Open Thread #6: Blood Sugar and Brain Health

Metabolic health is an important pillar in having a healthy brain

I was thrilled to be in New Zealand during peak stone fruit season.

Hello, friends. I am writing to you on my way home from New Zealand. I always have my laptop charged up and ready on long flights—it is actually my favorite time to write to you uninterrupted. So today, somewhere between Christchurch and Jackson Hole, I am preparing a new mini-series of posts for February all about metabolic health.

Just what my brain needed—a new place to explore!

This is a big topic, and one that I am sure many of you think about a lot. What exactly is metabolic health? And how does it impact your brain health?

I like to think of metabolic health as a delicate balance in the way your body uses energy from food. This energy comes mostly from glucose (your blood sugar), which you get from consuming carbohydrates—vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, leafy greens, berries, and nuts and seeds. Yes, most of the brain-healthy food groups are the ones that fuel your brain and your body with glucose. You are metabolically healthy when what you eat is in balance with what your body needs.