An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

-Benjamin Franklin

The prevalence of Alzheimer’s and other brain disorders are on the rise. In fact in 2006, Alzheimer’s disease affected 26.6 million individuals world wide and each year it has become more and more common.

Why the recent rise in Alzheimer’s Disease?

The Secret History of the Low Fat Revolution

Starting in 1992, there was a new diet on the block, and it was all the rage! (Hint: Low Fat! Low Fat and more Low Fat!)

In the early 1990s, the new diet a la mode, was the low fat revolution. This revolution was based on the popular idea that fats were making us fat and thus the healthiest diet was low-fat and high carb (because if fat goes down it has to be replaced with something tasty like. . . sugar?).

And who could blame us? It was so alluring to think that we could simply eat as many low fat Snackwell cookies as we wanted and still get healthier. O, if it were only that easy. . .

However, have you ever wondered where did this low fat, high carb diet came from? It actually came from the US government, specifically the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). That’s right, the USDA, whose job is  to make sure farmers sell their crops, were selling the US population on the benefits of eating more grains sold by . . . the farmers the USDA was trying to help. Hummmm . . .

With this, the low fat diet, supported by American Medical Association and the American Diabetes association, was adopted as the official dietary regime of the nation.

Did it work?

In short, no. Since 1992,

  1. The rate of Diabetes has tripled (3x)
  2. The Obesity rate has doubled  (2x)
  3. Also our rate of heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s have all increased as well (↑↑↑)

So clearly, this experiment has not worked.

What affect has our diet had on brain function and specifically Alzheimer’s disease?

First Lets define Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

Alzheimer’s Disease is is the most common form of dementia (a mental disorder that includes memory loss, personality changes and impaired reasoning).

Medically, there is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death. It was first described by German psychiatrist and neuropathologist Alois Alzheimer in 1906 and was named after him.

The Diabetes Connection

Interestingly, Alzheimer’s disease has been called type 3 diabetes, as recent research shows that as the brain becomes insulin resistant, by eating too many sugars and carbohydrates for too long, you are at increased risk to lose your memory, become disoriented and even lose your personality — ie you are at risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

So this leads to the simple conclusion that decreasing sugar and carbohydrate consumption is one of the best changes we can make to PREVENT Alzheimer’s disease.

Any other evidence to support this?

Grain Brain

Dr. Perlmutter, the author of the recently released Grain Brain, presents research that proves the more obese we are from eating sugar, carbs and grains, the more our brain shrinks. :O

He calls these degenerative changes in the brain associated with eating sugars and grain “Grain Brain”

Any other evidence?

Gluten Brain Connection

While we may be familiar with the dangers of gluten damaging the gut, new research is showing that gluten sensitivity can also affect the brain.

In fact, eating gluten causes the release of a hormone (zonulin) that breaks down the blood brain barrier – this is the protective layer that prevents the brain from potentially dangerous proteins in the rest of the body.

With this protective layer damaged by eating gluten, the brain is at an increased risk of injury which this is one reason why Dr. Perlmutter, an MD neurologist takes ALL of his patients off gluten to help them heal their nervous system.

What is the #1 change can we make to reverse Grain Brain and maximize brain function?

Substitute dangerous grains for the healthy fats, like butter, coconut oil, organic grass fed beef and chicken, olives, olive oil, coconuts, coconut oil nuts and seeds the brain loves.

So, if we combine the healthy fats, with a gluten free, low carb diet you are eating the best possible diet for your heart, waist line, immune system and really your whole body!

The same diet that is good for one part of our body is good for the whole!

Also, according to research published in the Lancet medical Journal in 2011, if you add 20 minutes of daily exercise and sufficient sleep to the #1 change above (less gluten containing carbs and more healthy fats), you will make your brain very happy and benefit from a 54% decrease in your risk for Alzheimer’s disease.