4 Ways I reduce my ADHD Symptoms with Good Gut Health

Your gut isn't just digesting food. It's directly influencing your ADHD symptoms.

This might sound surprising, but the latest neuroscience reveals that the gut produces 90% of the body's serotonin and communicates directly with the brain through the vagus nerve. For those of us with ADHD, this gut-brain connection is particularly significant.

The ADHD-Gut Connection

Research shows that people with ADHD often have less diverse gut bacteria than neurotypical individuals. This matters because the gut microbiome directly affects:
• Dopamine production – the neurotransmitter we're typically low in
• Inflammation levels – which can worsen brain fog and focus issues
• Stress response – affecting emotional regulation and impulsivity
• Energy stability – impacting hyperactivity and afternoon crashes

The Transformation Potential

Here's what excites me most: improving gut health is so accessible and can significantly reduce ADHD symptoms within weeks. Clients regularly report clearer thinking, steadier moods, and better impulse control after implementing gut health strategies. One executive I work with described it as 'lifting a fog I didn't know was there.'

My ADHD Gut Health Action Plan

We’re all different but here’s what works for me:

1. Add fermented foods daily
   I try to eat at least 3 portions of fermented food daily. The 4 K’s are great: Kefir, Kimchi, Kombucha (watch out for sugar content in this one), & my new favourite, Kraut (sauerkraut). These provide beneficial bacteria that support dopamine production and reduce inflammation.

2. Embrace the 30-plant challenge (easier than you think)
   Aim for 30 different plant foods weekly. The diversity feeds different beneficial bacteria (Not as hard as it sounds as you can count everything: herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, grains). I batch cook a big veggie minestrone or dhal each week which gives me a massive head start. DM me for the recipe.

3. Prioritise prebiotic foods
   Onions, garlic, bananas, and oats feed my good bacteria. I also love different beans and snacking on nuts and seeds (add your own spices for flavour). These are particularly important for ADHD brains as they support GABA production, our calming neurotransmitter. Find your own favourites.

4. Reduce gut disruptors
   Minimise artificial sweeteners, excessive sugar, alcohol and processed foods. These feed bacteria that increase inflammation and destabilise mood. Whenever I consider eating or drinking ultra-processed foods (UPFs) I remind myself that not only am I missing the opportunity to eat or drink what my body, and therefore my ADHD brain, actually needs in order to thrive, the synthetics (not food) that I am putting inside me are actively working against me! So it's a double loss!

   
   The Bottom Line

   
   Gut health isn't a 'nice to have'. It's fundamental to managing ADHD effectively. The beautiful truth is that every meal is an opportunity to support my unique brain. I'm not broken; I might just need better bacteria. Start with one change this week. Your ADHD brain will thank you.