Ruth Fellowes Food Mood Mind

Ruth Fellowes Food Mood Mind 🕊Taming the tantrums and settling the moods in kids
🧠Restless behaviours & food intolerances
❤️ADHD kids Helping you to build a better brain!

I help mums and dads who have kids that are moody, anxious, or with over-the-top behaviours, so that they can have a calm household and find their real child again. To do this, we have to look at the whole body, and how it affects the brain.

🧪 Do I need testing before I start changing my child's diet?This is a question I get asked a LOT.And the short answer is...
04/09/2026

🧪 Do I need testing before I start changing my child's diet?

This is a question I get asked a LOT.

And the short answer is... no. ❤️

You don't need to have a pile of test results before you can start making positive changes to your child's nutrition.

There are some really simple foundations you can start with straight away:

🥚 Add more protein to meals and snacks
🥦 Increase whole, nourishing foods
🍎 Include a variety of fruit and vegetables
🥤 Reduce the reliance on ultra-processed foods
💧 Make sure they're eating regularly and staying hydrated

These are great places to start for any child.

But here's where testing can be really helpful.

If you've already made some solid changes and you're still not seeing the improvements you're looking for, testing can help take some of the guesswork out of what to do next. 🔍

Instead of trying one supplement after another and hoping you've picked the right one, testing can sometimes give you a clearer picture of where your child's individual needs may be.

🧠 Nutrient status
🦠 Gut health
🧬 Certain genetic factors
⚖️ Other individual factors that may be relevant

And I'm definitely not suggesting that every child needs every test.

For me, it's about using testing when it can actually add value.

So if you're wondering where to start...

👉 Start with the foundations.

👉 Give those changes some time.

👉 If you've hit a plateau or you're wanting a more personalised approach, that's when testing may be worth considering.

There really isn't a "perfect" place to start. 💚

It's about taking the next step that makes sense for your child and your family.

If you'd like to learn more about the connection between food, mood and behaviour, I've created a free Food, Mood & Behaviour Blueprint to help you get started.

🔗 Grab your free copy here
https://resources.ruthfellowes.com.au/food-mood-blueprint

🧠 There’s more to the ADHD nutrition picture than dopamine!When we talk about nutrition and ADHD, we often focus on thin...
03/09/2026

🧠 There’s more to the ADHD nutrition picture than dopamine!

When we talk about nutrition and ADHD, we often focus on things like protein, iron, magnesium and omega-3s.

But there are other pieces of the biochemical puzzle that deserve some attention too.

Two of these are oxidative stress and inflammation.🔥

So what does that actually mean for your child?

✨ Oxidative stress occurs when there’s an imbalance between free radicals and the body’s ability to neutralise them with antioxidants.

The brain has a very high demand for energy, which means it can be particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress.

Research has found differences in markers of oxidative stress in some people with ADHD, although this is an area we are still learning more about.

🔥 Inflammation is another piece of the puzzle.

Oxidative stress and inflammation can influence each other, and both can affect how cells function.

Because the brain and immune system are closely connected, these processes may also influence things like mood, cognition and brain function.

So what can we do through food? 👇

🥦 Include plenty of colourful vegetables
🫐 Add antioxidant-rich foods like berries
🥬 Include leafy greens
🐟 Include omega-3 rich foods
🥜 Add nuts and seeds
🍎 Focus on whole, minimally processed foods
🌱 Support a healthy gut microbiome

And no, this doesn't mean your child needs to eat a "perfect" diet! 🙌

It’s about consistently giving their growing body and brain the nutrients they need. 💛

This is one of the less obvious pieces of the ADHD nutrition puzzle, but it’s an interesting one to understand.

If you want to learn more about how food can influence your child’s food, mood and behaviour, I’ve created a FREE Food, Mood & Behaviour Blueprint.

🔗 Grab your copy here
https://resources.ruthfellowes.com.au/food-mood-blueprint

🍦Ice cream that actually gives your child’s brain a little more nourishment? Yes please!😋If your child loves ice cream b...
01/09/2026

🍦Ice cream that actually gives your child’s brain a little more nourishment? Yes please!😋

If your child loves ice cream but you’d like their afternoon treat to include a bit more nutrition, this one is definitely worth trying. 💛

Cottage cheese ice cream might sound a little strange, but trust me, it’s surprisingly creamy and delicious!

The best part? It’s packed with protein, making it a more nourishing option than a typical ice cream.

For kids with ADHD, including protein regularly throughout the day can help support steadier energy and keep them feeling satisfied for longer. 🧠✨

🍌 What you need:

🥛 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese
🍌 1 ripe banana
🍯 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
🍫 1 tbsp cacao powder, optional
🍓 ½ cup frozen berries, optional

👩🍳 How to make it:

1️⃣ Blend the cottage cheese, banana and honey or maple syrup until completely smooth. This is important because nobody wants cottage cheese lumps in their ice cream! 😂

2️⃣ Add your cacao or frozen berries and blend again.

3️⃣ Pour into a shallow container and freeze for around 3 hours.

4️⃣ For a creamier texture, stir it after the first hour.

And that’s it! 🙌

You’ve got a delicious, protein-rich treat that feels like dessert while giving your child a little extra nutritional goodness.

💡 A little tip: Let your child choose the flavour. Chocolate or berry? Giving them some control can make trying something new much easier.

👇 SAVE this recipe for the next hot afternoon when everyone is asking for ice cream!

Could zinc be one of the missing pieces when it comes to your child’s ADHD? 👀Zinc is one of those nutrients I don’t thin...
29/08/2026

Could zinc be one of the missing pieces when it comes to your child’s ADHD? 👀

Zinc is one of those nutrients I don’t think gets enough attention when we’re talking about kids with ADHD.

It’s involved in 300+ processes in the body and plays an important role in brain function - including attention, learning, mood and regulation. 🧠

But here’s the bit I find really interesting…

Zinc also plays a role in taste and smell.👃👅

So if you have a super-fussy eater with a tiny list of foods they’ll eat, zinc is definitely one nutrient worth having on your radar.

Because you can end up in a bit of a cycle:

👉 Low zinc can affect taste
👉 Food becomes less appealing
👉 Your child eats fewer zinc-rich foods
👉 Zinc intake drops even further 🔄

Other signs that may be worth looking at include:

✨ Poor appetite
✨ Attention difficulties
✨ Hyperactivity or impulsivity
✨ Anxiety or mood swings
✨ Learning difficulties
✨ Tics or twitches
✨ Sensory sensitivities
✨ Big emotions or meltdowns

Of course, these signs can have lots of different causes, so they don’t automatically mean your child is low in zinc.

But it’s a nutrient I wouldn’t overlook. 💛

Good food sources include:

🥩 Red meat & lamb
🦐 Seafood
🌱 Pumpkin seeds
🥜 Cashews
🫘 Lentils & chickpeas

And if your child is really fussy, getting enough zinc from food can be HARD.

This is why I’m such a big believer in looking at the whole nutritional picturerather than guessing which nutrient might be missing. 🧩

If you’re wondering "How do I actually know what my child is missing?", this is where my Nourish Programs can help.

Rather than guessing and adding supplement after supplement, we use targeted nutritional testing to get a clearer picture of your child’s nutritional needs, along with an individual plan for what to do next. 🌱

Stop guessing. Start with the information you actually need. 💛

🔗 Head to this page to find out more about the Nourish Programs.
https://ruthfellowes.com.au/nourish-program/about-the-nourish-program

“How long until I see a difference in my child’s behaviour?”This is one of the questions I get asked ALL the time. ❤️And...
28/08/2026

“How long until I see a difference in my child’s behaviour?”

This is one of the questions I get asked ALL the time. ❤️

And honestly, I get it.

When you’re making changes to your child’s diet and nutrition, you want to know when you might actually start seeing a difference.

The tricky part is… there’s no magic number of days or weeks.

Every child is different. Their nutritional starting point, what you’re changing and how consistently those changes are made can all affect the timeline.

But here’s a general guide I like to give parents. 👇

✨ Weeks 1–4

You may start noticing little changes in things like sleep, appetite or mood.

These can sometimes be the first clues that the body is responding.

✨ Weeks 4–8

This is when you may begin to notice more consistent changes in focus, behaviour and emotional regulation.

And I really emphasise CONSISTENT here.

One good day doesn’t necessarily tell us much. We’re looking for patterns over time. 🙌

✨ 8–12+ weeks

If your child has more complex nutritional or gut issues, it may take longer to see meaningful, stable changes.

And that doesn’t automatically mean nothing is happening.

Sometimes the body simply needs time and consistent support. 🌱

One thing I DON'T recommend is changing 10 things at once and expecting a completely different child by next Tuesday! 😂

Nutrition isn’t generally a quick fix.

It’s cumulative.

Small changes, made consistently, can add up over time. 💛

👇 If you’d like to understand more about the connection between what your child eats, their mood and their behaviour, grab my FREE Food, Mood & Behaviour Blueprint.

🔗 Here's the link - it’s a great place to start.
https://resources.ruthfellowes.com.au/food-mood-blueprint

If your kids love those chewy rice-style snack bars but you’d rather know exactly what’s going into them… you’re going t...
27/08/2026

If your kids love those chewy rice-style snack bars but you’d rather know exactly what’s going into them… you’re going to want to save this one! 😍

I’m a big believer that healthy eating with kids doesn’t have to mean taking away all the foods they love.

Sometimes it’s simply about making a homemade version with ingredients you’re happy to put in their lunchbox. 💛

These homemade LCM-style bars are super easy to make and perfect for school holidays, lunchboxes or those inevitable “Mum, I’m hungry!” moments. 😂

✨ You’ll need:

🌾 2 cups puffed rice
🌾 1 cup rolled oats
🍯 ½ cup honey or rice malt syrup
🥜 ⅓ cup peanut or almond butter
🍫 ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
🧂 Pinch of sea salt

Here’s how to make them:

1️⃣ Line a small baking tray with baking paper.

2️⃣ Gently warm the honey and nut butter together in a saucepan until smooth.

3️⃣ Remove from the heat and stir through the puffed rice, oats and salt.

4️⃣ Fold through the chocolate chips if using.

5️⃣ Press firmly into the tray and refrigerate for at least an hour.

✂️ Slice into bars and they’re ready to go!

What I love about homemade snacks like this is that you can keep the ingredients simple while still giving your kids something that feels like a treat. 🙌

And you can easily make them your own, swap the nut butter if needed, leave out the chocolate or add your favourite extras.

💡 Lunchbox tip: Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze them individually so you always have a snack ready to grab.

👉 SAVE this recipe for your next snack-prep day! And be sure to follow me.

We talk about gut health a LOT when it comes to ADHD… but can probiotics actually make a difference? 🤔The research is ge...
25/08/2026

We talk about gut health a LOT when it comes to ADHD… but can probiotics actually make a difference? 🤔

The research is getting really interesting. 🦠🧠

Your gut isn’t just responsible for digestion. Your gut bacteria communicate with your brain and are involved in processes that can influence mood, behaviour and brain function.

There’s also growing research looking at probiotics and neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly autism, and increasingly ADHD.

And then there’s what parents often notice when they consistently support their child’s gut health. 💚

✨ Better sleep
✨ Calmer moods
✨ Improved appetite
✨ Less bloating and gas
✨ More regular bowel movements
✨ Fewer tummy troubles

Now, I’m not saying probiotics are a magic fix for ADHD, they’re definitely not.

And the right probiotic can be very individual. What works beautifully for one child may not be the best choice for another.

But if your child is experiencing things like:

👉 Constipation or diarrhoea
👉 Gas or bloating
👉 Picky eating or poor appetite
👉 Sleep issues
👉 Irritability or anxiety
👉 Frequent tummy troubles

…it might be worth taking a closer look at what’s happening in the gut. 👀

Because sometimes the clues to what’s going on with behaviour aren’t actually where we expect to find them.

This is why I’m such a fan of looking at ADHD through a whole-body lens. 🧩

If you’d like to understand more about the connection between what your child eats, their mood and their behaviour, I’ve created a FREE Food, Mood & Behaviour Blueprint to help you get started.

💛 Grab your copy here https://resources.ruthfellowes.com.au/food-mood-blueprint

🧠When we talk about nutrition and ADHD, we often hear about protein, omega-3s and magnesium.But IRON is another nutrient...
22/08/2026

🧠When we talk about nutrition and ADHD, we often hear about protein, omega-3s and magnesium.

But IRON is another nutrient that's really important for the developing brain. ❤️

Iron plays a role in dopamine production, brain energy metabolism and myelin formation, the protective coating around our nerve cells.

When iron stores aren't optimal, some children may experience things like:

🔹 Poor sleep
🔹 Restless legs at bedtime
🔹 Difficulty concentrating
🔹 Fatigue
🔹 Irritability or low mood
🔹 Changes in appetite
🔹 Picky eating

Now, I want to be really clear here, these signs don't automatically mean your child is low in iron. There can be many reasons behind them.

They're simply clues that may be worth considering as part of the bigger picture. 🔍

🥩 So where do we get iron from?

Red meat and lamb are excellent sources of readily absorbed iron.

You can also find iron in:

🐔 Dark chicken meat
🥚 Egg yolks
🫘 Lentils and beans
🌱 Pumpkin seeds

And here's a simple nutrition tip…

🍊 Vitamin C can help your body absorb plant-based iron**, so try pairing iron-rich foods with capsicum, tomatoes, kiwi fruit or citrus.

Tea and coffee can reduce iron absorption, so, not that caffeine is recommended for children, but it's also worth being mindful of having these around iron-rich meals, even iced coffee and teas.

And if you're wondering whether your child might have low iron, symptoms alone aren't enough to tell you.

🩸 The best way to know what's happening is to have their iron status properly assessed.

Because I don't believe in guessing when it comes to children's nutrition.

💚 Look at the clues. Investigate what's relevant. Then personalise the approach.

Check out my Targeted Non-Invasive nutritional testing and interpretation with Nourish Me Now and Nourish & Grow Programs

👇 Here's the link for more info
https://ruthfellowes.com.au/nourish-program/about-the-nourish-program

🥛🌾 Do I need to cut out gluten and dairy for my child with ADHD?”This is one of the questions I get asked ALL the time!A...
21/08/2026

🥛🌾 Do I need to cut out gluten and dairy for my child with ADHD?”

This is one of the questions I get asked ALL the time!

And honestly… the answer isn't as simple as yes or no. 👇

Gluten and dairy can be relevant for SOME children, but that doesn't mean every child with ADHD needs to be gluten-free or dairy-free.

This is where I think we can sometimes get into trouble…

❌ Removing foods because someone on social media said you should
❌ Taking away several foods at once
❌ Making an already fussy eater's diet even more restrictive
❌ Assuming that any improvement in behaviour automatically tells you which food was responsible

But there CAN be clues that a particular food deserves a closer look. 🔍

For example:

🔹 Digestive symptoms alongside changes in behaviour
🔹 Ongoing eczema or skin issues
🔹 A family history of food sensitivities
🔹 Noticeable changes in mood or behaviour after particular meals

Rather than jumping straight into a restrictive diet, I prefer to look for patterns first.

📝 Keep a simple food and symptom diary for a couple of weeks.

What did they eat?

How was their digestion?

What was their mood like?

How was their behaviour?

How did they sleep?

Then, if there is a genuine pattern, a structured elimination and reintroduction can help you work out whether that food really is relevant for YOUR child.

Because the goal isn't to remove as many foods as possible.

💚 The goal is to work out what your child actually needs.

And that's a very different approach.

If you're wondering whether food could be playing a role in your child's food, mood and behaviour, my FREE Food, Mood & Behaviour Blueprint is a great place to start.

🔗 Grab your free copy HERE
https://resources.ruthfellowes.com.au/food-mood-blueprint

I think we’ve been looking at ADHD from a pretty narrow perspective for a long time. 🧩A lot of the conversation focuses ...
18/08/2026

I think we’ve been looking at ADHD from a pretty narrow perspective for a long time. 🧩

A lot of the conversation focuses on medication, behaviour charts, rewards, consequences and strategies to help our kids manage their symptoms.

And don’t get me wrong, these things can absolutely have a place. ❤️

But what if we also looked at what’s happening underneath?

Because your child’s brain needs the right nutrients and the right environment to function well. 🧠

Things like nutrient status, gut health, inflammation and blood sugar regulation can all play a role in how the brain functions and how your child feels and behaves.

And this isn’t about saying, “ditch the medication” or “nutrition will totally fix ADHD.”

It’s about adding another layer to the picture.

Because if we’re only looking at the behaviour, we can miss the biology that may be contributing to what we’re seeing.

Sometimes the better question isn’t:

👉 “How do I stop this behaviour?”

It’s:

👉 “What might my child’s brain and body be trying to tell me?”

That shift in thinking can make a HUGE difference. 💛

I’m passionate about helping parents understand the nutrition and biochemistry behind ADHD so they can look at the whole child, not just the symptoms.

If you want to start looking at the connection between what your child eats, their mood and their behaviour, grab my FREE Food, Mood & Behaviour Blueprint.

🔗 Here's the link to find out more.
https://resources.ruthfellowes.com.au/food-mood-blueprint

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