You Are What You Eat

Your magnificent machine is, in fact, a symbiotic collection of diverse, yet related sub-systems, coordinated and operated by a three pound mass of wrinkled gray matter known as your brain. Yes, our bodies are a true miracle, a wonder to behold. Every minute chemical change in one body system can adversely effect or benefit any or every other system. A small electro-chemical imbalance in our brain, our control system, can mean a near shutdown of our entire body. Precision balance is the standard mode of operation.

Why such a technical description of the human body? Simple; just like a finely tuned piece of electro-mechanical machinery, our bodies are sensitive to changes in inputs and outputs. The analogy is strikingly accurate. Our work quality and quantity output is in direct proportion to our food, drink, medicinal, sleep and other inputs.

The old computer adage of "garbage in, garbage out" is quite literally interpreted when it comes to our human body. If you load your incredible machine with simple carbohydrates and saturated fats, you will find it somewhat difficult just staying awake long enough to learn anything, let alone experiencing all of the energy-robbing additional weight that you'll soon be carrying around. Think before eating that fourth donut. What and when we eat has a great deal to do with our ability to learn, concentrate, remember, stay alert and perform tasks.

It has been alleged "human beings are actually a brain with a body to carry it around!" Think about it. Scientists tell us that our bodies, not our minds, can go for a great deal of time without sleep. Sleep is for the brain. Sleep is the downtime that our brain needs to refresh itself and be ready for the next day. The brain is an electro-chemical masterpiece of Divine design, operating perfectly in equilibrium. It needs the right balance of glucose and water to function properly or it develops headaches and sleepiness.

Everything that you consume affects your brain chemistry. Too much simple sugar or saturated fat and you will fall asleep. A little caffeine and we perk up. A big meal and we're sleepy. You must learn to eat sensibly and strategically for whole life and brain health. A casual approach can lead to lethargy and obesity.

The quality, quantity and timing of our eating can be critical to our performance. I will not attempt to dig deeply into the chemistry of all these elements at this juncture; that material is available in the many volumes of human nutritional and chemical data that has amassed over the last several decades. For our purposes here, know that consumption of too many of the wrong foods can hinder our performance and production.

Inordinate quantities of the wrong foods will most certainly hinder our learning capabilities. If our brains are sensitive to small chemical changes, then our eating and drinking habits, causing sometimes huge chemical reactions in our brains, will most certainly affect our ability to learn and perform tasks adequately. Awareness of these elusive facts can aid us in maintaining peak performance.

Lacking energy or drive because of our poor eating habits, we will most likely fail to get our work done effectively. Our job performance and income will suffer as a result. On the other hand, if we eat and drink strategically, we assure ourselves of maintaining a high-level state of learning and earning. That is smart, proactive thinking on your part.

What do we need to do? First, get the proper amount of sleep. For most people, this is 7-8 hours each night. Next, jump up from the sofa, turn off the television and get some exercise. You might even begin to like it. You will certainly enjoy the added energy a fit body provides. Besides, when you are busy exercising, you are not laying in front of the television eating a variety of junk foods.

Eat complex carbs like fresh, whole fruit, garden-fresh vegetables and whole wheat bread. Drink soymilk and lots of water to flush out your system. Eat lean meats and fish in reasonable quantities. Limit sweets and caffeine. Eliminate your consumption of simple processed sugar and flour, especially foods containing high fructose corn syrup. Stay clear of trans-fats as well. Did you know that a typical soft drink has in excess of 17 teaspoons of sugar? How many of those do you currently drink each day?

Look at the labels on foods, paying particular attention to serving sizes. You may be shocked to learn what you actually have been feeding your body and brain. Look at the chemical additives. Many commonly eaten foods lack any substantial nutritional value yet will most assuredly slow you down and add to your girth. Some common examples are french fries, soft drinks, ice cream, potato chips, big cookies, fast food hamburgers and so on. These are not quality brain foods.

There are possibly a thousand books on proper diet available to you. I suggest that you learn more about your optimum health and develop your plan. For our purposes, you now have the building blocks of your dietary strategy to help you optimize your physical chemistry, thus providing you with the greatest possible advantage in learning and performance.

Learn to be smart about your food choices; your learning will be more productive. Eat and drink in a responsible and intelligent manner. After all? you are what you eat.

Daniel Sitter is the author of the breakthrough e-book, Learning For Profit, the revolutionary "how-to" book providing simple, step-by-step instructions to teach people exactly how to learn new skills faster than ever before. It is what the author calls a "skinny book", a new generation of e-book designed for busy people. Containing no "filler or fluff", it gets right to the point with no wasted time. It can be read easily and quickly on a computer, a PDA or printed for later reference. Visit http://www.learningforprofit.com/ or contact the author directly. This e-book is currently available from C|net's download.com, the authors' web site and a variety of online book merchants. Mr. Sitter is a contributing writer for several online and traditional publications.

---

Explanation of Ambrotose

There are basically four major components, or essential molecular components... Read More

Focus On Fiber: How Much Is Enough?

Looking for an easy and natural way increase your vitality... Read More

The Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup

High Fructose Corn SyrupBefore we get to high fructose corn... Read More

Dieting -- The Basic of Meal Planning

BASIC MEAL & MENU PLANNINGAs a basis for meals and... Read More

The Fountain of Youth - Right in Front of Us All This Time!

Can we really stop the aging process, slow it down,... Read More

The Meat You Eat: How Corporate Farming Has Endangered Americas Food Supply

Factory FarmingThe big names in American agriculture would like you... Read More

The Ugly Truth About Food

At any grocery store in North America right now, there... Read More

Why Digestive Enzymes Are Vital To Good Health!

Most digestive disorders develop because of the bodys inability to... Read More

Poor Dental Hygiene May Account for Poor Health

Bright white teeth and fresh breath does not necessarily... Read More

Water and Water Filters: How Much Do You Know?

Water is a vitally important component of any valuable and... Read More

The Benefits of Iodine

Initially discovered as a new element in 1811 by Barnard... Read More

Nutrition N Diet

Nutrition facts have become a part of everyday life because... Read More

Whats That In My Food!

If you drop a bomb, you kill not only your... Read More

Death, Aging, Rejuvenation (Part 3)

AgingHow did aging appeared?If mechanism of Death was chosen by... Read More

Homeostasis and Complementary Therapies

The word 'homeostasis' is made up of two Greek words:... Read More

Food Labels: Fact or Fiction?

How often do you pick up items at the grocery... Read More

Seasonings: Add More Than Just Flavor

Besides providing taste, color, and aroma, certain seasonings can also... Read More

Focus on Trans Fat

There's no doubt--carbohydrates have taken center stage in public discourse... Read More

Food Additives: Safety versus Health Maintenance / Prevention

The topic of food additives is not quickly addressed in... Read More

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... Read More

Avoiding Mental Disorders Through the Aid of Vitamins and Minerals

When we think about the benefits of being ensuring a... Read More

What on Earth is an Enzyme?

Enzymes are the workers in our body that make everything... Read More

Best Skin Diet For Healthy Skin

"You are what you eat."Does it sound familiar? You probably... Read More

6 Power Foods For Your Heart

Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in... Read More

Pineapples: The Healing Fruit Of The Tropics (Includes A Recipe For Pina-Banana Orange Smoothie)

For a natural and tasty way to improve your health... Read More

Go Nuts!

Nuts of all kinds (I am talking peanuts, cashews etc)... Read More

Nutrition Tips to Improve Fat Loss

Incorporating these fat loss tips will improve your nutrition program.... Read More

Factors that Affect the Nutritional Requirements of an Individual.

The factors that affect the nutritional requirements of an individual... Read More

Most of Us Talk and Think About Nutrition and Exercise as a Distant Activity to be Started Some Day!

If you do not take time to stand back at... Read More

Cherries - A Natural Joint Pain Killer

Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry capsules are a nutritious, all-natural alternative... Read More

Stay Healty, Eat more Fish and Seafood

There are a lot of very good reasons to eat... Read More

Good Eggs -- Rediscover The Simple Pleasures of Eggs!

Health food or heart attack on a plate? Eggs had... Read More

Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Disease

Cholesterol is an essential building block of every cell in... Read More