Understanding the Gut-Brain Connection, Food, and the Biology Behind Behavior

Brooke hosts Finding Hope on the Spectrum and interviews Dana Kay, an Australia-born, Seattle-based board-certified holistic health and nutrition practitioner and founder of the ADHD Thrive Institute, whose work was inspired by her son’s ADHD diagnosis and a medication cycle that escalated to multiple drugs by age five. Dana explains her view that ADHD symptoms are signals of underlying biological stressors, emphasizing the gut-brain axis, neurotransmitter production (about 90% of serotonin and 50% of dopamine made in the gut), inflammation, and nutrient absorption affecting focus, mood, and sleep. She describes functional lab testing (stool, urine, finger prick) including food sensitivities, leaky gut, organic acids, and cryptopyrrole (linked to zinc and B6 depletion). Practical strategies discussed include reducing common triggers (gluten, dairy, dyes, excess sugar), stabilizing blood sugar with the “no naked carb” rule, improving sleep and screening for sleep apnea, increasing movement and sunlight, limiting screens, and using picky-eating tools like a family food challenge and food chaining. Dana shares her programs, book, and podcast resources.00:00 Gut Makes Serotonin00:51 Show Welcome Intro01:30 Meet Dana Kay03:22 From Accountant to Advocate05:08 Medication Spiral Wakeup08:36 Symptoms Are Signals10:06 Gut Brain Axis Explained12:30 Inflammation Nutrients Behavior15:26 Testing For Root Causes18:26 Food Triggers To Watch22:11 Going Gluten Dairy Free24:03 Organic On A Budget25:53 Sleep Clues And Apnea29:44 Sleepwalking and Adenoids31:41 No Naked Carbs33:49 Why Kids Are Picky36:02 Family Food Challenge38:36 Food Chaining Strategy41:47 Lifestyle Habits That Help45:08 ADHD Misconceptions47:55 Research and Food Policy50:45 Thrive Institute Program53:47 Book Podcast and WrapConnect with Finding Hope on the Spectrum:Email: [email protected] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574918739411 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-wagner-4819233a/ Instagram: @findinghopeonthespectrum TikTok: FindinghopeonthespectrumGuest Contact:Website: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adhdthriveinstitute Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDThriveInstitute Podcast: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/the-soaring-child-podcast-thriving-with-adhd/