By Dean L. Jones
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) beginning this semester will teach about the dangers of “sexting”. The LAUSD is proactively getting in front of what they believe to be a growing problem in our social culture. Teachers should tackle sensitive issues, but there are other significant constants you hope are being addressed, as well.
For instance, it should be critical to know all you can about how the brain works and areas that can help improve its’ function. Our brain reviews infinite possibilities, including right or wrong, moral or immoral, fight or flight, etc., all of which requires the utmost level of an efficiency to ensure the correct interpretation of incoming information.
As the brain is the ultimate in decision making, maybe long before speaking on a symptom of social ills like sexting, without doubt the collective learning should center on what makes the brain function at its optimum capacity. A learning topic should address the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that is responsible for the development of new neurons in the brain or nerve tissue, and therefore new memories.
Low amounts of BDNF lead to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and diabetes disease. In view of that, the unlawful activity of sexting is undoubtedly generated from an improperly functioning brain. Observing a young person pouring a sugary drink into their mouth is unfortunately a common occurrence. Nevertheless, processed sugar quickly enters the blood stream, and eventually will make its way to the brain.
The big concern is how processed sugar can block membranes and in so doing slow down neural communication (nervous system). Processed sugar increases free radical inflammatory stress on your brain. Processed sugar causes brain neurons to misfire and send erroneous messages that take time and energy to sort out, making it harder to think clearly.
So when you want to address proper social strategies you first may need to tighten up how the brain is treated. Our brain uses 65% of the body’s glucose, but too much or too little glucose can have a detrimental effect on brain function. All students should know how eating processed sugar places a serious stress on related hormones, lasting negatively for five hours. This unquestionably interferes with learning processes and the inability to capture fresh memories, as during this time the body is coping with excess insulin and suffers a depletion of healthy glucose levels.
Over-consumption of processed sugar leads to an increased incidence of coronary thrombosis, in dental cavities, obesity, liver disease, gout, and some cancers. Science classes should be all over this information and show clearly how eating processed sugar can be very detrimental to attention span, mood stability, all the way to doing the right thing in social settings. That’s why; to build up solid learning alertness it is vital to continue living SugarAlert!
Mr. Jones is a marketing strategist with the Southland Partnership Corporation (a public benefit organization), sharing his view on mismanagement practices of packaged foods & beverages.
