3 Food Myths that May Be Sabotaging
Your Productivity
Your brain is one
of your best business resources. Before you make your next New Year's
Resolution, discover 3 pervasive food myths that may be damaging your ability
to focus, learn, and remember.
Much of the old science and health
information you were taught (and which, unfortunately, is still being taught in
some places) is no longer considered true by those who are up-to-date with
current nutritional research. This means that some of your so-called
"healthy" habits might actually be hurting your brain.
Here are 3 persistent food myths that
could be sabotaging your productivity:
1. Eating FAT is BAD for your health.
Your brain is 60% fat, so when you don't get enough dietary fat,
you're actually denying your brain. Let's think
back to when fat started getting it's bad rap--it
was in the days when people believed in "better living through
chemistry" and no one worried about trans fats,
hydrogenated vegetables oils, and overly processed, "fake" foods.
Fats such as coconut oil and olive oil have been correlated with
neuroprotective (i.e. brain-protecting) benefits and since it appears they can decrease the risk of Alzheimer's and dementia later in life, why not bring these healthy fats into your diet now? (It's easier to
prevent than it is to cure.)
And for those of you worried about cardiovascular health and dietary fats,
see what the New England Journal of Medicine reported about the benefits of a
Mediterranean diet supplemented with additional fats. (Bottom line: they
stopped the trial after 4.8 years, because the low-fat diet was clearly
correlated with a higher incidence of heart attacks, strokes, or deaths from
other cardiovascular disorders.)
2. Sugar is okay in moderation.
This one really depends on what you mean
by moderation. One pastry each morning with your coffee is not moderation; one
a month could be.
The problem is that sugar is an addictive substance that has an opiate-like
effect on the brain. It has been shown to worsen mental health issues
(including depression and anxiety), and decrease learning and memory.
David DiSalvo, a science writer whose articles have appeared in
Forbes, Psychology Today, The Wall Street Journal and other publicationsconcludes this about sugar:
"What these and other studies strongly suggest
is that most of us are seriously damaging ourselves with processed foods high
in added sugar, and the damage begins with our brains. Seen in this light,
chronic added-sugar consumption is no less a problem than smoking or
alcoholism."
And no, you can't replace your sugary soda with a diet one.
Aspartame is neurotoxic, and has been shown to
cause problems from "fuzzy thinking" to
seizures since the 1980's.
3. That cup of coffee counts towards your
recommended daily water intake.
Nope, sorry. Anything that dehydrates you (such as caffeine),
can't count towards your daily water intake. In fact, if you're drinking
caffeinated or dehydrating beverages (like alcohol), you need to drink more
water than your recommended daily amount (one common formula is 1/2 of your
body weight in ounces, so a 200-pound person would need 100 ounces of water
daily), to make up for the dehydration.
According to Daniel Amen, MD, author, and
well-known brain researcher, "anything that dehydrates you is bad for the
brain, such as alcohol, caffeine, excess salt or not drinking enough
fluids."
* * *
In business, your brain is one of your
best resources. Just like we update our software and computer technology, it's
critical to update our understanding of how our bodies function. Keep your
brain running with today's best recommendations: get lots of sleep, eat more
healthy fats, limit sugar/ sweeteners/ processed foods, and drink plenty of
water!
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