Nutrition Tips To Help Students Improve Concentration And Focus

The Mladenoff Clinic of Arizona Team • September 10, 2024

It’s a million-dollar question: does nutrition impact our ability to focus? The resounding answer is yes, it absolutely does.

Specific nutritional strategies can greatly support increased cognitive health, focus, and attention in children and adults alike. In modern society, screen time and other common lifestyle factors can significantly impact kids’ ability to concentrate—but diet and certain targeted supplements can make a notable difference.

By adjusting macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates), lowering refined carbohydrates, and increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, and other brain foods and nutrients, students can start the school year with an improved ability to concentrate. Let's dive into this month's wellness blog topic, nutritional tips to improve cognitive function.

SIGNS THAT STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING WITH CONCENTRATION AND FOCUS

Kids are naturally active. Their ability to focus looks different from that of adults, and varies depending on their age. In fact, many school-aged kids today experience a constant influx of factors that make it harder for them to focus and concentrate. For example, increased screen time, lack of exercise, less social interaction, inadequate sleep, and mounting school and extra-curricular pressures all play a significant role.

While these aren’t always a major concern, keep an eye on the following to gauge whether or not your children need additional support for concentration and focus:

Inability to sit still and maintain a train of thought
Appears to often be daydreaming
Difficulty following instructions
Inability to stay organized
Lack of interest
Easily distracted

Some of these are unavoidable and completely normal in children. Still, if school success and daily tasks are being significantly interrupted, nutritional tips to improve cognitive function can help.

TIPS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ CONCENTRATION: HOW TO HELP KIDS FOCUS

If you sense a serious problem with your child’s ability to focus, it’s always important to check in with a provider. The following tips can help support concentration and focus in students, along with overall health.

AVOID FOOD DYES

Evidence suggests that artificial food coloring agents can impact students’ attention and focus, particularly red #3, red #40, and yellow #5. In the UK and European Union, most foods must come with a warning label if they contain certain food dyes, and many have been banned. It’s best to avoid processed and packaged foods with artificial dyes whenever possible.

ADJUST MACRONUTRIENTS

The typical American plate is high in carbohydrates, often has too much (or unhealthy types) of protein, and is low in healthy fats and high in unhealthy fats. Try to fill half of your child’s plate with colorful vegetables and fruits (with more emphasis on the vegetables), a serving of animal or plant-based protein, and a serving of healthy fats like avocado, olives, olive oil, coconut, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, and nut and seed butters.

Carbohydrates are quickly digested and can cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate, which impacts attention and focus. Protein and fats are more slowly digested macronutrients that provide more sustainable energy for the brain and body.

BALANCE REFINED CARBS

In very active kids, carbohydrates must not be labeled “bad” across the board. Though food made with flours is what we typically think of when we talk about carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits are also a source of carbohydrates and unarguably an important part of the diet. However, quality is of utmost importance, along with exercising moderation when it comes to refined carbohydrates like white flour bread and pasta, cookies, cakes, crackers, and other commercial baked goods.

PAIR CARBS WITH PROTEIN AND HEALTHY FATS

Enjoying carbohydrate-rich foods with protein and fat will help prevent a blood sugar rollercoaster, as well as related discomforts like brain fog, irritability, lack of concentration, and more. Healthier carbohydrate options include vegetables, fruits, starchy vegetables like plantain and sweet potato, and legumes.

INCORPORATE FOODS HIGH IN ZINC, IRON, B-VITAMINS, VITAMIN C, AND OMEGA-3S

While a well-balanced plate of whole foods will support concentration, incorporating specific nutrients to help kids focus is key. Zinc, iron, B vitamins, vitamin C, and omega-3 fatty acids have all been shown to boost concentration and brain health in various ways, so incorporating foods rich in these nutrients can be beneficial. Ask Dr. Diana today about what supplements she recommends for those who feel they are not meeting their daily vitamin and mineral intake.

PINPOINT FOOD INTOLERANCES

Known food allergies and sensitivities should be taken into account, but other food intolerances that are challenging to test for could also play a role in difficulty with concentration and focus. If you suspect that your child has a food intolerance, try eliminating that food for 2-4 weeks and observe any changes in your child’s ability to focus. Depending on age, the most common food intolerances tend to be gluten and dairy. This is something that Dr. D can help monitor with as well. Inquire today.

BRAIN FOODS FOR KIDS

These brain foods are rich in the nutrients mentioned above, and can support students both in school and beyond.

FISH AND SEAFOOD

Fatty fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and tuna. Wild fish is ideal if you can find it locally, but mercury contamination is an important consideration in these larger fish. Sardines are an excellent omega-3-rich alternative, and you can combine them with other types of fish if your kids aren’t crazy about sardines.

WALNUTS AND FLAXSEEDS

Both walnuts and flaxseeds are rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based source of omega-3 fats. Flaxseeds are easily added to smoothies, yogurt, salads, and any other dish you can imagine. If possible, buy whole flax seeds and grind them for a few days at a time in a seed or coffee grinder, then store them in the refrigerator to prevent oxidation.

GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES

Green leafy vegetables are an excellent source of magnesium and iron, among many other important vitamins and minerals. You can mix a handful into a smoothie if your kids don’t like the taste. Great choices include kale, spinach, arugula, lettuce, Swiss chard, collard greens, and bok choy.

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES

Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, kale, bok choy, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, among others. Research suggests that they are likely to support brain health and function due to a sulfur-containing compound called glucosinolate. This compound slows the breakdown of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which plays a key role in learning and memory.

VITAMIN-C-RICH FOODS

Vitamin C enhances iron absorption by capturing non-heme iron and storing it in a form that is better absorbed by the body. Vitamin C-rich foods include citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, and bell peppers.

MEAT

HIGH QUALITY MEAT*. Iron serves many important functions in the body. Its primary role is transporting oxygen as a part of red blood cells. Low iron status has been shown in children who deal with concentration and focus issues, along with zinc, the hidden them in a child's nutrition. Great food sources of iron include organ meats, red meat, shellfish and fish, legumes, spinach, and dark chocolate.

KIDS SUPPLEMENTS FOR ATTENTION AND FOCUS

It’s ideal to push whole foods as the primary source of nutrients for kids, but there are many circumstances in which discussing supplements is needed. Nutrient depletion in soil, picky eating habits, and other factors can make it important to fill nutritional gaps with high-quality supplements.

Along with foods that are rich in these same nutrients, students often benefit from supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, B vitamins, magnesium, and iron. In the case of iron, ferritin levels should always be tested with your doctor before supplementation. Levels below 50 are typically improved with a high-quality iron supplement.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The last years of increased screen time, lower social activity, and heightened stress has highlighted the growing problem of students’ inability to focus at school. Kids of all ages depend on a solid diet of whole foods to support their psychological, emotional, and physical health, and by providing them with a balanced plate of whole foods rich in brain-supportive nutrients, avoiding food dyes, and considering supplementation when necessary, you can help your children greatly increase their focus, concentration, and overall wellbeing.

Contact Dr. Diana Mladenoff today to learn more. Schedule an appointment by calling or texting our Arizona Wellness Clinic at 1 (602) 524-0222.

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Eliminate the Fear, Not the Fever

August 9, 2026

As loving and caring parents, we naturally want to help our children feel better when the inevitable fevers, colds, and illnesses arise. Many of us will reach for popular over-the-counter remedies to suppress fever and alleviate symptoms, in the belief that these products are reliable. Yet, it is important to recognize that by suppressing fever, we are suppressing a critical immune response—one that has a necessary function in fighting illness. I can attest to the enormous fear that fever provokes in parents. By far, the greatest number of after-hours telephone calls are questions regarding the “management” of fever with drugs. Undue attention to a child’s temperature and mishandling of fevers generate a great deal of unwarranted parental anxiety, avoidable medical complications, and countless calls and costly visits to doctors and emergency rooms. As long as we remain captive to the medical myth that nature made a mistake in causing a fever during illness, our children will be put at risk. Yes, fever can be uncomfortable. A child with a high fever will often seem irritable, lethargic, glassy eyed, and listless. This alerts you that the body is mobilizing defense against disease and you, in turn, must care for your child in the most appropriate way: encouraging rest and fluids. On the other hand, there may be no reason to treat even a high fever if your child seems happy, active and alert. The pervasive belief that fever is dangerous and must be suppressed disregards the scientific evidence demonstrating its beneficial role in inflammatory diseases. The immune system depends on the fever to accomplish myriad tasks when gearing up to fight infections. “Fever phobia” is made worse by hearing myths about children being severely harmed by having a high fever. Many people know of children or adults who had a high fever and ended up with some sort of injury…brain damage or hearing loss. These problems are never caused by fever. The likely explanation is that they had a serious illness that gave them a fever, but it was the illness that caused the brain damage or other result. The fever was only the body’s attempt to fight the infection. “Doctors do a great disservice to you and your child when they prescribe drugs to reduce fever,” writes Dr. Robert Mendelsohn, pediatrician and author of How to Raise a Healthy Child In Spite of Your Doctor. “Fever phobia is a disease of pediatricians, not parents, and to the extent that parents are victimized by it, doctors are at fault.” Parents are left to fear that their child’s temperature will keep rising unless measures are taken to control it. Yet, reducing the child’s temperature will do nothing to make the child well, and our bodies have a built-in mechanism that will prevent an infection-induced temperature from reaching dangerous levels. Mendelsohn emphasizes that “only in the case of heatstroke, poisoning, or other externally caused fevers is this body mechanism overwhelmed and inoperative.” “Fever: Your Body’s Defense Against Disease” is the title of Chapter 7 in Dr. Mendelsohn’s book, an excellent resource for parents seeking a balanced and accurate perspective of the beneficial role of fevers in childhood. Dr. Mendelsohn condemns the useless and dangerous practice of fever suppression through drugs, and counters the myth that high fever causes seizures. “Many parents are fearful of fevers because they have witnessed a convulsive seizure and believe their child may experience one if the body temperature is allowed to rise too high. High fevers do not cause convulsions. They result when the temperature rises at an extremely rapid rate and are relatively uncommon.” Only a small percentage of children with high fever experience convulsions, and those who do suffer them do not have any aftereffects. Simple febrile seizures are self-limited and harmless, although they are one of the most frightening things that a parent can witness. Dr. Mendelsohn continues, “Fevers produced by viral or bacterial infections will not cause brain damage or permanent physical harm. Fevers are a common symptom in children and are not an indication of serious illness unless associated with major changes in appearance and behavior or other additional symptoms such as respiratory difficulty, extreme listlessness, or loss of consciousness. The height of fever is not a measure of the severity of the illness.” A child who appears very ill with a fever of 101°F would be much more of a concern to me than a child who feels fine, is drinking and playing, but has a fever of 105°F. Numerous studies have shown that fever enhances the immune response by disabling bacteria and viruses. Also, with a rise in temperature, iron is removed from the blood and stored in the liver, further disabling the rate at which bacteria can multiply. As a note of caution, when a fever arises in a newborn in the first few weeks after birth, there is a heightened level of concern. “Newborn babies may suffer infections related to obstetrical interventions during delivery, …aspiration pneumonia from amniotic fluid forced into the lungs because of overmedication of the mother during delivery…and exposure to the legion of germs that abound in the hospital itself,” writes Dr. Mendelsohn. Parents are advised to seek medical help if a baby runs a fever in the first two months after birth. As breastfeeding plays a critical role in preventing infections in infants, breastfed babies are superbly protected against a vast range of pathogens and have a lesser risk of developing fevers in the newborn phase. Mistrust of natural processes and reliance on drug-oriented medicine has obscured parents’ understanding of the importance of childhood illnesses and the necessity of fever as a vital aspect of the immune system. When a child has a fever, it is not necessary to artificially lower the temperature. It is, however, important for the child to take in plenty of fluids, because in this time of elevated body temperature, it is easy to become dehydrated. Broth, liquid electrolytes, and fruit juices are great choices because they replace electrolytes that are used up in the fever process. Rest during times of fever will allow the body to use its energy to fight off infection. Make a commitment to spend time with your sick child. Any time that you feel concerned about the way your child is acting, or if your instinct is that something is wrong, do not hesitate to call your doctor. Schedule an appointment with Dr. D by calling or texting our Arizona Wellness Clinic at 1 (602) 524-0222. Source: Susan Markel, MD, via Pathways linked here.

Understanding the Connection Between Emotions and Organ Health in Traditional Chinese Medicine

By The Mladenoff Clinic of Arizona Team • July 22, 2026

Have you ever noticed how stress settles in your shoulders, anxiety affects your stomach, or grief feels heavy in your chest? While modern medicine recognizes that emotional stress can influence physical health, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has explored this mind-body connection for thousands of years. In TCM, emotions and physical health are deeply interconnected. Each major organ system is associated with specific emotional patterns, and maintaining balance is thought to support both emotional and physical well-being.