David Ghiyam

I'm going to give you the short answer and then I'm going to unpack it. Yes. It's because of the food they eat in the first place. The very foods that we are eating are rewiring our brains away from making better decisions.

I'm going to give you the short answer and then I'm going to unpack it. Yes. It's because of the food they eat in the first place. The very foods that we are eating are rewiring our brains away from making better decisions.

So let me simplify. We may have touched upon this before. I think we did a couple of years ago. And that is that let's say we have two main decision making parts of our brain, the five year old and the adult in the room, the five year old, the amygdala. I want the cake now. I'm staying up late.

So let me simplify. We may have touched upon this before. I think we did a couple of years ago. And that is that let's say we have two main decision making parts of our brain, the five year old and the adult in the room, the five year old, the amygdala. I want the cake now. I'm staying up late.

uh i'm not doing my homework i deserve it all the things the adult says um you know uh this is what you should be eating and i think you need to go to bed now and um you know these are your instructions this is what is good for you in the long run that's the prefrontal cortex So we have these two important decision-making parts of the brain that influence what we ultimately do.

uh i'm not doing my homework i deserve it all the things the adult says um you know uh this is what you should be eating and i think you need to go to bed now and um you know these are your instructions this is what is good for you in the long run that's the prefrontal cortex So we have these two important decision-making parts of the brain that influence what we ultimately do.

The amygdala, the short-term gratification part of the brain. That's in the front? Which is the short-term gratification, and then the prefrontal cortex, the adult in the room. When the amygdala is in charge, we think only of ourselves. We don't think of other people. We think of immediate gratification. We do not think of long-term consequences.

The amygdala, the short-term gratification part of the brain. That's in the front? Which is the short-term gratification, and then the prefrontal cortex, the adult in the room. When the amygdala is in charge, we think only of ourselves. We don't think of other people. We think of immediate gratification. We do not think of long-term consequences.

Gotcha.

Gotcha.

So what happens as we mature is that with time we establish a connection, a better connection, whereby the adult in the room can be more influential. So these areas are interacting. And we call this top-down control, where the adult says to the amygdala, yeah, I know you want it.

So what happens as we mature is that with time we establish a connection, a better connection, whereby the adult in the room can be more influential. So these areas are interacting. And we call this top-down control, where the adult says to the amygdala, yeah, I know you want it.

do what you want to do but here's what you should do and here's why so you're able to recruit all of this wonderful information that is now part of your experience base and explains to your decision making process why you don't want to eat what you think you want to eat as an expert in this field someone leading the research and been doing this for many decades where's the biggest challenge you face personally

do what you want to do but here's what you should do and here's why so you're able to recruit all of this wonderful information that is now part of your experience base and explains to your decision making process why you don't want to eat what you think you want to eat as an expert in this field someone leading the research and been doing this for many decades where's the biggest challenge you face personally

Well, I'm a lot older than you, so I've had to tighten up quite a bit. Really? Oh, of course. I mean, you know, I think you asked me last time if I could have my 30-year-old self inform me. I think the answer was stay out of the sun as much as I did and floss my teeth more often. But having said that, what are my biggest challenges, I think? And I don't really labor over sweets.

Well, I'm a lot older than you, so I've had to tighten up quite a bit. Really? Oh, of course. I mean, you know, I think you asked me last time if I could have my 30-year-old self inform me. I think the answer was stay out of the sun as much as I did and floss my teeth more often. But having said that, what are my biggest challenges, I think? And I don't really labor over sweets.

I think I could drink less. I think that, you know, I've been saying one to two glasses of wine a day and I might have more. And I have to admit that I should be more probably disciplined in that regard, but I don't mind how I feel.

I think I could drink less. I think that, you know, I've been saying one to two glasses of wine a day and I might have more. And I have to admit that I should be more probably disciplined in that regard, but I don't mind how I feel.

There's no benefit to brain health chemically, but as my son pointed out on a podcast to me, he said, there may be a benefit to the socialization that then happens when you're with people and you have that third glass of wine, which I'm guilty of. Sure, sure, sure.

There's no benefit to brain health chemically, but as my son pointed out on a podcast to me, he said, there may be a benefit to the socialization that then happens when you're with people and you have that third glass of wine, which I'm guilty of. Sure, sure, sure.