How does food affect your brain?

[Nero]

i dont have health

[Bilbo]

I don't know about any special foods, but in general, foods high in carbohydrates (sugars), like coke and whatnot will increase your blood-glucose level. Now this may give you a rush of energy initially as glucose is the main source of energy in the body, but as the body equilibrates you get that "crash." This glucose is good for the brain though, when absorbed at the correct rate/amount, as the blood-brain barrier only allows very small molecules to pass through... glucose is small so it will provide immediate energy via the TCA cycle in the brain.

There are also some hormones, such as ghrelin that are produced when there are lot of carbs/fats ingested, which cause a feeling of stress-relief. This is why some people are addicted to chocolates and sweets.

I believe that the best way to keep yourself in a good mood via eating is to eat a healthy balanced diet. Lots of greens, enough meats, spare amounts of snacks

[Gantz Graf]

Many of the amino acids we eat end up being synthesized into various neurotransmitters.

[nullify.my.life]

http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/how-food-affects-mood.html
this sums it up...:)

also there's a connection of using gluten free food to help improve the symptoms of autism. Kind of going into another topic, but it does show what you eat does affect how you act.

[Jamie "fuck constipation" Lee Curtis]

I don't see a clear distinction between many foods and "medicine."

It's all full of weird shit that fucks with you.

The trick is balance and moderation.

[The English Gentleman]

Well obviously, a lack of easy sources of energy (carbohydrates) the brain can be a bit sluggish as breaking down fat reserves is time consuming.

[Slave of the Beast]

Well obviously, a lack of easy sources of energy (carbohydrates) the brain can be a bit sluggish as breaking down fat reserves is time consuming.

In the short term perhaps, but AFAIK ketogenic diets are not associated with a reduction in mental aptitude, in fact there appear to be several health benefits. That shouldn't be too suprising seeing as man didn't evolve with a bakery around the nearest corner.

[Mantikore]

food can really affect mental performance.

when i was in a lecture once, i just couldnt keep my eyes open.

i had a cookie, and in under five minutes, i was perky again

[JoePedo]

If this is true

...it is.

what kind of foods will affect you in what ways?

You... realize that to give an answer to that question would be to describe the interactions of every single molecule in the body, right? In case you didn't know this, that would be amazingly complex.

Just to throw one out there, sunflower oil is a cannabinoid- and mu-opioid (through arachyndolamide-gated gaba-inhibitory secondary messenger transmissio) agonist. The seed mass, otoh, is an NMDA-antagonist disassociative through its Mg++-ion donation, while the seed protien is a serotonin and epinephrine agonist (through both 5HT and its methyl-donation properties)...

...however, it probably does a fuckload of other shit not documented. Not to mention, a fuckload of shit which could be documented, if one were patient enough to sit down.

So, really, could you be a tad more specific? 'cause the human body is a really, REALLY fucking intricate and fucking BIG molecular-robotic system which is pretty god-damned complex to detail the entire god-damned thing in a single post, lol.

[Slave of the Beast]

You... realize that to give an answer to that question would be to describe the interactions of every single molecule in the body, right?

Only if you're autistic enough to take the interpretation of that question to the nth degree.

Try generalizing.

[The English Gentleman]

In the short term perhaps, but AFAIK ketogenic diets are not associated with a reduction in mental aptitude, in fact there appear to be several health benefits. That shouldn't be too suprising seeing as man didn't evolve with a bakery around the nearest corner.

very true, the brain is like a car which can run on petrol, diesel kerosene, in fact any petroleum product. However it does take a little while for your body to solely process just fats. If I had to make a choice though for energy (if I were not still losing weight) I would pick complex carbohydrates any day.

[JoePedo]

Only if you're autistic enough to take the interpretation of that question to the nth degree.

Duh? I don't tell you to quit being stupid and doing hard work with weights and to just read fitness magazines and forget about it like a 'normal' person, so when it comes to science...

;)

Try generalizing.

Okay.

Every function that is performed, the body and mind relies on food to do.

Ergo it does everything.

[Slave of the Beast]

Okay.

Every function that is performed, the body and mind relies on food to do.

Ergo it does everything.

Sigh...

[ergoat]

...it is.



You... realize that to give an answer to that question would be to describe the interactions of every single molecule in the body, right? In case you didn't know this, that would be amazingly complex.

Just to throw one out there, sunflower oil is a cannabinoid- and mu-opioid (through arachyndolamide-gated gaba-inhibitory secondary messenger transmissio) agonist. The seed mass, otoh, is an NMDA-antagonist disassociative through its Mg++-ion donation, while the seed protien is a serotonin and epinephrine agonist (through both 5HT and its methyl-donation properties)...

...however, it probably does a fuckload of other shit not documented. Not to mention, a fuckload of shit which could be documented, if one were patient enough to sit down.

So, really, could you be a tad more specific? 'cause the human body is a really, REALLY fucking intricate and fucking BIG molecular-robotic system which is pretty god-damned complex to detail the entire god-damned thing in a single post, lol.
Wait, so what will happen if I eat stacks of sunflower seeds?

[JoePedo]

Wait, so what will happen if I eat stacks of sunflower seeds?

Funny you should ask, I'm just now recovering (and/or trying to recover) from overdose of plasma concentrations from frequent repeated administrations...

Pro tip, attaining a hard overdose of tryptophan-bearing substrates is not a good idea with which to start an ergoloid trip; the fact that ergine derivatives tend to be direct serotonin receptor agonists does NOT help them mix well....

God damn. I'm glad I recovered from the acute peak. I hope I recover more. This is starting to seem exactly like what opiate junkies talk about in the "bodily comfort" axis. Fuck...

...anyways...

Wait, so what will happen if I eat stacks of sunflower seeds?

...if you do this without seperating the fractions, the protien fraction - of which tryptophan is physiologically predominant with methionine enrichment as a secondary - will tend to overpower the rest to some extent. The effects of that? Vary widely by body chemistry...

- if you're low on noradrenaline, you'll get bitchingly unpleasant fatigue. Usually combined with a depression that mostly surrounds what it feels like to have such fatigue.

- if you're high on noradrenaline, it should act as a decent stimulant. There are actually 5-hydroxytryptophan/amphetamine combination experience reports that should start to detail some of serotonin's effects in the presence of hightened adrenergic neurotransmission without dopamine being very primary.

- if you've got adequate noradrenaline and a lot of dopamine... "signifigant antidepression." Sometimes culminating in total chemical castration and the urge to coo, pet one's self, hug one's self, and aqquire fucktarded amounts of silk and velvet just to rub up against.

- and then there's the generic case of the smileys from the biochemical space in between. Yeah, serotonin is cool...

Other than that...

- antianxiety is known from both 5HT and magnesium...

- random changes in body temperature might just occur.

- if you really overdo it, you get the joy of hallucinating unpredictably and at random for at least the next week.

- occasionally, it will change your nausea threshold wildly.

...etc. tl;dr? Euphoria, painful fatigue with dysphoria, random hallucination episode, maybe a bunch of other junk thrown in. Completely unpredictable.

But... if you wanna make a single large bowl of 5-lb soup and chug-a-lug, enjoy the experience, dude. I did it... once. While I don't think I'll repeat it, it was kind of interesting - and the first few days were rather cool...

...had a severe fatigue problem for about 3-6 months after that, though. Just the aftereffects. Theoretically, enough vitamin C should at least help...

[ergoat]

- if you really overdo it, you get the joy of hallucinating unpredictably and at random for at least the next week.

Yeah that doesn't sound like much fun really, but maybe when I've got a long break from life. Just how much would you have to ingest to overdo it like that? Do you just down them or what?


But... if you wanna make a single large bowl of 5-lb soup and chug-a-lug, enjoy the experience, dude. I did it... once. While I don't think I'll repeat it, it was kind of interesting - and the first few days were rather cool...


Fucking hell how long did it last man?

[Echidna]

Potatoes make you happy (the truth). Whenever I would get depressed my dad would be like, eat a (baked) potato. He said it increased/fixed/balanced serotonin levels or some shit.

Also, eat a 2lb bag of pistachios, it might make you go temporarily insane (only works people who get migraines from consuming canola oil).

[JoePedo]

Yeah that doesn't sound like much fun really

:nods.

Just how much would you have to ingest to overdo it like that? Do you just down them or what?

Well, for a mild version of the effect, it seemed to start from about a half-gram of precipitated protien soaked into the cheek and up.

I have little to no idea how many sunflower seeds that is.

Fucking hell how long did it last man?

Uhh... the hallucinatory part? Most intense 15-20 seconds of my life, man. The whole thing? About a week with half-year hangover.

My life - do not try it at home. Lol...

You should be able to get a more mild mood-boost with a few to several handfuls and a cup of coffee... bit more sane and reasonable than chugging five pounds in 2 seconds, lol.

Potatoes make you happy (the truth).

...totse had a thread on that... ;)

[Vigilante]

All that interesting information.. blah.. blah..

Seriously, wtf?

I eat alot of sunflower seeds. By alot, I mean I have replaced all other snack foods with them (already hulled, just the kernals). When I'm driving down the road, I'm usually munching on some seeds to bide my hunger. If I'm chilling at the house watching some t.v, I'll sit around eating sizeable handfuls from a large bowl. And what took me by surprise was how I find myself being able to relate to all the possible side-effects listed. I've had this Fatigue for a while now, and considering my lifestyle.. being somewhat healthy, I could grasp why I was tired when I was generally leading an active lifestyle and what I thought was a good diet. And the Hallucinations.. I can't count the time's I've found myself questioning things I thought I had seen. Keeping in mind I have no history of random hallucinating or any mental disorder.. and all the rememberable happening took place after I started substituting sun flower seeds as an anytime snack. Another big one was the random changes in body temperature.. I have no history of high blood pressure, thought it runs in my family (I'm healthier than most all of my family). I'll be sitting around and I'll start to feel my face getting hot, and sometimes being to sweat. Othertimes I'll randomly feel flushed and cold. Usually these spells don't last long, but it has made me aware that something is definitely a factor. I'll look into this further.

[Jamie "fuck constipation" Lee Curtis]

Haha, good ol' overeating of potent foodstuffs. You see, the shell is nature's way of saying "dont eat mountains of me at a time!" :)

Goiterogens, oxalates, purines, tyramine, plant hormones, animal hormones, potent-ass herbs... FOOD FUCKS WITH YOU.

Solution? Moderation.

Those people who go on and on about "superfoods"? Shoot them in the head. Then, you may choose to eat their nutritious brains.