Alzheimer’s Disease – a form of dementia affecting 5.6 million
Americans , currently incurable – is preventable, according to The
Lancet Neurology, an established medical journal for brain research.
In Dr Joseph Mercola’s interview of board-certified neurologist and
nutritional authority, Dr David Perlmutter what it brought out and
emphasized is the important role of aerobic exercise and healthy
lifestyle choices: that eating a diet high in ‘good’ fats and oils, and
low in carbs can positively affect brain health and lower the risk of
developing Alzheimer’s.
Dr David Perlmutter is author of the best-selling book, ‘Grain Brain:
the Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs and Sugar – Your Brain’s Silent
Killer.’ In the book, he states: ‘Lifestyle choices, like aerobic
exercise, healthy fats, reducing carbs, including whole grains, affect
overall brain health, as well as risk of Alzheimer’s.’ Further, says Dr
Perlmutter, ‘a hi-carb diet, of which 20% comes from wheat-based food,’
can lead to Dementia, ADHD, Anxiety, Chronic Headaches , Depression and
other neurological diseases.
Gluten in wheat leads to gluten-sensitivity and the production of
Zonulin in the gut, according to Dr Dasano, a pediatric
gastroenterologist and research scientist directing the Center for
Celiac Research & Treatment at Mass. General Hospital, Boston.
Zonulin is the cornerstone of diseases characterized by permeability of
the gut and inflammation in the brain – Alzheimer’s, Autism, Parkinson’s
and Attention Deficit Disorders as well as auto-immune diseases’-
related to consumption of carbohydrates, says Dr Perlmutter. Dr Fasano’s
research shows that reaction to Zonulin is not confined to the 1.85%
with Celiac, but is present in 100% of the population.
According to a recent German study at the University of Bonn,
published in Neurology, a hi-carb diet has been directly related to
atrophy, or brain shrinkage, particularly of the memory center. A blood
test for hemoglobin, A1C, which assesses average blood sugar, is used to
correlate blood sugar level to disease processes, such as Alzheimer’s,
mild cognitive impairment and Coronary Heart Disease. Researchers
concluded that elevated hemoglobin A1C is directly correlated with brain
shrinkage, including the brain memory structure, the hippocampus.
Dr Perlmutter, in his book, ‘Grain Brain’, recommends aerobic
exercises, plus a diet rich in vitamin D, good fats’, such as coconut,
sesame and nut oil, flax seed oil – the brain is 60-70% fat, and
maintained by fats consumption – rich in above-ground vegetables, and
aggressively low in carbohydrates (60 gm / day). The book clearly
emphasizes restriction of gluten, wheat and carbohydrates and its impact
on brain health.
A switch to such a healthy diet and lifestyle can, says Dr
Perlmutter, effect neurogenesis, whereby we can have some control, or
programming of our genes, and neuroplasticity, renewing brain function.
Studies show that as a result, our memory centers can expand at 1-2% per
year, and increase connection of brain cells. He says that this dietary
approach can also apply to Heart Disease and brain health.
– Dr Perlmutter.com, Dr Joseph Mercola’s interview of Dr Perlmutter, 2013, PBS Grain Brain series.
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