The World's Best Book Summaries
How does trauma affect the brain of a child? Can childhood trauma impact brain development? Childhood trauma can have serious detrimental effects on the developing brain. If you think of the brain as a growing city, imagine trying to build structures on top of a damaged foundation. Eventually, the foundation may crack. Here’s how trauma affects the developing brain.
What is Dr. Gabor Maté’s When the Body Says No about? What is the key message to take away from the book? In his book When the Body Says No, Dr. Gabor Maté explores the connection between stress and disease. Maté argues that modern medicine fails to recognize the devastating effects of chronic stress on our health, in part because of misunderstandings about what stress is and what causes it. Here’s a brief overview of When the Body Says No by Dr. Gabor Maté.
What happens when you fast? How long does it take to start losing weight when fasting? What are the common side-effects of fasting? When you fast for extended periods of time, your body goes into a fat-burning mode. However, it takes some time to start seeing weight loss—your body needs to adapt to tapping into your fat stores for energy. During this acclimation phase, you may feel some adverse effects, including lethargy, headaches, and fatigue. Keep reading to learn what happens in your body when you fast.
What is time-restricted eating (TRE)? How does TRE compare to normal eating in terms of weight loss? Time-restricted eating is a way of dieting where you fast for most of the day (and night) and feast for a few hours. Scientists are on the fence with regards to whether time-restricted eating benefits weight loss. Some studies found that TRE has a significant effect on weight loss, while others found that it doesn’t make much difference compared to normal meal taking. All in all, it seems to depend on how long you spend in the fasted state. Keep reading to learn
Have you tried dieting for weight loss but found that the excess weight always comes back? Are there weight loss methods that work long-term? Dieting for weight loss rarely works in the long term. When the diet is over, many people find that the weight comes back. Some people even pack on more excess weight than they had before the diet. If this sounds like you, it’s time to leave a dieter’s mindset and instead adopt an intermittent fasting (IF) mindset. Here’s how to lose weight with intermittent fasting.
What do carbohydrates do for your body? Should you avoid eating carbs altogether? Many diets require you to cut out carbohydrates (carbs) to lose weight. But carbs play some important roles in the body, apart from providing energy. Moreover, not all carbs are villains. Keep reading to learn what carbs do for your body.
What triggers insulin release? How does insulin cause weight gain? Insulin is released every time you eat. Most people eat every few hours, which leads to chronically high insulin levels. Constant feeding means a constant influx of glucose, which is the body’s preferred fuel—there’s no need to tap into fat stores for energy. Keep reading to learn about the role of insulin in weight gain.
What happens in the small intestine? What is the role of the small intestine in the digestive process? The small intestine’s job is to absorb the food particles found in chyme into the bloodstream. From there, the particles travel throughout the body, providing fuel for our cells and building important structures. Keep reading to learn how the job of the small intestine.
Do you experience extreme hunger pangs when fasting? How long does it take for hunger to dissipate? It’s normal to experience constant hunger during fasting, especially in the beginning stages. As your body gets used to going without food for extended periods, you’ll begin to tune back in with your natural appetite signals. However, getting there will take time—in most people, these signals have been messed up by constant feeding. While your body is adjusting, learning to eat intuitively will help keep hunger at bay. Here are some tips on how to control hunger during fasting.
Do you struggle to stick to a regular exercise habit? What is the key to making exercise stick? Maintaining a regular exercise habit can be hard when there are so many things vying for your time and attention. Among work, family, and social life, exercise is often the last consideration, but it shouldn’t be—regular exercise is essential for both mental and physical well-being. Here’s how to make exercise a habit you can stick to.