Leading neurologist David Perlmutter says our low-fat diet is causing brain disorders but the damage can be reversed. When it comes to preserving our brain’s health and our mental faculties, we tend to think that it is not really up to us. It’s a matter of luck whether we become senile or not, because it is down to our genes.
But in a provocative new book that is topping bestseller lists, neurologist David Perlmutter argues that the opposite is true and that we have much more control over our brain than we think. The origin of brain disease such as dementia is predominantly dietary, he says, and the result of us consuming too many carbohydrates particularly wheat-based bread and pasta as well as sugar and too few healthy fats. If we change our eating habits, we can dramatically reduce the risk of debilitating brain disease in the future and keep our gray matter healthy, vibrant and sharp.
Researchers have known for some time that the cornerstone of brain disorders is inflammation, he says. Gluten consumed through wheat and other grains and a high carbohydrate diet are among the most prominent stimulators of inflammatory pathways that reach the brain, the Florida-based doctor says. When the brain is bombarded by these inflammatory ingredients that irritate the nervous system, the damage can start with daily nuisances like headaches and unexplained anxiety and progress to more sinister disorders like depression and dementia.
While digestive disorders and food allergies are easier to spot because symptoms such as bloating, pain and constipation or diarrhea emerge relatively quickly, the brain may be under assault because of what we eat and we do not know it. Unless you are nursing a headache or managing a neurological condition that’s clearly evident, it can be hard to know what’s going on in the brain until it’s too late. Once the diagnosis is something like Alzheimer’s, there is no treatment, says Perlmutter, who has been studying brain disease for 35 years and whose neurological clinic has a year-long waiting list.
All the latest science points to gluten triggering not just intestinal disorders but headaches, depression, dementia, schizophrenia, epilepsy, ADHD and even decreased libido, he asserts in his book Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs and Sugar Your Brain’s Silent Killers. The respected neurologist calls gluten sensitivity “the greatest and most under-recognized health threat to humanity” and says it is not just an issue for the minority of the population that has celiac disease. As many as 40 percent of us cannot properly process gluten, and the remaining 60 percent of us could be at risk. All of our brains are sensitive to gluten, he thinks.
Perlmutter, a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, says we should forget the idea that a low-fat, high-carb diet is good and cholesterol is bad. Instead we should follow a highfat, low-carb diet. He says people currently consume about 60 per cent carbs, 20 per cent protein and 20 per cent fat. He thinks it should be 75 percent fat, 20 percent protein and 5 percent carbs.
There is no need for grains in human physiology whatsoever, he says emphatically. “For 99.9 per cent of our time on this planet, we have been grain-free, high-fat and low-carb. We haven’t eaten grains until very recently, when agriculture began about 10,000 years ago. We’ve been here for 2.5 million years, not eating grains, and there’s nothing offered in grains that can’t be made up by having a very healthful diet.
Show me the scientific evidence of the need for grains. It doesn’t exist.”
We all know that refined flours and pastas are bad for us, but even so-called healthful grains, such as whole wheat, stone ground and whole grain, are associated with carbohydrate surges. They have a fairly high glycaemic index, which raises blood sugar, and even mild elevations of blood sugar are devastating for the brain because it dramatically increases inflammation,
Fats and cholesterol are also good for the brain, he says. In essence, his argument is that cholesterol acts as a facilitator for the brain to communicate and function properly and serves as a powerful anti-oxidant that protects the brain from damaging chemicals called free radicals. The brain also considers fat a superfuel.
Fat is the brain’s friend. In fact, the risk of having dementia in individuals consuming the most fat is actually dramatically reduced, compared to those who consume carbohydrates,” he says. Good fats, certainly not hydrogenated trans fats, but good and healthful fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, grass-fed beef and wild fish these things actually tend to reduce inflammation within human physiology.”
For most people, the thought of giving up many favorite foods by going on a low-carb diet is terrifying, he acknowledges, but they can be replaced with other foods that we have been told to avoid such as butter, meat, cheese and eggs.
As soon as you shift your body’s metabolism from relying on carbs to relying on fat and protein, you’ll not only start to safeguard your brain but you’ll see other positives like sleeping better, gaining energy, losing weight effortlessly and enjoying a better sex life, the neurologist writes encouragingly in the book.
Perlmutter has also put together masses of scientific evidence that supports the theory that even subtle elevations of blood sugar are bad for the brain. In 2012, the Mayo Clinic published a study that said the risk of becoming demented was increased by 89 percent in individuals with a high-carb diet and decreased by 44 percent in individuals with a high-fat diet. The New England Journal of Medicine recruited 524 individuals whose average age was 76 and measured their fasting blood sugar. The test subjects were followed for a few years and in 2013 the NEJM determined that the individuals who got dementia were the ones who initially had mild elevations of blood sugar. In Sheffield, neurologist Dr. Marios Hadjivassiliou has published research showing that gluten sensitivity is significantly associated with neurological problems such as chronic headaches, foggy brain and other cognition difficulties.
The brain has been completely isolated from the notion of preventive medicine until now, says Perlmutter. For years, he adds, we have been told that there are heart-smart diets and cancer-preventing diets and diets to strengthen our bones, but few people know about the importance of nutrition when it comes to the brain. The brain is far more receptive and sensitive to the lifestyle choices that we make than any other part of the body,” he concludes. “We have this wonderful ability to control the destiny of our brain function moving forward and that’s the message that I’m trying to get across.
Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs and Sugar Your Brain’s Silent Killers by Dr. David Perlmutter,Hodder is available now from Yellow Kite (Hodder & Stoughton)
What to eat frequently
Eat plenty of olive oil, organic butter, avocados and other good fat. Healthy fats such as extra-virgin olive oil are a rich source of brain supportive fat. Coconut oil is a superfuel for the brain,
reducing inflammation and stimulating the growth of new brain cells. Sesame oil, coconut oil, organic butter, ghee, almond milk, nuts and nut butters, avocados, olives and cheese except for blue cheeses are also excellent sources. The following seeds are also a good source of healthy fats: flaxseed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds.
Salmon, oily fish and poultry. Herring, trout, salmon and sardines are rich sources of the fundamentally important omega-3 DHA, which has been associated with decreased risk of dementia. You should also eat plenty of shellfish and mollusks shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, clams and oysters. Red meat and poultry are a good source of vitamin B12, which protects against brain shrinkage, linked with Alzheimer’s disease. Try to eat grass-fed red meat.
Free range eggs. Eggs provide healthy saturated fat, a fundamental building block for brains, and yet they are among the most maligned foods in the modern era. Please don’t be afraid of them. They can be the best way to start the day and set the tone for blood-sugar balance. Hard-boiled eggs are a great snack.
Kale, lettuce, spinach. Leafy vegetables contain magnesium, which benefits brain cell receptors and allows more blood flow to the brain. Eat plenty of lettuce, spinach, broccoli (which contains a chemical that actually turns-on the genes that increase the production of brain protective antioxidants, kale a wonderful source of the B vitamins, which are essential for brain health, chard, cabbage, onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, artichoke, alfalfa sprouts, green beans, bok choy, radishes, watercress, turnip, asparagus, garlic, leek, fennel, shallots, ginger, parsley, water chestnuts and celery. Celery is a source of luteolin, which calms inflammation in the brain
Low-sugar fruit. Low-sugar fruit such as lemons and limes and blueberries contain antioxidants, which help cognitive function, including memory. You should also eat plenty of avocado (a rich source of brain supportive fat), bell peppers, cucumber, tomato, courgettes, squash, pumpkin and aubergine.
Turmeric. Turmeric is particularly beneficial because it contains the anti-inflammatory antioxidant curcumin, which can boost memory and stimulate the growth of new brain cells. Otherwise, there are virtually no restrictions on herbs and seasonings. Avoid ketchup and chutney but enjoy mustard, horseradish, tapenade and salsa if they are free of gluten, wheat, soy and sugar check labels.
Eat in moderation ideally, just a couple of times per week
Buckwheat, rice Non-gluten grains such as amaranth, buckwheat, rice brown, white, wild, millet and quinoa can be eaten in moderation. Oats do not naturally contain gluten; however, they are frequently contaminated with gluten because they are processed at mills that also handle wheat. Avoid them unless they come with a guarantee that they are gluten-free. When non- gluten grains are processed for human consumption, their physical structure changes and this increases the risk of an inflammatory reaction.
Limit these foods
Dairy. Use cow’s milk and cream sparingly. Cottage cheese and yoghurt should also be used sparingly in recipes or as a topping.
Beans, lentils Legumes, such as beans, lentils, peas. You can have carrots and turnips a couple of times a week.
Fruit berries are best. Be cautious of sugary fruits such as apricots, mangos, melons, papaya, prunes and pineapple.
Wine. One glass a day, preferably red. As for chocolate, make sure it’s dark and at least 70 per cent cocoa solids.
Avoid all sources of gluten. Wholegrain and whole-wheat bread, noodles, pastas, pastries, baked goods and cereals.
All forms of processed carbs, sugar and starch. This includes potatoes, sweet potatoes, crisps, cakes, energy bars, ice cream, frozen yoghurt, preserves, ketchup, juices, dried fruit, soft drinks, honey, agave, sugar, maple syrup.
Packaged foods labeled fat-free or low-fat. Unless they are authentically fat-free and low-fat, such as mustard and balsamic vinegar.
Certain fats. These include margarine, vegetable shortening and any commercial cooking oil soybean, corn, canola, peanut, safflower, grapeseed, sunflower, rice bran and wheat germ oils even if they are organic.
Non-fermented soy tofu and soy milk and processed foods made with soy. Although some naturally brewed soy sauces are technically gluten-free, many commercial brands have trace amounts of gluten. If you need to use soy sauce in your cooking, use tamari made with 100 per cent soybeans and no wheat.
Salmon, oily fish and poultry. Herring, trout, salmon and sardines are rich sources of the fundamentally important omega-3 DHA, which has been associated with decreased risk of dementia. You should also eat plenty of shellfish and mollusks shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, clams and oysters. Red meat and poultry are a good source of vitamin B12, which protects against brain shrinkage, linked with Alzheimer’s disease. Try to eat grass-fed red meat.
Free range eggs. Eggs provide healthy saturated fat, a fundamental building block for brains, and yet they are among the most maligned foods in the modern era. Please don’t be afraid of them. They can be the best way to start the day and set the tone for blood-sugar balance. Hard-boiled eggs are a great snack.
Kale, lettuce, spinach. Leafy vegetables contain magnesium, which benefits brain cell receptors and allows more blood flow to the brain. Eat plenty of lettuce, spinach, broccoli (which contains a chemical that actually turns-on the genes that increase the production of brain protective antioxidants, kale a wonderful source of the B vitamins, which are essential for brain health, chard, cabbage, onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, artichoke, alfalfa sprouts, green beans, bok choy, radishes, watercress, turnip, asparagus, garlic, leek, fennel, shallots, ginger, parsley, water chestnuts and celery. Celery is a source of luteolin, which calms inflammation in the brain
Low-sugar fruit. Low-sugar fruit such as lemons and limes and blueberries contain antioxidants, which help cognitive function, including memory. You should also eat plenty of avocado (a rich source of brain supportive fat), bell peppers, cucumber, tomato, courgettes, squash, pumpkin and aubergine.
Turmeric. Turmeric is particularly beneficial because it contains the anti-inflammatory antioxidant curcumin, which can boost memory and stimulate the growth of new brain cells. Otherwise, there are virtually no restrictions on herbs and seasonings. Avoid ketchup and chutney but enjoy mustard, horseradish, tapenade and salsa if they are free of gluten, wheat, soy and sugar check labels.
Eat in moderation ideally, just a couple of times per week
Buckwheat, rice Non-gluten grains such as amaranth, buckwheat, rice brown, white, wild, millet and quinoa can be eaten in moderation. Oats do not naturally contain gluten; however, they are frequently contaminated with gluten because they are processed at mills that also handle wheat. Avoid them unless they come with a guarantee that they are gluten-free. When non- gluten grains are processed for human consumption, their physical structure changes and this increases the risk of an inflammatory reaction.
Limit these foods
Dairy. Use cow’s milk and cream sparingly. Cottage cheese and yoghurt should also be used sparingly in recipes or as a topping.
Beans, lentils Legumes, such as beans, lentils, peas. You can have carrots and turnips a couple of times a week.
Fruit berries are best. Be cautious of sugary fruits such as apricots, mangos, melons, papaya, prunes and pineapple.
Wine. One glass a day, preferably red. As for chocolate, make sure it’s dark and at least 70 per cent cocoa solids.
Avoid all sources of gluten. Wholegrain and whole-wheat bread, noodles, pastas, pastries, baked goods and cereals.
All forms of processed carbs, sugar and starch. This includes potatoes, sweet potatoes, crisps, cakes, energy bars, ice cream, frozen yoghurt, preserves, ketchup, juices, dried fruit, soft drinks, honey, agave, sugar, maple syrup.
Packaged foods labeled fat-free or low-fat. Unless they are authentically fat-free and low-fat, such as mustard and balsamic vinegar.
Certain fats. These include margarine, vegetable shortening and any commercial cooking oil soybean, corn, canola, peanut, safflower, grapeseed, sunflower, rice bran and wheat germ oils even if they are organic.
Non-fermented soy tofu and soy milk and processed foods made with soy. Although some naturally brewed soy sauces are technically gluten-free, many commercial brands have trace amounts of gluten. If you need to use soy sauce in your cooking, use tamari made with 100 per cent soybeans and no wheat.
