The Trash Can Test for ADHD and Behavior - Dana Kay

In this episode, we explore what Dana Kay calls the “Trash Can Test” — a way to understand your child’s ability to clear toxins and inflammation from their body and how that affects ADHD symptoms and behavior.

Dana Kay, board-certified health and nutrition practitioner and founder of the ADHD Thrive Institute, explains how genetics, diet, and lifestyle determine how “full” your child’s metaphorical trash can is, and why an overflowing trash can can cause brain fog, meltdowns, and learning struggles. She shares the three genes linked to detox capacity, the everyday signs your child’s trash can is overloaded, and the simple changes that can help the brain clear out inflammation so it can learn and adapt more easily.

Episode Highlights

[~7:42] Dana explains the “trash can” analogy for the body’s detox pathways and why some kids can’t empty theirs fast enough.

[~9:53] The three genes (GSTT1, GSTM1, GSTP1) that determine detox efficiency — and how testing them can guide intervention.

[~11:26] How to tell if your child’s trash can is overflowing without lab tests — looking for behavioral, emotional, and digestive signs.

[~12:55] Why gluten and dairy can overload the trash can, and why Dana can often predict gluten reactivity in ADHD kids without testing.

[~23:42] The gut-brain link: how inflammation travels from the gut to the brain via the vagus nerve, impacting behavior and focus.

[~34:08] Steps to reduce the toxic load: removing inflammatory foods, adding antioxidant-rich foods, and supporting detox pathways.

[~43:11] Foods that help “empty the trash can” — berries, cruciferous vegetables, nuts, fatty fish — and creative ways to get kids to eat them.

[~46:11] The Family Food Challenge: turning picky eating into a positive, gradual expansion of diet while supporting detox and brain health.

[~50:11] A family’s transformation: from 36 school suspensions to zero in one year after lowering toxic load and supporting the gut-brain axis.

[~56:17] How to combine nutrition changes with brain-based therapies for lasting, adaptable skills.

[~60:52] Dana’s closing message: “Rome wasn’t built in a day… give yourself permission to go at a pace that is doable for you.”