Twelve Learning Nutrients

It has been well documented that a child's learning ability and brain development is affected by diet.  Nutrient dense foods provide what is needed by the body for maximum mental and physical performance.  Today, we have an abundance of nutrient depleted packaged food products, which may contain more chemicals than actual food.  The first organ affected by malnutrition is the brain.  The brain is 2 % of the body's weight, but it requires 20 % of the body's energy sources.  The following list of twelve learning nutrients was taken from the book, Eating for A's, written in 1991, and is now out of print, but still is an excellent resource for information.

Make sure your child has these nutrients for learning:

Vitamin A - helps in the manufacturing of protein and DNA.  Deficiency effects:  Depression and apathy.  In infants, retarded brain growth.

Vitamin B-1, Thiamine - helps the brain process energy from glucose and proteins.  Deficiency effects:  fatigue, impaired memory, mental confusion, conduct disorder, irritability, impulsiveness, poor sleep.

Vitamin B-2, Riboflavin - helps maintain the nerve's myelin sheath, and assists in making energy available to the brain.  Deficiency effects:  impairs the growth of the brain in young children and contributes to behavior problems.

Vitamin B-3, Niacin - helps the brain produce essential chemicals, aids in the manufacture of protein.  Deficiency effects:  irritability, fatigue, poor concentration, mood swings, poor sleep.

Vitamin B-6, Pyridoxine - helps the brain produce essential chemicals, aids in the manufacture of protein.  Deficiency effects:  irritability, fatigue, poor concentration, mood swings, poor sleep.

Folic Acid - helps produce RNA/DNA...important in forming nucleic acids and in the storage of recent memories.  Deficiency effects:  apathy, impaired memory, irritability, withdrawal, slowing of all intellectual processes.

Vitamin C - helps in the utilization of protein, improves absorption of iron needed by the brain.  Deficiency effects:  fatigue, depression, hypersensitivity.

Iron - assists in the processing of nutrients required in brain activity, helps process neurotransmitters and DNA.  Deficiency effects:  conduct disorder, inattentiveness, hyperactivity, poor concentration.

Magnesium - helps get energy from nutrients for the brain.  Deficiency effects:  irritability, nervousness, lethargy, depression, confusion.

Potassium - required for normal levels of brain neurotransmitters.  Deficiency effects:  feelings of weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, irrational thinking, confusion.

Zinc - required in virtually every enzyme reaction in the brain; helps manufacture RNA, DNA, and protein; helps provide energy from glucose and protein.  Deficiency effects:  lethargy, irritability, poor eating habits, poor appetite, anorexia, fatigue, confusion.

Chromium - essential for glucose metabolism.  Deficiency effects:  poor concentration, impaired short-term memory, mood fluctuation, general feelings of tiredness.

A healthy diet is essential for the learning and behavior of children.  You also may want to provide a good multivitamin/mineral supplement - available on my website:

http://www.healthylife-solutions.net/?sn=3341-6

Lisa Purdy is not a physician, and all recommendations are not to be considered diagnosis or prescription.  Any information given is for educational purposes only.  You are responsible for your own health choices.