The biggest issue by far is that carbohydrates are absolutely at the cornerstone of all of our major degenerative conditions. – David Perlmutter
It may seem draconian, but the best recommendation I can make is to completely avoid grains. – David Perlmutter
Shoot for a total of no more than 80 grams of carbs in your daily diet. This means favoring vegetables that grow above ground like kale, broccoli, spinach, and cauliflower as opposed to those that store carbohydrate in the form of starch like potatoes and beets. – David Perlmutter
Food is medicine. We can actually change our gene expressions with the foods we eat. – David Perlmutter
The best diet for overall health, and specifically for heart, brain, and cancer risk reduction, is a diet that’s aggressively low in carbohydrates with an abundance of healthful fat, and this is the central theme of ‘Grain Brain.’ – David Perlmutter
As a practicing neurologist, I can tell you first hand that working with Parkinson’s patients offers clinical challenges. But from an emotional perspective, this disease can border on overwhelming. – David Perlmutter
So-called ‘complex carbs’ may actually represent a more significant threat to health than simple sugar in that they may not only raise blood sugar, but keep it elevated for a more prolonged period of time. – David Perlmutter
Increase your consumption of healthful fats like extra virgin olive oil, avocado, grass-fed beef, wild fish, coconut oil, nuts and seeds. At the same time, keep in mind that modified fats like hydrogenated or trans fats are the worst choices for brain health. – David Perlmutter
Saturated fat is a fundamental building block for brain cells. It’s certainly interesting to consider that one of the richest sources of saturated fat in nature is human breast milk. – David Perlmutter
Memory enhancement self-help programs abound and promise improved memory performance by the utilization of any number of seemingly unique techniques focused on the context of how information is encoded. – David Perlmutter
As a practicing neurologist, I place central importance in applying current science to the notion of disease prevention. – David Perlmutter
The bottom line is that this author, a practicing neurologist dealing with Alzheimer’s disease on a daily basis, believes we need to expand the public awareness that modifiable lifestyle factors have a profound role to play in determining who will or won’t get this disease. – David Perlmutter
Most grain foods, whether we’re talking about quinoa, amaranth, the very popular grains of the day – the reality is they still are associated with a carbohydrate surge. – David Perlmutter
Carbohydrates, whether derived from gluten-containing foods or other sources, including fruit, sweetened beverages, and starchy vegetables, are dangerous as they relate to brain health in and of themselves. – David Perlmutter
Inflammation is the cornerstone of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis – all of the neurodegenerative diseases are really predicated on inflammation. – David Perlmutter
The food we eat goes beyond its macronutrients of carbohydrates, fat and protein. It’s information. It interacts with and instructs our genome with every mouthful, changing genetic expression. – David Perlmutter
Even slight elevations in blood sugar have been shown to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. – David Perlmutter
The story of gluten as it relates to the brain throws a wide net, so much more encompassing than the inflammation of a small section of the small intestine that characterizes celiac disease. – David Perlmutter
Parkinson’s is described as a progressive idiopathic neurodegenerative disorder, a brain disease that will worsen with time for which no cause has as yet been identified. – David Perlmutter
In general, the public knowledge base and thus decision-making behaviors are far more influenced by advertisement than with current science. – David Perlmutter
Rarely, Type 2 diabetes develops without any readily identifiable predisposing factor. But in the great majority of cases, it is brought on by lifestyle activities, including, and clearly most importantly, dietary choices. – David Perlmutter
The science supporting the relationship between carbohydrates and dementia is quite exciting, as it paves the way for lifestyle changes that can profoundly affect a person’s chances of remaining intact, at least from a brain perspective. – David Perlmutter
Two forms of fat that are vitally important for brain health are cholesterol and saturated fat. – David Perlmutter
