Ever heard of glucose? Maybe in connection with diabetics? Well, as it turns out it's not just important for them, but for all of us. So what exactly is it? According to the authors of Willpower, Roy Baumeister and John Tierney it is "...the simple sugar manufactured in the body from all kinds of foods, not just sweet ones." (p. 44) And as research has recently shown, it's vital to practicing self-control. Here are a few things you should keep in mind if you want to make sure you have enough glucose in your organism:
1) Feed the beast.
Meaning the potential demon inside you because of glucose depletion. Have a good breakfast, especially on days that you're stressed. Don't argue with your boss several hours after having had lunch. And I especially liked the authors' last example: "When you're on a romantic trip across Europe, don't drive into a walled medieval town at seven p.m. and try to navigate to your hotel on an empty stomach. Your car can probably survive the cobblestone maze, but your relationship might not." (p. 57) Nicely put.
Meaning the potential demon inside you because of glucose depletion. Have a good breakfast, especially on days that you're stressed. Don't argue with your boss several hours after having had lunch. And I especially liked the authors' last example: "When you're on a romantic trip across Europe, don't drive into a walled medieval town at seven p.m. and try to navigate to your hotel on an empty stomach. Your car can probably survive the cobblestone maze, but your relationship might not." (p. 57) Nicely put.
2) Sugar works in the lab, not in your diet.
"A sugar-filled drink provides a quick rise in energy that enables experimenters to observe the effects of glucose in a short period of time." (p. 58) Nobody wants to wait around for an hour until the body has digested something more complex, so using sugar in the lab makes perfect sense. But it's not a good long-term strategy since the sugar spike is immediately followed by a crash that will leave you feeling even more depleted. So stay away from sugar if you want to improve your willpower.
"A sugar-filled drink provides a quick rise in energy that enables experimenters to observe the effects of glucose in a short period of time." (p. 58) Nobody wants to wait around for an hour until the body has digested something more complex, so using sugar in the lab makes perfect sense. But it's not a good long-term strategy since the sugar spike is immediately followed by a crash that will leave you feeling even more depleted. So stay away from sugar if you want to improve your willpower.
3) When you eat, go for the slow burn.
"To maintain steady self-control, you're better off eating foods with a low glycemic index: most vegetables, nuts (like peanuts and cashews), many raw fruits (like apples, blueberries, and pears), cheese, fish, meat, olive oil, and other 'good' fats." (p. 58) They even tested these foods on teenagers in correctional institutions. The result? A sharp decline in escape attempts, violence and other problems.
"To maintain steady self-control, you're better off eating foods with a low glycemic index: most vegetables, nuts (like peanuts and cashews), many raw fruits (like apples, blueberries, and pears), cheese, fish, meat, olive oil, and other 'good' fats." (p. 58) They even tested these foods on teenagers in correctional institutions. The result? A sharp decline in escape attempts, violence and other problems.
4) When you're sick, save your glucose for your immune system.
Get this: "Driving a car with a bad cold has been found to be even more dangerous than driving when mildly intoxicated. That's because your immune system is using so much of your glucose to fight the cold that there's not enough left for the brain." (p. 59) Basically, don't trust the glucose-deprived brain for anything important, be it yourself or someone else.
Get this: "Driving a car with a bad cold has been found to be even more dangerous than driving when mildly intoxicated. That's because your immune system is using so much of your glucose to fight the cold that there's not enough left for the brain." (p. 59) Basically, don't trust the glucose-deprived brain for anything important, be it yourself or someone else.
5) When you're tired, sleep.
Sounds obvious, but all too often we don't follow this simple formula. When we rest, the body's demand for glucose is reduced.
Sounds obvious, but all too often we don't follow this simple formula. When we rest, the body's demand for glucose is reduced.
"Not getting enough sleep has assorted bad effects on mind and body. Hidden among these is the weakening of self-control and related processes like decision making. To get the most out of your willpower, use it to set aside enough time to sleep. You'll behave better the next day -- and sleep more easily the next night." (p. 60)So there you have it. 5 ways to make sure your body is getting the glucose it needs in order to practice self-control on a daily basis. Just have to start doing it now :-)
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