Every time I do it, I’m reminded of my mother’s words as I pile high the grocery store checkout stand - never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry -  but now scientists say you shouldn't make ANY important decisions while hungry either.  It’s all about controlling impulses.

Hunger hormones alert you to the desire for food but they also suppress the minds ability to make good decisions in general.  Researchers from Sweden explored this impulsivity by looking at rats.  So, if you think and act like a rat, this might be even more accurate but barring that - half the rats were given the hormone ghrelin, which is produced by the stomach in anticipation of a meal.  Ghrelin and has a negative effect on decision making. The other half of the rats were given nothing.

The rats were trained to expect a sugary reward when they pressed a "go" lever, as well as when they resisted pushing another level marked "no go" .  The data shows the rats given ghrelin were more likely to press the "no go" lever, despite the fact that they knew they would lose their reward for doing so -- this is considered impulsive behavior.  (I know a lot of rats who are impulsive but that’s a story for another time)  BUT don’t miss the message.

People are impulsive too and so a study like this offers areas of study for the future, perhaps for the treatment of psychiatric disorders that are characterized by problems with impulsivity and eating disorders.  (Daily Mail)

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