Ah, inflammation. That catchall, nebulous term we've come to know and avoid at all costs. We recognize that inflammation is generally "bad," but the Perlmutters explain just how it decreases our brain function.

They note that it's not just chronic inflammation that does the dirty workeven acute levels of inflammation are enough to influence our decision-making. "Inflammation changes our thinking kind of right away. It doesn't require years of exposure," Austin says. "When you induce inflammation, people's decision-making is compromised. They start looking at the world from a present-focused instant-gratification model as opposed to a long-term-oriented thinking style."

It's a dangerous cycle, they explain, because the more you make those present-focused decisions, the more you demonstrate unhealthy behaviors that increase inflammation. And the more inflammation you experience, the more impulsive decisions you'll make.

So, how does one escape that inflammatory cycle? The father-son duo encourages you to figure out what behaviors are at the root of your inflammation (note: There may be more than one!).

"Inflammation might be augmented by your poor sleep quality, by your dietary choices, by your lack of exercise, or by the level of stress in your life. However you get there, it tends to compromise your decision-making that leads you to make more impulsive decisions that continue then to foster inflammation," David explains.

That said, optimizing your eating and sleeping habits and the ways you cope with stress can, in turn, affect your levels of inflammation. As with most aspects of well-being, many factors are connected and dependent on each other, so even just one small change has the power to (quite literally) shift your thinking!

Continued here:
3 Reasons We Make Bad Decisions And How To Reverse Them - mindbodygreen.com

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