Diet and the Development of Consciousness
How children are nourished during early life is one of the most important
aspects of child care. The full development of consciousness depends on a
properly nourished and healthy body, including the proper functioning of the
brain and nervous system.
The decision of whether to feed an infant breast milk or a substitute will have
a fundamental influence on the entire life of the child. The subject of infant
nutrition is crucial not only to the child's physical, mental, and spiritual health,
but also to the quality of the relationships that develop within the family.
At least 80 percent of human brain development occurs during pregnancy and
the first three years of life. Therefore, how a mother eats throughout
pregnancy-especially during the final trimester, when brain development is
rapid-is vitally important, as is the quality of food eaten by the child during the
first three years. Animal studies have shown that dietary deficiencies
adversely affect brain development. Reductions in the size of the brain and in
the number of cells that it contains, and disruption in the balance of brain
enzymes, were some of the changes noted in animals on deficient diets.
Disturbances such as these can impede normal brain function and the proper
maturation of consciousness. Research has also linked inadequate diets
during infancy and early childhood to developmental problems such as
impaired physical control, clumsiness, over excitability, and a lowered
threshold to environmental stimuli. Current evidence points to a de¬creased
intellectual capacity among inadequately nourished children, affecting their
physical and mental coordination, language skills, and capacities for social
interaction.
When a mother eats a well-balanced diet, however, her milk contains the
proper balance of nutrients essential for the normal development of the brain
and nervous system. The composition of mother's milk changes as the baby
continues nursing so as to meet the rapidly changing needs of the baby,
including the rapid growth and development of the brain.