Metabolic Health — Fuel for Your Brain

Mediterranean diet, time-restricted eating, and the labs that tell you if your metabolism is on track.

Your brain uses about 20% of your body’s energy even though it’s only 2% of your body weight. When your metabolism is broken — when you have insulin resistance — your brain doesn’t get the fuel it needs. This disrupts everything from memory to mood to the glymphatic system.

What to eat: Real food. The Mediterranean diet is the most studied. A UK study of 60,000 adults found people who ate closest to it had about 23% lower dementia risk. See: research. The FINGER trial (a massive intervention study) showed that a Mediterranean-style diet, combined with other lifestyle changes, reduced cognitive decline by 30%. See: FINGER trial.

What to cut back on: Sugar and processed food. They spike insulin and trigger inflammation.

Timing: Try time-restricted eating (eat within a 6–12 hour window). This gives your digestive system a break and helps metabolic health.

Know your numbers

• Fasting blood sugar
• Insulin
• HbA1c (3-month average blood sugar)
• Triglyceride-to-HDL ratio