"Brain Energy" book and 3 ideas that are changing our understanding of mental health and brain function.
I've finished a book, that I believe signifies a transformation of thinking in the medical community - mental health is all about whole body health. To be honest, I never thought otherwise because of personal and professional experience but many people still don't fully buy that - a well-functioning mind can't live on a diseased body. Mind and body are inseparable - it seems that the medical community is finally finding the missing connection.
1. YOUR BODY IS YOUR MIND
Exercise, diet, sleep, social life and stress levels all affect our mental health through mitochondria, this energy-producing plant in our cells, that seems to be involved in almost EVERY process in the body and mind. It's not just producing energy, it regulates processes like DNA expression or hormonal function and the function of neurotransmitters in the brain - that all affects everything in the body, from libido and fertility to drive to achieve and your immune system function! It's like the connecting link between what we do and the environment we create and our health and mental health outcomes. So if your mental states aren't optimal - it's probably because of some malfunction in the energy metabolism. Read the book for more details - it's dense!
2. MENTAL HEALTH EPIDEMIC IS CAUSED BY OUR LIFESTYLE
Following up on the previous point. When energy metabolism and the function of mitochondria are compromised the brain very often experiences problems with function first because the brain is one of the most energy-demanding organs in the body. It just happens this way that malfunctions in the brain don't hurt but translate into suboptimal moods, mental states and decrease in cognitive capacities. SO exercise and good diet for happy and smart brain? It seems the science is finally 100% on board with this notion.
3. POOR LIFESTYLE LEADS TO POOR LIFE DECISIONS
Poor energy metabolism in the brain that happens as the result of poor lifestyle choices create loops of suboptimal decision-making processes. One bad night of sleep makes you anti-social, poor blood sugar regulation makes you go for short-term decisions compromising your long-term priorities, making you impatient, and the list goes on. I think, that's why our leadership in the world is so suboptimal - very few metabolically healthy people are up there who can think strategically for the good of all concerned.
Read the book - it'll change your world and habits. Warning - it's dense in science but VERY fascinating and transformative!
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