ADHD & Autism Diets

While traditional medical dogma recommended that the best way to treat ADHD and Autism was through medication, new findings are uncovering that dietary control might be another key to unlock the mystery of these two diseases. If you, or someone you know, is suffering from ADHD or autism, consider implementation of a low-carb, low-sugar diet to help win the fight against these troublesome conditions.

Diet and ADHD

Dr. David Perlmutter, MD, has discovered an interesting fact about individuals diagnosed with ADHD. In the "normal" population, gluten sensitivity--an allergic reaction the protein found in barley, wheat, oats and rye--is found in only 1 percent of people. But number is much higher among individuals with ADHD. Thus, limiting gluten with a low-carb diet can be one major step toward curbing symptoms.

ADHD and Glucose

A New England Journal of Medicine study also discovered a link between individuals with ADHD and an altered glucose metabolism. This means that individuals who suffer from ADHD do not metabolize glucose in the same way as everyone else. It has therefore been suggested that a reduced glucose diet (i.e. low-carb) could help individuals with ADHD.

Gluten and Autism

Abstaining from gluten is also recommended for individuals with autism, as they often have internal issues which makes grain digestion difficult. It is theorized that consuming excessive amounts of gluten leads to high levels of gluteomorphines in the blood, which can trigger many symptoms of autism such as desire to avoid social interaction and impairment of pain messaging. Thus, removing gluten from their diet can help alleviate symptoms.

Sample ADHD/Autism Diet

The Paleo Diet is a good diet to control ADHD and autism. The Paleo Diet is based on the eating habits of the world's remaining hunter/gatherer tribes. To follow this eating plan, simply eliminate consumption of grains, beans, potatoes, dairy, sugar, and salt. Eat instead the following items: meat, chicken, fish, eggs, berries, nuts, vegetables and fruit. This will completely remove gluten and sugar from the diet, curbing the symptoms of Autism and ADHD.

Alternative Diet

An alternative plan to accomplish the same goal is to adopt the Atkins Diet. To follow the Atkins Diet, eat no more than 20 g of carbs per day during the first two weeks on the plan. Following this, double your daily carb limit to 40, but strive to reach this limit by eating mainly vegetables and limited amounts of fruit while completely avoiding grains. While "ordinary" dieters would again increase carb intake as they near their target weight, if you are using the diet to curb the symptoms of autism or ADHD you should instead remain at this lower limit indefinitely.