- To Change Your Mind - Details Matter
Power Breakfast Recipe 1: Eat Protein
The Need for a Custom Job
February 20, 2007Protein Breakfast Recipe 2: How on Protein
February 27, 2007
Image by gato-gato-gato via Flickr
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.
cp
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)
12 Comments
Hi CP,
Thank you so much for the knowledge and information you freely share, on your site, blog, youtube, and in your book, they are all fantastic. I was initially taking the Adderrall IR first, then a protein shake, then breakfast, as I liked the quick onset of energy it gave, but found it gave a severe afternoon crash. I reread your book and noticed the breakfast first part, and have found the crash is much smoother with breakfast first.
Do you suggest waiting between breakfast and taking the med, if so, how long? I would prefer to get it working as soon as possible, but also not get the crash.
Also, could share more details on what kinds and how much of neurotransmitter precursors to take with/prior to breakfast/medication? Thanks!
ID,
1. No worries on *when* to take meds after breakfast, just ‘after.’
2. Neurotransmitter [NT] precursors, just like meds, really should not be given whimsically, on a speculative, guesswork understanding, without specific measurement. If you take some time with this page: http://corepsych.com/walsh-resources – and review the Overmethylation [OM] challenges you will see why. In a high percentage of presentations the NT precursors can create problems with those suffering with OM. For example: if a person suffers with ADHD and an associated OM Tyrosine or DL-Phenylalanine might sound like a good thing at first as precursors for possible Dopamine or Norepinephrine insufficiency. However such precursors could prove quasi-toxic, out the top of the therapeutic window, with an OM challenge that already has created a marked increase in DA and NE. [ Therapeutic Window Video: https://youtu.be/3GydCe5E57w ]
3. Specific measurements: Walsh Protocols, OATs, IgG outlined & with videos here: http://corepsych.com/tests14 I used to do more neurotransmitter measures on the bottom of the second page there, but now drive down as close as I can get to synaptic markers.
cp
[…] Review this earlier CorePsych article: Protein Breakfast Article with Specific Cooking Details – including the easy Parker Power Protein Egg Fandango! It even works for adolescent men […]
Hi CP,
Thank you for that, I do notice protein does help stabilise the meds, what other suggestions can you make to help DOE?….I also wanted to ask your opinion on which medication is easier on the body and heart in the long run?, the fact that my heart beats a little quicker at times when on the meds, I presume that’s perfectly normal as long as its not for long periods and excessive?
JC
John,
No other fresh hints other than staying away from acidic foods if taking mechanically released stimulants: e.g. Adderall, Adderall XR, etc. Slight heartbeat increase appears to all involved, in the thousands, not a problem on the large scale, and likely, with those numbers not a prob for you.c
cp
Hi Charles,
I wack flaxseed oil all over my oatmeal porridge, and to make the meds last longer and to stop potential jitters if any I mix a combination of Saffron, Siberian Ginseng, Liquorish and peppermint mixed in a 500ml liquid and take 2 x 7.5ml shots a day. This helps also. I have stopped Coffee now and drink tea which also helps and snack on Acai smoothies.
My naturopath said to stay away from Vitamin B’s…..when taking Vynvannse and Dexedrine.
I take 50mg Vynvannse and one 5mg Dexedrine in morning and 2 x 10mg at 130pm and 430pm.
I’m 37 and weigh 85kg….I find if I take a second dose of Vynvansse in the afternoon it doesn’t seem to have the same effect as in the morning, I find I have more results from the Dexedrine. I was wondering why that is so and what do you think of my breakfast combo?
JC
JC,
It’s difficult to assert, with all your breakfast attention to detail, that it might be breakfast, but it could be: without protein you cold very easily be overlooking the most essential part: Protein.
If it’s included in your concoction, I missed it. Without protein you will more likely have a dip, unrelated to DOE of the various stimulant dosages. Try some protein and let me know how it works for you.
You could try protein powder on your breakfast swill, or try a protein bar for awhile – your call.
Be well,
cp
[…] By: Dr Charles Parker […]
This has been the SECRET to less side effect (I finally stopped losing weight), less “bumpiness” and to just feeling better and less jumpy all day. My protein isn’t very fancy, I’ve NEVER been a breakfast eater, since I left my parents, very breakfast-laden house.
I just eat about an ounce of cheese, take my meds (Vyvanse, vitamins, Vitamin D3, etc.) drink my coffee, get in the shower, and my day is different than it has EVER been. I get out of the shower, and get make a list of what I would like to accomplish, and feel like a new person.
I take cereal, craisins and almonds with me to snack on the rest of the day.
Sorry, Doctor, I took your advice on breakfast (and preached it to others) but your protein concoction I can’t stomach….cheddar or mancego (a sheep’s cheese) for me, please….
Deb,
Love it that you have had such success, and am even more pleased that you found your own ‘special way’ to mix it up. If everybody did this the whole process of med management would improve across the board. This mantra is repeated almost every med check every day in my office – my whole team completely gets it and regularly verifies your positive remarks with each person. It’s one predictable rule with a great percentage of positive outcome.
Stay tuned for more in the scientific specifics of exactly why protein is so essential – daily and especially at breakfast. CorePsych Radio will start with the easy part and then the details of neurotransmitter precursors will wrap it up on Thurs at 4 EDT.
Tnx
cp
Thanks for your note, appreciate your reading!
Next post already written in anticipation of your comment, but set for a pub time on this Tuesday. There I line up some easy solutions that you may not have tried. This post started with solutions in mind, but just got into the problem a bit more and simply ran out of room.
Thanks, Chuck
Don’t I wish! Couldn’t agree more, it’s just putting the principles into practice that’s the stumbling block.
Best wishes