By | Published On: June 30, 2022 |

Welcome to episode 87 of my podcast The Executive Edge with Dr Delia McCabe.

Delia and I had a great chat starting with understanding what our brain needs and how it functions. She explained that much of our brain is a type of fat and that optimal function needs to allow for how this type of fat works. Our food intake is essential if we are to think well each day and she started by explaining how blood sugar helps this.

Blood sugar levels dip as we get hungry which sends a clear signal to our body to hunt for food but the tendency to snack or pick something up quickly tends to wreak havoc. Not only does our insulin level drop but our brain’s function changes too, and this isn’t ideal. Our brain is a very ‘hungry’ organ. It needs nutrients to not only cover all the regular body functions but to get creative and the higher-level functions. These include the manufacture of neurotransmitters such as Serotonin and Dopamine.

What else did we cover?

For sustainable performance we need to think carefully about what we want to eat and what will be good for us. Foods with higher protein and less sugar are essential. These days many of us feel as if we know this, but knowing it, and doing it, are two different things! Dr McCabe is also a Clinical Psychologist, so she’s well versed in behaviour and understanding what we do. She talks about the triggers that send you for sugar or alcohol and how these are driven not only by genuine hunger, but by cravings we’ve set up.

I found the topic fascinating and one of many, I hope. You can find out more information from Dr McCabe’s website and her books which include ‘Feed Your Brain’ available from her site, and Amazon. You can also find a useful download here on how to feel light and bright!