wellness – Page 4

TED Series, Part I: Could Creatine Play an Important Role to Mental Health?

October 17, 2025October 18, 2025 NeuroAffective-CBT by Daniel Mirea

In this first instalment of the TED (Tired-Exercise-Diet) series, we will explore the intriguing possibility that creatine supplementation, long associated with sports performance, might also play a role in mental health, especially in disorders rooted in shame, self-hate, self-criticism, and general affect dysregulation.

Introducing TED in the NeuroAffective-CBT® Framework – Mirea’s Contribution

The TED model (Tired-Exercise-Diet) synthesises insights from neuroscience (e.g., gut–brain signalling, reward pathways), nutritional psychiatry, psychophysiology (e.g., sleep deprivation), and behavioural science (habit formation, conditioning). By organising these findings into three core domains, sleep, exercise, and diet, TED provides an accessible, flexible, and evidence-informed structure for lifestyle-oriented intervention.

But TED is not just theoretical: it is publicly presented and described by Daniel Mirea in the NeuroAffective-CBT® literature. Mirea’s “Tired, Exercise and Diet Your Way Out of Trouble” (TED model) is available via ResearchGate, Academia, and the NA-CBT site as a leaflet and white-paper introduction to emotional regulation through lifestyle (Mirea, 2023). In his description, the TED module is positioned centrally within the NA-CBT method, linking body, brain, and affect, the Body–Brain–Affect triangle (Mirea, 2025).

Within the larger NeuroAffective-CBT® programme (comprising six modules), TED is introduced early, immediately after assessment and conceptualisation. NA-CBT specifically targets shame-based disorders such as self-loathing, self-disgust, and low self-esteem, which often underpin psychopathologies like major depressive disorder and anorexia (Mirea, 2023). Addressing lifestyle factors may augment traditional CBT approaches (Firth et al., 2020; Lopresti, 2019).

Empirical evidence shows that improving sleep, increasing physical activity, and enhancing diet quality yield synergistic benefits for emotional regulation, reduction of maladaptive cravings, and improvement of self-esteem (Kandola et al., 2019; Irwin, 2015).

For clinicians, TED offers a concrete tool: integrate lifestyle domains early, personalise interventions, and use TED to amplify CBT. For researchers, it highlights testable mechanisms and opportunities for controlled trials.

This first part focuses on a lesser-known nutritional agent now attracting neuroscientific attention: creatine, a compound with emerging evidence linking it to neuroenergetics and mental health (Candow et al., 2022; Allen et al., 2024).

Why Creatine? What the Evidence Suggests (and Doesn’t..)

The Rationale: Bioenergetics, Oxidative Stress, and Brain Demand

Creatine helps the body make and recycle energy quickly. It acts like a backup battery for your cells, keeping them charged when energy demand is high. While we often think of creatine as something that helps muscles perform better, the brain also uses a huge amount of energy, about one-fifth of everything the body burns at rest.

In people experiencing depression or anxiety, studies suggest that the brain’s mitochondria (the cell’s “power stations” that turn food into usable energy) often don’t work as efficiently. This can lead to higher levels of oxidative stress – a kind of cellular “wear and tear” caused by unstable oxygen molecules that damage cells over time (Morris et al., 2017).

Taking creatine as a supplement may help the brain’s mitochondria work more efficiently, reduce oxidative stress, and stabilise the brain’s energy balance (Allen et al., 2024). Animal studies show that creatine can reduce stress in brain cells and even decrease depression-like behaviours (Zhang et al., 2023). Research in humans is still early, but the results so far are promising.

💡 In simple TED terms:
Why Creatine Might Help the Brain: Energy and Stress Balance! Creatine may help the brain produce cleaner, steadier energy, while reducing the internal “rust” that builds up from stress and poor metabolism, both of which are key targets in emotional regulation.

Human Evidence: Mood, Cognition, and Stress Conditions

Mood and Depression

Early studies suggest that creatine may help boost the effects of antidepressant medication. In one carefully controlled trial, women who took 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day alongside their usual SSRI antidepressant showed faster and stronger improvements in mood than those taking a placebo (Lyoo et al., 2012).

Several reviews of this research confirm that creatine seems most effective as an add-on rather than a stand-alone treatment (Allen et al., 2024; L-Kiaux et al., 2024). In other words, creatine may make existing treatments work better, but it is not yet proven to work on its own.

Although there have been no large human trials testing creatine by itself for depression or PTSD, brain-imaging studies show that creatine supplementation increases the brain’s phosphocreatine levels (the stored form of cellular energy). This may help restore low brain-energy levels often found in people with mood disorders (Dechent et al., 1999; Rae & Bröer, 2015).

💡 TED translation: Creatine may act like an energy booster for the brain, helping antidepressants “catch” faster and work more effectively. Within the TED framework, this fits the Diet domain, using nutrition to support energy stability and emotional regulation and, complements therapeutic work in the Affect domain.

Cognition, Memory, and Sleep Deprivation

Research also shows that creatine can help the brain think and react more effectively, especially when it is under pressure. Systematic reviews indicate that creatine can enhance memory, focus, and processing speed in conditions of metabolic stress, such as sleep deprivation, oxygen deprivation, or prolonged mental effort (Avgerinos et al., 2018; McMorris et al., 2017).

In one notable experiment, people who stayed awake all night performed better on reaction-time tasks and reported less mental fatigue after taking creatine (McMorris et al., 2006). These benefits appear strongest in older adults or individuals whose brains are already energy-challenged, for example, due to stress, ageing, or poor sleep (Dolan et al., 2018). In contrast, young, well-rested participants often show little or no change (Simpson & Rawson, 2021).

💡 TED translation: Creatine seems to protect the brain when energy is low during exhaustion, stress, or lack of sleep. This is what we call a reactive emtional state (reactive amygdala). It doesn’t make a healthy, rested brain “smarter,” but it helps a tired brain function more efficiently. In TED terms, it bridges the Tired and Diet domains: improving sleep quality indirectly and supporting cognitive endurance under pressure.

Key Questions & Considerations

Dose, Duration, and Uptake

A few muscle studies, led by Dr. Darren Candow, show that taking 3–5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day is enough to maintain muscle levels once stores are full. To load the system faster, some use about 20 grams per day for 5–7 days, which quickly saturates muscle tissue (Candow et al., 2022; Kreider et al., 2017).

However, the brain takes longer to absorb creatine. Imaging studies suggest that at least 10 grams per day for several weeks may be needed to raise brain levels meaningfully (Dechent et al., 1999; Rae & Bröer, 2015). Because around 95% of the body’s creatine is stored in muscle, the brain receives its share more slowly, which may explain why mood or cognitive effects sometimes take weeks to appear.

💡 TED translation: Creatine needs time to “charge the system”. Like building savings in a bank, the longer and more consistently you invest, the better the returns. Within TED, this reflects the Tired and Diet domains, combining steady supplementation with sleep and nutrition for sustained brain energy.

Sodium and Electrolyte Co-Ingestion

Creatine is carried into cells by a sodium-chloride transporter (called SLC6A8) (Tachikawa et al., 2013). This means that electrolytes, especially sodium, help creatine get where it needs to go. While not yet proven for brain outcomes, pairing creatine with a small amount of electrolyte water or a balanced meal containing sodium may improve absorption.

💡 TED translation: Think of sodium as a helper molecule, like a key that lets creatine into the cell. In TED language, this links Diet with Physiology: hydration, electrolytes, and nutrition work together to optimise energy flow.

Dietary Status

People who eat little or no animal protein, such as vegetarians or vegans, often start with lower creatine stores and therefore show a greater response to supplementation (Candow et al., 2022; Antonio et al., 2021). Interestingly, brain creatine levels appear to stay relatively stable across diet types, which suggests the brain has its own built-in regulation system (Rae & Bröer, 2015).

💡 TED translation: Your baseline diet changes how quickly you benefit from creatine. If you avoid animal foods, your muscles may “fill up” faster when you supplement but the brain keeps itself balanced. This reflects TED’s Diet principle: individualisation matters.

Safety and Misconceptions

Decades of studies confirm that creatine monohydrate is safe for healthy adults. No evidence links standard doses (3–5 g/day) to kidney or liver problems (Kreider et al., 2017; Harvard Health Publishing, 2024). Increases in serum creatinine after supplementation simply reflect higher turnover, not kidney damage.

The often-mentioned hair-loss claim remains unsupported (Antonio et al., 2021). However, clinicians should note that in rare cases, individuals with bipolar disorder have reported manic switching after starting creatine (Silva et al., 2013). These cases are very uncommon but worth monitoring in sensitive populations.

💡 TED translation: Creatine is one of the safest, best-studied supplements in both sport and health science. Still, as with all lifestyle tools, TED encourages personalisation and medical oversight, particularly in those with complex mental-health or metabolic conditions.

Implications for TED and NeuroAffective-CBT®

In clinical settings, creatine can and should be viewed as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for established therapies. The goal is to use it thoughtfully in context, and always alongside medical supervision.

Practical guidelines:

Screen and personalise: Assess kidney function, diet, and medication interactions before supplementation.
Adjunctive use: Creatine should complement, not replace, therapy or pharmacological treatment.
Dosing: A short “loading” phase of 20 g/day for 5–7 days, or a gradual increase of 10–20 g/day over four weeks, can be followed by 3–5 g/day for maintenance (Candow et al., 2022).
Timing: Best used during periods of sleep loss, cognitive strain, or emotional exhaustion, when the brain’s energy demands are high.
Integration: Combine with other TED domains, sleep hygiene, structured exercise, and nutrient-dense diet to amplify benefits (Firth et al., 2020).
Monitor and document: Track mood, focus, and physical function; adapt dosing empirically and contribute data to practice-based research.

💡 TED translation: Creatine fits naturally within the Tired–Exercise–Diet framework as a metabolic support for emotional regulation. TED encourages clinicians to see it not as a “pill for a problem,” but as part of a whole-lifestyle system, where sleep, movement, and nutrition all reinforce psychological recovery.

Summary & Outlook

The TED model (sleep, exercise, diet) offers a practical bridge between psychotherapy and lifestyle science, especially for conditions rooted in shame, self-criticism, and affect dysregulation (Firth et al., 2020; Lopresti, 2019).
Creatine demonstrates strong scientific plausibility and early clinical promise for improving mood, cognition, and resilience under metabolic stress (Allen et al., 2024; Candow et al., 2022).
The next step for researchers is to conduct large, placebo-controlled clinical trials testing creatine as an adjunct to CBT for depression and anxiety — ideally with neuroimaging to confirm its effects on brain energy metabolism.

💡 TED translation: Creatine may one day become a recognised “nutritional ally” for the brain, enhancing therapy outcomes by helping clients feel less tired, more focused, and more emotionally stable. For now, it serves as a valuable prototype of how lifestyle science can empower both clinicians and clients to target emotional health from the body upward.

⚠️ Disclaimer:
A final and important reminder: these articles are not intended to replace professional medical or psychological assessment and/or treatment. Regular blood tests and health check-ups with your GP or a private family doctor are essential throughout adult life, in fact increasingly relevant from adolescence onward, given the rising incidence of metabolic and endocrine conditions such as diabetes among young people. It is strongly recommended to seek guidance from qualified professionals, for example, a GP, clinical psychologist, a psychiatrist or depending on your personal goals and needs a registered nutritionist, indeed a NeuroAffective-CBT® therapist, who can interpret your health data (including blood work) and help you understand how your lifestyle, daily habits, and nutritional choices influence your mental and emotional wellbeing.

🧾References:

Allen, P.J., D’Anci, K.E. & Kanarek, R.B., 2024. Creatine supplementation in depression: bioenergetic mechanisms and clinical prospects. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 158, 105308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105308

Antonio, J. et al., 2021. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1), 13–27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-z

Avgerinos, K.I., Spyrou, N., Bougioukas, K.I. & Kapogiannis, D., 2018. Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Experimental Gerontology, 108, 166–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2018.04.014

Braissant, O., 2012. Creatine and guanidinoacetate transport at the blood–brain and blood–cerebrospinal-fluid barriers. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease, 35(4), 655–664. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10545-011-9415-6

Candow, D.G., Forbes, S.C., Chiang, E., Farthing, J.P. & Johnson, P., 2022. Creatine supplementation and aging: physiological responses, safety, and potential benefits. Nutrients, 14(6), 1218. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14061218

Dechent, P., Pouwels, P.J.W., Wilken, B., Hanefeld, F. & Frahm, J., 1999. Increase of total creatine in human brain after oral supplementation of creatine monohydrate. American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 277(3), R698–R704. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.1999.277.3.R698

Dolan, E., Gualano, B., Rawson, E.S. & Phillips, S.M., 2018. Creatine supplementation and brain function: a systematic review. Psychopharmacology, 235, 2275–2287. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-018-4956-2

Firth, J. et al., 2020. A meta-review of “lifestyle psychiatry”: the role of exercise, smoking, diet and sleep in mental disorders. World Psychiatry, 19(3), 360–380. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20773

Harvard Health Publishing, 2024. What is creatine? Harvard Medical School. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/what-is-creatine

Irwin, M.R., 2015. Why sleep is important for health: a psychoneuroimmunology perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 66, 143–172. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115205

Kandola, A., Ashdown-Franks, G., Hendrikse, J., Sabiston, C.M. & Stubbs, B., 2019. Physical activity and depression: toward understanding the antidepressant mechanisms of physical activity. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 107, 525–539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.040

Kreider, R.B. et al., 2017. ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z

L-Kiaux, A., Brachet, P. & Gilloteaux, J., 2024. Creatine for the treatment of depression: preclinical and clinical evidence. Current Neuropharmacology, 22(4), 450–466. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X22666230314101523

Lopresti, A.L., 2019. A review of lifestyle factors that contribute to important pathways in depression: diet, sleep and exercise. Journal of Affective Disorders, 256, 38–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.05.066

Lyoo, I.K. et al., 2012. A randomized, double-blind clinical trial of creatine monohydrate augmentation for major depressive disorder in women. American

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McMorris, T. et al., 2006. Creatine supplementation and cognitive performance during sleep deprivation. Psychopharmacology, 185(1), 93–103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-005-0269-8

McMorris, T., Harris, R.C., Howard, A. & Jones, M., 2017. Creatine, sleep deprivation, oxygen deprivation and cognition: a review. Journal of Sports Sciences, 35(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1156723

Mirea, D., 2023. Tired, Exercise and Diet Your Way Out of Trouble (T.E.D.) model. NeuroAffective-CBT® Publication. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382274002_Tired_Exercise_and_Diet_Your_Way_Out_of_Trouble_T_E_D_model_by_Mirea [Accessed 17 October 2025]

Mirea, D., 2025. Why your brain makes you crave certain foods (and how “TED” can help you rewire it…). NeuroAffective-CBT, 17 September. [online] Available at: https://neuroaffectivecbt.com/2025/09/17/why-your-brain-makes-you-crave-certain-foods/ [Accessed 17 October 2025].

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Silva, R. et al., 2013. Mania induced by creatine supplementation in bipolar disorder: case report. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 33(5), 719–721. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0b013e3182a60792

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Why Your Brain Makes You Crave Certain Foods

September 17, 2025September 17, 2025 NeuroAffective-CBT by Daniel Mirea

and How ‘TED’ can Help You Rewire It…

Why do some foods feel irresistible, while others barely tempt you? It is tempting to think cravings are just about taste, sweet, salty, sour, bitter, but the truth runs much deeper. Your brain and gut are in constant conversation, sending signals that shape not only what you like to eat, but what you want to eat again and again. But here’s the twist: those preferences aren’t fixed! With the right strategies, you can actually retrain your brain to crave healthier foods. One of the most practical tools for doing this is ‘TED‘ short for Tired, Exercise, Diet. Within the NeuroAffective-CBT approach, TED is one of the most compelling self-regulation frameworks. It uses the idea of an ‘imaginal friend‘, a life-coach or inner guide that can help you stay focused on daily choices which support meaningful lifestyle changes. These changes strengthen both physical health and immunity while also building psychological resilience, self-appreciation, and self-love.

Each component of TED – Tiredness (sleep), Exercise, and Diet, has strong empirical links to emotional and cognitive wellbeing. First introduced to the psychotherapy world nearly 20 years ago by behaviourist Daniel Mirea (Mirea, 2023), TED has become a cornerstone of the NA-CBT approach. At its core, TED highlights the Body–Brain–Affect triangle, showing how rest, movement, and nutrition work together to regulate cravings, balance mood, and improve overall health.

So, let’s think of TED as your inner coach and personal trainer, totally on your side but tough and fair, a voice you can hear all the time:

Tired → how well you rest shapes hunger, hormones, and food choices.
Exercise → physical activity resets dopamine and balances stress.
Diet → what you eat trains your gut and brain to prefer certain foods.

And now… with TED in mind, let’s examine how cravings really work and how to rewire them.

The Three Layers of Food Preference

Scientists generally point to three systems that explain why we like certain foods:

1. Taste Buds (Diet in Action)

The tongue is the first gatekeeper of food preference. It detects sweet, salty, sour, bitter and, umami (savory, meaty flavour), behaviourally guiding us toward energy-rich or protein-rich foods. This happens because specialised neurons on the tongue can detect sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness, and umami. They give us that instant “yum” or “yuck”. But taste alone isn’t the full story. What you repeatedly eat conditions your taste buds. A diet heavy in ultra-processed foods can dull sensitivity to natural flavors, while a shift to whole foods can make simple tastes more rewarding within 7–14 days (Wise, P. et al., 2016; Turner S et al., 2022).

👉 What does TED say? This is where D for Diet comes in: by choosing nourishing foods consistently, you retrain both your taste buds and your reward circuits. But also, E for Exercise: by changing habits and replacing eating with exercise rewiring occurs even faster and the brain is much more likely to ‘demand and accept’ protein-based products useful for muscle development.

2. Gut–Brain Signaling (The Sleep & Diet Link)

As food travels down the digestive tract, neurons detect its texture, temperature, and nutrients. Specialised “neuropod cells” are tuned to sense amino acids, sugars, and fats. These cells send electrical signals through the nodose ganglion straight into the brain, triggering dopamine, the neurotransmitter of motivation and reward Bohórquez et al., 2015. In other words, when sugar, fat, or amino acids hit the gut, they trigger dopamine release, shaping cravings at a subconscious level.

And here’s the worse news: poor sleep (The T from TED – Tired) makes these signals even stronger. Lack of rest ramps up ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and dampens leptin (the satiety hormone), pushing you toward high-calorie foods. At the same time, a diet rich in fiber, protein, and complex carbs strengthens gut–brain communication in healthier ways.

👉 TED takeaway: better sleep and diet quality work hand in hand to keep cravings in check.

3. Learned Associations (Exercise as a Reset Button)

The brain is able to link the flavour of food with its aftereffects, like blood sugar rise and dopamine rise after a sweet snack. Over time, these associations become powerful drivers of preference de Araujo et al., 2008.

As such, our brain learns fast to link specific flavours with specific metabolic outcomes. As in the earlier example, sweet taste plus a rise in blood glucose teaches the brain to crave sugar.

And even though artificial sweeteners and many fruits contain little or no glucose, when paired with high-carbohydrate foods (e.g., low-sugar jam with a croissant or fruit with cornflakes), the brain links their sweet taste to the subsequent glucose surge. Over time, this conditioning strengthens the craving pathway at both behavioural and neural levels.

However, regular and intensive Exercise (The E out of TED) helps break this loop. Movement not only burns energy but also improves insulin sensitivity and modulates dopamine pathways, making it easier to “reset” reward associations. People who exercise regularly often find it easier to shift away from addictive food patterns.

👉 TED takeaway: put together, these systems explain why food isn’t just fuel. It’s a constant feedback loop, where your body teaches your brain what to want. You can use movement to retrain your brain’s learned food-reward pathways.

Your Gut Is Training You

We tend to think of the gut as just a digestion machine. But in reality, it’s a sensory system. As food moves through the stomach and intestines, neurons are watching closely. They respond to stretch (how full your gut is), texture, spiciness, and even temperature.

The most fascinating players are those neuropod cells. They act like food sensors, tuned to the chemistry of whatever you eat. The moment they detect sugars, fats, or amino acids, they send electrical signals to the brain in milliseconds Kaelberer et al., 2018. The brain responds by releasing dopamine, making you feel motivated to seek out more of that food.

This whole process is subconscious. You don’t “decide” that chocolate cake is rewarding. Your gut tells your brain before you even realize it.

Sweetness and the Dopamine Trap

Sweet taste gives us the clearest example of how these systems interact. Humans are naturally wired to like sweet things — especially children. Sweetness signals calories, which the brain rewards with dopamine.

So what about artificial sweeteners? Why are those still problematic? As explained earlier, sugar reliably increases blood glucose and dopamine. Non-caloric sweeteners taste sweet but don’t raise blood glucose. And at first, dopamine doesn’t budge. But here is the twist: with repeated exposure, artificial sweeteners do start to trigger dopamine. Why? Because your brain learns to expect that sweet taste to mean “energy incoming” Tellez et al., 2016.

And as already mentioned things get even more complicated when you pair diet drinks (sweet but calorie-free) with a burger and fries (calorie-dense). Over time, your brain begins to link the sweet taste with a metabolic effect. Later, even diet fizzy drink alone can change your insulin response, as if it contained sugar Swithers, 2013.

👉 A practical tip from TED? If you enjoy a diet or low-calorie drink, it is probably better to drink it separately from high-carb meals. Otherwise, you may condition your body to release insulin in ways that throw off blood sugar control. But of course, it would be ideal to avoid sugar or sweetener rich drinks all together especially if your meal is equally rich in carbs and instead… simply replace it with water!

The Psychology of Belief

It’s not just biology at play. Your mindset about food can literally change how your body reacts. Stanford University professor Alia Crum ran a striking study: participants were given the exact same milkshake but told two different stories about it. Some were told it was “indulgent, high-calorie, rich and satisfying.” Others were told it was “light, low-calorie, and healthy”. The results? The “indulgent” shake produced bigger rises in insulin, ghrelin (a hunger hormone), and blood glucose. People also reported feeling more satisfied Crum et al., 2011. The same drink or shake but a totally different body response, based only on belief.

This is not the classic placebo effect. It is a belief effect: our expectations about food shape our physiology!

Rewiring Your Cravings

Here’s the good news: your food preferences aren’t set in stone. Scientists describe them as soft-wired, flexible and open to change. Studies show that if you consistently eat a food for 7–14 days, especially when paired with enjoyable or energizing foods, your brain starts to assign more value to it. Translation: it literally tastes better over time (Wise, P. et al., 2016; Turner S et al., 2022; Small et al., 2019).

This is why people in different dietary war-camps like keto, vegan, Mediterranean, etc. Often feel so passionate about their way of eating and fight each other in research facts. Their brains have been conditioned to find their chosen foods the most rewarding.

And you can use the same principle to your advantage. Want to enjoy more leafy greens? Pair them with foods that give you a metabolic boost. Over time, your brain will start rewarding you for those choices.

The Bigger Picture

At the deepest level, your brain isn’t chasing sweetness, salt, or even dopamine. What it really wants is energy for neurons. Food preference is just the surface expression of this survival mechanism.

The catch? In today’s food environment, ultra-processed and hyper-palatable foods hijack this system. They deliver intense dopamine spikes that make ordinary, healthier foods seem bland by comparison Johnson & Kenny, 2010.

But the opposite is also true: by gradually shifting your diet toward whole, nutrient-rich foods, your dopamine system adapts, and those foods become genuinely more rewarding.

Final Thoughts

Food is far more than fuel. It’s a dialogue between taste buds, gut neurons, brain chemistry, and even your beliefs. Together, these systems decide what you crave, what satisfies you, and what you keep reaching for.

Perhaps a useful analogy would be to view food preferences as being both hard-wired and soft-wired. Hard-wired circuits push us toward energy-rich foods. Soft-wired associations, however, can be reshaped through repeated exposure and lifestyle choices. And this is where TED truly shines:

Tired → Sleep enough to regulate hunger and strengthen decision-making.
Exercise → Move daily to reset dopamine and insulin sensitivity.
Diet → Feed your gut and brain with nutrient-rich foods that train cravings. Add products like vinegar, lemon, kefir to your diet in order to keep the glucose spike down.

Modern processed foods hijack dopamine pathways, but TED offers a counterweight. With small, consistent shifts, better rest, regular movement, and smarter eating, you can rewire your cravings and restore balance. In a well-known study, participants drank the same milkshake but were told it was either “indulgent” or “low-calorie”. The indulgent version triggered stronger hormonal and metabolic responses, showing that belief changes physiology – so the mindset matters.

This is where TED would demand from you a renewed and improved attitude and mindset:

Diet: Choosing whole foods builds a narrative of self-care that strengthens psychological reward.

Tired: A good sleep and regular rest bites improve emotional regulation, making you less vulnerable to comfort eating and in general emotions are more manageable due to a less reactive amygdala.

Exercise: This list is very long – builds muscle, burns fat, deals with insuline resistance and overall boosts confidence and reinforces positive self-beliefs about health.

✨ In short: TED isn’t just a checklist; it is a neuroscience-backed guide for aligning your lifestyle with the way your brain and gut actually work. By honoring the ‘big three‘, sleep, exercise, and diet, you can gradually teach your brain to want specific activities and foods that fuel health and wellbeing.