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Music

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Angela Guo: So, it's the old adage[br]on what you eat

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when I ear sugary or caffeinated food[br]I often find myself, like unable to focus

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So, eating healthier food[br]has a significant impact on

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how well I can focus, as well as[br]how quick I can focus.

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Sanjay Gupta: That's Angela guo.

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She's a 17-year old senior at[br]Adlai Stevenson high school

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in Lincolnshire, Illinois.

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And that adage she just cited,[br]"You are what you eat",

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that's been around since the 1800's.

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People have known for a long time[br]just how much food affects us.

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But it's not just in term of[br]long-term health,

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but also short-term mood.

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AG: So eating healthier food has[br]a significant impact

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on how well I can focus, as well as[br]how quick I can think.

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SG: She may only be in high school[br]but Angela has already made

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the crucial connection between[br]what she puts in her mouth

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and how quickly that affects her brain.

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She even believes that[br]simple understanding

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gave her a real advantage[br]when she competed

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in the National Science Olympiad[br]tournament earlier this year.

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Announcer: First place: National[br]champions of the 2023 Science xxxx

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tournament: Adlai Stevenson[br]high school of Illinois, let's go!!

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SG: Now at this tournament[br]earlier this year,

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Angela and her team mates went up[br]against thousands of students

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from around the country.

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They were competing in events[br]highlighting chemistry, and neuroscience

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and biology.

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But here is the thing:[br]the entire time on Angela's team

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you really didn't see much sugar around.

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Instead,[br]there were lots of healthy snacks.

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AG So, even at school, I bring[br]my own lunch

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and it's just the asset of[br]knowing what goes into your meals

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is like really important, it kind of[br]gives you peace of mind.

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SG: The team did really well, and now[br]as they prepare for more tournaments,

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Angela, who now is team captain, says,[br]sure, they study hard,

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but what they eat, how they eat,[br]that's also top of mind.

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AG: when we do travel for science contests[br]our cook always makes sure that

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we are well stocked with fruit and water.

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SG: So Angela seems pretty convinced[br]that food helps her focus

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and perform well academically.

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Of course, that makes sense[br]but the question today,

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"What is the empirical evidence[br]to support that and how does it work?

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How exactly does food impact the brain?

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And how do we really know when our brain[br]is well nourished?"

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Uma Naidoo: Sugar is not xxxx brain