Don’t Underestimate the Little Stuff

I got hit with a particularly nasty flu bug recently, and it seemed to take forever for me to get over it.  Even now, I feel as though I’m not quite myself.  I learned something from the experience though, and I think it’s worthwhile to pass on.  

One of the things that I’ve always advocated in managing the symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder is paying attention to the little things - the things we all know that we’re supposed to do and yet never do often enough.  You know what I’m talking about - diet, exercise, getting enough sleep, and drinking enough water.

One of the things that I found especially worrisome as I started to feel better was the fact that my head was so fuzzy. Even a day or two after I stopped taking medication, I was still out of it.  I had trouble focusing or concentrating on things, and I couldn’t read at all.  My eyes seemed to have degenerated dramatically in just a short time -  the words just blurred on the page.

I mentioned this to my husband, because I was really starting to wonder what was happening, and he told me that I needed to drink more water. Such a simple thing - just drink more water.  It really didn’t seem like it could possibly help, but I decided to give it a try anyway.  

The results were amazing.  I could tell a difference after a couple of glasses, and by the end of the day, there was a noticable improvement in the way I felt.  By the next day, I was feeling back to my old self.

Now I know that the reason that this happened to me was because I had been sick, and I had let my body get dehydrated. It had nothing to do with the fact that I have Attention Deficit Disorder, although it did make my ADD symptoms much worse.  

I think that the lesson that I learned, though, is a valuable one for all of us dealing with AD/HD.  Keeping our brains and our bodies well hydrated helps them function the way that they’re supposed to.  Give it a try and see what you think.   

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