Susan Augustine

The Hungry Brain's Nutrition Cognition Connection Susan Augustine

The brain gets fed first! That is the important idea for the book, The Hungry Brain's Nutrition Cognition Connection that relates to: mood, mind, memory and behavior. After several years of teaching children with attention deficit disorder (ADD and ADHD), learning disabilities, and severe behavior problems Dr. Augustine decided to look to the brain and to biochemistry.

The theme throughout the book is biochemical individuality and feeding the very hungry brain. Many students and adults suffer from malnutrition of the brain and other specific biochemical disorders such as pyrrole disorder and metal metabolism disorder.

Making "smart" choices for the hungry brain is front and center of this cutting edge book. As the educational community faces the challenges of childhood obesity and food allergies, people are eager to learn how to guide their students and their own children in the care of the body and especially feeding their brains. Dr. Augustine provides a simplification of the food groups: animal foods; plant food and junk foods. She tells why breakfast is still the most important meal of the day and even more so if a child has problems with learning or behavior. Highlighted as well is the importance of daily movement, producing nerve growth factor (NGF). Exercise is a family affair! Additionally, there are brain joggers for parents and teachers as practical strategies for teaching nutrition as part and parcel of a lifelong learning strategy and healthful daily habits.

Teachers will appreciate the mini lessons for easy integration into their curricula.