustain focus, my unhealthy ruminations that gave me the ‘zoned-out’ look can all be solved one by one or two at time. We struggle with consistency. That’s what years of life with less discipline gives us. This is not a blame on you. To be consistent we need that brain energy. To understand that, we need to understand how the brain works. Pharmas know that people love solutions that come in a bottle. I worked at psychiatric clinic as a social worker and I’ve seen the dysfunctionality in the families of these children, not necessarily on purpose. Most people don’t know how to be un-institutionalised, so when they get a child that does not behave the way it’s ‘supposed’ to they go beserks. Even know, I believe I have adhd symptoms but I don’t want the label, I did want to try the drugs but luckily I didn’t get there. Because I see hope. because I’ve been on vit b complex and vit D for a over a month. My energy is on another level, often at night I take melatonin to induce calmness but this is not a long term solution as melatonin cannot be used long term.
The difference is the word “OFTEN”.I dont believe that list represents it well. There really is quite the difference in a person who has adhd and a person who has some of these traits. It literally can destroy any kind of productivity in a day for everything. Unable to DO things, start anything, finish anything, complicates thinking until the person shuts down completely, creates panic, anxiety and depression all in 1 day sometimes. If you want to do smth, you can’t. Feeling a lack of dopamine is legit a problem. They can become dopamine seekers, looking for excitement everywhere. It’s hard to explain to ppl who have never experienced it. Having NO MEMORY is a huge problem. Looking for natural solutions is important. Let’s not pretend like everyone is like this. It’s serious and can ruin your life. Improvements can be pursued but a person cannot just will themselves out of it or unlearn it. It can be a gift in certain situations. It’s hard when the world gaslights how it feels on a consistent basis. Thx for tips on how to improve nutrition
Firstly, I have lived with ADHD my whole life; I’m in my 40’s now. Now to the meat of it: ADHD is (technically) a developmental disorder, and is very poorly named. It is actually not a disorder in itself, but a collection of symptoms resulting from underdevelopment of the pre-frontal cortex, and poor self-awareness with often intense anxiety which inhibits neural cross function between the frontal cortex (knowing knowledge, facts and figures) and the parietal lobe (doing knowledge). In layman’s terms what this means is the ADHD sufferer experiences difficulty prioretizing, organizing, remembering (short term), starting tasks and following through (without incentive), time awareness and management, knowing how to do what you know about and knowing about what you known how to do, and other general self-awareness issues. The last will surprise ADHD’ers sometimes as they find themselves in situations where they realize their function is not normal, or they do not know how to respond. These difficulties are not universally present in all aspects of a persons function, but will be highlighted by very specific combinations of skills in (usually) highly specialized tasks. All of the advice here is helpful but it will not cure you of ADHD; it is a remedy, not a cure. The cure is in the development of the weak neural pathways (repeatedly doing those hard thought tasks that suck until it gets easier) in conjunction with the advise perscribed. Self-awareness training (which ironically requires someone external to you to assist) is also essential.
Wow…I really struggle with ADHD and have actually found Dr. Bergs articles to be helpful in the past. Sure, everyone has experienced one or more of these symptoms at one point. However when you have ADHD, it’s debilitating and persistent, as is the case with any mental health disorder. Everyone gets sad, but not everyone has depression. Everyone gets tired, but people with chronic fatigue syndrome are tired all the time, even after getting enough sleep. That doesn’t mean chronic fatigue syndrome (long covid) isn’t real. Do better Dr. Berg, wtf.
I knew of an extremely highly intelligent young boy when I was in my early 20s. He was diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed meds. What happened was by the time he was a teen, my brother who was a friend of his told me that he committed suicide. I always believed they were handling his genius all wrong and giving young children all kinds of medication is not the answer to their hyperactivity. He was a young boy with heightened emotional awareness from my observation. Unfortunate that the meds route was chosen for him.
I’ve always been held back by ADD and I don’t appreciated how Dr Berg pokes at people with this limitation. How would you explain the science behind the brain scan evidence of people with ADD/ADHD? No. Vitamins don’t fix the problem. I take every thing you prescribe but it only helps a little. I respect Dr Berg but I think he went a little too far this time.
I tired all these supplements plus intermittent fasting for a whole year. Nopes still executive dysfunction, indecision, mental fog, constantly losing things, slow in processing things and getting spaced out in tasks that require sustained mental focus. The only thing that improved was wakefulness, physical energy and a feeling of calmness but if your mind is tangled in knots there’s a limit to what that energy and calmness can achieve
Thank you Dr. Berg, I always love your articles, and I really appreciate you approaching this subject. I am a mental health counselor, and I just wanted to weigh in about the diagnosis of adverse effects of medication’s. It’s not that a person gets that diagnosis because they are focusing too much on the adverse effects. I do believe it is simply because they are experiencing a lot of adverse effects, and it’s messing with their lives. That would be the reason for that diagnosis. While I’m at it, I just want to thank you again, four months ago I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes, and through following your recommendations as well as taking a lot of herbal supplements, I reversed it! I am also grateful to the person who told me to watch your articles! It’s kind of weird, but a few weeks before all this started I had a dream, where my life was being threatened by an alligator, and a guy who looked just like you was motioning emphatically to a bowl full of kale, and telling me to eat it to save my life! Ha ha I just love the collective unconscious!
As far as intellectual capability we have to be careful to differentiate a poor memory and learning disabilities. If somebody shows you something once and you forgot you just didn’t completely learn it it doesn’t mean you have memory issues. I had to learn this when finally overcoming calculus because most of my life I was able to memorize everything for a test but at some of the higher math levels there are just too many processes to memorize and you truly have to learn the material, which is something many college students struggle to overcome especially if they skated through high school which is generally at least half as easy as college
This is the ADHD protocol I created that works for myself. Morning: First thing I do is get a Glass of lemon water. Next I Go on walk, wake up my body and intuition. While walking I try to get sunlight, and say positive affirmations. After I return, I Meditate and focus on the day ahead. I ask my intuition what I need to get done for the day, write goals based on what task is ahead, and then I read a book for 10 minutes that pertains to my goals. As my goals change the books do as well, but the habit is still the same. Next I do 100 jumping jacks and a shower w/ a cold water finish, both for a dopamine increase. By now my executive function is ready and I begin my day. Day: I focus on my priorities and tasks that are aligned with my goals. I go on walks do more jumping jacks every hour so I can refill my “executive function tank” I fast all day and only consume non caffeinated teas and lemon water. I avoid caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, gluten, soy, corn, foods that my body rejects that cause a histamine response. Evening: After my goals and tasks are done for the day, i do positive reinforcement affirmations. Next I’ll do resistance training while in a deep fasted state to reap the benefits of the natural elevated HGH levels. Post work out I break my fast and it’s at 6pm usually. The meal I consume is catered to ADHD, and also my body. I’ve done an elimination diet and found the foods that my body can have without causing a histamine response. Here’s my OMAD Protocol meal: * B Complex * Brain Cleanser Drink (Chlorella, Lemon Juice, Aloe Vera, Maple Syrup) * Brain DeFog Tonic Drink (Green Tea, Sage, Peppermint, Rosemary) * Brain Tonic Drink (h2o, Spiralina, Lemon Juice, Ginkgo, Glutamine, Maple Syrup) * Spinach, Kale, Watercress salad w/ spicy garlic sauerkraut, avocado, hemp seeds, broccoli sprouts, shredded carrots, sunflower seeds, and either miso/coconut/vinegar dressing, Vegan ceaser, or lemon juice olive oil dressing.
1) This article is NOT ADHD friendly, and 2) ADHD is diagnosed on both the severity of the symptoms and — this is the most important part — how much it impacts someone’s ability to function day to day. This is giving “we’re all a little bit ADHD” vibes which has been the most frustrating and invalidating thing I’ve experienced since getting diagnosed. I’ve gone Keto, Carnivore, fasted 2-3 days a week for months at a time.. I’ve wrecked my gut and my metabolism jumping from one thing to the next in the hope that something would work. Mind you this was all prior to being diagnosed because I was desperate to “fix” whatever was wrong with me. If someone never pushed me to get professional help, I’d still be listening to people who insist that the right food / diet can practically cure cancer. I’d still think that maybe I was just not healthy enough. I’ve spent HUNDREDS of dollars on all sorts of supplements and yet… the one thing that made the biggest difference for me was seeing a psychiatrist, getting the diagnosis, taking medication (I was put on Wellbutrin since I also suffer from MDD), and seeing a therapist regularly. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that there is no harm in getting help (from a real doctor) and if you’re unsure or unhappy about the treatment or course they are taking, get a second opinion (I had to switch psychiatrists once). Things like ADHD and MDD are caused by a pathology of the mind and require proper diagnosis and treatment beyond reading the DSM and perusal a YouTube article.
My daughter was misdiagnosed as adhd and the school threatened to sue me for child neglect if I didnt medicate her despite that the meds did not work except for 2 hrs at a time they made her very sleepy and easy to manage for those 2 hrs. When she was 14 she refused all medications, but too late … the damage was done. She has been a chronic insomniac since the first month after taking meds … they tried her on a wide variety trying to figure out what was wrong with her. Her sleep schedule is chronic rotation and inconsistent, but mostly sleeps all day and awake all night. As a late teen she was finally diagnosed as borderline dysfunctional Aspergers. There is no medication for this that I know about, and she suffered permanent damage because of the drugs they forced on her. Before 2 year old vaccines she was a perfectly normal communicative and intelligent child.
Actually, I am beginning to understand why people are against ADHD. I am diagnosed with ADHD. Medicated for over 10 years. Have I seen any improvements? Am I more motivated? Do I make less mistakes(I do)? At the end of the day, we all needs(wants) to do something bigger than ourselves. And I don’t think that the answers are from medication. Will power is what I believe at the end. Although I find it difficult to sit still. But at the end of the day, RESULTS is what we want. Not excuses. Medications only gives an extra push. It is still all about Will power.
I know you mean well, but I’ve had so many red flags since I was very young, including a period in my 20s when I was super healthy- normal lab results, exercise, low carb, etc. My body and habits changed, but not my symptoms. I work for primary care and one of my responsibilities is to take Rx refill requests. I get about 10 requests per day for adhd meds, and many of those Rxs are for up to 10mg. Those people may benefit from your suggestions, but the one or two patients who are taking 20 or 36 mg are whole different matter. As someone who takes one of these higher doses myself, medicine has changed my life for the better. The benefits provide me with quality of life- better relationships with family and friends, and much better work experience.
Was diagnosed with adult ADHD at age 59, inattentive type. Take a middle range dose of Concerta and it helps tremendously. But I also changed to a Whole Foods diet, started exercising again after recovering from injuries that limited exercise options, take vitamins. Put myself on a sleep schedule and I try to deal with my symptoms through learning. It’s not a question of either/or, all these things help but Concerta helps me function better at work; pre- diagnosis I tried all these other things and definitely felt better, but looking back I was more impulsive during these times and not really dealing with my symptoms since I didn’t know I had it. Medication helps a lot of people and I’m in the work endgame pushing toward retirement. Can’t afford to eff things up. So, I’m keeping up on the meds and all the other stuff. I ran out of meds recently due to shortages and despite the holistic approaches I’ve taken, I felt completely dead and it was hard to even get moving. This was also after weeks of skipping doses since there was also a delay getting in to the psychiatrist. It’s wrong to imply that people with ADHD are making things up or using it as an excuse for laziness. Shit is real and a daily struggle my whole life. Somebody listed out all the other symptoms – it’s super hard to change all that even with medications. My short term memory is an example of a symptom that has not improved at all.
I stopped eating processed sugar & caffeine. I eat all the fruit & raw unfiltered honey I want. It made a HUGE difference. I sleep better, focus better, and hardly have any panic or anxiety attacks anymore. Caffeine turns to sugar if you don’t work it out of your system via exercise or hard physical labor. I don’t feel like I’m living in a self-inflicted tornado anymore.
As a late-diagnosed – at 50 – I have ALWAYS struggled, a with attention way before smartphones or computers. I still struggle. I also have an ASD diagnosis, and undiagnosed dyscalculia and dyspraxia. It’s not just that I have difficulty at times. This struggle with attention is my DEFAULT constant state. HOWEVER, these dietary changes are definitely worth investigating. I have always eaten plenty of veggies
I was given a number of labels followed of course by a number of prescriptions . Three years ago like many…….I had reason to detox my self from these drugs and of course this included the prescriber . I have never been healthier and happier . Grateful to have found your website Eric blessings and appreciation from Sydney Australia.
00:04 Attention deficit disorder is a major problem with hyperactivity connected to it. 01:45 Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. 03:46 Adverse effects of medication and non-compliance with treatment are important factors to consider in patient care. 05:40 Intelligence is not just about memorization, but also reasoning, knowledge, judgment, and problem-solving skills. 07:30 The brain requires a lot of energy to concentrate and filter out distractions. 09:25 Reducing carbohydrate intake and adopting a ketogenic diet can provide cleaner and more efficient fuel for the brain. 11:05 Magnesium, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids are crucial nutrients for brain function and attention. 12:53 Consider switching to dmae as a supplement for ADD or ADHD
Sorry Dr, the advice is good, but the whole opening where you laugh off and invalidate the condition you don’t understand- that is extremely offensive and stigma cultivating. Adhd is not a list of problems, it’s a whole different neurological make-up with positives, challenges and various characteristics. We are born adhd. The knowledge on adhd is changing so much, I’m future it will be recognised as a difference, not a disease/condition. Also – stimulants are the most effective tteatment with an extremely high success rate. It’s not something that is done when nothing else helps. A lot of people miss out on life changing treatment due to misinformation and stigma, as (sadly) cultivated in this article! Stimulants are not addictive, not something “we need help coming off”, we don’t crave our meds. The best way to describe it – let’s say you never fully realised you had serious problems with your vision and then someone gave you glasses to try on, and suddenly you could see. You didnt even suspect how much better you can see the world before that, how would you know what everyone else can see? The next day you get up and put on your glasses. Not because you are “addicted” to your glasses. It’s because now that you see the difference they make – you don’t won’t to have impaired vision anymore if you can help it. You realize how much you struggled and you dont want that anymore, time to catch up with all those lost years where you felt faulty, but all it really was – you couldnt see as well as others.
I have ADHD and eat about 80% raw vegan. I consume tons of dinosaur kale, no sugar, no flour, no grains and supplement with a whole food vitamin and mushrooms for focus. I meditate & practice yoga. I do all the things I can to be healthy and help my issues. Even with all of my efforts I am still a crazy ADHD person. I’m not sure what would change my issues. I don’t do western medicine either. 🤷🏼♀️
Read the disclaimer. He is a chiropractor involved in specific foods. He has a vested interest because he needs social media to make a living. Though healthy meals are a part of managing ADHD, it is not the solution on its own. ADHD is a neurological disorder. People really suffer hard on a day to day basis for their entire life (if undiagnosed). So don’t come with claims that adhd is a nutritional problem. Spoiler: it is not. That is is only a part of managing. Please get a degree in psychiatry first before continuing putting people on false tracks. The Dr. he is using does not refer to his knowledge about ADHD it is referring to his chiropractor degree. In reference to ADHD he is just Eric Berg, rambling about food and a serious disorder he does not have a medical background of. Please stay away.
@Dr Berg – I normally like your articles but you’ve overstretched on this one. You don’t have the expertise to wade into ADHD and dismiss it entirely as a genuine medical condition. I think you should do a follow up article to apologize/clarify as it’s quite alienating to those currently dealing with this condition like myself.