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The Brain, Nutrition and Breakfast:
– It’s almost too basic. Herein resides a solution.
“Protein...are you kidding me? I don’t eat breakfast, period!”
Everyday I get this response from someone, actually from many someones. Amazing how little time we all have in the morning, from kids to adults. Lemme see…do they serve breakfast on the school bus? Could I grab a pop-tart on the way out the door? Is it OK if I eat a little later…about noon? I always eat supper well!
Breakfast habits are terrible, and the problem is completely pandemic.
Experts agree, yet few practitioners have the clinical experience of Dr Sidney Baker regarding food, breakfast and brain health. He has written many books on the subject of brain health, and has extensive experience with that ominous canary in the coal mine: childhood autism. In his book on autism he specifically reviews the necessity for a nutritional protein breakfast.
So how does breakfast fit with that complex subject – autism spectrum, and just what does it have to do with ADHD?
Well Dr Baker has also written another very interesting book called The Circadian Prescription that brings together the protein and breakfast question into an easy, practical perspective. Said in a snapshot: a Protein Breakfast will make the metabolic day work right. Breakfast directly helps with brain health. Others have demonstrated that test scores in the PM [2PM] are directly improved by a protein breakfast in college students.
Psych Meds Need Fuel
From a psychiatric medication perspective protein breakfast works like this:
The psych meds are often helpful, but quite often create a problem if taken on an empty stomach. Most [not Vyvanse] hop directly into the bloodstream, and can create odd mental/physical feelings. On an empty stomach psych meds often kill the appetite all day. Stimulant meds for ADHD are notorious for killing the appetite, leaving brain function to hang out the window.
Further, psych meds only rearrange and collect neurotransmitters ["reuptake inhibitors"], they don’t build or create new neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters, in a word, come from protein. So if you only have a pop-tart for breakfast you are only poking the coals of a dying fire. Sure the carbs will carry you for the moment with energy, but we’re using psych meds to actually have a positive effect on neurotransmitter/brain activities, not carry you on fumes.
As they walk out the door you want your child’s steam engine to carry them up that daily hill. But the steam engine won’t go anywhere without wood on the fire. ADHD is especially vulnerable to changes in protein as protein effects that neurotransmitter balance.
Protein adds the wood, the meds poke the coals, now you have a fire. The foundation for neurotransmitter activity and the constructive rearrangement will improve brain function.
Stay tuned for Power Breakfast Recipe 2 in the next post: Protein choices. You will also learn the recipe for the Parker Power Breakfast: You might not like to look at it, but it tastes great, and does fire the engine.
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Related articles
- Fight Fatigue with Food (psychologytoday.com)
- Meatless Monday: 10 Protein-Packed Vegan Breakfast Recipes (Hold the Bacon) (blisstree.com)
- TRY IT: Eat Protein for Breakfast (shutupandtryit.wordpress.com)
- 7 Great Websites for Breakfast Recipes (housewifesutopia.com)
- Why is Breakfast the Most Important Meal of the Day? (brighthub.com)
- Easy Ways To Make Food With High Quality Protein Powder! (fitnesstroop.com)
Digitally available now at Nook, Kindle, Barnes and Noble.
ADHD Medication Rules – PDF For Your Desktop
ADHD Medication Rules | Paying Attention To The Meds For Paying Attention – Kindle Version
