Juice, smoothies, iced coffee, ice tea, protein shakes, milk, and other drinks can be excellent alternatives to water.
Try “eating” your water
There are plenty of foods that can help with your daily hydration needs. A few of the most hydrating foods1 – based on percentage water content – include: 90-99 percent: Cucumbers, cantaloupe watermelon, lettuce, tomato, cabbage, celery, nonfat milk, spinach, summer squash/zucchini.
Just like we often don't notice when we're hungry, we don't notice when we're thirsty. The ADHD brain needs reminders. Though I often recommend reminder systems, having a message pop up to drink some water will become annoying and before long you'll delete the thing entirely.
People with ADHD often struggle to focus, but when engaged in something we're interested in, we can easily veer to the opposite end of the spectrum: hyperfocus. We tend to get so wrapped up in what we're doing that we forget literally everything else—including our basic needs, like drinking enough water!
An ADHD Diet Is a Healthy Diet
Increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins while limiting sugar, refined carbs, and saturated fats. Of course, you should consult your healthcare professional before you make any drastic changes to your diet.
Both children and adults with ADHD can benefit from swimming as a way to release excess energy and improve concentration abilities.
People with ADHD may self-medicate with alcohol to ease the distress that comes with this condition. They may turn to substances to help them deal with the stress accompanied by social and academic problems.
Foods rich in protein — lean beef, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, soy, and low-fat dairy products — can have beneficial effects on ADHD symptoms. Protein-rich foods are used by the body to make neurotransmitters, the chemicals released by brain cells to communicate with each other.
Sodas, Caffeine, and High-Fructose Corn Syrup Cause ADHD Symptoms. If you have ADHD, consider eliminating soda. (Even if you don't have ADHD, saying no to soda is a good idea.) These drinks often have many of the same sugars and sweeteners that make candy a bad idea for kids on the ADHD diet.
Consuming a western diet full of sugary sodas, candy, pastries, doughnuts, cookies, cakes, white bread, crackers, and pasta will exacerbate ADD/ADHD symptoms. Maintaining healthy and stable blood sugar levels is key for managing symptoms.
Many people with ADHD might get confused about which task should go first, which activity is a priority, and which can wait for another day. Apparently, we plan to take a shower, but it's just that we need to know when we can execute this task.
These issues relate to executive function—the brain running the 'home office' of the kid's life. Poor executive function is why it takes kids with ADHD an hour to shower.
ADHD can make it hard for us to remember - and want - to take care of basic needs because of our usual challenges with prioritization and distractibility. People with ADHD have reported forgetting to do things like eating, showering, and going to the bathroom.
While all beverages restored hydration status equally, the researchers found that milk may be more effective than water or sports drinks at maintaining normal hydration status after exercise, likely due to milk's electrolyte content and energy density.
More often than not, the reason you are waking up thirsty at night is because you're dehydrated. Many people are unaware of how much water they really need throughout the day to stay hydrated. Take your weight and divide it in half, that's how many ounces of water you should be drinking per day.
Lemon water is water with lemon juice added, which means that it has all the benefits of regular water. Drinking plenty of water has benefits for: Weight loss: It can increase feelings of fullness and boost metabolism slightly, which can help with weight loss. Mental health: It can optimize mood and memory.
Your hydration
A can of soda may seem to quench your thirst, but the caffeine contained in most popular drinks is a diuretic, which can cause dehydration. The high levels of sodium and sugar in soda can also contribute to dehydration.
The fastest way to hydrate is with an oral rehydration solution. These products are packed with electrolytes which are minerals found in your body that balance fluid levels and maintain optimal hydration. While you can hydrate fast with regular water, focus on electrolytes.