MENTAL ENERGY AND THE MIND – DIET
Metal energy output is closely linked to intellectual performance
What is mental energy? Is there any correlation between mental energy and the diet we consume? Since the fuel for energy for our bodily functions comes from the food we consume, there must be. But correlation does not always imply causation. How does the fuel from the food we consume turn into functional energy? Do genetics have anything to do with energy output of any person? Since we all consume similar food, why does mental energy output differ so widely? Could it be that smart brains consume energy differently?
Let’s first try to define what is mental energy. It is hard to define mental energy. To me, mental energy is the ability, motivation and willpower that enable us to fully concentrate on the task at hand and to do our best to accomplish it. By using our higher mental faculties such as thinking, information processing, remembering old experiences and knowledge, reasoning, objective decision making and acting accordingly, and also preventing emotions and other disruptive factors that might take over our decision making, and being able to focus on the task for as long as it takes, until the job is done.
Mental energy is produced by the brain. Our brain draws energy from the food we eat, just like the rest of our body. Our brain is only two percent of our body weight, but it consumes 20-to-25 percent of body’s metabolic energy just to keep its 86 billion of its neurons, and over 100 billion of synaptic connections between the neurons to function properly and commending all other organs systems to work and functioning properly. Once our brain is activated for a special task, its energy requirement and consumption increases even more.
In short, mental energy is the essence of everything we do, including energy for daily physical activities. That is why we all wish we had more of it, but we don’t know how? We don’t know what the best food is to boost our mental energy. We are confused because the present state of scientific research on nutrition is poor and therefore, we are not guided by the scientific facts. We are left at the mercy of giant food, food substitutes, vitamins and beverage companies. Their conflicting claims, misinformation and relentless advertisements influence our decisions to consume their products. We no longer know if a glass or two of red wine with the dinner we enjoy is good for us. We don’t know if high energy drinks will give us more energy or make us fatter with unneeded and empty calories, let alone if a substance from jellyfish would improve our memory.
Decades of research supports the MIND - Diet Which is a hybrid of Mediterranean and DASH – Diet (dietary approach to stop hypertension), as one of the heathiest diets to follow. Its heart health benefits are numerous, and it has been linked to less cognitive decline, Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers.
An interesting recent clinical research study about the MIND - Diet for preventing cognitive decline in older persons published in a recent issue of NEJM (Aug 17, 2023) with only three-year follow up shows that there was no difference between those who followed The Mind- Diet and those who did not.
