Brain Biohacking. Part 2 - Reviews, Self-development

• Brain biohacking. Proven plan to maximize your brain pumping in two weeks
• Dave Asprey
• Mann, Ivanov and? Ferber. Moscow, 2018

Publishing excerpts from Dave Asprey's book

Given our hectic lifestyle, we are bombarded with a variety of stimuli around the clock. Some of them are completely harmless, but our biology forces us to respond to them in the same way. Constantly waiting for an attack, and then overreacting to small threats, keeps the body in constant tension, exhausting its energy and, therefore, our attention

Reducing the amount of energy available to the brain triggers an emergency mode. When energy levels in the brain are lowered, stress hormones are released to steal energy from the rest of the body. They make you feel like you want to either run away or kill someone. You get distracted, yell at others, forget what you were doing right in the middle of the process - in general, you do everything that you feel ashamed of until you finally have a snack.

See also: Brain biohacking. Part 1

Scientists have proven that there is a certain number of decisions that a person can make in a day, after which "decision fatigue" sets in. Making a choice is a waste of energy. So when you are tired, hungry, or have gone through many options, you run out of energy and start making bad decisions.

So the ability to make good choices is an indicator that your brain is performing well. If your brain has enough energy, you can make better decisions more often and remain calm for much longer when you need it. This alone can make your life better.

Using the techniques I have proposed, you will learn how you can get your cells to produce more energy and use it more efficiently. Even if you think your brain is already working well, it will work even better if it becomes more energy efficient. Ultimate goal: to make your brain stronger and more resilient. This can be done in four steps.

1. Stop doing things that weaken you

Yes, it sounds corny, but the problem is that most of us do not realize that it is precisely what we are doing that slows our brain down. Brain kryptonite is all around us: it's breakfast, a night light in our bedroom, and much more. Overcoming the effect caused by this poison takes up a lot of energy that our brain has no right to waste. By figuring out what exactly kryptonite is for you, and removing it from your life, you can release the reserves of energy that are needed for more important things.

2. Add more energy

To produce energy, mitochondria need oxygen, and they also need glucose or fat (and sometimes amino acids). This does not mean that the more carbohydrates you consume, the more energy your mitochondria will produce. In fact, everything is exactly the opposite. Mitochondrias work best if they can alternate fuel sources like a hybrid car. By taking a strategic approach to dietary change and nutrient intake, mitochondria can be assured of the energy they need. I'm sorry, but you will have to eat a lot of wonderful, delicious, fatty foods.

3. Increase the production efficiency of power distribution

Mitochondria cannot efficiently produce energy due to deficiencies in nutrients and antioxidants as a result of damage from various toxins, stress, or even lack of sleep. There are specific steps you can take to grow more mitochondria and make the ones you already have to function better. Of course, in the first step, this will contribute to the removal of toxins from the brain kryptonite, as well as some nutritional supplements and changes in your diet and lifestyle.

4. Make your mitochondria stronger

Mitochondria are commonly referred to as cellular powerhouses, and if you want to maximize your productivity, you need to get them to generate as much energy as possible. (Who needs a weak power plant?) One of the most effective ways is to give them an extra load in precisely the right amount. Just as lifting weights trains muscles, using certain techniques puts the necessary stress on the mitochondria to kill those that have already become obsolete and help those who remain to become stronger.

Which of the above steps is required to fully charge your brain? The answer is everything. But, you may need to spend more time on one or a couple of them, depending on your individual characteristics.

Don't forget three things

• Certain foods, environments, lighting, even some exercise can weaken the brain.
• All false stimuli - potential threats, ringing phones, flashing lights, etc. - drain energy from the brain.
• Forgetfulness, uncontrolled food cravings, lack of energy, mood swings, and inability to concentrate indicate that the brain is lacking energy.

Do it now

• Stop blaming yourself for your lack of willpower - it's not about your personality!
• If you need to focus, reduce the number of distractions in your surroundings: turn off your phone, turn off notifications on your computer, curtain windows.
• Make big decisions early in the day, before decision fatigue can set in.

To be continued