Have you ever been so hungry that you ate enough food for one thousand people?
Don’t laugh! I know it’s a ridiculous question. Maybe you’ve joked about it, but surely, no one could eat food set aside for a thousand people.
Yet, that is a great illustration of how much fuel your brain consumes every single day!
In my last few emails, I have established two things…
1) Your brain is at the center of everything you are and everything you do.
2) Your brain has needs, and the quality of your life largely depends on how well you meet them.
And I promised that I would show you how to meet your brain’s needs as best you can, so that you can live the best life you can – so I am here today to tell you that your brain needs energy.
A lot of energy.
This seems obvious. Cars, phones, animals, – everything needs energy to run; of course, we are no exception! But when I say your brain needs a lot of energy to run, I am not kidding. In fact, your brain is the most energy-hungry organ in the entire universe.
To be fair, you would also need a lot of fuel if you were constantly working, doing hundreds of tasks at the same time, and never got to rest. That is your brain.
When you are awake, your brain manages the electrical signals sent to your body that move your body parts, digest your food, pump your heart, and perform all your body’s other critical functions. It does all this in the background while it also thinks your thoughts, makes your plans, and does your work.
While you are asleep, it does many of these things, plus it cleans itself, stores your memories, repairs your body, and restores your energy.
Your brain is made up of two kinds of matter: white matter and grey matter. Because it contains a lot of insulation to keep electricity inside, your brain’s white matter only utilizes about 20% of the energy consumed by your brain.
The rest goes to the grey matter, the starting point of all the thinking, pumping, digesting, moving, working – the beautiful business of your brain. Along the grey matter live your synapses, the gaps between brain cells where electricity travels by way of sodium and potassium ions.
This electrical exchange is very energy intensive. Most likely, your brain only makes up about .025% of your body’s mass by weight. But despite being such a small part of your body, it consumes between 20% and 30% of the energy that your body takes in and requires 20% of your blood flow!
To put it in perspective, imagine going to a conference with 4000 attendees and you, alone, being hungry enough to eat the meals set aside for 1,000 of them! That is how hungry your energy-hungry brain is!
So, what does this mean to you?
Well, remember: if your brain is behind everything you do, and the quality of your life depends on how you meet its needs, then knowing how to take care of your brain is crucial. How you fuel your brain is how you fuel your life.
Your brain is taking about 1 out of every 4 calories you put in your body, so it is important that they are providing it the right kind of energy – otherwise, your brain may be operating at less-than-peak-performance. And no one wants a less-than-peak-performance life.
Stay tuned for brain fueling tips in the weeks to come!
Make today your masterpiece!
Florina
Get My Blog Posts Right in Your Inbox Every Week
Make your mental health a priority. Receive tips and strategies for living well – mentally, physically, and emotionally – every week.
Get My Free Guide: 7 Cheap, Simple Strategies for Boosting Your Brain Performance
Better focus – clearer memory – faster cognition – more mental clarity – improved intellect…
Your brain is capable of beautiful things. If you don’t think you’re getting the most out of your cranial supercomputer, you can reap the benefits of these 7 simple strategies for the low, low price of “free.”