This is Your Brain on Grain

Is that bagel making you forgetful? Does that pasta lead to dementia? Are you depressed by your dumplings? According to Dr. David Perlmutter, this is exactly what is happening.


Dr. Perlmutter believes that our diet is causing dementia, depression, and epilepsy. Pretty much anything that involves the brain can be adversely affected by diet. He is particularly focused on the negative impact of high-carbohydrate diets.

Dr. Perlmutter advocates a low-carb, high-protein diet. His book, Grain Brain, describes the harmful impact of our modern eating habits. Much of his wrath is reserved for sugar. He ties consumption of processed sugar with dementia and lowered cognitive skills.

Back in the cave man days, our diet contained only 5% carbohydrates. Today the average diet is 60% carbohydrates. This shift in eating was not accompanied with a matching shift in our digestive system, leading to negative health outcomes.

Dr. Perlmutter recommends a dramatic shift away from carbs. He does admit that this is a difficult transition. He notes that our brains are stimulated by eating gluten (found in grains) in much the same way as when narcotics are ingested. Withdrawal from wheat can be a real issue.

Can you live without your pasta if it means that you will avoid Alzheimer’s Disease? Can you skip that donut to avoid a headache? Let us know what you think!



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