Grain Brain-An Important Book

According to Dr. David Perlmutter, who is a well respected board certified neurologist, the human brain weighs three pounds.  Interesting fact.  More interesting is the rest of his book Grain Brain in which he makes a strong case that the average American high carbohydrate diet is linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders.  He maintains that following a low sugar diet can help many conditions such as ADHD, migraines, depression, anxiety, memory loss, and epilepsy.  Furthermore, Dr. Perlmutter claims that by adhering to his dietary recommendations, which are backed by extensive current research, that other conditions can also be improved like arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, fertility, and more.

At the clinic I work at I encounter many people with Type 2 diabetes and see the problems they have to deal with.  I was interested to read in Grain Brain that diabetes increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease by 50%.  Alzheimer’s disease is becoming known as Type 3 Diabetes because of this connection.  He makes a strong case for why one needs to cut down on the amount of sugar one consumes; not just table sugar but sugar in grains, high fructose corn syrup, processed carbs, and even fruit.

Perlmutter goes on to show that other things that can contribute to brain ill-health is inflammation, gluten, statin drugs, and bad fats.  But the good news he shares is that much can be done to improve brain health, many times even reversing brain disease.  He strongly advocates shifting to a diet low in carbs; eating healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds; the use of certain supplements such as turmeric, probiotics, and coconut oil; regular exercise; and getting adequate sleep.

This is not just all theory book, and regurgitating of research.  No, Dr. Perlmutter has a medical practice in Florida where he has helped many, many people live healthier and happier lives based on the principles he shares in his book.

This is the first book review that Flipside Health has done.  I hope that you enjoyed the information, and I encourage you to read the book Grain Brain for a greater understanding of the content so that you can experience better brain health, as well as overall health.  Down with Type 2 and Type 3 Diabetes, and the many other illnesses assaulting us these days.