One study of mood disorders, performed in Great Britain, showed that 80% of the participants had a significant change in symptoms when ingesting certain foods.
Refined sugar and caffeine were shown to have a negative impact on the brain, while fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish were beneficial in balancing people's moods.
This applied to disorders like ADD and to anxieties, panic attacks, and depression.
Water was another factor important to proper brain functions, but caffeine was shown to product negative effects, especially when people had a caffeine allergy.
Some of these people have been misdiagnosed with ADD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and even schizophrenia.
If you're experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, states of mind that often accompany ADD, you should consider removing caffeine from your diet and adding at least 64 ounces of water.
And always eat a healthy breakfast.
Breakfast helps your metabolism to increase, and people who eat breakfast show an increase in memory and mental dexterity, as well.
Skipping breakfast allows none of these benefits, and makes your body function without proper fuel.
Grab a cereal bar on the way to work, if that's all you can manage, but try for some whole wheat toast for roughage, some fruit, and skim milk to help you start your day.
Fruit will provide vitamin C for you, which is extremely important to your diet, but you can also get it in dark green, leafy vegetables and tomatoes.
The brain requires 15 times the amount of vitamin C you need for proper blood plasma levels, and it can control mood and your ADD symptoms, as well.
Be sure to eat strawberries and citrus products, which you can have in the form of whole fruits, juice, or even fruit smoothies.
If you remember to eat foods rich in vitamin C, you'll see that you're functioning on a higher level.
You'll be able to fight the depression that often accompanies ADD with the B vitamins--riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), and B6.
Riboflavin exists in milk, yogurt, and dark green leafy vegetables.
Niacin comes in whole grains, peanuts, and meats.
And B6 is in beans, fish, and again, those dark, leafy green vegetables, like spinach.
Buy some spinach leaves at the grocery store, and throw them into a pot with a little water, and cook on low heat, until the leaves are tender.
It should take only a few minutes.
Spray a little lemon on the cooked leaves, and add a bit of salt and pepper.
Spinach can delicious and very convenient to prepare.
Processed foods may be more convenient, but they're just not as good for you.
Stick to fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats.
Forget those freezer section meals.
"Eat fresh," is easy to say, but not so easy to do with ADD.
You'll procrastinate preparing things and it may never happen.
If you're one of those ADD people, go to the pre-prepared foods section of your supermarket and buy full meals to pop in the oven.
At least you'll be eating fresh food, instead of frozen.
Some very important foods in your diet should be protein rich because they boost your levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain, which affect mood and mental agility.
Lower levels of dopamine have even been linked to ADD, so it's a good idea to try and boost its production.
Try a handful of peanuts during the day or some cottage cheese with pineapple or peaches.
You can also supplement with a protein bar, if you're on the run, or if you can sit down, prepare a meal of tuna fish and salad.
A balanced diet isn't just important for your heart and body, it's important for your brain.
Drinking enough water is very important, as is eating breakfast and getting enough vitamin B2, B3, and B6.
Remember to avoid processed foods, and if you find that anxiety and depression are an issue, along with your ADD, try to eat a mind-balanced diet.
If preparing food isn't something you do, then ask someone to do it for you or have your food catered in, if you can afford it.
You might find that it's less expensive than you think, and it will help you immensely.
If you follow this simple guideline, you may find that your ADD symptoms lessen a bit and that your brain power just goes through the roof.
Isn't that worth it?