I have been reflecting over the past days on how Health Coaching could support neurodivergent individuals to thrive by assisting them with implementing step-by-step changes to their diet and lifestyle.
Health coaching is by design a holistic and client-based practice, which makes it especially suitable to assist neurodivergent people beyond medications, therapy or executive functions coaching.
Before you continue reading, it is important to remember that no two neurodivergent people are the same and may have wildly different experiences. Recognising and respecting these diverse perspectives is crucial, especially in providing support to neurodivergent individuals. By no means what follow is representative of all neurodivergent community.
Also notice that what described is only a brief extract and not an exhaustive list of how a Health Coach could support.
- Tasty highly processed junk food has been found to interact with the reward system in the brain, and this is linked to more reward-seeking behaviors, especially in individuals with ADHD. Those individuals might also be less able to control their behavior because the parts of the brain that are used for impulse control are less mature. Additionally, diets which are high in fat and in sugar appear to further impair social interaction and behavioral control in neurodivergent people.Conversely, a diet which is based on whole food, good fats (e.g. oily fish, olive oils, avocado), antioxidant food (e.g. berries, turmeric, tomato, oranges) , good quality proteins (e.g. lentils, beans, grass-fed meat and eggs), complex carbohydrates (e.g. whole grain), dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds and a wide range of colorful vegetables and fruits has been found to have a positive impact on cognitive functions, as well as on low mood, anxiety, and depression, which are a risk factor with neurodevelopment disorders.
- Gut problems are quite common with autistic individuals. Those can be the result of eating a significantly narrow range of foods, either because of sensory challenges or because of getting stuck with very few food choices and unwilling to make changes. Gut problems overtime might lead to an unhappy gut microbiome and intestine hyper-permeability with potential sensitization of the immune system and food sensitivities. A diet which is high in fiber and fermented food might play an important role in increasing the diversity of the microbial and re-establish gut health while nourishing the connection between the GI system and the brain.
- Exercise is not just about a routine for physical fitness; it is a catalyst for mental clarity and emotional stability, especially for neurodivergent individuals, by providing a natural way to enhance cognitive functions and emotional balance.Regular exercise also supports a diverse microbiome.
- Breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques, can also support neurodivergent people to manage their symptoms as well as to navigate the pathways of self-acceptance, by building a stronger, more compassionate relationship with themselves and enhancing their overall well-being.
- Engaging in creative pursuits can serve as a powerful avenue for expression, focus, and emotional regulation. By tapping into their innate creativity, neurodivergent individuals can unlock new ways to manage symptoms, reduce stress, and envision a future where their unique strengths are fully embraced and cultivated.
The interplay of Hormones and Neurodivergence
- Hormones play a crucial role in neurodivergent experiences, particularly for women. Fluctuations in hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone can impact mood, sensory processing, and executive functioning with some autistic women experiencing a worsening of symptoms such as sensory sensitivities and social difficulties during specific phases of their menstrual cycle, particularly during the premenstrual period.?Similarly, research focusing on ADHD in women has indicated that estrogen's modulating effects on dopamine and serotonin—neurotransmitters involved in ADHD symptomatically—can lead to noticeable fluctuations in attention, impulsivity, and emotional regulation across the menstrual cycle.?
- ?It was also found that during menopause, autistic women experience a noticeable increase in autistic traits including heightened anxiety and social challenges, with neurodivergent women, either autistic or with ADHD, or both, also appearing to experience more intense menopausal symptoms.This could be due to a more pronounced hormonal imbalance or perhaps a heightened sensitivity to the physical shifts that accompany menopause, amplified by neurodivergent individuals’ increased sensory sensitivity.
- A diet and lifestyle which focus on balancing hormones levels might play an important role together with gut and brain health interventions discussed above.
Coaching neurodivergent individuals
It is clear that awareness of, and adaptability to, neurodiversity is becoming ever more important within coaching, and it is critical that coaches understand the opportunities, challenges, and developments within neurodiversity.
Neurodivergent clients often might be seen as they do not communicate well. This may look like an individual with ADHD who needs to share all of the context, an autistic person who does not read between the lines, or a gifted person who skips steps in their explanations.?
Coaches who are not accustomed to neurodivergent thinking may find neurodivergent clients to be “too much” or “all over the place” because of their nonlinear thinking and communication.
To coach neurodivergent clients, coaches must be able to follow their hops and skips in conversation and know when and how to ask clarifying questions that do not force them into linearity.
Additionally, many neurodivergent adults have some amount of developmental trauma due to childhood difficulties of navigating cultures designed to work for a majority of kids.?
This means that coaches seeking to work with neurodivergent clients are required to have some basic understanding of how trauma affects the coaching process, when to refer clients for therapy, and how to ethically coach a client with trauma.
