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Pop Culture

College student uses adorable TikTok videos to shine a light on life with ADHD

Relatable for those who have it. Eye-opening for those who don't.

olivia lutfallah tiktok, adhd tiktok

A little compassion goes a long way.

Creating TikToks might be the number one hobby of choice for many twenty-somethings. But for Olivia Lutfallah, it’s talking about ADHD. Actually, she’s combined both—offering videos that shine a light on the disorder in a fun, compassionate and educational way.

She took the decision to create an ADHD-specific TikTok right before the start exams in her second year of college, and originally it was for pure recreation. “I thought it would be fun to talk about ADHD. I mean, I've had like 20 years of coping experiences. It's something I absolutely love doing,” Lutfallah shared with Upworthy. That pastime has quickly grown into a deeper purpose.

Lutfallah, who was diagnosed with ADHD when she was around 7 years old, has dealt with a number of challenges with being misunderstood, especially when it came to getting necessary accommodations in school.

She recalled having a physics teacher who wouldn’t allow her to get extra time to turn in work because she had the “highest grade in her class.” Having failed to see that ADHD affected Lutfallah’s “ability to go from the beginning of a task to the end of it” rather than her IQ, she thought she’d try to explain it another way. The next day she arrived in class with a note that read “ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactive disorder.”



“And she said, ‘well, I'm a teacher. I took these courses. I know what that stands for'. And I said, ‘I know you think you know what that stands for, but I don't think you know what it means,'” Lutfallah shared. That statement finally clicked with the teacher, who apologized and told her, “Thank you for educating me. So I don't make that mistake again.”

With the intent to educate even more people, as well as empower others with ADHD to use their voice, Lutfallah has filled her channel with entertaining yet informative videos that offer one of three things—tips for dealing with ADHD, simple insights into the disorder and lighthearted, relatable ADHD content.

Here’s a small sampling:

@olivialutfallah I’ve shown up to the lab far too many times without goggles🫠 #fyp #fypシ #foryoupage #adhd #adhdtiktok ♬ original sound - Olivia Lutfallah

Some of her most popular clips are the ADHD simulators, where viewers get to really witness how those with ADHD experience the world. To put it simply—it’s a lot of noise to deal with.

Below is an example of just how many distractions can pop up within only one minute of trying to make lunch. It paints such a clear picture of the difficulties those with ADHD face when trying to focus on everyday tasks.

@olivialutfallah This is just 1 minute of what I experience everyday as a person with adhd. #fyp #fypシ #foryoupage #adhd #adhdtiktok ♬ original sound - Olivia Lutfallah

“By the end of it, I had watered the flowers, not put away all the groceries, didn't eat and left to go and get ready for a meeting, you know? Just because there's so many different things going on," she shared.

Lutfallah bridges the gap between folks who are neurotypical and those who are neurodivergent in such fun ways that it’s no surprise her channel already has more than 200,000 followers. It’s clear from the comments that it is really serving a need. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder can be a difficult thing to explain or understand. Symptoms can be quite general—such as lack of focus or impulsivity—and indicative of other conditions, often leading to misdiagnosis.

And even with a proper diagnosis, there is still a lot of stigma surrounding the condition, primarily due to misinformation. People might be labeled as bad students or workers, being mentally defective or perhaps worst of all, as having an imaginary condition that’s completely made up.

“It's overwhelming and suffocating to understand what you're feeling, but not be able to express it to others,” Lutfallah explained. That’s why her ultimate goal is to inspire “a little compassion.”

You can find even more videos on Lutfallah’s TikTok.

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O Organics make eating organic affordable

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Friendsgiving might have started as a novel alternative to Thanksgiving, but today it’s an American holiday in its own right.

For many, especially millennials and Gen Zers, Friendsgiving offers an opportunity to get creative with their celebrations without being obligated to outdated, even problematic traditions or having to break the bank.

However, some of us might not want to go to the extreme of only having pizza and beer. What if there were a way to balance the decadence of a traditional Thanksgiving meal while still keeping it easy and laid-back? And could we make it healthy too?

As it turns out, we can.

Here’s a super simple breakdown of what your next Friendsgiving prep could look like. An appetizer, salad, side, entree, and dessert. All done in an hour—even quicker if you assign certain dishes to different partygoers. #spreadsheetsrule

But wait, it gets better—all of these meals can be made organic at an affordable price, using O Organics® at Albertsons. O Organics helps shoppers find quality ingredients at reasonable prices every day of the year. Friendsgiving is no different.

Without further ado, let’s get cooking!

Appetizer: Charcuterie Board


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Nothing quite hits like the fancy, grown-up version of Lunchables. Crackers, meats, cheeses, and various fancy toppings that can be combined in endless ways. The easiest form of culinary creativity there is.

You already know how to make one of these bad boys, but here’s a basic template if you’re needing a dose of inspo:

Meats: Some tasty choices here are salami, prosciutto, sausage, etc. I made a smaller-scale board and decided to go with salami. If you or your friends aren’t a fan of pork, sliced turkey or smoked salmon are some yummy alternatives.

Cheese: The possibilities are endless here. You can even opt for a dairy-free cheese option!

Bread or Crackers: Artfully arranged. Speedily snacked upon. Some O Organics options here and here.

Fillers: this is where the charcuterie really shines. Fill in the spaces with splashes of color and flavor. Be sure to go for both savory and sweet. That means olives, sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, nuts, and a vibrant array of fresh or dried fruit. A yummy fruit spread doesn’t hurt either.

Time: 5 min

Salad: Squash And Feta Salad

Ingredients:

(3-4 servings)

1 small red onion (O Organics sells them in a bag)

1 bag O Organics frozen Butternut Squash

6 cups fresh O Organics spinach, arugula, kale, or whatever salad green you like

1/4 cup O Organics pecans

1/4 cup O Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil

O Organics Lemon and Olive Oil Salad Dressing

CrumbledO Organics Goat Cheese

Salt and pepper

Chop some onions. Sautee them in olive oil. Add a bag of frozen squash. Dress some salad greens with dressing. Add the onions and squash. Top with pecans, cheese, salt and pepper. Badda bing badda boom.

Time: 10 minutes

Side: Autumn Seasoned Air Fryer “Roasted” Potatoes

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As any millennial will tell you, we love our air fryers. Nothing quite ticks all the quick, easy and healthy boxes quite like one. And if you haven’t yet had a perfectly crispy on the outside, buttery soft on the inside air fryer potato, then what are you waiting for?

Ingredients:

One 3 pound bag of O Organics red or russet potatoes—honestly any potato will do

2 Tablespoons O Organics olive oil

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

That’s it. No really.

Cut potatoes into one-inch pieces. Coat with olive oil. Sprinkle seasoning. Cook in an air fryer at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Toss the potatoes in the basket and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender and crisp.

Time: 20 minutes. TOPS.

Entree: Coconut Chicken Curry

cravingsomethinghealthy.com

Because who needs turkey? This one pot piéce de rèsistance is the very essence of Friendsgiving—unique, versatile and not without a little spice.

Being the entree, this dish calls for a few more ingredients, but is honestly not much more demanding. You’re basically looking at 15 minutes for prep, and about 30 minutes to simmer.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon O Organics olive oil

1 medium onion diced

2 teaspoons ginger minced

2 teaspoons green curry paste

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 cups O Organics Thai Style Curry Chicken Broth

1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into 1-inch dice

1 15-ounce can O Organics full-fat coconut milk

2 ½ cups O Organics cooked chicken breast

1 8.8 ounce package O Organics 7 Grains & Lentils Blend

1 16 ounce bag of O Organics frozen peas

½ teaspoon salt or to taste

Lime juice

Cilantro

Chopped O Organics cashews to garnish

Using a Dutch oven (or large pot with a lid), saute the onion and ginger in olive oil over medium heat, for about 4 minutes. Add the curry paste and curry powder and saute for one more minute.

Add the Thai Style Curry Chicken Broth and the diced sweet potato. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low and catch up with friends for 20 minutes while the dish simmers.

When the sweet potato is tender, shake the can of coconut milk well and pour it into the pot. Add the chicken, 7 Grains & Lentils Blend, and peas. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and let the curry simmer for another 10 minutes.

Congrats! You are finished. You can add salt, lime juice, cilantro, extra curry powder/paste, or garnish with roasted cashews. Each bowl is customizable.

Time: 40 min

Dessert: Holiday Kettle Corn Bark

onbetterliving.com

Of course, you can always opt for pie, but sometimes people might want to opt for something a bit more bite-sized when it comes to desserts—especially after a hefty meal. This sweet and salty finger food does the trick quite nicely.

Ingredients:

1 bag (6 oz) O Organics Kettle Corn Organic Popcorn (about 9 cups)

1 bag (10 oz) O Organics Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

8 oz white chocolate, broken into small pieces

1 cup pistachios, roasted and salted

2/3 cup O Organics Dried Cranberries

2 tbsp O Organics Organic Coconut Oil

1 tsp salt

Line a 12x17-inch baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Spread kettle corn on the lined baking sheet in one thin single layer. Put the semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate evenly over kettle corn, reserving about a 1/3 cup for finishing touches. Sprinkle the pistachios and cranberries over the kettle corn evenly.

Follow the same melting instructions for the white chocolate, then drizzle evenly over the kettle corn. You can follow with any remaining semi-sweet chocolate for a layered effect. Let the kettle corn stand for 5 minutes.

Place the kettle corn bark in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden. Once the bark has hardened, break into pieces.

Time: 20 minutes.

OR…if you want to make life even easier…just grab some pints of ice cream and call it a day. No judgment here.

Time: literally a few seconds to open the freezer and grab some bowls.

And there you have—a no muss, no fuss, healthy and affordable Friendsgiving spread. Spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your chosen family.

Get to your nearest Albertsons today and find everything you need to make these yummy dishes! No Albertsons in your area? You can also find O Organics products exclusively at Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, Shaw’s, Star Market, Tom Thumb, Randalls, and Pavilions.

A young woman drinking bottled water outdoors before exercising.



The Story of Bottled Waterwww.youtube.com

Here are six facts from the video above by The Story of Stuff Project that I'll definitely remember next time I'm tempted to buy bottled water.

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via The Story of Stuff Project/YouTube


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