Attention, Focus and Diet

By far, the most disabling trait for me is my terrible attention to detail and by inability to focus on anything unless it's interesting to me.

In addition, I've always found that I feel and work better when I keep my carb intake really low and eat protein and green vegetables.

I was reading a few articles on this and it seems a high-protein diet can help in this regard; I've not put the two together before.

Here's an article about it's effect on ADHD; it's not the same condition but I find it hard to imagine that the effect wouldn't be the same.

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-diets#1

Apparently magnesium supplements can also help.

Anyone have any opinion on whether this actually has an effect? Anyone tried it?

Probably not the biggest mystery that healthy eating's good for you, jomp. Read something years ago that l-glutamine (which weight lifters use) has a role in brain function, which turns out they've studied a bit more:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5457419/

Abstract wrote:While neuromodulatory effects of tyrosine and tryptophan have attracted substantial research attention, the amino-acid precursor glutamine (Gln) has not been well researched as a potential neuromodulator of cognitive function despite being the precursor of glutamate (Glu) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which are the main excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, respectively, within the brain

Results discussion wrote:The present paper is one of the first to report proof-of-principle that the amino-acid Gln, the precursor of the brain’s main excitatory neurotransmitter Glu and inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA8, 9, modulates cognitive function related to response selection but not sequence learning. Specifically, Gln administration led to an overall increase in response selection errors in both stimulus-oriented and SOC sequence-learning blocks of an SRT task without affecting sequence-dependent learning or sequence recall, suggesting Gln affected primarily stimulus-based rather than plan-based control.

Bolded part might be relevant to ADHD and psychopathy.

I always find that on an ultra low carb diet (keto) I get that dreaded brain fog, where it’s like a state of confusion, very hard to concentrate. The brain uses primarily carbs to function, in a complete absence it will use fat as an alternative, I have a very hard time getting through this phase.

I take a ZMA supplement it’s also good to help with healthy testosterone levels for those of us who are over 35 and or abused anabolic steroids for years on end. That along with getting plenty of healthy fats. The diet that’s worked the best for me is a 40/40/20 diet. 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% fats. With plenty of water, I feel much better.

My attention span has improved over the years from simply having to focus out of necessity for work and wut not. My experience, diet and exercise effect my general mood and mental health more than anything else including medication. Alcohol makes me a mean miserable prick, my PCl-R score probably doubles lol.

I've just bought a magnesium supplement, as that seems to have an affect; not dissimilar to ZMA.

I can get through the first stage reasonably well; I have a few minor headaches which I never otherwise get, but these pass quickly. As you say, the key is lots of water. I find that if I forget then it affects my joints and I feel like sh1t. An extra litre of water a day seems to be enough.

vcrpamphlet wrote:
Probably not the biggest mystery that healthy eating's good for you, jomp.

No, but "healthy" means different thing to different people. I don't really think that excessively low carb diets are particularly healthy, but it's worth the negatives if it helps.

Bolded part might be relevant to ADHD and psychopathy.

Interesting.

justonemoreperson wrote:No, but "healthy" means different thing to different people. I don't really think that excessively low carb diets are particularly healthy, but it's worth the negatives if it helps.

True, only, still not exactly healthy eating that way - calories are more important than carbs for weight loss, so benefits to specific adjustments like that is usually a case-by-case thing.

Edit: 'Balanced' could be a better way to think about diet benefits - if you see improvements just from eating more or less of something, chances are it's unique to an imbalance already there in eating habits or genetics

I have no problems with attention or focusing on a task when my life is very routined.

Currently I wake up at 4h30 in the morning, walk for an hour, have a cold bath, eat cookies, have a cup of coffee, read a book, go to work, go for another hours walk, do exercise, clean my apartment, have a cup of green tea, take my pills, sleep rinse and repeat.

Much happier.

I eat chocolate or oats somewhere in between there.

At the moment I can only eat chocolate, ginger biscuits, oats, and tomato soup. Everything else makes me sick.

justonemoreperson wrote:By far, the most disabling trait for me is my terrible attention to detail and by inability to focus on anything unless it's interesting to me.

In addition, I've always found that I feel and work better when I keep my carb intake really low and eat protein and green vegetables.

I was reading a few articles on this and it seems a high-protein diet can help in this regard; I've not put the two together before.

Here's an article about it's effect on ADHD; it's not the same condition but I find it hard to imagine that the effect wouldn't be the same.

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-diets#1

Apparently magnesium supplements can also help.

Anyone have any opinion on whether this actually has an effect? Anyone tried it?

Yes I thrive on protein but if I have bread in the day then I'm fit for nothing.

People always ask me why I don't have bread with my soup. I just tell them that breads only good for ducks..

I just eat meat, soup and protein shakes as a snack.

I can't concentrate if I'm hungry and carbs just make me more hungry but I can't be bothered explaining that to most people.

https://examine.com/supplements/magnesium/

My preferred site for supplementation info

I use SIS recovery protein. It keeps me going for hours.

Personally I find eating to be a hassle and so time consuming.

I have an evening meal and I couldn't function without breakfast either.

Breakfast usually consists of fish or eggs or both.

justonemoreperson wrote:By far, the most disabling trait for me is my terrible attention to detail and by inability to focus on anything unless it's interesting to me.

In addition, I've always found that I feel and work better when I keep my carb intake really low and eat protein and green vegetables.

I was reading a few articles on this and it seems a high-protein diet can help in this regard; I've not put the two together before.

Here's an article about it's effect on ADHD; it's not the same condition but I find it hard to imagine that the effect wouldn't be the same.

https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-diets#1

Apparently magnesium supplements can also help.

Anyone have any opinion on whether this actually has an effect? Anyone tried it?

It is not dissimilar to diets recommended for diabetes.
Complex carbohydrates with low glycemic index is the latest in dietary recommendations for overall health. We are all meant to avoid refined carbohydrates ( sugar, white flour etc...) with high glycemic index . Doesn't just apply to people with adhd.

Personally I find almonds( which are high in protein, low in carbs) THE BEST for sustaining focus/concentration, and staving of hunger. I call them my long acting insulin, and chocolate my short acting insulin. I would be lost without almonds at work because sometimes I do not get a chance to sit down and eat. The heavy concentration required can be exhausting.

Magnesium's main role is in cardiac function. It is instrumental for the proper maintenance of cellular membrane potential, functioning of the mitochondria ( which I call 'energy factories' in cells),and plays a key role in the body’s antioxidative pathways. Therefore it probably is true that it helps with focus/concentration. But honestly, lack of interest or lack of motivation to focus ( eg. no rewards for doing so) probably override the potential benefits of any 'wonder' supplement.
Bet you can focus on aiming for a clean hit with your target when shooting. That is something many people find taxing.