ADHD and the Environment

Here are five environmentally friendly ideas:

1. Take shorter showers. Taking shorter showers is a win-win situation. Not only does it help the environment by saving on the energy used to heat the water, it also helps you to get out the door faster in the morning, which can be an ongoing battle for people with ADHD.To make this fun, time yourself today to see how long your normal shower length is, and gradually reduce that time to four minutes.

2. Eat less animal protein. There are many reasons why eating meat taxes the environment's resources and die hard environmentalists would suggest becoming vegan. You don't need to become vegan, however be mindful of how much meat you eat. Most westerns eat much more protein than their body actually needs.You can help the environment by choosing organic and locally produced meat. This helps the environment and is better for you. I recommend that adults with ADHD have a source of healthy protein (lean meat, eggs, etc.) with every meal as it helps your ADHD brain function at its peak.

3. Grow your own veggies. One of the reasons growing your own vegetables is good for the environment is that it decreases the amount of emissions that would have been used to ship them hundreds of miles. And gardening is great with ADHD as research has shown that being outside in nature decreases the negative effects of ADHD. It also is a great way to distress and give you a sense of achievement.Last year a client gave me a big bag of tomatoes she had grown herself. I can honestly say I have never tasted anything so good. Growing your own veggies is also good because you know there are no pesticides on them. If you're not sure how to start, do a quick search on the Internet and no matter what size your garden, you will be able to grow something.

4. Recycle. Recycling helps the environment as it reduces pollution, saves energy (less is used by using recycled products than new materials) and preserves natural resources. Adults with ADHD have many great intentions about recycling, however then the time is tight, company is coming over, the carefully saved containers end up getting thrown into the trash along with the other waste.Recycling becomes a habit. Take it day by day. You might feel like that one Coca Cola can won't make a difference, but the little steps and actions quickly add up and make a big difference.

5. Buy products with the smallest amount of packaging. There are lots of examples of how to do this, however, this week I honed in on fresh produce. A quick quiz: Does it take longer to choose courgettes (zucchini) that are pre-wrapped in packs of three OR select three that are displayed individually? Answer: It's four seconds faster to pick the pre-packed option - I timed myself! However, when there are 86,400 seconds in a day, its four seconds well spent. Other ways to save on packaging include looking for products that are sold in bigger quantities or that come in concentrated form.

These five ideas are a great way to get started being green. Good luck and let me know how you get along!