Around 3.5% of adults and 5% of children in the UK are affected by ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) which is characterised by inattentive and hyperactive traits that can seriously impact quality of life. In particular, impulsivity and emotional regulation challenges can show up in a person’s relationship with food, creating barriers to balanced nutrition.
As dietary issues and eating disorders become more prevalent in the UK, Sarah Osborne has become a leading voice for nutrition and neurodiversity. With specialisms in nutrigenomics, ADHD and binge eating, Sarah works with a growing number of clients with a wide variety of challenges related to diet.
Sarah Osborne, founder of So Nutrition which is based in Manchester said: “When my husband and son were both diagnosed with ADHD, I wanted to understand better the correlation between neurodiversity and eating habits, and that’s where the practice began. Since then, I’ve worked with hundreds of clients dealing with some of the common challenges that those with ADHD face when it comes to food.”
These challenges could include binge eating, craving foods high in sugar or fat, skipping meals due to stress, experiencing gut problems and being highly sensitive to certain textures, tastes and smells, to give a few examples.
Sarah continues: “So Nutrition aims to become a go-to resource for ADHD and nutrition, with free advice and recipes as well as a range of courses and coaching to suit different budgets and needs.”
Courses available at adhdandnutrition.co.uk range from self-study to fully guided options on:
· Emotional eating and ADHD, which has various modules to support a journey of self-discovery, emotional regulation and lasting change
· Women and ADHD, to help manage hormonal fluctuations and ADHD, with specialist courses and events aimed at those going through menopause or perimenopause
Personalised testing is also available, since a growing body of research suggests that gut health plays a crucial role in mental health, especially in neurodivergent individuals.
So Nutrition’s offering includes a microbiome test that can provide insights into how the digestive system and its bacteria may be influencing a person's brain and overall health. There’s also a package which explores genetic pathways and neurodiversity, offering a nutrigenomic DNA test to help understand the deep connection between genes, mental health and the body’s responses to stress, nutrition and more.
Rachel Ray approached So Nutrition for support with her adult daughters, who both have ADHD, to see how nutrition could better support their wellbeing. Rachel said: “We found So Nutrition extremely empathetic, sensitive and supportive, which put my daughters at ease and helped them open up. As a family, we all really appreciate the support, as it can be lonely and confusing navigating the journey of ADHD.”
So Nutrition is also able to offer support, where applicable, through the government’s Access to Work scheme which provides funding for those with physical or mental health conditions or disabilities that are impacting their work life.
Working with a range of partners and charities including ADHD UK, ADHD 360, The Sleep Charity and Get Dopa, So Nutrition has also been recommended by GPs referring patients for support.
To view the full range of courses and coaching with So Nutrition visit the website.
Here are Sarah’s top five tips to support an ADHD-friendly diet:
1. Add more into your diet, don't take away
People often associate diets with restrictive eating – that's not our ethos. It's about helping people find balance, so we usually find adding more items into the diet is the best approach. Neurodiverse people are often likely to keep eating the same foods, so introducing more variety and having easy-to-follow recipes can make food fun.
2. Embrace convenience food
Many people with ADHD find meal planning and cooking challenging so our advice is not to make life hard for yourself. There are plenty of ways to use convenience foods within a balanced diet. A tin of tuna can work in a host of different recipes!
3. Keep hydrated
Most people don't drink enough water and if you're hyper focused on another task you're likely to forget. Set yourself reminders – that’s a good message for everybody as being properly hydrated can make a huge difference to how you feel.
4. Be kind
Getting into new habits takes time – it doesn't happen overnight. Whether you’re supporting family or friends, or trying to change your own eating behaviours, be kind with yourself and others.
5. Make food your friend
ADHD brains tend towards an all-or-nothing approach which can often lead to challenges with food. If that sounds familiar, making food your friend can help you find that middle ground, so you can enjoy what you eat and find balance and wellbeing.