be easily prevented with simple changes to a person's diet. It.
is ideal to have the ratio of inhibitory modulating amines.
(dopamine and phenylethylamin) greater than that of the.
excitatory amines (norepinephrine, epinephrine, and serotonin).
(Flanagan 2). By using foods, these peptides can be controlled.
and used to benefit one's mood and mental performance.
Research has shown that the protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
a person consumes has an immediate and profound impact on their.
mood and mental energy. .
A child who comes home, has potato chips and Coke in the.
afternoon, pizza with little or no cheese on it for dinner.
and ice cream for dessert has been priming himself with.
carbohydrates for several hours. When it comes time to do.
homework, that child will [have difficulty] because of.
sleepiness and lethargy. As quoted in Jean Carper's The Food.
Pharmacy from Judith Wurtman, a researcher at MIT. .
Though carbohydrates are necessary for stamina because of.
their complexity, eating too much of them on an empty stomach.
produces neurotransmitters such as serotonin. Serotonin can.
suppress brain activity leading to tiredness, thus, making it.
more challenging to concentrate and learn (Carper 268). .
Fat is the most complex nutrient of all, with more energy.
per gram than even carbohydrates. Brain cells are held together.
by membranes which are composed of a type of fatty acid. When.
too much fat is consumed, it can change the fatty composition of.
the cell membrane (Foods for our Thoughts 2). Fat sits in the.
digestive system longer than most nutrients which prolongs.
tiredness. This, in turn can impair one's learning and.
memorizing ability. .
Protein is one of the most important components in.
maximizing one's mental alertness. It has a brain-energizing.
power like no other nutrient because it blocks serotonin, the.
neurotransmitter produced from carbohydrates that makes people.
less alert, from building up in the brain.