| Well, it's been about 3 months since this blog | | | | night, your mental performance will be impaired. |
| began, so I think it's time for a quick overview. I | | | | Guaranteed. The important thing is to find the |
| think it's finally to the point where if you just | | | | right amount of sleep you need. For instance, I |
| started reading my entries within the last 2 | | | | need between 7-9 hours per night. Less than 7, I |
| weeks, it's probably more confusing than helpful. | | | | feel like I've been ran over by a bus. I have no |
| Thus, this should help straighten things out. | | | | concentration or focus. Any more than 9, I feel |
| I'd just like to remind you of the most important | | | | groggy, and my mental sharpness is gone. I feel |
| concepts behind improving your mental | | | | like my head is in a fog all day. |
| performance. Like I said the very beginning, I | | | | Sleep is not so your body can rejuvenate, it's for |
| highly believe that if you can improve your mental | | | | your mind. That is the only time your mind can |
| performance, you will improve your success at | | | | rest. Important neurotransmitters are restored, |
| the table. Your brain is your most vital asset. So, | | | | damaged is repaired, memories are formed, and |
| let's get to it. Here are the 4 things that have the | | | | your brain becomes more efficient at what it's |
| biggest impact on your mental performance. If | | | | learned throughout the day. Sleep recharges your |
| you would just incorporate one of these into your | | | | batteries. In addition, a night's sleep has actually |
| daily regimen, you will reap the benefits. Think of | | | | been shown to solve complex tasks that were |
| these as investments for your poker career. | | | | undertaken during the day. How? Your |
| 1.Nutrition | | | | subconscious mind is still working when you sleep. |
| This is the foundation for every mental | | | | Guess what? It's by far the smarter of the two |
| performance enhancement regimen. Without | | | | minds. Have a bad hand at poker, and can't quite |
| proper nutrition, it is extremely hard to improve | | | | figure out how you should have played it? Sleep |
| your mental performance. Notice, I didn't say it | | | | on it, and just maybe you'll see the hand in an |
| couldn't be done. I've personally done it, and have | | | | entire new light. Hence the saying, "Let me sleep |
| seen many others do it. However, it's like playing | | | | on it." |
| with the small stack. You can still win, however | | | | 3. Stress |
| you better be perfect on almost everything else. | | | | Very few things are as detrimental to mental |
| So what constitutes good nutrition? Easy, 3 simple | | | | performance as stress. Cortisol, the stress |
| changes. | | | | hormone, has actually been shown to damage |
| Avoid quick-acting, high-glycemic carbohydrates | | | | your brain. You're under stress every day: your |
| (a.k.a. sugar). Why? Because they cause extreme | | | | job, your family, pollution, your diet, POKER, etc. |
| fluctuations in your blood sugar. Remember, your | | | | Your body is constantly fighting stress. Just take |
| brain primarily relies on carbs for energy. In | | | | a look at the number of prescriptions written for |
| addition, it doesn't have the ability to store carbs | | | | Xanax and Ativan. Ever seen someone have a |
| for later use like your muscles can. Thus, it relies | | | | nervous breakdown? That's caused by extreme |
| strictly on your blood sugar levels. High glycemic | | | | stress. Have you ever been on high dose |
| carbs are quickly absorbed into your bloodstream, | | | | prednisone, maybe for an injury or infection? |
| and then quickly eliminated from your | | | | Insomnia, lack of concentration, and even people |
| bloodstream. The end result is rebound | | | | losing their sanity are side effects of prednisone, |
| hypoglycemia which in turn results in drowsiness | | | | which is almost identical to cortisol. Or, have you |
| and impaired concentration/focus. That's a | | | | ever been under intense pressure, maybe a |
| rollercoaster ride you don't want to be on. | | | | deadline or a boss looking over your shoulder as |
| Studies have shown that the harder the cognitive | | | | you work? You were probably more prone to |
| task, the more sensitive your brain is to your | | | | mistakes. Why? Stress! |
| blood sugar levels. So for instance, poker is an | | | | Normal cortisol levels are good. When your blood |
| extremely mentally demanding. Thus, it would be | | | | sugar drops, cortisol can actually increase your |
| safe to assume that the mental processes | | | | levels thereby making sure your brain has an |
| involved in poker are extremely sensitive to blood | | | | adequate supply of energy. However, high levels |
| sugar levels. So, after about 30 minutes of | | | | are extremely dangerous. |
| chugging that sugar-laden energy drink, your blood | | | | Something that is extremely prevalent in poker is |
| sugar will drop, your thinking processes will be | | | | the abuse of stimulants, whether they are |
| impaired, and you'll be more prone to mistakes. | | | | prescription, OTC, energy drinks, or coffee. I get |
| Do you really want to make mistakes during the | | | | at least an e-mail a week from a poker player |
| money rounds? | | | | that's addicted to a stimulant, the large majority |
| How can you stabilize your blood sugar? Eat foods | | | | being energy drinks. Even though they know it's |
| that have low glycemic indexes such as | | | | impairing their performance, they're still abusing it. |
| vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc. If you must | | | | Why? Because it's addicting, and there's no other |
| eat high glycemic carbs, eat them with fiber or | | | | alternatives for energy. Thus, they overlook the |
| fats. Both of these have been shown to slow the | | | | jitters, the anxiousness, and the lack of focus |
| absorption of the carbs, thus preventing those | | | | because of the short-term energy. |
| extreme blood sugar fluctuations. If the | | | | See, these stimulants actually put your body in a |
| manufacturers of energy drinks were smart, | | | | stressful state. The majority of them affect |
| they'd add a little fiber to the drink. However, that | | | | norepinephrine and epinephrine (a.k.a andrenaline). |
| would defeat the purpose of having you reach for | | | | Like cortisol, these neurotransmitters are released |
| another energy drink when your blood sugar | | | | during those fight-or-flight stress responses. What |
| drops, and you begin feeling drowsy. Business 101. | | | | your gaining in the short-term, you're actually |
| Avoid fried foods, and consume good fats that | | | | losing two-fold in the long-term. Like I've said a |
| are high in omega 3 fatty acids. Your brain is | | | | hundred times, in poker too much energy is just |
| largely composed of fat. Every cell in your body | | | | as bad as too little energy. Both handcuff your |
| has a membrane that is composed of fatty acids. | | | | game. |
| Guess what happens when you consume all that | | | | The solution: For overall stress, rhodiol rosea has |
| fried chicken and french fries. Those fats get | | | | not only the most research supporting it, but also |
| incorporated into those membranes eventually | | | | the most real-world feedback. Why is it so |
| resulting in cellular damage and even death. Alcohol | | | | special? Because it's considered to be an |
| doesn't kill brain cells. Bad fats do! | | | | adaptogen. When your stress levels are high, it |
| Over the last couple of years, fish oil has become | | | | lowers it. When your stress levels are low, it |
| a popular natural remedy for mental disorders. | | | | raises it. When it's normal, rhodiola rosea does |
| Several well-known doctors and medical journals | | | | nothing. It balances your body and mind. Studies, |
| have documented the use of fish oil as adjunct | | | | some done on physicians and students, have |
| therapy for patients with mental illnesses. Not only | | | | shown it not only reduces stress levels, but also |
| have these studies shown these patients' | | | | improves cognitive performance. The Soviets |
| symptoms have improved, but they've also | | | | used it as a performance-enhancement drug for |
| shown these patients actually reduce some of the | | | | years. Those athletes were under extreme levels |
| psychotic medications they were using prior to | | | | of stress! |
| fish oil. Now, I'm not saying poker players are | | | | For stimulant abuse, look no further than |
| crazy. However, I know of a lot of poker players | | | | l-theanine, the future super ingredient for energy |
| that rely on prescription medications for mental | | | | drinks. Studies have shown that it prevents the |
| performance that are actually used for mental | | | | negative effects of caffeine, while still keeping |
| illnesses. Not only is that dangerous, but also illegal. | | | | caffeine's positive effects. In addition, the combo |
| Fish oil is the glue that holds your brains together. | | | | of l-theanine and caffeine was actually shown to |
| Take a stroll down the baby aisle at your local | | | | be superior to caffeine alone with regards to |
| grocery store. What do you notice? Almost | | | | cognitive performance. Take that edge off, use |
| every baby formula and most foods are enriched | | | | some l-theanine. |
| with DHA, a component of fish oil. Why? Because | | | | 4. The final one... Vinpocetine |
| studies have shown that babies who are fed | | | | Imaging studies have shown it increases cerebral |
| DHA-enriched diets actually improve brain | | | | blood flow, enhances oxygen utilization, and |
| development and performance. So next time | | | | improves glucose consumption, what I like to call |
| your fishing and decide to throw that fish back in | | | | the triad of cognitive-enhancement. Any |
| the water, take it home, and eat it. Your poker | | | | nutraceutical that's been nicknamed Viagra for |
| game will thank you. | | | | your brain is worth a look at. It's also the perfect |
| All 3 macronutrients are important | | | | synergistic nootropic. Imagine how much it can |
| Eat 4-6 meals per day, every 3-4 hours. Eat | | | | help deliver other nootropics to the brain. Now |
| vegetables, fruits (especially blueberries, the brain | | | | that's is purely speculative on my part. There are |
| fruit), fish, nuts, lean protein, whole grain, etc. All | | | | actually been zero studies to prove that. |
| three major macronutrients (carbs, proteins, fats) | | | | However, that's just me trying to put |
| have distinct roles in cognitive performance. | | | | two-and-two together. Like I said, I love this |
| Studies have been performed where the | | | | nutraceutical, and think it should be a part of |
| researchers served subjects breakfasts consisting | | | | every nootropic regimen. |
| of different ratios of the three major | | | | That was just a brief overview of what I've |
| macronutrients. After finishing the breakfasts, the | | | | discussed thus far. It's kind of like me playing the |
| subjects were put through a battery of cognitive | | | | game "If I could only take X amount of items to |
| tasks, testing different aspects of cognitive | | | | a deserted island." If I could just do 4 things I've |
| performance. The results: Each of three | | | | discussed thus far, it would be those 4. Those will |
| macronutrients played distinctive roles in cognitive | | | | give you the biggest bang for your buck. |
| activities, and the subjects that had a breakfast | | | | I honestly believe that if you can improve your |
| of all three macronutrients performed overall the | | | | mental performance, you can improve your |
| best. Amino acids, carbs, and fatty acids each | | | | success at the poker table. What speed is to |
| individually have their own role in cognitive | | | | sprinters and strength is to powerlifters, the brain |
| performance. Be deficient in one, and your | | | | is to poker players. It is your biggest asset. Take |
| performance will suffer. | | | | care of it, and even improve its performance, and |
| 2. Sleep | | | | it will pay dividends in the very near future. |
| If you're not sleeping between 6-10 hours per | | | | |