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118. Why ADHD Changes How You Eat: Brain, Gut & Food Sensitivities
01:04:18||Season 1, Ep. 118Clinical neuroscientist and nutrition researcher Dr Miguel Toribio-Mateas returns to The Hidden 20% to challenge one of the most persistent myths in ADHD: that it’s just about the brain.In this conversation, Ben and Dr Miguel explore ADHD through a whole-body lens - from nervous system regulation and eating patterns to capacity, sensory sensitivity and the gut–brain axis.They unpack why food isn’t just fuel but a regulatory tool, why so many ADHDers struggle with inconsistent eating, and why “just eat better” advice often misses the point entirely. The conversation then goes deeper into why the same food can feel fine one day and intolerable the next, and how what we often label as “food sensitivities” may actually be linked to stress, overload and nervous system state.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.________Host: Ben BransonProduction Manager: Phoebe De LeiburnéVideo Editor: James ScrivenSocial Media Manager: Charlie YoungMusic: Jackson GreenbergHead of Marketing: Kristen Fuller00:00 Introduction: ADHD Beyond The Brain01:42 Why ADHD Is a Nervous System Condition05:18 Fight, Flight, Freeze: ADHD & Regulation09:12 Why Food Impacts ADHD More Than You Think13:40 ADHD Eating Patterns: Skipping, Binging & Dopamine18:25 Why “Just Eat Better” Doesn’t Work for ADHD22:10 Regulation Before Optimisation: Rethinking Food26:30 Simple Food Changes That Support ADHD Brains31:05 Food, Mood & Energy Crashes Explained35:22 Why The Same Food Feels Different Day to Day38:40 Understanding Capacity in ADHD42:15 Sensory Sensitivity, Stress & The Body45:50 The Gut–Brain Axis Explained Simply49:10 “Food Sensitivities” vs Nervous System Overload53:05 Stress, Digestion & ADHD Explained56:10 What Actually Helps: Supporting Regulation First59:30 Dr Miguel’s Green Dot BadgeThe Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.Become a monthly donor.Be part of our community where great minds think differently.Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348______________Follow & subscribe…Website: www.hidden20.orgInstagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charityBen Branson @seedlip_benDr Miguel Toribio-Mateas @drmiguelmateasIf you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
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117. Late Autism Diagnosis in Leadership: Why Nature Helps Neurodivergent Brains
01:03:26||Season 1, Ep. 117Executive Director at the RSPB, Emma Marsh, joins Ben for a conversation that connects leadership, late autism diagnosis, and the often-overlooked role of nature in how we regulate and function.Diagnosed autistic in 2023, Emma reflects on what it means to navigate senior leadership as an autistic woman, the decision to disclose at work after years of masking, and how that moment reshaped both her identity and the way she leads.Ben and Emma dive into the power of nature and how fundamental it is for neurodivergent brains. From birdsong and the dawn chorus to simple ways of reconnecting with the natural world, Emma explains why nature can feel like a reset for the nervous system in ways modern environments often can't.They also explore why so many workplaces still unintentionally exclude neurodivergent people - and what it looks like to move beyond awareness into systems that actually support people and their brains.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.________Host: Ben BransonProduction Manager: Phoebe De LeiburnéVideo Editor: James ScrivenSocial Media Manager: Charlie YoungMusic: Jackson GreenbergHead of Marketing: Kristen FullerThe Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.Become a monthly donor.Be part of our community where great minds think differently.Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348______________Follow & subscribe…Website: www.hidden20.orgInstagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charityBen Branson @seedlip_benEmma Marsh RSPB LinkedInhttp://www.rspb.org.uk/If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
116. Neurodivergent-Friendly Design: How to Build Spaces That Support Your Brain
46:10||Season 1, Ep. 116Pablo Lambrechts, Architect and Director at L+ Architects, joins Ben to explore something most of us feel but rarely question - the impact our environment has on our nervous system.Drawing on his work designing neurodiversity-informed spaces (including Google HQ), Pablo explains how light, sound, layout and materials can either support regulation or quietly work against it. This isn’t about aesthetics - it’s about how spaces shape behaviour, focus and wellbeing. Together, they unpack biophilic design, and why many schools, workplaces and homes are unintentionally disabling for neurodivergent people. Pablo also shares simple, practical changes that can make an immediate difference, without big budgets.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.________Host: Ben BransonProduction Manager: Phoebe De LeiburnéVideo Editor: James ScrivenSocial Media Manager: Charlie YoungMusic: Jackson GreenbergHead of Marketing: Kristen FullerThe Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.Become a monthly donor.Be part of our community where great minds think differently.Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348______________Follow & subscribe…Website: www.hidden20.orgInstagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charityBen Branson @seedlip_benPablo Lambrechts https://lplusarchitects.com/If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
115. Autism & Mental Health: Anxiety, Meltdowns vs Shutdowns & What We Get Wrong
01:09:22||Season 1, Ep. 115Dr Ann Ozsivadjian, Clinical Psychologist specialising in autism, joins Ben to unpack the reality of mental health in neurodivergent children and adults - and why so much of it is misunderstood.Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Ann explains how anxiety, depression and low self-esteem often sit on top of something deeper: emotional dysregulation, unmet needs and environments that don’t fit. Together, they explore how this shows up in children and the long-term impact of being misunderstood early on.They also break down the difference between meltdowns and shutdowns - what’s really happening beneath the surface, and how to respond with understanding, not judgment.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.________Host: Ben BransonProduction Manager: Phoebe De LeiburnéVideo Editor: James ScrivenSocial Media Manager: Charlie YoungMusic: Jackson GreenbergHead of Marketing: Kristen FullerThe Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.Become a monthly donor.Be part of our community where great minds think differently.Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348______________Follow & subscribe…Website: www.hidden20.orgInstagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charityBen Branson @seedlip_benDr Ann Ozsivadjian www.drannozsivadjian.co.ukIf you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
114. Autism, Language & Intersectionality: The Hidden Bias In Diagnosis & Support
01:21:17||Season 1, Ep. 114Warda Farah, an autistic Independent Researcher and Speech & Language Therapist, joins Ben for a powerful conversation about identity, language and what happens when the systems designed to support you don’t see you properly.Drawing on both lived experience and clinical insight, Warda reflects on leaving the NHS after recognising how standardised assessments were failing marginalised children - and why ideas of “normal” can exclude more than they help.Together, they explore intersectionality, internalised ableism and the role language plays in shaping how we understand ourselves. If you’ve ever felt unseen by systems, misunderstood by language, or caught between identities - this episode is for you.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.________Host: Ben BransonProduction Manager: Phoebe De LeiburnéVideo Editor: James ScrivenSocial Media Manager: Charlie YoungMusic: Jackson GreenbergHead of Marketing: Kristen FullerThe Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.Become a monthly donor.Be part of our community where great minds think differently.Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348______________Follow & subscribe…Website: www.hidden20.orgInstagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charityBen Branson @seedlip_benWarda Farah linkedin.com/in/warda-farah-210235129If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
113. AuDHD Relationship Goals & The Intersection Of Neurodiversity & Gender
01:33:18||Season 1, Ep. 113Content creators Lori-Jade and Max Siegel join Ben for an honest, deeply human conversation about late diagnosis, identity and what it means to build a life together as a neurodivergent couple.Both diagnosed with AuDHD in adulthood, they reflect on being missed for decades - from masking and misdiagnosis to the quiet grief of realising how different things could have been. They explore how gender, queerness and hormones shape their neurodivergent experience, and what happens when both partners are navigating sensory needs, communication and regulation in real time.If you’re navigating late diagnosis, identity or relationships as a neurodivergent adult, this episode is for you.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.________Host: Ben BransonProduction Manager: Phoebe De LeiburnéVideo Editor: James ScrivenSocial Media Manager: Charlie YoungMusic: Jackson GreenbergHead of Marketing: Kristen Fuller00:00 Introduction01:52 Late Autism Diagnosis & Where It All Begins05:57 Early ND Experiences & Feeling Different11:38 Self-Awareness & ADHD Masking16:21 Life Before Diagnosis23:59 Recognition & Getting Assessed For ADHD27:45 Understanding Yourself After Autism Diagnosis37:56 ND Communication Differences Explained43:13 Discomfort, Boundaries & Misunderstandings48:22 Trust, Relationships & Being Honest52:09 Daily Life, Challenges & Coping56:22 Gratitude & Positive Reflections1:00:55 Identity, Background & Personal History1:09:10 Shared ND Experiences & Validation1:18:43 Overstimulation & Sensory Struggles1:23:38 Secondary Impacts Of ND1:28:59 Lori & Max's Green Dot of LightThe Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.Become a monthly donor.Be part of our community where great minds think differently.Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348______________Follow & subscribe…Website: www.hidden20.orgInstagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charityBen Branson @seedlip_benMax Siegel @maxsiegel_Lori-Jade Siegel @midlifeinvintage If you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.
112. ADHD Media Narratives & Misinformation: What's Really Happening?
01:04:33||Season 1, Ep. 112In this episode, Ben is joined by Dr Tony Lloyd, former CEO of the ADHD Foundation, for a conversation that steps back and looks at the bigger picture of neurodiversity at a moment when the landscape is rapidly changing.Now retired, Tony reflects on decades at the forefront of ADHD and neurodiversity advocacy, and why we’re still asking the wrong questions.They explore why more people are recognising themselves than ever before, and the tension between medical models and the idea of thinking differently.From SEND systems and long waiting lists to public narratives and stigma, Tony shares what he believes still isn’t working and where real progress is happening.This is a conversation about where we are now, what needs to change, and why the future of neurodiversity may look very different to its past.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.________Host: Ben BransonProduction Manager: Phoebe De LeiburnéVideo Editor: James ScrivenSocial Media Manager: Charlie YoungMusic: Jackson GreenbergHead of Marketing: Kristen Fuller00:00 Introduction1:03 The Current Neurodiversity Landscape: ADHD, Autism & Society3:50 The Global Neurodiversity Identity Crisis Explained5:50 “We Are Everywhere”: The Rise of Neurodivergent Voices9:44 The Future of Neurodiversity: Why People Are No Longer Hiding20:02 Medical Model vs Neurodiversity: Disorder or Difference?27:00 SEND System & ADHD/Autism Reports: What’s Broken?32:10 Why Neurodiversity Should Be Seen as Opportunity, Not Deficit42:03 De-stigmatising ADHD & Autism: What Gives Tony Hope48:06 ADHD & Autism Waitlists: Advice for Those Still Waiting50:18 The Role of Neurodivergent Public Figures & Advocacy55:16 Regressive Narratives vs Being Yourself: Courage & Kindness1:02:22 Dr Tony Lloyd’s Green Dot BadgeThe Hidden 20% is a charity founded by AuDHD entrepreneur, Ben Branson.Our mission is simple: To change how the world sees neurodivergence.No more stigma. No more shame. No more silence.1 in 5 people are neurodivergent. That’s 1.6 billion of us - yet too many are still excluded, misunderstood, or left without support.To break the cycle, we amplify voices, challenge myths, and keep showing up. Spotlighting stories, stats and hard truths. Smashing stereotypes through honest voices, creative campaigns and research that can’t be ignored.Every month, over 50,000 people turn to The Hidden 20% to feel safe, seen and to learn about brilliant brains.With your support, we can reach further, grow louder, and keep fighting for the 1 in 5 who deserve more.Join us at hidden20.org/donate.Become a monthly donor.Be part of our community where great minds think differently.Brought to you by charity The Hidden 20% #1203348______________Follow & subscribe…Website: www.hidden20.orgInstagram / TikTok / Youtube / X: @Hidden20charityBen Branson @seedlip_benTony LloydIf you'd like to support The Hidden 20%, you can buy a "green dot" badge at https://www.hidden20.org/thegreendot/p/badge. All proceeds go to the charity.