For the holiday season, I would love some more information on smaller portion sizes and tricking my brain. I am also interested in the why behind learning better when we are hungry. I have found on the days that I am writing grants, that when I eat my brain pretty much shuts down and it takes a couple hours to regain any momentum... probably related.
As for the learning-when-hungry thing, I need to better understand the details, but the short version is that your hungry stomach produces the hormone ghrelin, which also for some reason increases brain plasticity. Also, omega-3 and -6s and antioxidants have important roles to play.
- Really weird one -- chew more. It sends more signals to your brain that you are eating, and don't need to eat as much, PLUS, studies show that it helps maintain our hippocampus, which is where memory and learning work.
- Use smaller plates or bowls to both reduce the portion size and give the appearance of a lot of food (think about the exact same serving size on a big plate, where it seems small, and on a small plate, where it seems big
- If you will carry or lift your plate or bowl at all, a heavier plate will seem like it has more food on it.
"Flavors we perceive are influenced by the food or container color, shape, and texture. The taste doesn’t actually change, but our perception of the taste does." - remind me to chat with you about a food/ lighting collaboration that I'm toying with next time we chat :)
The industrial farming of animals in reprehensible, as is the fact that so much of our farmland is growing food for animals instead of humans. Interestingly, I know a hog farmer who calculated that he was making the same amount of money as his depression-era grandfather -- he restarted with heritage breeds and free range pens and is making much better money and providing everyone better food.
For the holiday season, I would love some more information on smaller portion sizes and tricking my brain. I am also interested in the why behind learning better when we are hungry. I have found on the days that I am writing grants, that when I eat my brain pretty much shuts down and it takes a couple hours to regain any momentum... probably related.
- If you've got a big buffet, take very small portions of many things, and the variety will make you feel more satiated.
- Don't put the serving container on the table; if you have to get up to get more, you are less likely to
As for the learning-when-hungry thing, I need to better understand the details, but the short version is that your hungry stomach produces the hormone ghrelin, which also for some reason increases brain plasticity. Also, omega-3 and -6s and antioxidants have important roles to play.
- Really weird one -- chew more. It sends more signals to your brain that you are eating, and don't need to eat as much, PLUS, studies show that it helps maintain our hippocampus, which is where memory and learning work.
For portion control, here are some quick tips:
- Use smaller plates or bowls to both reduce the portion size and give the appearance of a lot of food (think about the exact same serving size on a big plate, where it seems small, and on a small plate, where it seems big
- If you will carry or lift your plate or bowl at all, a heavier plate will seem like it has more food on it.
"Flavors we perceive are influenced by the food or container color, shape, and texture. The taste doesn’t actually change, but our perception of the taste does." - remind me to chat with you about a food/ lighting collaboration that I'm toying with next time we chat :)
Wow! That was interesting, insightful and easy to grasp the concepts! Meat and Salmon (and other fish types) is a slippery slimy path.
The industrial farming of animals in reprehensible, as is the fact that so much of our farmland is growing food for animals instead of humans. Interestingly, I know a hog farmer who calculated that he was making the same amount of money as his depression-era grandfather -- he restarted with heritage breeds and free range pens and is making much better money and providing everyone better food.