People have become a lot more conscious of what they put into their bodies.
It’s popular to research and experiment and figure out what types of food and what specific ingredients, and even what source and process of manufacture are best aligned with health outcomes.
You don’t see this level of interest when it comes to what goes in the mind. But what you consume with your ears and eyes affects your mind as much as what you consume with your mouth affects your stomach.
Just as with food, it’s not so much about things being absolutely bad for you. With the exception of poison or spoiled food, most things that produce bad results in the body aren’t inherently bad, but are consumed too much and without a good balance of other nutrients.
I often find myself engaging in an activity that’s good for my mind – say browsing some interesting Tweets – and then suddenly realize I’ve consumed well beyond the point of benefit. Drinking a glass of wine or a cup of coffee is great. Downing several bottles or pots in one setting is not.
I’m trying to get more deliberate about what I feed my mind. I used to be able to pretty much rely on my curiosity to do that for me. But I find as I get older and more worn out by the duties of the day, I’m more prone to turn on autopilot and just keep consuming the easy stuff. I’m tired! I’ve earned it!
Another point for daily blogging: it forces me to tease something out of me brain every day, which makes me more aware of my brain’s health and what I’ve been feeding it.