Understanding Sugar Addiction, Dopamine-Sensitivity and ADHD

Dopamine sensitivity and sugar addiction are familiar traits of ADHD. Perhaps using sugar to self-medicate, re-energise, or dopamine-seek may be a pattern you relate to? 

If so, you're going to want to listen to this week's episode of The ADHD Women's Wellbeing, with guest Dr. Nicole Avena, an Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, and a Visiting Professor of Health Psychology at Princeton University. 

Nicole is a research neuroscientist and nutrition, diet, and addiction expert. Her research focuses on nutrition during early life and pregnancy and women’s health. She has done groundbreaking work developing models to characterize food addiction and the dangers of excess sugar intake. 

Dr Avena's latest book, Sugarless, covers the latest science on sugar addiction and how to overcome it. She has the #2 most watched TED-ED Health talk, How Sugar Affects Your Brain, with over 17 million views and counting.

On this episode of The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Podcast, Dr Avena and Kate talk about:

• The link between sugar addiction and dopamine-seeking brains
• The effects of dopamine released by sugar consumption on the brain 
• Why you might find it challenging to cut out sugar 
• How processed sugar affects ADHD children 
• How sugar affects your body and your health 
• Parenting and teaching our kids nutritional choices and consuming processed sugar 
• Having a susceptible dopamine system
• Managing a sugar addiction, binges and regaining control 
• Our busy society doesn't lend itself to healthy eating
• ADHD and female social expectations
• Implementing small incremental changes to help reduce sugar addiction
• Showing ourselves compassion when consuming sugar
• Understanding sugar addiction compared to other addictions
• Learning to bring in more balance when consuming sugary foods

Thanks to our sponsor, Get Dopa!

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Have a look at some of Kate's workshops and free resources here.

Kate Moryoussef is a women’s ADHD Lifestyle & Wellbeing coach and EFT practitioner who helps overwhelmed and unfulfilled newly diagnosed ADHD women find more calm, balance, hope, health, compassion, creativity, and clarity. 

Follow the podcast on Instagram here.

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Find Kate's resources on ADDitude magazine here

Mentioned in this episode:

Gratitude link