The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control • Hacker News Board

Re: The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control

#21

Post by jackchristopher » Thu, Jun 18, 2009, 12:03 AM UTC

menloparkbum wrote: post #16

jackchristopher wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1. Lift. Muscle suck up glucose, improve (long term) sensitivity. 2. Eat fat/protein with sugary foods. Helps blunt the effect. [1] 3. Don't eat too many carbs. Even the AHA recommends below 60% because of other negatives. [2] 4. Eat the right carb sources. Starchy tubers are best: potatoes, yam/sweet potatoes, cassava and rice. And fruits like bananas, plantains and grapefruit. 5. Eat high GI foods unless your blood…

The carb sources you mention have very different GI loads. Potatoes are very high, Grapefruit is low. The rest are in between.

The GI is narrow we need a holistic view of food. What we're really after is long term glucose/insulin sensitivity. The GI too focused on one aspect of food. We know of cultures (e.g Chinese, Kitavans) who thrive on high GI foods [1]. I don't follow the glycemic index much.

That said, it is relevant. Eating low GI and low carb generally is good for the obese and overweight. It'll do wonders against prediabetes and metabolic syndrome because they're insulin insensitive.

[1] Against the GI: http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/search?q=glycemic

Re: The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control

#22

Post by jackchristopher » Thu, Jun 18, 2009, 12:08 AM UTC

decode wrote: post #19

overman wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Noodles and rice are pretty "spikey", beans are better though.

I always thought the long-term blood glucose levels were the reason that runners traditionally have a spaghetti dinner the night before a big race. Am I confused, or is there just bad science behind this practice?

I'm unsure of what you mean with "long term glucose levels". But runners carb-load. And bodybuilders eat "spikey" carbs after lifting to get the best recovery.

While not the greatest thing to do (carbo-load), they burn it off so it doesn't matter much.

Re: The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control

#23

Post by rw » Thu, Jun 18, 2009, 1:30 AM UTC

DanielBMarkham wrote: post #20

ovi256 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Free access to tax funded research ? Is that not socialism ? So good to see open scientific journals getting popular!

Socialism is where you take my work whether you pay me or not and give it freely to everybody else.

Correction:

Intellectual property theft is where you take my work whether you pay me or not and give it freely to everybody else.

Re: The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control

#24

Post by EricDZ » Thu, Jun 18, 2009, 1:53 AM UTC

I had previously posted skepticism at the article. I have reread it more thoroughly and thought about it at length, and now I feel that it could be highly accurate and applicable. The research is important.

Re: The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control

#25

Post by diN0bot » Thu, Jun 18, 2009, 2:02 AM UTC

seanstickle wrote: post #3

This doesn't bode well for me trying to use self-control to kick my sugar habit.

true, though there's a difference between candy sugar and whole wheat sugar. eating a slice of whole wheat bread versus a lollipop will probably provide the same benefit (if not better, being more sustained) without the desire to consume more and convert the sucrose directly to fat.

(afaik. i'm kind of speaking off of intuition here.)

Re: The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control

#26

Post by pygy » Thu, Jun 18, 2009, 6:10 AM UTC

decode wrote: post #19

overman wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Noodles and rice are pretty "spikey", beans are better though.

I always thought the long-term blood glucose levels were the reason that runners traditionally have a spaghetti dinner the night before a big race. Am I confused, or is there just bad science behind this practice?

Muscles have their own glycogen (polymerized glucose) reserves, independant of blood glucose, and impossible to mobilize directly for anything but muscular activity.

I'm not sure, but I think that's the point of these high carb meals.

If I'not mistaken, they also eat pasta for breakfast, delaying the use of these reserves.

Pasta are easy to eat in large quantities, and require little energy to digest.

Re: The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control

#27

Post by sho » Thu, Jun 18, 2009, 8:30 AM UTC

DanielBMarkham wrote: post #20

ovi256 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Free access to tax funded research ? Is that not socialism ? So good to see open scientific journals getting popular!

Socialism is where you take my work whether you pay me or not and give it freely to everybody else.

I am not sure if that is the most wildly inaccurate description of socialism I have ever read, but if not, it is certainly up there.

Re: The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control

#28

Post by billswift » Thu, Jun 18, 2009, 9:38 AM UTC

seanstickle wrote: post #3

This doesn't bode well for me trying to use self-control to kick my sugar habit.

You might try caffeine as a replacement for sugar. Some of my reading claims that part of the effect of caffeine is from its boosting blood sugar levels.

Re: The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control

#29

Post by nunb » Thu, Jun 18, 2009, 10:12 AM UTC

dtf wrote: post #13

There used to be a scheme in towns in the UK whereby police would hand out lollipops to people leaving clubs. Many clubs kick out at the same time (2am), mixing large numbers of drunken people in a small area. Drinking means blood sugar levels drop, which means people get hungry and competitive, and the end result is more often than not a large and violent brawl in the nearest kebab shop. The reasons given for the lo…

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/nov/28/police-binge-d...

From Rule Brittania to risible nanny-state, a sorry 77 years.

Re: The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control

#30

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jun 18, 2009, 10:14 AM UTC

diN0bot wrote: post #25

seanstickle wrote: post #3

This doesn't bode well for me trying to use self-control to kick my sugar habit.

true, though there's a difference between candy sugar and whole wheat sugar. eating a slice of whole wheat bread versus a lollipop will probably provide the same benefit (if not better, being more sustained) without the desire to consume more and convert the sucrose directly to fat. (afaik. i'm kind of speaking off of intuition here.)

[deleted]