To eat or not to eat – what does your brain say?
The desire to eat comes from many factors monitored by, and
instructions put out by your brain – in essence your level
of Brain Fitness. One specific brain region involved in
monitoring nutrition signals is the hypothalamus. This part
of the brain houses a complex set of brain cells that talk
to each other and talk to your bloodstream and digestive
tract to decide whether you need to eat.
If the hypothalamus system senses a need for nutrition it
will send out hormone signals that make you hungry, if not,
it will try to keep you feeling full. However, there are
other players in the drive to eat that come from emotional
centers and decision-making centers in the brain. This is
what separates us from other animals. Our behaviors aren't
as 'hard-wired' so we our more likely to eat
inappropriately just because we want to, not because we
need to.
The STOP signs in our heads
A new study published in the September 2007 edition of the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at a specific
brain region involved in this whole process, which relates
back to the whole concept of brain fitness.
Researchers looked at the activity of a brain region called
(ready for the long name) the left dorsal lateral
prefrontal cortex, or left DLPFC. This part of the brain
plays a role in inhibiting inappropriate behavior. It stops
you from acting on the impulse to do stupid things in
public, like punch someone who makes you mad, or say
something that you know you'll regret. It also stops you
from impulsively grabbing that donut when you know you
don't need it, which relates to this study.
Higher activity in the left DLPFC is associated with
greater control over impulsive eating. The new research
found that obese women had lower activity in this brain
region compared to lean or previously obese women (that had
successfully lost weight and kept it off). This was a
follow up to a previous study showing the same thing in
men. It's not really surprising but the cool thing is that,
the human cortex, including the DLPFC, tends to be
'moldable'.
Practice makes more permanent
We know that repeatedly practicing things that use the
cortex can make those brain connections stronger. For
example, if you repeatedly do Sudoku, you will get better
at recognizing number patterns. If you repeatedly do
crossword puzzles, you will get better at recalling words.
The new study is exciting because it suggests that if you
repeatedly work on impulse control you may be able to
increase the strength of the DLPFC and gain control of that
impulsive eating.
It all comes back to brain fitness in the end and how fit
your brain circuits are that control your behaviors. Just
like running or lifting weights, you can strengthen these
brain muscles and give your brain the power to have more
control over behaviors that you want to change. Like
anything else, all it takes is a little practice.
Now, excessive eating is not the only thing that controls
weight gain. Other factors that control your metabolism
contribute to whether you will gain or lose weight. Some of
these have genetic influences that are stronger in some
people than in others. But many of these can improve with
good nutrition and exercise as well.
The point to this article is that by practicing to change
the behaviors that you don't like, your brain will get
better at controlling them and it will get easier. No one
accomplishes anything difficult without practice and
experience – but eventually what once seemed close to
impossible becomes automatic after the appropriate
training. Brain Fitness is no different. With effort, you
can regain control. Just keep trying and give yourself time
for your brain circuits to strengthen.
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Master Brain Fitness techniques for you and your family.
Your Brain Fitness holds is the key to unlock your maximum
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Brain Fitness resources.
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