scienceofprevention Day 6 https://is-tracking-link-api-prod.appspot.com/api/v1/click/4549814666133504/5075654499893248 Host: David Perlmutter, MD, Board-Certified Neurologist & #1 NYT Bestselling Author EPISODE 6 OCTOBER 14: Eating to Prevent Alzheimer’s -r the connection between diet and brain health ================ in this episode: - The best and worst foods for your brain health - How to choose a diet that decreases your risk of developing Alzheimer’s - The science behind low carb diets, whole food, plant-based diets, ketosis, fasting, and caloric restriction and recommendations on which diets are best for brain health ================ diet plays a dirct role in determining levels of inflamation CARBOHYDRATES - processed foods, refined carbohydrates & sugars, not enough healthy fiber & fats - industrially prepared foods have the worst of almost every dietary component - - over time leadss to insulin resistance - chronic infl - type2d & type3d - sugar throughout the day keeps insulin level high, e.g., - - bkfst: oatmeal & glass of OJ, granola bar for brunch - - lunch: sandwich or wrap or rice bowl, coffee w/cream & sugar, another granola bar, banana or cookie for linner - - dinner: all out on pasta, rice bowl, sandwich, or, BBQ w/hi fructose corn syrup - insulin is a growth hormone, so, it contributes to fatness - high levels of insulin can contribute to brain insulin resistance - 2 ingredients of modern diet that cause infl - - refined carbs (sugar, flour, processed cereal, fruit juices - - refined veg oils: soy bean, sunflower oil, etc - - these foods are very addictive, esp carbs - - - stopping is like dealing w/a serious addiction - - sugar is addictive as cocaine - obesity & yo-yo dieting - - go on diet, loose weight - - go off diet, gain weight back - - next time, maybe 3rd or 5th time or 10th time it gets harder & harder to loose the wieight - - so overwhelmed by sugar, salt & fat added to food that it's hard to taste anything else - - thie type of poor diet is directly associated w/alz how food choices contribute to risk for alz - the way diff carbs & fats affect the brain - need to consume carbs, but, need the RIGHT carbs - - rapidly digested simple carbs raise blood sugars - - - the glycemic index - - - - foods that cause a repid rise in blood pressure, e.g., white bread & sodas, have a VERY HIGH glycemic index - - - - for good health, want foods w/low glycemic index because they're digested more slowly & therefore keep blood sugars steadier - - - - foods w/LOW glycemic index: above ground leafy vegies - - - the glycemic load: the impact foods have on blood sugar over time - - - - based on g.index and factors in the amt of carbs in a food to determind how the meal will affect blood sugar - - so, want to eag foods w/LOW g.index & a LOW g.load - - - these foods are also good for microbiomes - how diets high in sugar & simple carbs are bad for the brain - - eating refined sugar in sodas, baked goods, or table sugar causes spikes in amt of glucose entering blood - - LO glycemic foods/good carbs: complex carbohydrates bound w/fiber, bound w/micronutrients and slowly release a steady flow of glucose - - HI glycemic foods: simple sugars & processed foods like sodas and donuts cause inflamation in the brain & damage blood vessels in brain - - - the damage is cumulative & over time lead to stroke - biggest risk factor for type2d is obesity - - processed carbs increase risk, not just sugar, but white bread, white rice, potato products - - - the more processed carbs we eat the higher the insulin level goes -> insulin resistance & closely related is chronic inflamation - too many wrong sugars to often, i.e., the refined carbs like processed sugar, flour, fruit juice, processed cereal products cause big blood sugar spikes throughout the day in the body and the brain - - some of these refined carbs can be in energy bars - foods that tend to provoke infl start w/sugar - HI carb diets contribute to weight gain bu jacking up insulin & keeping it chronically elevated - - one of insulin's primary roles is inhibiting lipolysis, i.e., inhibiting the breakdown of fat - - if have chronically high insulin then you cannot release fat from the fat cells there fore hinders weight loss - - - affects weight gain because it's a storage hormone - - carb affects blood glucose & insulin responds to the blood glucose level - - - so, eat a lot of carbs and it raises the blood sugar and the insulin note: articifial sweetners can actually be damaging to our microbiome and are associated w/weight gain and increased risk for type2d - good carbs from leafy greens, asparagus & low sugar fruits like berries FATS need to be intentional about they amount and type of fat we consume - Eat Fat, Get Thin by Mark Hyman, MD - - Omega-3 fats are critical for the brain - for chemical transmissions that happen for regulating infl - - saturated fat is very stabilizing -> lower risk of stroke - want good fats from avacado, polyunsaturated oils for appropriate fuel for the brain 16:56 - good, natural fats that exist as is are animal fats, fats from fruits of plants, avacado oil, olive oil, palm fruit oil, coconut oil even saturated plant fats like coconut oil are healthiest for brain - fats to avoid are un-ntural ones: all vegetable oils - AVOID trans-fats, processed fats that trigger infl in body & brain - good fats are naturally occuring fats like avacados, olives, olive oil, nuts & seeds, specific types of fatty fish, grass fed meat OTHER ways to improve diet - cut out ALL JUNK FOOD, snacks & processed foods - go to fresh whole foods: vegetables, fruits & good sources of protein - plate should always include vegetables, and, 2x as much vegetables as everything elsse - diet s/b dense in nutrients & very low in empty calories (added sugar, added fat, foods that supply calories w/o nutrients or foods that raise blood sugar) - vegetables, fruits, high in bioflavinoids & caratanoids - cruciferous vegies, dark leafy greens, low sugar fruits like avacados & berries, grass fed beef, eggs - 80% of brain is water, brain is very sensitive to dehydration - good: nut butters, real dark chocolate - pricessed foods are calorie dense, nutrient sparce dietary approaches good for the brain: - emphasis on plants, vegies are cornerstone of a healty diet - greens are esp. healthy (anti-infla & oxidation) - beans are cornerstone of longevity - ketogenic diet - - need robust source of fat, instead of glucose - - good for brain, used for epilipsy, brain cancer, autisim, parkinsens, alz - - body's fuel systems: can run on fat & can run on sugar - - - running on fat is much cleaner - - - - reverses insulin resistance, increases stem cell prodiction, increases muscle mass & bone density, increases brain fcn - - keto flex 12 three - - - get into mild ketosis - - - min of 12 hours of fasting btwen finishing dinner and breakfast - - - 3 hours btwn finishing dinner and going to bed - - ketogenit diet improves brain health - - in crease ketones by... - - - lower glucose intake, viz., sugar & time release sugar, i.e., carbs - - to transition into ketosis use - - - coconut oil, medium chain triglicerides, ketone supplements - - for women hormonally, add into a ketogenic diet w/healthy fats & proteins the following: - - - plant based, micronutrient, low carb grains, herbs, spices that help w/digestion & detoxification - - may take a few weeks to get into keytosis, esp if you are thin, so, need to work w/doctor - - proper ketogenic diet shouls sill include plenty of above ground fibrous vegies that are considered carbohydrates FASTING - periodic fasting can imporove brain function and longevity - reduces infl - normally working on sugar stored in liver - if overnight fast, glycogen is not used up from liver, but 2 or 3 days fasting used up stored sugar and start burning fat - intermittant fasting can help prevent alz - gets body to use ketones as fuel foods to avoid: processed foods, sodas, chips, doughnuts, flour & other forms of refined carbs, foodw that have a high glycemic index, e.g., cookies, candies, cakes, pastries, cereals, things that have added sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, agave, honey, rice syrup, etc; unhealthy fats like trans fats, veg. oils, soybean oil, canola oil, artificial sweetners, e.g., aspartame, sucralose, saccharin foods to include: whole unprocessed foods, low-glycemic carbs, e.g., leafy greens, e.g., kale; cruciferous vegies, e.g., broccoli, cauliflower; beans, blueberries, apples, healthy fats from plant sources, e.g., olives, olive oil, avacados, nuts, seeds; fatty fish, viz., S.M.A.S.H. fish, viz., salmon-mackerel-anchovies-sardines-herring; organic full fat dairy products, free range organic chicken, pastured eggs fasting (in consultation w/a medical professional): - time-restricted eating, i.e., limiting your calorie intake to a specific period in the day - - & don't eat w/n 3 hours of going to sleep at night - - & fast for 12 out of 24 hours each day - ketogenic diet & fasting for longer periods of time like 24 o 48 hours KF!