Enhancing the Mind

 

There is a symbiotic relation between the brain and the rest of the body. One’s psychology (mental health) both affects and is affected by the health of one’s body. A more fit body means a healthier mind. The brain is involved with your physiology. Many people divorce physical health from mental health. They are integrally connected. People forget that the brain is part of the body. What we call “the mind” is simply an emergent property of the neural activity in the cranium: the effect of a PHYSICAL process. Your psychology is thus a reflection of the physical health of your body. A note on nutrition... SEVEN things to avoid:

 

1. High-sodium foods (too much salt)

2. LDLs(low density lipids: the “bad” fats, such as saturated fats and trans-fats) Remember: the “good” fats are HDLs (high density lipids), such as omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) and the kind you get from nuts.

3. Refined sugar (anything ending in “-ose”)

4. Simple carbs (e.g. white dough/bread)

5. Anything processed and made in a factory on an assembly line (things that are mass-produced)

6. Large, gluttonous meals—especially those with a lot of simple carbs and sodium

7. Sleep deprivation

 

This last point is key. Sleep is very important. Remember, what I do with you IN the gym is DAMAGE your body (in a strategic, controlled way). We do this so that, after you’ve LEFT the gym, your body can repair itself, and thus make itself better. Most muscle repair happens during sleep. Half the story is what you do IN the gym. The other half of the story is what you do after you’ve LEFT the gym (smart eating, sleep for recovery, staying active, abstaining from activity that is harmful to your body, etc.)