the lethargy that you feel soon after a high-carbohydrate meal. This happens because the pancreas, the organ that secretes insulin, isn’t an instrument of precision; it’s more like a blunt tool, meant to help us store fat during times of plenty

They contain a little bit of nearly every vitamin and mineral required by the human body, including vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, and others. They also provide an abundant source of choline, which is important for both healthy, flexible cell membranes and a learning and memory neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. And egg

New research from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging suggests that fasting is able to “tune” synaptic activity, giving these high-activity connection points a rest as an energy conservation measure.

How to use: Add cruciferous vegetables to your diet and consume them raw and cooked. Just note that one of the two compounds that creates sulforaphane (an enzyme called myrosinase) is destroyed by high-heat cooking. Thus, cooked broccoli and other crucifers lose their ability to create sulforaphane upon chewing.

Sugar-Rich Sugar-Poor Wheat (whole and white) Grass-fed beef Oats Almonds Potatoes Avocado Corn Fatty fish Rice (brown and white) Poultry

But as a hormetic stressor, fasting is also able to turn on many of the same repair genes that we’ve already discussed, increasing antioxidant coverage and BDNF production.

be vigilant in your avoidance of polyunsaturated oils—corn, soy, canola, and other grain and seed oils—and ensure that you’re getting preformed EPA and DHA from whole-food sources like fish (wild salmon and sardines are great, low-mercury choices), pastured or omega-3 eggs, and grass-fed beef. On days that you are unable to get your dose of

But in day-to-day life, unintentional overload can occur at the expense of our executive function. The modern world can be excessively excitatory—music, electronic billboards, the light from a smartphone screen, the flickering of a TV screen, or simply the sound of a train entering the station. These are all factors that, when combined, can

Avoid antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers. Use only when absolutely necessary, such as when visiting areas of high pathogen exposure risk, like hospitals. Embrace nature. Spend more time outdoors, in parks, camping, or hiking.