Each of your 100 billion active neurons or brain cells stores information on its thousands of dendrites, like branches. It then transmits that information to other cells, and other parts of the body, by electrical impulses, along a major pathway called an axon (for axle or axis). When it reaches the synapse (connecting gap) to another brain-cell, each electrical impulse triggers a chemical reaction-a neurotransmitter which jumps across the gap to transfer the message.

Each axon is insulated by a myelin sheath, which acts as an insulator. The better the insulation, the more efficient the message is transmitted. The brain has at least 70 different types of neurotransmitter, and each is affected by diet.

The entire "communication system" is surrounded by glial cells (for "glue"), which lay down the myelin sheathing, and generally nourish the active nerve cells. The right diet is also vital for this nourishment (see more detail in chapter 6).

Illustration is from Accelerated Learning, by Colin Rose, published by Accelerated Learning Systems, of Aston Clinton, Bucks, England.