Are You Hungry For Success?

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Hungry for success? Well, you’re in luck because, in this newsletter, we will explain how fasting – particularly intermittent fasting – can help rewire your brain for success and why it's a skill worth adding to your life’s toolbox.

Here's the surprising truth: Fasting benefits memory, focus, and cognitive function. It promotes neuroprotection, enhances mental clarity, and offers cognitive benefits.

Many individuals hesitate to try fasting due to misconceptions about its difficulty and impact on health. Here are the most common ones:

• People often feel overwhelmed when starting a fasting regimen, unsure of the initial steps to take.

• The fear of hunger and fatigue often discourages people from attempting fasting.

• There is a common concern about maintaining a well-balanced diet that provides all necessary nutrients while fasting.

What Does The Science Say?

The interest in fasting's effects on the brain encompasses areas such as memory, focus, and overall cognitive function. Here's a summary of the findings and actionable tips based on the current research and expert insights:

Memory and Cognitive Function

• Neuroprotective Effects: Fasting has been associated with neuroprotective benefits, potentially helping to prevent diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. This is believed to be due to processes like autophagy, where the body removes damaged cells and replaces them with new ones, thus maintaining healthy brain function.

• Ketosis and Mental Clarity: When fasting, the body enters a state of ketosis, using ketones instead of glucose for energy. This shift has been linked to improved mental clarity and cognitive function by enhancing mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

Focus

• Impact on Focus: While specific studies on fasting's direct impact on focus are less common, the overall improvement in brain health and function suggests potential benefits. The ketosis state, for example, is known for enhancing mental clarity, which could contribute to better

  focus.

Here is the good news. You can conquer these obstacles and successfully fast by following these simple steps:

1. Choose a Sustainable Fasting Method: Opt for a fasting method that fits your lifestyle and is sustainable in the long term. Time-restricted eating (eating within a specific window of hours each day) is a popular and manageable approach. Don't worry; our ancestors did this all the time!

2. Visit your tap often: Hydration is essential during periods of fasting to prevent feelings of weakness. Try sipping herbal teas if plain water bores you. And steer clear from drinking excess caffeine—it becomes tempting during fasts, but remember balance is essential.

3. Remove Any Triggers: One of the most important steps when learning new habits is removing specific behavioral triggers that go against your goals. With intermittent fasting, this usually boils down to snacks. If you are serious about trying this, remove them from your environment.

4. Nutrient-Dense Diet: When not fasting, focus on consuming a nutrient-dense diet to avoid deficiencies and support overall brain health.

Start small and increase fasting gradually. Fasting isn't for everyone. Check with a healthcare professional if you have health concerns.

Instead of seeing fasting as daunting, view it as an empowering reset button that recharges your brain and enhances focus! Remember its benefits – neuroprotection, improved mental clarity, and bolstered cognitive function. Don't let uncertainty or apprehension hold you back from exploring the surprising link between not eating and succeeding. Fear not the hunger; what's coming is so much bigger!

Are you hungry for success and will give it a try?
Rate this newsletter below and let us know what you think.

Further Resources:

Check out this video where I sat down with Dr. Mindy Pelz to talk about this topic