The Importance of Healthy Eating

"What you put in is what you get out.” A famous saying we’ve all heard before. Maybe it’s time to take some time to understand exactly what this means.

Children don’t want to eat vegetables anymore. They’d rather have a burger and chips. And a nice cold Coke to wash it all down.

According to the Society for Neuroscience, recent studies reveal that diets with high levels of saturated fats actually impair learning and memory. Sadly these are the foods that are more affordable and readily available for kids in school cafeterias, people on the run and fits easily into busy schedules.

In addition to the saturated fat, many of these foods include white bread or other refined grains, fried foods and sugary foods and drinks which are all high in glucose. After such a meal the body sends all the energy to the digestive tract to process the food, causing the child to feel lethargic and having trouble concentrating in class. Other side effects include irritability, lack of mental performance and a regular diet of high glucose can result in damage to the kidneys, eyes, blood vessels and nerves.

A study done by Prof. Fernando Gómez-Pinilla of UCLA found that junk food reduces brain performance while commonly known healthy foods have numerous benefits. Omega 3 fatty acids (found in salmon, walnuts and kiwi fruit), for instance, improves learning ability and memory as well as help fight against certain mental disorders.

It is well known that child obesity is increasing, but the interessing part is that both over and underweight children may suffer from malnutrition. Unlike commonly thought that malnutrition only happens in developing countries with famine, malnutrition is not a lack of food, it is a lack of nutrients.

This means that children in first world countries can be malnourished if they don’t eat food with essential vitamins, minerals and nutirents, like vegetables, fresh fruits and proper meat.

This doesn’t mean that you have to look for vitamin enriched cereals next time you go to the store, this means you have to change the diet of your family, making sure everyone gets al least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

I was visiting family a while back and had some cereal for breakfast when I noticed the price was extremely cheap and only after examining the box I found the that best before date was 10 years earlier! The cereal tasted just fine.

The rule of thumb for food: if it doesn’t spoil, don’t eat it; but always eat it before it spoils.

You and your children need live foods, because “dead” food (those that lasts forever) have no nutrients and therefore doesn’t contribute to your body (except perhaps add some love handles). The body needs proper food in order to work and do what you expect of it.

Your children need a healthy diet, because they are growing and learning new things every day. If they are malnourished, their brains can’t work as they should and you will hear a lot of “I don’t want to go to school”, “I’ll do my homework later”, “I don’t want to study”.

Change your family’s lifestyle today. Eat healthy foods, find out how great fresh produce tastes and save fast foods for emergencies.

References:

Gail Chen, “How Diet and Nutrition Impact a Child's Learning Ability” 2008

at http://www.publicschoolreview.com/articles/28

Randall Parker, “Diet Matters For Brain Performance” 2008

at http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/005348.html

Teaching Good TV Habits

Extract from an article by kidshealth.org

Read full article: How TV Affects Your Child

Here are some practical ways to make TV-viewing more productive in your home:

·   Limit the number of TV-watching hours:

o  Stock the room in which you have your TV with plenty of other non-screen entertainment (books, kids' magazines, toys, puzzles, board games, etc.) to encourage kids to do something other than watch the tube.

o  Keep TVs out of bedrooms.

o  Turn the TV off during meals.

o  Don't allow kids to watch TV while doing homework.

o  Treat TV as a privilege to be earned — not a right. Establish and enforce family TV viewing rules, such as TV is allowed only after chores and homework are completed.

·   Try a weekday ban. Schoolwork, sports activities, and job responsibilities make it tough to find extra family time during the week. Record weekday shows or save TV time for weekends and you'll have more family togetherness time to spend on meals, games, physical activity, and reading during the week.

·   Set a good example by limiting your own TV viewing.

·   Check the TV listings and program reviews ahead of time for programs your family can watch together (i.e., developmentally appropriate and nonviolent programs that reinforce your family's values). Choose shows that foster interest and learning in hobbies and education (reading, science, etc.).

·   Preview programs before your kids watch them.

·   Come up with a family TV schedule that you all agree upon each week. Then, post the schedule in a visible area (e.g., on the refrigerator) so that everyone knows which programs are OK to watch and when. And make sure to turn off the TV when the "scheduled" program is over instead of channel surfing.

·   Watch TV together. If you can't sit through the whole program, at least watch the first few minutes to assess the tone and appropriateness, then check in throughout the show.

·   Talk to kids about what they see on TV and share your own beliefs and values. If something you don't approve of appears on the screen, you can turn off the TV, then use the opportunity to ask thought-provoking questions such as, "Do you think it was OK when those men got in that fight? What else could they have done? What would you have done?" Or, "What do you think about how those teenagers were acting at that party? Do you think what they were doing was wrong?"
If certain people or characters are mistreated or discriminated against, talk about why it's important to treat everyone fairly, despite their differences. You can use TV to explain confusing situations and express your feelings about difficult topics (sex, love, drugs, alcohol, smoking, work, behavior, family life).

·   Talk to other parents, your doctor, and teachers about their TV-watching policies and kid-friendly programs they'd recommend.

·   Offer fun alternatives to television. If your kids want to watch TV but you want to turn off the tube, suggest that you all play a board game, start a game of hide and seek, play outside, read, work on crafts or hobbies, or listen and dance to music. The possibilities for fun without the tube are endless — so turn off the TV and enjoy the quality time together.

ADHD Controversy

Hyperactive children can be unmanageable, defiant and aggressive. Many parents have their fingers in their hair, staring at this little creature and think: “This isn’t what I signed up for”. Children are supposed to be the ultimate joy in a parent’s life.

So what went wrong?

While it is true that some children need ADHD management and medication, the rate of misdiagnosis is staggering. Earlier research stated that about 2-3% of children, more boys than girls are affected by ADHD. Looking at reality, in a class of 30 kids about 5 or more are on medication which is about 16%, far more than the 2-3%.

Some people claim that ADHD can be better diagnosed and therefore more children are being picked up (research shows that 10% of children are now diagnosed), but I believe that the true reason is misdiagnosis.

How many mothers have you met who says: “Jason was diagnosed with ADHD when he was grade 1, but when I had him retested in grade 3, they said that he didn’t have ADHD.” I know quite a few mothers with the same problem. Children are being misdiagnosed and put on medication they don’t need.

Why are kids being misdiagnosed?

There are several reasons. One is that a teacher complains to a parent about their child being hyperactive, distant or short concentration span. Parents want their child to be the best, nicest and most beautiful, so such a report must be changed.

Another is that parents compare their kids to their friends’ and find that their child is naughtier or more defiant than their friends’ “little angels”, resulting in medical intervention.

There are many other people who regularly complain to parents on the behaviour of their kids - grandparents, friends, babysitters, etc.

The next step is to have the child tested by a professional who will find the child has or doesn’t have ADHD and take necessary action.

Misdiagnoses happen when normal children seem hyperactive.

Now you may think I’ve lost my mind, but there are a number of reasons why a normal child displays characteristics of hyperactivity or attention deficit.

1)      Children consume too much sugar and preservatives and too little nutritional food or drink.
Children need real nutrition for their brains and bodies to work properly. How much frozen, crumbled chicken or other shaped food do you serve your kids? They’re easy to make: just bake, pan fry or deep fry, they keep for ages in the freezer and kids love them.
Why you shouldn’t give your children food like this: they’re full of preservatives, salt, sugar, fat, ground up meat off cuts, and more. The amount of real nutrition in these is shocking.
Your children need to eat real meat: chicken, beef, fish and vegetables (not take-away cheesy veggie bites) and fruit. The fresher the food, the better the nutrition. Frozen veggies can be used, but fresh veggies tastes better and are actually better for your family.
Rule of thumb: if it doesn’t spoil, don’t eat it; but eat it before it spoils.

Here is a fantastic article written by Dr. Michael G. Conner (Psychologist) which explains how food and TV can make your perfectly normal child seem hyperactive, defiant or even mentally disturbed.

2)      Children need to drink enough water. This is actually part of the previous point, but it is too important to skim over. Kids love sweet drinks, soda and flavoured milk, but the fact is that the need water. You can treat them from time to time with their favourite drink or candy (not a bucket load of candy, just about one child’s handful), but they need to eat fruit and drink water daily and by default.
Your kids should know that the answer to: “Mommy, I’m thirsty,” is “Here’s a glass of water.”

3)      Children need involved, assertive parents. If you let your kids walk all over you, that’s exactly what they will do. Your house is not a democracy - you are in charge and your kids need to understand, from as early as possible, that your rules are the law.
I’m not going to go on and on about how to be a good parent. There are numerous books and articles out there to help you be a better parent. Still, even if you’ve read every single book and article on parenting, it is still your house and you have to be comfortable with your life.
Just make sure that the kids understand that the parents have to be obeyed and they can’t manipulate you. Make sure that your rules serve the purpose of loving and protecting your child and your choices have their best interest at heart.

Children disobey parents and teachers when they aren’t sure that they are loved and/or when they always get their way. The latter can make children become increasingly manipulative with parents, other people in authority and peers.

If you suspect that your child has ADHD, first eliminate external factors, like diet and parenting style, before you march off to the doctor.

The Anatomy of Stress

All of us experience stress on a daily basis. But do you know how it affects your brain?

Let me start by explaining what stress is.

The electrical circuit in your house has a fuse which is there to protect your appliances from an electrical surge. So, when lightning strikes your house, the fuse breaks and cuts off the electricity to your computer so that it won’t blow up.

Just like the electrical circuit in your house, your brain has “fuses” called synapses. The synapses are located between the brain cells (neurons) and the rest of your nervous system. Your heartbeat is like the electricity in a circuit. When it beats too fast, your synapses pull apart slightly, stopping the impulse from going through and possibly damage your brain and that is called stress.

The best way to monitor stress is to look at emotions. If you are happy, calm and content, your heart rate is normal. If you are frustrated or irritable, your heart rate is faster and when you are aggressive or enraged your heart rate is very high.

Stress (synapses pulling apart) always happens in your non-dominant brain hemisphere first, so if you are right brain dominant, your left brain will “shut down” when you are stressed. This also means that during stress you will find it difficult to perform tasks that are controlled by your non-dominant hemisphere. The more we stress, the less logical and more emotional we become.

fig.           row 1: top view          row 2: side view

Normal heart rate is around 60 - 75 beats per minute (bpm) (fig. A)

If you heart is beating at 80-120 bpm, one side of your brain shuts down. (fig.B) Notice how the synapses are slightly further apart.

At 120-180 bpm both your brain hemispheres (yellow part) will shut down (fig.C2)

**At over 180 bpm your limbic system (emotional brain; red part) can also shut down.

NB: Dehydration will also cause the synapses to pull apart. Drink enough water!

So, how do we get out of stress? The easiest and fastest way is to do some kind of physical movement. Take a walk, run around the block, do a few push-ups, do the dishes, etc. Slow, deep breathing also helps - remember the count-to-ten rule? Taking a break before responding to something stressful physically gives your brain time to "get back online" and then you can respond more rationally.

Basically your emotions should be able to tell you how much brain you have at any given time of the day and someone else’s emotions should tell you how much brain you’re talking to. Using this guideline you should be able to eliminate a lot of unnecessary conflicts.

**This happens very rarely, like in cases of road rage (smash someone's window) or blind rage where someone kills a person. This is where one can plead temporary insanity. That person had no logic nor emotion at that stage and was temporarily reduced to an “animal”.

Circadian Rhythm & Sleep

(Extracted from an article by Dr. Annette Lotter)

The pituitary gland control the excretion sleep and awake hormones namely serotonin (awake) and melatonin (sleep).

Sleep

 

Sleep is crucial to your central nervous system because of the amazing things that happen during sleep. This is when the body repairs itself, detoxifies itself, and replenishes its energy stores. Sleep is the one thing that humans have never been able to give up for any length of time. Everyone must have it on a regular basis. Many people with chronic conditions typically suffer from sleep disturbance, which slows down and hampers the body’s healing abilities.

Circadian Rhythm

The sleep/wake cycle is driven primarily by melatonin, the “sleep” hormone, and serotonin, the primary “awake” hormone.

Our bodies are basically designed to sleep when it’s dark and wake up when it’s light. But Thomas Edison changed all of this! And today, the average person in America gets exposure to effective sunlight only 21 minutes a day. 21 minutes is not enough for the body to receive the signals it needs to regulate its circadian rhythm from light.

Circadian Rhythm Disorder is usually involved in most sleep and mood disorders including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, insomnia, mood swings, premenstrual syndrome, elongated and irregular menstrual cycles, menopause, prenatal depression, postpartum depression, ADD/ADHD, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Tips for restoring sleep:

·   Do NOT use supplements of L-theanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, or 5HTP in the evening. While this does go against the conventional wisdom, these substances actually raise serotonin levels—the “awake” hormones. This is particularly true of 5-HTP. These can be used during the day to make you feel more alert, but keep away from them at night.

·   Establish a rhythm where you go to sleep and wake up at close to the same time each day. This should include weekdays and weekends.

·   Sleep in as dark a room as possible. Total darkness is best.

·   Don’t drink much water after 8:00 p.m. This will limit your need to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.

·   Do stretching exercises before you go to bed.

·   Do not do strenuous exercise late at night.

·   If possible, take a hot bath or sauna in the evening.

·   If you are hypoglycemic or your adrenals are weak, eat a small, balanced snack before bed. Also, keep something healthy around, like almonds or pecans, to snack on if you wake up. Low blood sugar can keep you awake.

·      All meals should have a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. However, you should eat more protein in the morning and more carbohydrates in the evening. Carbohydrates tend to make you sleepy.

·      No colas or coffee, including decaf, at any time throughout the day.

·      Consider taking a “timed release” melatonin 30 to 60 minutes before you want to sleep. Timed release, also known as sustained release, is important because the half-life of melatonin is only 20 minutes. If the melatonin supplement is not a timed release, the melatonin will be “dumped” into the body all at once and it will be used up too quickly. Most people need the effect of melatonin to last several hours or more to gradually put them into a deep and restful sleep.

·      If you do wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back to sleep on your own, this is the time to use non-timed release melatonin.

·   And when you wake up after a good night’s sleep, expose your eyes to sunlight as soon as possible. Sunlight helps you wake up and feel less groggy in the morning.

Good Study Habits

Let's face it. Nobody likes to study. Unfortunately we all have to. So why not reduce your study time by doing it right the first time? 

Do you know how much time you are wasting in front of the books because of silly things that could have been avoided?

Habit 1

Make sure your room is light enough when you are studying. Weak lights or studying with a bedside lamp alone will make you secrete more melatonin which will put your brain to sleep. Weak lights = wasted study time.

Habit 2

Drink enough water! Keep a bottle of water on your desk and take regular sips. If you get dehydrated, your brain does not function optimally and you will have trouble concentrating.

Habit 3

Take regular breaks. Do not break in front of the TV or with a book!
Take a walk, play with the dog, dribble a ball, etc. Do something physical and, if the weather permits, preferably go outside. Physical activity will let your brain rest best.
Rest for 10 - 15 min and go back to your books for 30 - 45 min. (30min for Gr.4; 45min for Gr.12)

Habit 4

Music that is faster than 75 bpm will “switch off” your brain, because your heart is beating too fast. This means that you are wasting study time.

(a) Study in silence or listen to calm music without words (words will distract you and you’ll end up singing along instead of learning)
Try classical baroque music or the “Hooked-on-Classics” series.

(b) The radio will also distract you, because you will listen to the announcer and the ads. The music is usually too fast anyway and all have words. Rather switch off the radio and get some good study CD’s

Habit 5

Eat healthy during exam times. Make sure that you follow a balanced diet, especially in exam times.  Don’t be tempted to stock up on sweets and crisps for studying:

(a) They will make your blood sugar rise and drop too quickly, which mean that you’ll get tired quickly and you’ll have trouble concentrating.

It will also speed up dehydration and your brain needs water to work. Remember that you need to drink 3 glasses of water for every glass of soda you drink!

(b) Rather snack on fruit or yoghurt if you have a sweet tooth and drink diluted fruit juice, water or milk. If you want something salty, dip melba toast in hummus or cottage cheese, or couple with fresh herbs or salad.
You (or mom) can also make your own muesli bars. There are many recipes on the internet and they are much healthier than those you can buy in the store.

(c) Recipe: Healthy dip: Mix 250g smooth cottage cheese with lots of fresh chopped chives, 1tsp sweet-chilli sauce, 1tsp lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of salt.
Dip any fresh veggies, melba toast or plain pretzels - tastes great!

Habit 6

If you have trouble sitting still, always fidgeting or lose concentration easily, try sitting on a pilates ball instead of a chair. This will help keep your brain alert.

Habit 7

If you are frustrated, irritated or mad, your heart will beat too fast and your brain will “switch off”, resulting in ineffective study time.

(a) If you feel negative, do something physical for 15min

(b) Use positive self talk and tell yourself that even though you don’t like the subject, you need good grades and therefore you need to put your feelings aside and study effectively.

Water of Life

Why is water so important?

Our bodies consists of ±65% water. That is more than half of everything that our bodies are made of. Our brains alone consists of ±78% water.

Water is important because the cells in your body, your metabolism, brain and nervous system need it to function properly.

Without proper hydration your body won’t function optimally. Your brain won’t function as its supposed to because the neurotransmitters in your nervous system will be disrupted.

Imagine a dehydrated child in classroom or exam. He cannot process new information or remember properly. Even while studying children should drink enough water to keep their brains functioning optimally and get the most out of their study time.

Some signs of dehydration are thirst, loss of appetite, dry skin, dry mouth, fatigue, weakness, chills, head rush and headache. Most of these symptoms can be relieved by simply drinking water, even headache!

So how much water is enough?

Many people advise 8 glasses of water per day. While this is a good start, you have to take your size, diet and activity level in consideration.

The rule of thumb is for every 10kg (22lb) you weigh, you have to drink 1 glass of water and then another 2 more glasses.

eg. If you weigh 50kg (110lb) you should drink 5 glasses of water plus 2 = 7 glasses.

If you eat lots of salt, sugar and preservatives, you have to increase your water intake. For every glass of soda you drink (normal or diet), you have to drink an extra 3 glasses of water to replace lost fluids. Yes, sugary drinks causes dehydration!

If you play sports, jog or go to the gym, drink extra water to replenish water lost through sweat and metabolism.

Drink water as clean as possible, without extra additives like tea, coffee or concentrates.

Some people are sensitive to the taste of water while others don't taste anything at all. Personally I don't like the taste of tap water and even some bottled water. I have found that purified water that have been treated with ultra violet tastes crisp, clean and sweet. If you can't stand the taste of water, read the labels on bottled water or paid water dispensers and look for ultra violet sterilization.

Water is part of us, it is all around us and it is mostly free or cheap. By just drinking enough water you can improve your life so much. Teaching your children to drink enough water can improve their lives significantly and may even improve their grades. I'd think giving water a chance is the least one can do.

Nature Deficit Disorder

Nowadays children spend so much time indoors with the TV and the growing number of video games. There are so much one can do with a TV set or computer and the technology have drawn children inside. Children are now missing out on important encounters with nature, making mud pies, smelling flowers, grass, dirt, using their imagination to create a game.

This is a wonderful video that shows why children should spend more time playing outside. This does not include organised sports, but focuses on exploration, climbing trees, playing hide-and-seek and spending time with nature.

It also shows how nature play can help children with attention problems and hyperactivity. Nature can even play an important role in depression and other mental disorders. The video is about 12 min long, but it is definitely worth the watch!




Visit this link from Childern and Nature as well for more information on Nature Deficit Disorder.

Genetic Brain Organisation Profile

Where does the Genetic Brain Profile come from?

Dr. Annette Lotter (PhD Education; PhD Curriculum Development) was teaching underpriviledged students in South Africa in the 1980's. After taking an IQ test she was startled to find out that none of her students had an IQ higher than 70, meaning that they were all severely retarded. She knew that they were bright students and it was clear to her that none of them were even nearly retarded.

She realised that traditional IQ tests were based on a Western society bias and were unsuited for other cultures. These students have been learning under trees in the bushveld, none of them had ever seen the ocean, much less a boat. How were they supposed to point out a sailboat, tugboat or cruiser if this was the first time they've ever seen it?

Dr. Lotter started investigating new ways to test students that overcome the biases of language, experience, culture and desirability factors. She discovered genetic brain profiling in the USA and Russia. She built on existing research and developed the Genetic Brain Organisation Profile that Edu-Profilogists proudly use today.

Welcome

Welcome to my website!

I hope to teach you more about genetic brain profiling and its applications in everyday life. After all, we all have one, shouldn't you know yours? I will show you why you should know your profile and everyone else's as well!

Please feel free to browse my pages, visit EduProfile's official website and my social networking pages. If you have any questions or need more information, please don't hesitate to contact me.