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How good are you at making objective decisions? We all want to make decisions, quickly and effectively & make sure it is the right one! To make better decisions it is important not only to know yourself but all of your selves. Decisions and outcomes depend not just on your subconscious and emotions but on the ever changing physiological factors about the state of your body. One of the states that has been proven to make a huge impact on decision making is hunger. Never make a decision, certainly not important ones, when you are hungry! & here is why…The hormone ghrelin that is released before meals and is known to increase appetite has a negative effect on both decision making and impulse control. When you are hungry you have this hormone at increased levels in your body. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160509085807.html When hungry, the hormone ghrelin is produced in the stomach, the hormone has been shown to have a negative effect on decision making capabilities and impulse control. Increased ghrelin prior to meals, causes the brain to act impulsively and also affects the ability to make rational decisions. Furthermore, a study in 2011 analysed a thousand rulings from judges and determined that hunger played a key role in their decisions. The study found that just after a judge had enjoyed a food break, a prisoner’s chance of parole rose to 65%. However, a prisoner standing before a judge reviewing their parole before a food break had their chances reduced to a mere 20%. Put simply, decisions get reprioritised as other physiological needs rise in importance whether consciously known or otherwise. A prisoner’s fate is inexorably linked with the judge’s neural networks, which operate according to biological needs. (“Extraneous factors in judicial decisions” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 108(17) Danziger S, Levav J & Avnai-Pesso (2011)) Keeping blood sugars more constant, hunger at bay, and energy full, will help internal clarity and improve objective decision making, that is both fair and equitable to all involved. What does this mean for you? You should try to keep hunger at bay, especially in a busy working day. Pack your meals full of fats, protein & carbs to be sure to satisfy your hunger levels and keeping blood sugar levels low. Take a break to eat before important meetings. Don’t skip breakfast