I've long wondered about the effects of food on the brain. In the past,
when eating a non-paleo diet, I too found that my mind was much more
focussed and alert if I did not eat until around 5pm.

If I ate anything during the day, I would lose concentration and could not
talk as fluidly as usual. If the meal was a high-carbohydrate one, I would
feel so sleepy that I had to take a nap.

I had assumed that the sleepiness was due to carbohydrates causing higher
serotonin levels, but following this fascinating discussion has made me
look at other mechanisms that could be involved.

Has any research been done into this? Is there anything published on the
effects of blood glucose levels and the brain? I'll be researching this
myself, but if anyone has any links on this topic, I'd be grateful.

Persephone


Richard Geller wrote:

>I can't see how someone can follow this warrior style diet and have
>insulin resistance for very long. Now when I eat I feel the effects and
>get sleepy. It's very pleasant actually, relaxing. When I eat during the
>day I get sleepy too. My interpretation of this is that my body is very
>sensitive to insulin now, unlike before when I ate all the time. So my
>insulin sensitivity has increased a lot. How could it be otherwise? My
>body is maintaining a steady blood sugar level (presumably) all night
>and all day.

>The amazing thing is that I have a mental clarity (some would argue that
>;) ) and am able to work steadily in a focused manner without dips,
>tired periods or downtime.