I FINALLY FINISHED THE BOOK! Yay!
It took me long enough! LOL. Now what the heck am I going to read?
I am reading Letter from a Stoic and Tools of Titans. But those are the type of books that I can read on and off.
So I think I am going to read a training book.
Hmmm... We shall see :)
WELPPP.. Here is the the second to last recap of The Hungry Brain.
-43% of people over eat in response to stress.
-36% of people skip meals when stressed.
-Stress: set of physiological and behavioral responses that the brain engages to meet a challenging situation.
-Psychological Stress affects us the most today.
-The different types of stress provoke different brain responses = THE THREAT RESPONSE SYSTEM.
-Threat Response System serves to protect us from danger and help us make the most of a challenge.
-When faced with either physical or psychological stress, the brain sends out signals which culminate in your adrenal glands, producing the stress hormone CORTISOL.
-Effects of Cortisol:
Increasing blood levels of sugar and fat.
Suppressing immune function.
Increasing food intake.
-Stressors that we cannot control (feel like we cannot control) are much more harmful to our health, and metal state.
-A study with monkeys showed that the stressed animals (bullied by other animal) doubled their food intake. The stressed monkey also chose rewarding food over the healthy food.
-The dominate monkey (bully) ate the same amount as food as before; but this monkey also preferred the rewarding/unhealthy food.
-When stressed and fed a healthy diet, the monkeys under ate.
-Over eating in the stressed monkeys is a direct result of the activation of the threat response system in the brain.
-The research suggests that the formula for over eating is the combo of the chronic, uncontrollable stress, and a choice of rewarding food.
-When surrounded by healthier food choices, people are less likely to over eat/gain weight, even when stressed.
This was very interesting. Everyone responds differently to stress. Some people over eat, some don't eat at all. But, the food options that one has, plays a huge roll with the ones who tend to over eat.
Stressed or not stressed... People, rats, monkeys, etc all prefer the rewarding food.
Calorie-dense and rewarding food definitely doesn't satisfy the body. It only causes more cravings.
MINI RECAP OF THE RECAP:
-The lipostat regulates adiposity and food intake.
-Leptin tells the hypothalamus how much fat the body carries.
-The hypothalamus uses that signal to regulate food intake and energy expenditure.
-When the hypothalamus becomes resistant to the leptin signal --> adiposity increases.
-Cortisol causes leptin resistance in the hypothalamus.
-A research determined that removing cortisol from the circulation of rats makes them leptin-sensitive, & lean.
-Other research showed that cortisol-like compounds interfere with the ability of leptin to activate causing an increase of hunger-promoting substance NPY. *This is all suggestive info.
-People with higher stress levels tend to gain more body fat over time, and normally in the midsection.
-Fat inside the abdominal cavity puts people at high risk for health problems.
Visceral fat = deep fat, around organs.
Subcutaneous fat = under skin, can be measured with calipers.
-Human studies show that stress doesn't just change the amount of food we eat, but also the type of food.
-Research shows that comfort food can make us feel better when faced with stress.
-A neuroscience researched hypothesized that sugar's stress-busting effect is due to its metabolic impact on the body, not its rewarding effects in the brain. She also thought that this would only work with real sugar (not a zero-calorie alternative).
*I don't think Stevia balances blood sugar or lowers your blood pressure... But it doesn't negatively effect them.
-The zero-calorie alternative worked just as well as the real sugar.
-The reward of sex worked a little better than sugar.
-Rewarding foods, drugs, and sex help dampen the activity of the threat response system.
*This is why we seek out these things when stressed.
-ONLY high-rewarding foods work. Bland/healthy food doesn't cut it when someone is stressed.
-Replace the reward of food with something else that brings you comfort or joy. Try calling a friend, go on a walk with your dog, watch a funny show.
-The brain is like a computer. It processes info from inside and outside the body, and uses it to generate useful outputs.
Inside = physiological
Outside = behavioral
-The brain is motivated to get food to keep us alive. We seek out calorie-dense, high-rewarding food. Nowadays, food is so easily accessible. Our drive to eat causes over consumption.
-The brain has a choice system, where we determine the pros/cons of certain decisions/foods.
Conscious = rational
Non conscious = intuitive
ANOTHER MINI RECAP:
-The lipostat is a third system (primarily in the hypothalamus). It regulates adiposity by influencing appetite. It takes cues from leptin (produced by fat tissue). Its job is to prevent adiposity from decreasing.
-Satiety system tells us when we are full (start or stop eating).
*High-rewarding foods shut down the satiety system.
-The sleep and circadian rhythm plays a part in our food intake. When sleepy, our brain seeks energy (food = energy).
-Lack of sleep prevents us from making the best choices, which leads to us choosing to eat pizza and ice cream.
-The threat response (stress) causes an increase of cortisol, reducing sensitivity of the lipostat to leptin --> increase food intake.
-High-reward foods calm this response.
*Zero-calorie sweeteners can do the same :)