We live in a stressful world, and daily life can sometimes make us feel tired, stressed, or depressed. Some people go
to the doctor's for help, others try a lternative therapies,
but the place to find a cure could be somewhere completely
different: in the kitchen.
Dr Paul Clayton, a food expert from Middlesex University, says
'The brain is affected by what you eat and drink, j ust like every
other par t of your body. Certain types of food contain substances which
affect how you th ink and feel.'
For example, food which is high in carbohydrates can make us feel more
relaxed. It also makes us feel happy. Research has shown t hat people on
diets often begin to feel a litt le depressed after two weeks because they
are eat ing fewer carbohydrates.
On the other hand, food which is rich in protein makes us feel awake
and focused. Research has shown that schoolchildren who eat a highprotein
breakfast often do better at school than children whose
breakfast is lower in protein. Also, eating the r ight kind of meal
at lunchtime can make a difference if you have an exam in the
afternoon or a business meeting where you need to make some
quick decisions. In an experiment for a BBC TV programme two
chess players. both former British champions, had different
meals before playing each other. Paul had a plate of prosciutto
and salad (f ull of protein f rom the red meat), and his opponent
Terry had pasta with a creamy sauce (full of carbohydrate). In the
chess match Terry felt sleepy, and took much longer than Paul to
make decisions about what moves to make. The experiment
was repeated several times with the same result.
Another powerful mood food could become a secret
weapon in the fight against crime. In Bournemouth in
the south of England, where late-night violence can be
a problem, some nightclub owners have come up with
a solution. They give t heir clients f ree chocolate at th e end
of the night. The results have been dramatic, with a 60'\o'o
reduction in violent incidents.
Why does chocolate make people less aggressive? Fi rst , it
causes the brain to release feel-good chemicals called endorphins. It
also contains a lot of sugar, which gives you energ y, and can help stop
late-night tired ness turning into aggression. These two things, together
with a delicious taste, make chocolate a powerful mood changer.
Mood food - what the experts say
• Blueberries and cocoa can raise concentration levels for up
... to five hours.
.•
• Food that is high in protein helps your brain to work more
efficiently.
• For relaxation and to sleep better, eat carbohydrates.
• Dark green vegetables (e.g. cabbage and spin.ach) and
oily fish (e.g. salmon) eaten regularly can help to fight
упражнение е
Find adjectives in the article for the verbs
and nouns in the list. What's the differe nce
bet \veen the t\vo adjectives n1ade fron1
stress?
st ress (noun) (x2) relax (verb) wake (verb)
sleep (verb) power (noun) violence (noun)
oil (noun)
упражнение f
i\sk and answer the questions \.vi th a
partner.
1 What time of day do you norn1ally eat
protein and carbohydrates? Ho'" do they
n1ake you feel?
2 How often do you eat chocolate? Does it
n1ake you feel happier?
3 After reading the article, is there anyth ing
you '"ould change about your eating habits?
задание f и e срок здачи до 13.00
английский язык
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