DRAFT SANDI SEPTEMBER 17

Fasting for mental clarity

September 17, 2025

In partnership with

Welcome to The Smarter Brain, a curation of thought-provoking ideas and actionable reads to help you build better habits and become more productive.

Happy reading - See you on Wednesday!

Cheers,

The Smarter Brain Team

Estimated Reading Time: 2 mins

3 Ideas for Better Habits

Fasting Rules That Rewire Your Brain

Renowned fasting expert, Dr. Jason Fung, on harnessing the power of fasting to heal the body and reverse chronic disease.

“The basics of good nutrition can be summarized in these simple rules. Eat whole, unprocessed foods. Avoid sugar. Avoid refined grains. Eat a diet high in natural fats. Balance feeding with fasting.”

The Red Flags of Over-Fasting

Bestselling author Gin Stephens, on unlocking freedom and health through the lifestyle of intermittent fasting.

“Never forget this: when you are over-fasting, your body will send you a very distinct signal: the urge to binge. Never ignore this signal. It is absolutely a red flag.”

How Food Programs Your Future Brain

Neuroscientist Lisa Mosconi, on fueling the brain with science-backed nutrition to preserve memory and enhance cognition.

“It is this continuous exposure to food that makes diet the most important factor ever to affect our DNA.”

Create How-to Videos in Seconds with AI

Stop wasting time on repetitive explanations. Guidde’s AI creates stunning video guides in seconds—11x faster.

  • Turn boring docs into visual masterpieces

  • Save hours with AI-powered automation

  • Share or embed your guide anywhere

How it works: Click capture on the browser extension, and Guidde auto-generates step-by-step video guides with visuals, voiceover, and a call to action.

Productivity Tools and Resources

The Surprising Mental Benefits of Fasting

Fasting doesn’t just improve physical health - it can also nurture emotional well-being. From greater clarity and focus to mood stabilization and mindfulness, intermittent fasting helps align both brain and body. Read more about these surprising mental benefits in this article.

Fasting & the Brain: A Science Check

Intermittent fasting has gone mainstream, but is it right for your brain? The Guardian explores both the physical and cognitive benefits, including better neuron function and possibly improved learning and memory. Find out if fasting is right for your brain.

Smart Coaching for Sustainable Fasting

BodyFast helps you master intermittent fasting with personalized coaching, smart plans, and powerful tracking tools. Build healthier habits, boost energy, and reach your goals with guidance that adapts to your lifestyle - making fasting simple, sustainable, and effective.

What We're Reading

Ben Greenfield Fitness Newsletter - Stay ahead with the latest in fitness, performance, and health optimization. Each issue brings you expert insights, actionable tips, and cutting-edge strategies to strengthen your body, sharpen your mind, and elevate your life - helping you perform at your best and thrive in every aspect of health and wellness.

Brain Food

Today I Learned: Fasting has been practiced for millennia across cultures to promote mental clarity and spiritual insight. (Source)

Science: Intermittent fasting increases hippocampal BDNF expression, supporting learning and memory. (Source)

Have a productive rest of your week,

The Smarter Brain Team

Resource Spotlight

Fasting Frontiers, Brain Fuel, Cognitive Reset

Monthly insights explore how intermittent fasting sharpens the mind - translating ancient practice into modern neuroscience. Backed by research on ketones, autophagy, and BDNF, fasting emerges as more than calorie control - it’s a catalyst for clarity, focus, and long-term brain resilience.

Fasting Signals, Neural Boosts, Clarity Blueprint

Monthly dispatches reveal how intermittent fasting flips the brain’s metabolic switch - enhancing focus, sharpening memory, and promoting long-term cognitive resilience. This deep-dive from NeuroLaunch translates the science of ketones, autophagy, and BDNF into actionable strategies, showing how structured fasting can trigger powerful neural adaptations. Designed for thinkers, builders, and change-makers who want to convert metabolic stress into mental advantage - without falling for diet fads or biohacking hype.

Mental Detox, Inner Stillness, Soul Clarity

Monthly insights explore how fasting from sensory overload and digital noise can help you reconnect with your inner self - calming the mind, reducing distractions, and fostering emotional clarity. This guide offers simple, mindful steps to create space for stillness, release emotional clutter, and rediscover peace within.

(Everything in the section above is an ad, book yours here)

How would you rate this newsletter?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Partner with The Smarter Brain and reach 8,000 professionals' inboxes. ​​Contact us to learn more.

If you enjoy The Smarter Brain, we would really appreciate you spreading the word by sharing the sign up link to a colleague or friend. Thank you!

​

Collaborate with The Smarter Brain