Brain Food: Nutrition Hacks for High-Performance Founders
Health & Wellness

Brain Food: Nutrition Hacks for High-Performance Founders

Glucose spikes are killing your afternoon focus. Learn what to eat to maintain steady energy levels throughout the workday.

Dec 11, 2025
9 min read
Brain Food: Nutrition Hacks for High-Performance Founders

2:00 PM. The post-lunch slump. Your eyes are heavy, and your brain feels meaningful like fog. This isn't "normal fatigue"; it's a biological response to what you just ate.

The Glucose Rollercoaster

Carb-heavy lunches (pizza, sandwiches, pasta) cause a rapid spike in blood sugar. Insulin rushes in to manage it, causing a crash 90 minutes later. The Solution: Flatten the curve.

Hack 1: Savory Breakfasts

Start the day with protein and fats, not sugar.

  • Swap: Cereal/Pastry -> Eggs/Avocado/Greek Yogurt.
  • Why: Sets a stable baseline for the day.

Hack 2: Order of Operations

Eat food in the right order to reduce glucose impact:

  1. Variables (Fiber) first.
  2. Proteins/Fats second.
  3. Carbs/Starches last.

Hack 3: Hydration != Coffee

Caffeine blocks adenosine (sleep pressure), but it doesn't hydrate you. Being 1% dehydrated drops cognitive function by 5%.

  • Rule: 1 glass of water for every cup of coffee.

Conclusion

Your brain consumes 20% of your body's energy. Feed it premium fuel, and you'll get premium performance.