For adults who suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) it can be difficult to focus on everyday tasks. In recent years, stimulant (i.e. Adderall and Ritalin) and nonstimulant medications (i.e. Strattera) have been developed and used to treat ADD. These medications are typically effective. Yet they treat the symptoms only when taken consistently. They can create a dependency to control symptoms, and some adults do not want to develop a dependency.
You Are What You Eat
One way of treating ADD is making adjustments in your diet to increase brain activity and the ability to focus. Foods high in protein (i.e. beans, lean meats and nuts) have been effective in treating ADD symptoms and overall nutrition, which can affect how vitamins or supplements treat ADD. Increase your intake of complex carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables around dinner time to aid sleeping at night. In addition to increasing intake of certain foods, an equal effort should be put forth to decrease or even eliminate foods that could be fueling ADD symptoms. Simple carbohydrates like sugar have been known to increase the symptoms that most adults seek to control.
Take Your Vitamins
In addition to providing essential nutrients for general health, vitamins and supplements such as zinc and oils with omega three fatty acids (i.e. fish oil and evening primrose oil) have been found to reduce the symptoms associated with ADD. Studies have shown that zinc reduced symptoms related to hyperactivity and impulsivity. Zinc can be taken directly as a supplement or found in seafood, red meat, beans, nuts and whole grains. Omega 3 fatty acids have shown to reduce hyperactivity, inattentiveness and provided some mental clarity. Omega fatty acids can be found in a number of fish such as salmon, albacore tuna, trout and sardines.
Change Your Behavior
Your lifestyle can have a significant effect on your ADD, whether positive or negative. To reduce ADD symptoms, try to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night. This can be difficult for most people, so you may have to adjust your daily schedule (i.e. eating dinner at 6 p.m. to start relaxing and getting ready for bed by 8 p.m.). Exercise two to three times per week is a part of a regular "healthy" routine. For adults with ADD, exercise can help to refocus their hyperactivity and help them turn it into productive energy. Stress and anxiety can exasperate ADD symptoms. Consider practicing yoga or meditation to reduce the occurrences of stress. It can also be as simple as learning breathing techniques to keep yourself calm during stressful times.
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