A maximum pacing rate limiter for use in adaptive rate pacing in conjunction with a cardiac rhythm management system for a heart. The cereal bars of the present invention provide nutritional value without sacrificing taste and flavor, as well as possess a reasonable shelf life during which the texture remains chewy without being sticky, hard, or crumbly. Further, coupling the metal or mechanical-quality, doped polysilicon to the same voltage source as the device’s substrate contact may place the conductive layer at the voltage of the substrate, which may function as a Faraday shield, attracting undesired, migrating ions from interfering with the output of the device.