There is a link between depression, violent suicide, hyperactivity in children, compulsive gambling behavior, and low levels of the neurotransmitters, serotonin and norepinephrine.

         Consuming increased amounts of complex carbohydrates may inhibit competing proteins and eventually raise serotonin levels. Since treatment of depression involves not only elevated levels of these chemicals, but making more of them available to nerve cells in key regions of the brain, obviously, pasta and potatoes can't prevent suicide.

 [An interesting tangent: the bo-tree, a tree under which the historical figure, Buddha, often sat in his effort to achieve enlightenment, produces figs with extraordinarily high serotonin content. High   levels of serotonin and norepinephrine are known to enhance immune function.]
 [The vegetables known as the OCA, MACA and ULLUCU, potato-like plants cultivated by the Incas 2,000 years ago are excellent sources of both carbohydrate and protein. They also demonstrate antibiotic properties.]

      During World War II, in Norway, Nazi invaders kept all meat for themselves, and prohibited the milling of white flour. The population lived almost exclusively on whole wheat bread and potatoes for four years. They exhibited robust psychological health (considering their circumstances), as well as a significant decrease in death from heart disease, which was eventually attributed to LECITHIN, a component of the wheat bread.

[Most commercial breadmakers must include a long list of artificial preservatives and dough conditioners, even when their product is packaged under virtually sterile conditions due to problems of distribution and short shelf life. A process called controlled atmosphere packaging (CAP - a 50-year-old European technology) enables breadmakers such as Home Life Foods (Paris, IL) to turn out completely natural breads that can keep for 60 days.
Using CAP, the bread is placed in a plastic container that creates a barrier to oxygen and microorganisms,transfered to a vaccum chamber, and oxygen replaced w/nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The package is then thermo-sealed.]

        A report presented at the 1989 annual meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists, by Cornell U. grad. student Barry Gosselin and Nell Mondy, prof. of nutritional sciences in the New York State College of Human Ecology at Cornell, noted that eating large amounts of potatoes cooked with their skins can eventually be damaging due to high concentrations of glycoalkaloids.
              Consuming more than 20mg. per 100 gm. of fresh weight can cause headaches, nausea and diarrhea. 10 percent of glycoallaloids move from the peel to the interior part of the potato when it is boiled or steamed with the skin intact.

      The greenish tinge sometimes found under the skin of a potato is chlorophyll, and indicates that the potato has been exposed to light and solanine may be present.
            Solanine acts as a natural insecticide for the potato, but you would have to eat 12 to 25 lbs. of potatoes at a single sitting for adverse reactions to occur. However, it would only take about 1/4 ounce of potato sprouts or 5 to 8 ounces of leaves to provide toxic levels of solanine. If there are just a few small sprouts, they can be safely removed.