stay away from (refined) sugar
Diet of course can have a tremendous affect on your health, but did you also know that it can affect the functioning of your brain? Along those lines, there are a variety of different foods/nutrients that are thought to have either a positive or negative effect on your mental processes. One of the main foods believed to have a negative effect is sugar, principally refined sugars. Although you brain does need sugar – it runs by metabolizing glucose – it doesn’t need very much of it and ‘overdosing’ on sugar can be detrimental to your mood and the health of your brain (both in the short-term and the long-term; diabetes is associated with a considerably higher risk of dementia and alzheimers). Recent studies show that sugar may even fuel addiction and depression.
Especially if you are already diabetic. A 2001 study by the University of Virginia Health System concluded that blood glucose levels in excess of 270 mg/dl in type 1 diabetics impacted verbal fluency, the ability to do mental arithmetic and reaction times to multiple-choice questions. The level of impairment rose in conjunction with the rise of their blood glucose levels.
Here’s some more info on the dangers of refined sugar and how it impacts your brain:
Refined Sugar: The Sweetest Poison of Them All
The Harmful Effects of Sugar and Choosing Healthy Alternatives
Sugar Addiction and Brain Chemistry
146 Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health
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