As someone who lives with ADHD, Autism, ARFID and multiple food intolerances, I’ve come to see just how interconnected our physical and mental wellbeing really are. Over the years, both in my personal life and as a psychotherapist, I’ve witnessed the powerful role food intolerances can play in our energy, focus, emotions and overall mental health, especially for neurodivergent individuals.
This blog isn’t just about my story. It’s about shedding light on the important and often overlooked relationship between ADHD and food sensitivites and how understanding this connection can be transformative for those living with neurodivergence.
How food intolerances affect the ADHD brain
Living with ADHD means navigating a brain that moves fast, sometimes wonderfully so and sometimes frustratingly so. What many people don’t realise is that food intolerances can significantly impact ADHD symptoms.
When I eat something my body doesn’t tolerate like gluten, dairy, yeast, or certain additives, I often experience brain fog, fatigue and increased difficulty focusing. For a brain already working hard to stay on track, food intolerances can create even more hurdles.
And I’m not alone. Many of my clients with ADHD report similar experiences, feeling more scattered, overwhelmed or emotionally reactive after consuming trigger foods.
ARFID and sensory challenges around food
Alongside my food intolerances, I also live with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). ARFID is not about weight or body image, it’s about sensory sensitivities, fear of negative experiences with food and an underlying discomfort that makes eating feel unsafe or overwhelming.
For people with ADHD or Autism, ARFID can be particularly common. The same sensory sensitivities that make certain lights or noises difficult can also make specific food textures, smells or flavours intolerable. Now add in food intolerances that cause genuine physical discomfort and you’ve got a complicated relationship with food.
This is something I work on deeply with clients, validating their experiences, helping them reconnect with their body’s needs and supporting gradual steps toward safer, more confident eating.
The gut-brain connection
Research continues to show what I’ve experienced firsthand, the gut and brain are deeply connected. Poor digestion, nutrient deficiencies and inflammation often caused or worsened by intolerances and can affect not just physical health, but mood, focus and mental clarity.
That’s why it’s so important to approach mental health holistically. When working with clients, we often explore what’s happening in the body alongside emotional and behavioural patterns. In many cases, identifying and managing food intolerances can help reduce anxiety, lift brain fog and restore a stronger sense of wellbeing.
Ready to explore your own food-mood connection?
If you think food intolerances may be affecting your focus, energy or wellbeing, you’re not alone.
Visit our Food Intolerances page to learn more and order your test.
Drop us a message to receive a special discount. We’d love to support you.
Together, we can begin to untangle the connection between body and mind and help you create a more balanced, nourished life.
Until next time, give yourself space to breathe
With Love, Maggie
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