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- An 1800s Dietician's Take on Content Consumption š§
An 1800s Dietician's Take on Content Consumption š§
The ROI and Dangers of Content
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a leading dietician in the early 1800s, famously said, āTell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.ā Over time, that idea evolved into the phrase we all know today: you are what you eat.
Modern research backs it up:
95% of serotonin (the āfeel-goodā neurotransmitter) is produced in the gut, linking diet directly to mental health.
Diets high in processed foods increase the risk of depression by up to 60% compared to whole-food diets.
Hydration plays a key role in brain performance. Even mild dehydration (1ā2% loss of body water) can cause mood dips and reduced focus.
In short: good things in, good things out.
Fasting also has its place. Studies show that giving your body a break can bring surprising mental benefits:
Participants practicing intermittent fasting for 8ā12 weeks reported a 58% reduction in negative emotions (anxiety, tension, anger).
Regular fasters showed 32% higher endorphin levels, associated with elevated mood and alertness.
Fasting reduces cortisol (stress hormone) levels by 20ā30% on average.
Said differently, taking a break from eating helps your mind perform at a higher level.
What if our relationship with the content we consume (and choose not to consume) intellectually is no different?
Like with food, you become what you consume and what you choose not to.


ā The ROI & Danger of Content Consumption
In the world of content, thereās potential for both return on investment and danger when consuming it.
When it comes to ROI, thereās no shortage of high-quality or high-quantity content today. You can answer questions about your industry during a podcasted commute and add new skills to your tool belt with a single leadership book. Information is everywhere, fueling not just effective growth, but efficient growth.
The danger, however, is content gluttony. We start living out the voice and skill set of someone else rather than discovering our own. We numb doubts, questions, and frustrations with information, thinking another podcast or book will fix the problem. And sometimes, we feed our minds and souls with unhealthy content, which, like junk food, slowly but surely produces negative results felt by those around us.
You become what you consume, for better or for worse.

ā The ROI & Danger of Content Fasting
In certain seasons, perspective is found not in the noise but in the silence. Creating space, through intentional content fasting, can bring a real return on investment.
When we quiet the noise, thoughts, emotions, and desires (both positive and negative) rise to the surface. That space allows for response, either to express gratitude for whatās good or to address whatās not and move forward in a healthy way.
That kind of clarity doesnāt come in the noise of constant consumption. It happens in the quiet and unseen.
At the same time, we live in an age of unprecedented access to valuable information. Swinging too far from content fasting to starvation can lead to stagnation and lack of inspiration, both of which carry their own risks.
Like food, taking a break from the noise can give your mind a boost by renewing perspective, gratitude, hope, vision, and rest. But too much fasting? Watch out.

ā Find Balancing, Not Balance
An older friend once shared that life is less about balance as a noun and more about balancing as a verb. In other words, making it a discipline to constantly reassess where to place more or less focus.
Content consumption is no different.
In some seasons, books, podcasts, and classes bring tangible growth. Perspectives expand, skills sharpen, and vision takes shape. In others, the same growth comes not from more input, but from creating space in the silence to rediscover those things.
Itās nuanced. It requires self-awareness, discernment, and feedback. But itās a worthy wrestle, the ongoing act of balancing.

ā My Story
I have sat first-class on the pendulum ride between content gluttony and content starvation. So, if youāve made it this far, know that Iām on the same journey of balancing content as well.
Iāve lived days fueled by the constant buzz of information and noise, mistaking it for progress while my soul quietly suffered. And Iāve lived days avoiding meaningful input altogether, believing everything I needed could be found within myself, all in self-sufficiency.
Gluttony and starvation. Neither was healthy. Both rooted in pride.
However, where little moments of health were found, I noticed pockets of time in the margins of life where I could both consume and fast.
For example (I credit Dave Matthews, who I write this newsletter with, for these habits. Take this as a nudge to ask an older friend for wisdom š):
Turning a 15-minute break between meetings into a no-podcast walk.
Rather than doom-scrolling during lunch, replace it with a few pages of a book.
Choosing a handful of trusted mentors rather than trying to hear from everyone.
I donāt live out the above nearly as consistently as Iād like. But I firmly believe that these quiet rules of life and many like them, practiced consistently over time, create real value, for Godās glory, the benefit of others, and our good.

ā A Quick Takeaway
Modern culture is rich with content, offering opportunities to consume and fast wisely or to slip into content gluttony or starvation. Like with food, developing a healthy relationship with content matters, because you become what you consume.
So, take time to discover what content balancing looks like for you in this season, and anchor it with quiet rules of life that help you grow with intention.

āTheYoPoll
š Which discipline do you practice better? |

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