Barbell Shrugged

[Nutrition for Brain Health] How to Eat for Brain Performance and Longevity w/ Dr. Tommy Wood, Anders Varner, and Doug Larson #722

Nov 22, 2023

Dr. Tommy Wood, an expert in nutrition and brain health, joins the hosts to discuss the impact of nutrition on cognitive function, highlighting the importance of overall diet quality and specific nutrients. They delve into the benefits of intermittent fasting and explore the effects of alcohol on long-term brain health. The episode concludes with a discussion on Formula One races and the importance of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle on mental health.

56:25

Creator website

Episode guests

Doug Larson

Tommy Wood

Anders Varner

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

A diet rich in whole foods, such as sardines, eggs, and liver, can provide essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, choline, and B vitamins, which are beneficial for brain health.

Intermittent fasting can have cognitive benefits, increasing focus and mental clarity by switching the brain to a ketone-based metabolism, although extended fasting can lead to hyper-focus on finding food.

Gaining muscle mass through exercise, rather than caloric surplus without exercise, is beneficial for cognitive function and mental health.

Deep dives

The importance of nutrition for brain health

Nutrition plays a crucial role in maintaining cognitive function and brain health. Eating a diet rich in whole foods, such as sardines, eggs, and liver, can provide essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, choline, and B vitamins, which are beneficial for brain health. These nutrients support the structure and function of the brain, improve cognitive function, and prevent cognitive decline. Supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids or algal long-chain omega-3s can also be helpful. Testing nutrient status through blood tests and supplementing if necessary is recommended for optimal brain health.

Introduction

2min

Nutrition and Brain Health

10min

Optimizing Health and the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

3min

Fasting and Brain Function

14min

The Effects of Alcohol on Long-Term Brain Health

24min

Formula One Races, Brain Health, and Promotions

4min

Tommy Wood is a Senior Fellow in the Pediatrics Department at the University of Washington, and Chief Scientific Officer of Nourish Balance Thrive, an online-based company using advanced biochemical testing to optimize performance in athletes.

Tommy was born in the US to Icelandic and British parents (which means he has three passports in two different names).

He was predominantly raised in the UK, but also spent periods of time at school in Iceland, Germany, and France.

Tommy received a bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences and Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge before studying medicine at the University of Oxford.

He worked as a junior doctor in central London for two years after medical school, and then moved to Norway to complete a PhD in physiology and neuroscience at the University of Oslo.

Tommy is currently President-elect of Physicians for Ancestral Health, he is a director of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine and the Icelandic Health Symposium, and is on the scientific advisory board of Hintsa Performance.

Tommy has also coached and competed in multiple sports including rowing, CrossFit, powerlifting, and ultra-endurance racing. Alongside his career in medicine and research, Tommy has published and spoken on multiple topics surrounding functional and ancestral approaches to health, including examining the root causes of multiple sclerosis and insulin resistance.

Connect with Dr. Tommy Wood

Instagram

Website

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram