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Can what you eat really make you better at your job? Is it possible that some miracle diet could boost your abilities as a barrister? You might have already guessed that there are no one-size-fits-all miracle diets, but it’s worth taking a moment to consider whether food could actually interact with the body to enhance critical qualities such as:
The good news is that food is indeed composed of molecules that act not only as fuel but also as enzymes, catalysts and structural materials to keep the mind and body functioning optimally. Furthermore, cutting-edge research is showing that serious conditions such as mental health disorders and metabolic diseases can be improved and even reversed with dietary changes. In this article, you’ll discover which nutrients, foods and eating strategies can give you the quickest wins when it comes to performing at your best.
Dysregulated blood glucose interferes with energy, mood and focus, but it also takes a long-term toll on your cognitive function. Glycaemic dysregulation, characterised by extreme surges and crashes in blood glucose and, often, chronically high levels of insulin, can precede the first signs of cognitive decline by ten years. Persistently elevated glucose and insulin are pro-inflammatory in the body, compromising blood vessels and interfering with the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Other effects can be just as insidious or they can be more obviously immediate – examples include:
So, if you want to perform at your best and protect yourself long term, you’ll want to get your blood glucose and insulin under control before you do anything else.
Identify the glucose in your diet: Sugar doesn’t always look like sugar! Starch is, in fact, composed of chains of glucose molecules. Starchy foods such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereals are broken down in your digestive tract into their component parts (glucose molecules) before they pass into your bloodstream as glucose. Evidence shows that avoiding plates full of these kinds of foods is a good first step to re-balancing your glucose levels. Use the quarter-plate rule – add some starch to your meals but make sure it doesn’t comprise more than a quarter of your plate.
Pump up the protein: Most people today are not eating enough protein to meet the needs of their body’s repair and maintenance processes. Protein provides structural materials – amino acids – for neurotransmitters, skin, hair, muscle, bone and more. It also delivers far less glucose into your blood stream than sugar and starch do. This is important by itself, but it also has the effect of keeping you fuller for longer. Take advantage of this and combine the winning tactics of:
Protein is incredibly hard to overeat, so judge your portion size by how much you fancy eating.
Know your veg: Root vegetables store their energy (sugar) as starch in their tubers, which means they are best limited for better blood glucose control. Other kinds of vegetables are very low in sugar, so accompany your protein food with a variety of these to ramp up the satisfaction level. They’ll also bring additional vitamins and minerals discussed later in this article. Seasonal vegetables might include:
Fat is your friend: You’ll know by now that not all dietary fats are unhealthy. In fact, fat helps you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and provides important fatty acids to maintain cell membranes, nerve sheaths (myelin) and the brain. Fat also has a minimal effect on your blood glucose and keeps you fuller for longer. Take care to avoid processed spreads and seeds oils such as soybean, sunflower and rapeseed. Choose:
Mind the gap: Avoiding snacking between meals helps regulate blood glucose and insulin. It’s a false economy to skimp on your meals – if you create satisfying plates containing protein, healthy fat, ample vegetables and minimal starchy foods, you will naturally feel fuller for longer and lengthen the gaps between your eating sessions.
The biochemical processes happening all the time in your body are made possible and regulated by vitamins, minerals and other substances obtained from your diet. Normal brain function, good mental wellbeing and everyday energy production rely on good levels of nutrients that include:
If you make sure to eat protein-rich foods and healthy fats, plus a variety of vegetables, nuts and seeds, you will likely take in these essential nutrients. Read on for some extra ways to ensure you’re getting what you need.
Eat fish rich in Omega-3 such as salmon, mackerel, herrings, anchovies and sardines to support myelin, brain and cell membrane structure. If you don’t like fish, consider a supplement; vegan supplements containing algal oil are available too.
Add liver to your diet or consider a supplement for vitamin B12, the crucial B vitamin that directly impacts energy, cognition, mental health and nerve function.
Consider a magnesium supplement. Magnesium supports over 300 processes in the body and is known in particular for calming the nervous system, enhancing sleep and enabling energy production.
Watch your vitamin D – testing and supplementation is advisable when sun exposure is limited as vitamin D is crucial for neurotransmitters, brain plasticity, healthy cells and more.
Seek out antioxidants – brightly-coloured berries and other fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices are high in compounds that protect the brain against everyday damage.
Drink green tea or consider a matcha supplement – the active ingredients in green tea help with stress reduction, cognition, memory and mental clarity.
The scientific evidence is clear that the choice of foods, nutrients and dietary strategies can make a significant difference to an individual’s cognitive performance, mental resilience and physical function. Can this make you a better barrister? Over to you to try it.
Caroline Hind is a registered nutritionist (PgDip, rCNHC) and lecturer in nutrition science, specialising in cognitive and metabolic health. Caroline is Head of Content at nutrition coaching company Nutrable.
Can what you eat really make you better at your job? Is it possible that some miracle diet could boost your abilities as a barrister? You might have already guessed that there are no one-size-fits-all miracle diets, but it’s worth taking a moment to consider whether food could actually interact with the body to enhance critical qualities such as:
The good news is that food is indeed composed of molecules that act not only as fuel but also as enzymes, catalysts and structural materials to keep the mind and body functioning optimally. Furthermore, cutting-edge research is showing that serious conditions such as mental health disorders and metabolic diseases can be improved and even reversed with dietary changes. In this article, you’ll discover which nutrients, foods and eating strategies can give you the quickest wins when it comes to performing at your best.
Dysregulated blood glucose interferes with energy, mood and focus, but it also takes a long-term toll on your cognitive function. Glycaemic dysregulation, characterised by extreme surges and crashes in blood glucose and, often, chronically high levels of insulin, can precede the first signs of cognitive decline by ten years. Persistently elevated glucose and insulin are pro-inflammatory in the body, compromising blood vessels and interfering with the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Other effects can be just as insidious or they can be more obviously immediate – examples include:
So, if you want to perform at your best and protect yourself long term, you’ll want to get your blood glucose and insulin under control before you do anything else.
Identify the glucose in your diet: Sugar doesn’t always look like sugar! Starch is, in fact, composed of chains of glucose molecules. Starchy foods such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereals are broken down in your digestive tract into their component parts (glucose molecules) before they pass into your bloodstream as glucose. Evidence shows that avoiding plates full of these kinds of foods is a good first step to re-balancing your glucose levels. Use the quarter-plate rule – add some starch to your meals but make sure it doesn’t comprise more than a quarter of your plate.
Pump up the protein: Most people today are not eating enough protein to meet the needs of their body’s repair and maintenance processes. Protein provides structural materials – amino acids – for neurotransmitters, skin, hair, muscle, bone and more. It also delivers far less glucose into your blood stream than sugar and starch do. This is important by itself, but it also has the effect of keeping you fuller for longer. Take advantage of this and combine the winning tactics of:
Protein is incredibly hard to overeat, so judge your portion size by how much you fancy eating.
Know your veg: Root vegetables store their energy (sugar) as starch in their tubers, which means they are best limited for better blood glucose control. Other kinds of vegetables are very low in sugar, so accompany your protein food with a variety of these to ramp up the satisfaction level. They’ll also bring additional vitamins and minerals discussed later in this article. Seasonal vegetables might include:
Fat is your friend: You’ll know by now that not all dietary fats are unhealthy. In fact, fat helps you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and provides important fatty acids to maintain cell membranes, nerve sheaths (myelin) and the brain. Fat also has a minimal effect on your blood glucose and keeps you fuller for longer. Take care to avoid processed spreads and seeds oils such as soybean, sunflower and rapeseed. Choose:
Mind the gap: Avoiding snacking between meals helps regulate blood glucose and insulin. It’s a false economy to skimp on your meals – if you create satisfying plates containing protein, healthy fat, ample vegetables and minimal starchy foods, you will naturally feel fuller for longer and lengthen the gaps between your eating sessions.
The biochemical processes happening all the time in your body are made possible and regulated by vitamins, minerals and other substances obtained from your diet. Normal brain function, good mental wellbeing and everyday energy production rely on good levels of nutrients that include:
If you make sure to eat protein-rich foods and healthy fats, plus a variety of vegetables, nuts and seeds, you will likely take in these essential nutrients. Read on for some extra ways to ensure you’re getting what you need.
Eat fish rich in Omega-3 such as salmon, mackerel, herrings, anchovies and sardines to support myelin, brain and cell membrane structure. If you don’t like fish, consider a supplement; vegan supplements containing algal oil are available too.
Add liver to your diet or consider a supplement for vitamin B12, the crucial B vitamin that directly impacts energy, cognition, mental health and nerve function.
Consider a magnesium supplement. Magnesium supports over 300 processes in the body and is known in particular for calming the nervous system, enhancing sleep and enabling energy production.
Watch your vitamin D – testing and supplementation is advisable when sun exposure is limited as vitamin D is crucial for neurotransmitters, brain plasticity, healthy cells and more.
Seek out antioxidants – brightly-coloured berries and other fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices are high in compounds that protect the brain against everyday damage.
Drink green tea or consider a matcha supplement – the active ingredients in green tea help with stress reduction, cognition, memory and mental clarity.
The scientific evidence is clear that the choice of foods, nutrients and dietary strategies can make a significant difference to an individual’s cognitive performance, mental resilience and physical function. Can this make you a better barrister? Over to you to try it.
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