|
|
      |
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
|
|
|
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
 |
Brain Foods Make You Think Differently for Back-to-school
Students might start thinking a little differently, once they learn about brain foods, and how they can help their concentration and make their school work easier. The most important meal of the day is breakfast. Kids who eat breakfast consistently do better on tests. Getting better grades is important, but making time to eat breakfast is tough. "If you don't have time for a sit down breakfast, grab a handful of walnuts, a whole grain breakfast bar, yogurt, or some peanut butter stuffed inside a whole wheat pita," advises Dave Grotto, a registered dietician, nutrition expert and director of nutrition educational services at Block Center for Integrated Cancer Care & Optimal Health. "Stay away from the high sugar/caffeine foods like doughnuts, soda and coffee," explained Grotto. "Eating those foods can provide immediate fuel (glucose) to the brain, but it's a very short-term fix. As your glucose level falls, concentration becomes difficult and you end up feeling tired and ready for a nap. Try making a fruit smoothie the night before so you can grab it in the morning and guzzle it on the way to school," suggests Grotto, who recently coached contestants auditioning for 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' about specific brain foods that are optimal for concentration, and those that will slow a person down. "Use fresh fruit like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, red grapes, and pomegranates ? all high in antioxidants, which research shows enhances cognitive function, recall and memory. Add some yogurt, mix in two tablespoons of peanut butter, for a supercharged brain smoothie. This tasty concoction will zap the brain into an A+ charged state of concentration that will last for hours." One of the best brain boosters is the dependable egg. Eggs contain protein and choline. Choline is one of the B vitamins that participates in many biological processes, and is especially important for healthy brain, cardiovascular, and liver function. Check the label for the type of eggs that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, which are also naturally lower in cholesterol. Omega 3 fats contain DHA, an essential fat needed for brain development and for reducing harmful brain plaques. Students who chow down on burgers, fries, chicken nuggets or pizza at lunch, will get a quick blood sugar surge, accompanied by that all too familiar crash, most likely just as it's time to walk into their next class. Studies have shown that consuming a high fat diet can impair learning skills as well as memory. Instead, try a grilled chicken sandwich on a whole grain bun, or grilled tuna or salmon burgers on whole wheat bread. Lean proteins with whole grains, along with some healthy fats, will help students sustain energy and maximize their potential throughout their school day. Like gasoline in a car, students need to fuel themselves in moderation throughout the day. "If hunger pangs hit in mid-morning, mid-afternoon, or as soon as you come home from school, avoid snacking on candy bars, soda and potato chips," says Grotto. "These foods can raise cholesterol levels, contribute to weight gain and obesity, and an increased risk of diabetes. Instead, choose brain food snacks like almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, whole grain cereal bars, peanut butter and fruit juice-sweetened jelly on whole grain bread. Instead of soda, mix non-sweetened grape juice with green tea. Green tea has the same healthful antioxidants as red grapes and berries. If you need a chocolate fix, the news is good. A small bar of dark chocolate - rich in antioxidants, is fine. Or. some dark chocolate chips with some healthy nuts ? good for you and tastes great!" Students need to keep their levels of concentration up to absorb all the information teachers are feeding to the brain. At night brain power needs to be maintained to handle homework and studying, to say nothing about extracurricular activities and a busy social life. "Feeding your brain the foods it needs, will help you think in a new way about what you eat," concluded Grotto. The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care and Optimal Health was founded in 1980 by Penny and Keith Block, M.D. with a focus on treating the patient as a whole person, not treating just the diagnosis or symptoms. The Center's research-based treatment integrates an innovative approach to the best of conventional medicine with scientifically sound complementary therapies -- therapeutic nutrition, botanical and phytonutrient supplementation, prescriptive exercise, and systematic mind-body strategies -- to enhance the recovery process. Block has pioneered this "middle ground" approach to cancer care and optimal health - designing a total treatment plan that is tailored to the precise needs of each patient, using a unique set of clinical and laboratory assessments. The Block Center is breaking new ground with the creation and development of Cancer Rehab as an innovative treatment modality, and currently is the only private North American medical center using chrono-modulated chemotherapy. While the Block Center is a full treatment clinic, it is involved in collaborative research with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas as a Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) and is also engaged in clinical cancer research with other university facilities in the United States and Israel. Betty Hoeffner, is a freelance writer who writes articles on a number of subject matters.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Our Livers Need for Water Although many realize that the liver has its own cleansing system, it does need help - as it cannot maintain its healthy state if its being abused. Abuse occurs when too much of the wrong foods are entering the body. Lesser of Two Evils: Splenda or Equal? While packages of the artificial sweetener Splenda claim, "made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar," one competitor argues that this statement is nothing short of false advertising.In fact, this rival, Equal manufacturer Merisant Co. Nutrition as Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD Alternative Treatment: Help is as Close as the Kitchen The quality of food we eat (or lack thereof) has a profound affect on Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD. For many people, nutrition alone can effectively work as an ADHD alternative treatment. Milk Soy Protein Intolerance: A Mothers Perspective I first learned of Milk Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI) in the office of a pediatric gastroenterologist's office with my seven-week-old son, Max. After the first week of his life Max lost weight and was labeled "failure to thrive. The Importance of Nutrition and Lifestyle Eating healthy and taking care of yourself is essential to obtain optimal wellness. Most people roll their eyes or moan when confronted with these ideas, but, in reality, taking care of yourself is not as hard, time consuming, expensive, or dull as most would have you believe. Death, Aging, Rejuvenation (Part 3) AgingHow did aging appeared?If mechanism of Death was chosen by evolution, how was aging chosen?Why for example at certain age animals do not die instantly and just give the room for the next generation. Nurturing is one explanation at least for human society. Prevent Constipation and Other Health Ailments with Papaya Constipation is a condition whereby the fecal matter traveling through your colon remains too long in your colon before traveling out of the rectum. You become aware that you are constipated if you have difficulty passing motion or take a few days to do one purge. Buying Organic Produce: 6 Tips on How to Shop Wisely and Save Money Some say they don't or can't buy organic foods due to higher cost and less availability. Here are a few ways to make organics more affordable and easier to purchase for your family. MonaVie Acai Berry Juice - The Tree of Life from Amazonian Rainforest... What ancient tribes and people of the Amazon have known for centuries, the world is just discovering. That an ancient berry, called the Acai Berry, may cause a sexual sensation. The Macronutrient Balancing Act Finally, dieters and healthy eaters everywhere have reason to rejoice, for there is a clear understanding of which fats, and which carbohydrates should be eaten for optimal health.For too long, healthy eaters with a range of diet or weight loss goals were provided with confusing, sometimes counterproductive information with respect to carbohydrates and fats. Is Your Food Aging You? Did you know that the food you eat could be prematurely ageing you? Science has made some amazing discoveries in the last decade in nutrition. We really should be taking note of what we put in our mouth because more than ever, "we are what we eat". How Does Glucosamine Chondroitin Help Your Body? Glucosamine is readily produced in the human body and is necessary for the production of joint cartilage. As we age, producing enough glucosamine becomes more difficult and cartilage begins to detiorate causing stiffness and painful joints. The History of the Acai Berry The acai (ah-sigh-ee) berry has been around for thousands of years and not until the 1990's was it introduced to the western world. The acai berry was found to possess tremendous health properties. Help Prevent Premature Aging With Nutrition-Science Aging occurs when the body's cells die at faster rates than new cells are generated. People age prematurely because inadequate nutrition resulting from poor diet stimulates cellular destruction and increases the potential for obesity, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases. Capsulized Food: The Next Step in Food Evolution Anyone who has spent a day fasting from food, or who has even skipped a meal, knows just how much time we save when we are not provisioning and consuming meals. Of course, efficiency is not our only concern when it comes to eating. Chocolate Splendor: Food For The Gods; Bodybuilding Nutrition A fictional overheard conversation at a Thelma's Fine Dining.Hi, I'm your waitress, Flo. Calorie Deficit I am sure you have heard you have to build more muscle so you can burn more fat. I'm sure you have also heard that you have to put your body into extreme calorie deficit in order to lose weight. Feeling Tired? No Pep & Zing? Tap Into Breakfast Smoothies! I'm 40-something years old, and for 40-something years breakfast has been a pain. Some of my earliest memories are getting ready for school with my mother insisting I eat a bowl of cereal. Poor Dental Hygiene May Account for Poor Health Bright white teeth and fresh breath does not necessarily mean you have a healthy mouth! General health is directly related to gum health. Gum disease has been linked to several medical conditions such as stroke, diabetes, heart attack and worsening lung disease. South Beach Diet - US vs. World Diets concern especially Americans as they do have a "national weight problem". So it would only be natural that dieting issues be so over proportioned in the US.
|
Section Site Map - Submit News - Feedback - Comments - Advertise with Us Copyright © 2006 Luminati Inc. All rights reserved. 
|
