This event was hosted live on 24 September 2025, where we discussed nutrition & lifestyle strategies to help reduce chronic disease risk and manage brain & body symptoms. I also provided a variety of neurodivergent-friendly tips and tools for staying healthy well into midlife and beyond. ADHD brains don’t always find success with “mainstream” nutrition advice like “just eat less and move more,” so we discuss different tips and options for eating well and building long-term habits that work for you.

Background: More & more women are getting diagnosed with ADHD (TDAH), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (trouble du déficit de l'attention avec ou sans hyperactivité), in midlife as hormonal fluctuations of perimenopause affect brain function, cognition, memory and attention. Many women find their ADHD symptoms worsen during menopause and MANY women are diagnosed with ADHD at the onset of perimenopause due to the collision of hormonal changes and brain changes. In fact, the number of women between ages 25-49 being diagnosed with ADHD more than doubled between 2020 and 2022. In a recent survey by ADDitude Magazine, 94% of women reported that their ADHD symptoms became worse during the menopause transition. It can be a very challenging and somewhat confusing time!

Women with ADHD may experience heightened symptoms and health risks during perimenopause as compared to their neurotypical peers, including an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, increased brain deficits and memory challenges, altered responses to typical hormone replacement therapy, and an increased risk of developing an eating disorder. Understanding the differences that your brain may face during this time can go a long way to feeling better and finding the resources YOU need to take good care of yourself for the long-term.