Quick protein snacks

Often, we forget to eat or we snack on empty junk food. In our busy lives and our ADD/ADHD it is difficult enough just getting through the day let alone meeting our basic needs. I have found some quick protein snacks can go a long way to helping me focus clearly. Here are some ideas of quick protein snacks.

1. Spoonful of peanut butter
2. Handful of peanuts, nuts, and/or mixture of both
3. Cheese and crackers
4. A slice of lunch meat
5. Humus and crackers or pita bread
6. Canned tuna, salmon, or any other fish and crackers
7. Chicken spread and crackers
8. String cheese, cheese sticks, or a chunk of cheese
9. Glass of milk or chocolate milk
10. Hard boiled eggs
11. Canned chicken
12. Cottage cheese, I like to eat this with crackers
13. Can of baked beans or chili beans microwaved
14. In a bind, peanut M&M's, Snickers, or protein bars
15. Trail mix
16. Yogurt, so I've heard

I recommend getting some wheat thins or whole grain crackers, but in a pinch any crackers might work. I like to get crackers that have some kick to them. Most of these snack ideas can be done on any budget and require little effort. I haven't tried some of the dairy ones like a glass of milk or yogurt to allergies, but there is enough variety here to choose from. All of these ideas take little planning and can give you enough protein to help you sustain focus even when your life is hectic. 

I am not saying that this replaces treatment in any manner, nor am I implying that ADD/ADHD is caused by diet. These are merely meant as strategies to help make better, but not necessarily perfect, snack choices.

Household chores made fun!?!

I have struggled my whole life with doing chores and contributing around the house. I have never, ever come up with a strategy for helping me to get basic tasks done until about a month ago. Actually, I didn't come up with this strategy, my mom did.

The strategy goes like this: she gives me a list of chores to do. She assigns a unit value to each chore and the goal is to complete 5 units per day. I get to choose which chores I do, the timing of them with in reason and it's not an overwhelming amount. The units are based on how much completing them helps out around the house.

The beauty of this strategy for getting stuff done around the house is that it can be easily turned into a game or a contest. If using it with children, you could set it up so that after so many units, they get to do something fun or some other reward. Actually, this probably could be fun for an adult.

Another beauty of this strategy it adds a little bit structure to helping out around the house. Also with a little bit of tweaking, it might also work with other tasks such as work, household projects, school work, etc.

I oddly enough, enjoy completing the 5 units. I even try to see how fast I can complete the 5 units. I encourage you to experiment with this strategy and make it fun. Yes, I know, but you can oddly enough enjoy and have fun doing chores.

Samantha Who?

I watched the tv show called "Samantha Who?" on Netflix recently. The show is about a woman, who was successful and mean until she was hit by a car. She suffered a head injury, was in a coma for 8 days, and woke up from the coma with retrograde amnesia.

Following the coma and the amnesia, she had to relearn everything and became a compassionate, lovable and loving woman. She was able to make amends with her family and friends, and had a strong desire to help people.

She was given a fresh start, a clean slate, to start over. She was able to become a new person, learning who she truly was without her past memories hindering her. She went on to be successful woman again all arenas in her life. She developed strategies and a healthier set of life skills.

My challenge to you is to imagine what you would do if you were unhindered by your past, your stories, and who you and every one else thinks/believes you are. What would your dreams look like? What would your relationships look like? Who do you see yourself being? What tools and supports do you need to succeed?

ADHD reading tips

Do you have trouble sitting down and reading? How about remembering what you read with out having to reread the material? Are there subjects you find harder to read than others? Well, so did I until I discovered/invented reading strategies to help me get through reading assignments and study.

If you think there is only one way to read a book or an article, then you have a lot to learn about reading. Following someone else's prescription for how to read a book or an article isn't going to get you very far unless you are someone else. I wouldn't even have an AA degree if I did that, let alone get through all of my science and general ed classes. I entered community college with an eighth grade reading and writing level, I have since then developed a high reading capacity and my friends and family can vouch for the fact that my reading methods are anything but ordinary. I am going to share some of my own reading strategies as they maybe the very unorthodox ideas some of you need. And if they don't work for you at least you have more ways to look at reading than before.

OK now for my tips.

Textbooks:

1. Start by reading the chapter summary at the end of the chapter, glossary of terms and maybe questions. This can give you a framework of what the chapter is about.
2. Skim through the subheadings, boldface print, and pictures. This can build on the framework you created in (1).
3. Now when reading feel free to highlight, underline, write, doodle, fidget while reading. 
4. Make sure you have pens and highlighters of many different colors.
5. Color code your highlighting and pens. To keep it fresh change color coding every chapter. Color coding helps with distinguishing between key information from details. For important/key material consider marking it with your favorite color.
6. Take frequent breaks, especially with dense material. 
7. Make sure you drink plenty of water and eat a high protein snack or meal.
8. Feel free to move around, experiment with white noise and different environments.
9. Libraries or quiet environments aren't for everyone. Some people do better in coffee shops, restaurants, or at the park.
10. feel free to turn the TV, listen to music, turn on a fan/air conditioner or white noise machines/tapes.
11. For terms, formulas and key concepts consider having a stack of multicolored index cards to write down.
12. If you take medication for ADHD and/or drink caffeinated beverages, be sure that they are in your system. 
13. Sticky notes are great for marking important information and can also signal where you left off. This makes starting up after a break easier and helps you quickly refer back important material.

Most important thing to remember is to honor your learning/processing styles and your ADD/ADHD and coexisting diagnoses. This will help you determine/develop a system for reading textbooks and other material that maximizes your learning. This also can make it fun to read a textbook, which sounds unbelievable.