Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast Grieving the Version of Yourself That Could “Push Through” with Dr. Kathleen Nadeau
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Apr 2, 2026 A deep conversation about grieving the loss of a lifelong "push through" coping style and the identity shifts that follow. Research-based talk on how sleep, exercise, nutrition, and social connection can reshape the aging brain. Stories of delayed achievement and finding supportive environments where ADHD strengths can thrive. Practical focus on rebuilding life instead of just enduring decline.
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Aging Offers Losses And Levers You Can Change
- Aging brings inevitable losses but also opportunities to 'engage in addition to counteract subtraction' for wellbeing.
- Kathleen Nadeau cites glymphatic clearance, sleep, exercise, nutrition, social connection, and stress management as daily levers that shape brain health.
Exercise Before Focus To Boost Learning
- Do vigorous exercise for ~20 minutes before cognitively demanding tasks to boost BDNF and readiness to learn.
- Nadeau recommends running hard for 20 minutes, then working while dendritic connections are primed by BDNF.
Brains Remain Plastic Well Into Later Life
- Neuroplasticity continues across the lifespan; brains keep producing neurons and forming connections.
- Nadeau contrasts outdated beliefs ('born with every brain cell') with evidence that learning and change remain possible at any age.
