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So that you can learn more and delve deeper into the issues relevant to Food Education, in this post I highlight another book – The Mind Diet – which is quite interesting regarding the influence – positive or negative – that food has on our brain.
You will be impressed, as I was, by the surprising revelations and studies involving Alzheimer's Disease, already considered Type 3 Diabetes, as well as other neurological pathologies triggered by inflammatory processes triggered by the immoderate intake of carbohydrates and sugar. If you want, you can click here and download the ebook immediately.
The Mind Diet (“Grain Brain”)
David Perlmutter
Our brain:
weighs 1.5 kg
has 150 thousand km of blood vessels
has more neurons than there are stars in the Milky Way
it is the heaviest organ in the body
represents 1/40 of our total weight, that is, 2.5%
consumes 22% of resting body energy expenditure
70% consisting of fat, i.e. more than 2/3 of the dry weight;
uses glucose and ketone bodies as fuel
highly affected by the consumption of gluten, carbohydrates and sugar (triggers oxidative processes and inflammation)
represents only 2% of the body mass, but contains 25% of the total cholesterol. In other words, 1/5 of the brain, considering the weight, is cholesterol!
The inflammatory process is what primarily triggers chronic and degenerative diseases.
The origin of brain problems is, in many cases, predominantly nutritional.
Alzheimer's disease is considered, in modern times, to be the same as type 3 diabetes.
Diabetics have twice the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
The body can manufacture glucose from fats and proteins if needed through GLUCONEOGENESIS. It requires much more energy than converting starch and sugar into glucose, a simple chemical reaction.
The role of INSULIN is to carry glucose from the blood to muscle, fat and liver cells, where it can be used as fuel.
In general, healthy cells are sensitive to insulin. When cells are constantly exposed to high levels of insulin, they adapt by reducing the number of receptors on their surface that respond to insulin.
The cells then become desensitized to insulin, creating a condition known as insulin resistance, which allows them to ignore it and no longer absorb glucose from the blood. The pancreas then responds by pumping out more insulin. This vicious cycle culminates in type 2 diabetes. The body is unable to transport sugar into the cells, where it can be safely stored to generate energy.
Excess sugar in the blood is toxic, like broken glass, causing great damage, such as blindness, infections, nerve damage, heart disease and Alzheimer's.
Furthermore, insulin is an anabolic hormone, stimulates growth, promotes the formation and retention of fat and contributes to inflammatory processes.
Elevated insulin interferes with other hormones and disrupts natural metabolism.
Insulin resistance causes plaques in Alzheimer's disease brains. An accumulation of isolated proteins that invade the brain.
Gluten sensitivity represents the greatest and most underestimated threat to human health.
The hallmark of all neurological diseases is the inflammatory process, favored by a diet rich in gluten and carbohydrates.
CHOLESTEROL plays a vital role in brain health and function. High cholesterol reduces the risk of brain disease and increases longevity, just like good fat.
It is a critical nutrient for the brain, essential for the proper functioning of neurons and plays a fundamental role as a building block for cell membranes. It has antioxidant action and is a precursor to important brain-supporting elements, such as vitamin D. It is also an important fuel for neurons.
LDL is a low-density lipoprotein whose fundamental role in the brain is to capture vital cholesterol and transport it to the neuron, where it performs functions of primary importance.
When your cholesterol level is low, your brain simply doesn't work properly. Cholesterol and LDL are friends, not enemies. High cholesterol is associated with better memory.
Coronary problems are caused by oxidized, damaged LDL, caused by excess glucose. Sugar molecules adhere to LDL and alter the shape of the molecule, making it less effective and at the same time increasing the production of free radicals. When sugar molecules adhere to oxidized LDL and form glycosylated proteins, the formation of free radicals increases by up to 50 times, since LDL is no longer able to carry vital cholesterol to brain cells (neurons), impairing brain function.
Oxidized LDL is a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis.
It is necessary to pay attention to the causes and not simply treat the symptoms of diseases.
Fasting insulin testing is crucial to determine whether the pancreas is making an unusual effort to pump out enough insulin to maintain body balance.
DIABETES. High blood sugar and uncontrolled insulin. Cause metabolic imbalances. 90% of people are not diagnosed.
Inflammation can be positive, indicating something potentially harmful in the body. It is vital for survival. It is the out-of-control, systemic inflammatory process that is harmful and dangerous. It leads to a reduction in cellular functions, followed by cell destruction.
Coronary heart disease has much more to do with inflammatory processes than with cholesterol.
The brain does not have pain receptors, unlike the rest of the body. We cannot feel inflammation in the brain. This is why people cannot visualize brain inflammation.
Inflammation activates chemical processes that increase the production of free radicals (molecules that have lost an electron, which stop rotating in pairs and separate. The molecule, therefore, abandons its appropriate behavior and begins to bounce around, trying to steal electrons from other molecules, attacking cells and forming, in addition to inflammation, new free radicals). At the heart of the chronic inflammatory process lies the notion of oxidative stress, a kind of rust.
Anything that reduces oxidation reduces inflammatory processes, and anything that reduces these processes reduces oxidation. This is why antioxidants (plants, berries and nuts, turmeric) are important (they donate electrons to free radicals, which interrupts the chain reaction and helps prevent damage).
Our biological process activates detoxifying genes, which contain the code for producing enzymes designed to destroy toxins.
Diet and exercise can control the inflammatory processes in our body.
Human beings have evolved in such a way that they need fat to live and be healthy.
Gluten (formed by two main groups of proteins – glutenins and gliadins) and grains make us
make you fat and directly harm your brain.
The key to understanding gluten sensitivity is that it can affect any organ in the body, from the intestine to the brain.
The sticky nature of gluten interferes with the breakdown and absorption of nutrients. Poorly digested food leaves a pasty residue in the intestine, which triggers the immune system and ultimately results in an attack on the lining of the small intestine (“leaky gut”).
Inflammatory cytokines – triggered by gluten allergy and sensitivity – attack the brain. They are chemical messengers of inflammatory processes that contribute to brain problems. Elevated levels of cytokines are found in degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis. These cytokines are crucial in neurodegenerative conditions.
People who are sensitive to gluten (a state of immune reactivity) may have problems with brain function without having any type of gastrointestinal problem.
Gluten sensitivity always affects the brain. The presence of gluten deactivates the immune system (especially glutathione, an important brain antioxidant), to the point where it is unable to support the body's natural defenses. It activates the inflammatory process, stimulating the Cox-2 enzyme.
Gluten is broken down in the stomach and becomes a mixture of polypeptides that can cross the blood-brain barrier, which, although effective in blocking the entry of certain molecules into the brain, is not infallible. Inside the brain, the invading polypeptides (exorphins) can attach to the morphine receptor, producing well-being, pleasure and an addictive effect (like opiate drugs).
Today's wheat and grains are genetically modified and adapted and contain 40 times more gluten than those grown decades ago.
When people devour gluten-laden carbohydrates, it's like watching them pour a gasoline cocktail all over themselves.
Gluten is the smoke of our generation!
High blood sugar levels produce HIGH INSULIN, which is released by the pancreas so that cells can absorb the sugar. The higher the blood sugar level, the more insulin is needed. The higher the insulin level, the LESS SENSITIVE to its signal the cells become.
Basically, the cells stop listening to the insulin message. What the pancreas does, like a person who can't be heard, is to speak louder – that is, increase insulin production, creating a life-threatening process. High insulin levels make the cells progressively LESS REACTIVE TO THE insulin SIGNAL, and in order to reduce blood sugar, the pancreas works twice as hard, increasing insulin production even more, again to maintain a normal blood sugar level.
Even when this level reaches normal, the insulin level continues to rise. As the cells become RESISTANT TO THE insulin SIGNAL, INSULIN RESISTANCE sets in to characterize this health problem. As the situation evolves, the pancreas reaches MAXIMUM insulin PRODUCTION, but it is still not enough.
At this point, the cells LOSE THE ABILITY TO REACT to the insulin signal and, eventually, the blood sugar level begins to rise, resulting in Type 2 Diabetes. Basically, the system has collapsed and requires an external source (medication) to keep the level balanced. However, you don't have to be diabetic to suffer from chronically high blood sugar levels.
Which has the highest GI? A slice of wholemeal bread, a chocolate bar, a tablespoon of regular white sugar or a banana. The winner is the slice of wholemeal bread (71), followed by sugar (68), a chocolate bar (55) and a banana (54).
Few foods cause a greater rise in blood sugar than those containing wheat.
Increased gluten sensitivity results from overexposure to gluten (processed foods), too much sugar, and too many inflammatory foods.
Any discussion about blood sugar balance, gluten sensitivity, and inflammatory processes has to revolve around the IMPACT that carbohydrates can have on the body and brain.
Our body has no need to ingest carbohydrates, unlike fats and proteins. Fat is the preferred fuel for human metabolism.
The hunter-gatherer genome is FRUGAL (“frugal gene hypothesis”).
It takes 40,000 to 70,000 years for significant changes to occur in the genome for our frugal genes to start thinking about ignoring the instruction to “store fat.”
The Mind Diet – The reality is that saturated fats are good for us.
One way grains and carbs set the brain on fire is through BLOOD SUGAR SURGE, which sets off an inflammatory cascade. There’s an immediate reduction in the neurotransmitters serotonin, epinephrine, dopamine, and others. Magnesium levels drop. Glycation ensues (when glucose, proteins, and certain fats get tangled up, causing tissues and cells to harden and become inflexible). Sugar molecules and brain proteins combine to create new, deadly structures. Glycation then contributes to the shrinkage of crucial brain tissue.
Oxidation is a reaction to an inflammatory process.
A diet that is continually rich in carbohydrates keeps the insulin pump running, which completely stops the breakdown of body fat as fuel. The body becomes addicted to glucose. Body fat remains unavailable, even when that glucose is used up, due to the high volume of insulin. Insulin levels hold fat deposits “hostage.”
Good fats, such as omega 3 and monounsaturated fats (avocado, olives and nuts) reduce inflammatory processes, while modified hydrogenated trans fats (processed foods) drastically increase these inflammations.
Dietary fat is necessary to transport fat-soluble vitamins, as they do not dissolve in water and can only be absorbed in the small intestine in combination with fat.
Saturated fat plays a crucial role in several biochemical equations that keep us healthy. They account for 54% in breast milk and 50% in cell membranes. They are preferred by the cells of the heart muscles, endocrine system and bones. With their help, the liver eliminates fat and protects it from the adverse effects of toxins.
The Mind Diet – Cholesterol
HDL and LDL reflect two different receptacles for cholesterol and fats. Each plays a different role.
There is a severe deficiency of both fat and cholesterol in diseased brains and high levels of total cholesterol are associated with increased longevity.
Cholesterol forms the membranes that surround cells, as well as keeping them permeable and “waterproof” so that different chemical reactions can occur internally and externally within the cell.
The ability to create new synapses in the brain depends on the availability of cholesterol. It acts as a facilitator for the brain to communicate and function properly. It is also a powerful antioxidant, protecting the brain against the damaging effects of free radicals. It is a precursor to important steroid hormones (estrogen and androgen), as well as vitamin D, a crucial fat-soluble antioxidant.
Vitamin D is a powerful anti-inflammatory and helps rid the body of infectious agents. More than a vitamin, it acts like a steroid or hormone. Vitamin D is formed directly from cholesterol.
Eggs are brain food.
It is a myth that the brain prefers glucose as fuel. The brain uses fat exceptionally well; it is considered the brain's superfuel.
If you follow a low-carb diet and make up the difference with good fats and proteins, you can reprogram your genes and turn your body into a fat-burning machine with a sharp mind.
Our body produces up to 2,000 grams of cholesterol per day, as our diet is not able to provide us with enough cholesterol.
Low cholesterol levels can cause sexual impotence, as it interferes with testosterone, reducing libido.
Fructose is completely broken down by the liver. Glucose can be broken down by every cell in the body. Fructose is the sweetest of all naturally occurring carbohydrates. However, it has the lowest GI of all natural sugars, since the liver metabolizes fructose, which has little effect on blood sugar levels, unlike glucose and corn syrup. However, its long-term effects are dire, causing insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and high blood fat levels.
Fructose does not trigger the production of insulin and leptin, two key hormones in regulating our metabolism, diets rich in fructose lead to obesity and metabolic complications.
Like glucose, fructose is a monosaccharide. Sucrose, table sugar, is a combination of glucose and fructose (a disaccharide – 2 molecules joined together).
High fructose corn syrup is a combination of 55% fructose, 42% glucose, and 3% other carbohydrates. It was introduced in 1978 in the US as a cheap substitute for table sugar.
Carbohydrates are simply long chains of sugar molecules, unlike fats (chains of fatty acids) and proteins (chains of amino acids).
Not all calories are created equal. Not all carbohydrates are treated (metabolized) in the same way by our bodies. What is important is how much a particular carbohydrate will raise blood sugar and, in effect, insulin.
The carbohydrates that trigger the biggest spike in blood sugar are usually the ones that make you gain the most weight, for exactly this reason.
Vegetables contain indigestible fibers, which slow down the process and make glucose flow more slowly into the blood. Fiber and water will dilute the effect of sugar in the blood.
1 355ml bottle of soda = 80 calories
1 apple = 44 calories
355 ml apple juice = 85 calories from sugar.
Fructose reaches the liver and most of it is converted into fat, which is sent to adipose tissue. It is the carbohydrate that causes the most weight gain, causing even our muscle tissue to become resistant to insulin.
The more sugar we eat (mainly a combination of fructose and glucose), the more we are telling our body to turn it into fat (mainly visceral fat, the most harmful).
The Mind Diet | The key is to keep your blood sugar levels balanced!
Hyperglycemia may contribute to cognitive impairment through mechanisms such as the formation of advanced glycation end products, inflammation, and microvascular disease.
Deformed proteins cause degenerative diseases, linked to the inflammatory process.
GLYCATION is the biochemical term for the union of sugar molecules and proteins, fats and amino acids; the spontaneous reaction by which the sugar molecule adheres. Caused by a diet rich in carbohydrates and sugar. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are formed. They cause premature aging. They reduce the body's antioxidant potential in the face of oxidation.
Glycation is inevitable, both when it comes to inflammatory processes and the production of free radicals. The problem is when it occurs in excess and uncontrolled.
When proteins become glycated, they become less functional and when they bind to sugars, they tend to bind to other equally damaged proteins, forming longer bonds that further impair their functioning. Once glycated, proteins become sources of a strong increase (50x) in the production of free radicals, which destroy tissues and cause damage to fats and other proteins. High levels of glycation cause cognitive decline, kidney problems, diabetes, vascular diseases and aging.
Adipose tissue is an important organ that plays a unique role in human physiology. In addition to storing calories, it forms complex and sophisticated hormonal organs.
Fat is a powerful hormonal organ and a system that can generate inflammatory processes, in addition to releasing enormous amounts of cytokines, which trigger inflammatory processes.
Visceral fat is home to numerous inflammatory white blood cells.
Exercise is one of the most powerful ways to change your genes. Constant, regular movement benefits your brain and prevents aging.
The ketogenic diet is beneficial for the brain. Astrocytes, ketogenic bodies, are profoundly neuroprotective. They reduce the production of free radicals and stimulate the production of antioxidants.
The brain uses ketones for fuel when it has depleted blood sugar and liver glycogen.
Curcumin (turmeric, ginger) is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Coffee is one of nature's most powerful activators of the Nrf2 (antioxidant and detoxifying) system.
Low cholesterol is more prone to depression.
Three fundamental habits to heal the brain: DIET, EXERCISE and SLEEP.
The Mind Diet | Intermittent fasting is good for the brain.
When sugar and glycogen are depleted, our metabolism is able to create new glucose molecules from amino acids taken from muscle proteins. This process is called GLUCONEOGENESIS. At the cost of muscular sacrifice, the necessary glucose is obtained.
After three days without comine, the liver begins to use body fat to create ketones as fuel for the brain.
When we burn fat instead of carbs, we enter ketosis. The liver mobilizes fat from the body to use as fuel. Both the heart and brain run 25% more efficiently on ketones than on glucose.
The enzyme LIPOPROTEIN LIPASE (LPL) transports fat into cells. Insulin stimulates the production of this enzyme that traps fat in our adipose tissue.
Download the book Wheat Belly for free
Some brain tumor cells, however, can only use glucose for fuel. Glioblastoma cells can only use glucose. A ketogenic diet can help treat the disease by eliminating the supply of glucose.
All body systems are influenced by the quality and quantity of our SLEEP, especially the brain and metabolism. The recommended minimum is seven hours of sleep. Restorative capacity.
In men, lack of sleep leads to high levels of GHRELLIN, a hormone that stimulates appetite.
The circadian rhythm is associated with day and night, occurring with sunrise and sunset. The body's natural day and night cycles dictate virtually everything about us. Hormone release patterns are closely linked to this cycle. Cortisol peaks in the morning and falls throughout the day. Leptin coordinates our inflammatory responses and is also heavily impacted by sleep. It is a sort of guardian and controls the metabolism of mammals. Sleep deprivation causes leptin levels to drop.
Leptin and insulin promote inflammation. Leptin is an anti-inflammatory cytokine. It controls satiety. They are negatively influenced by the intake of refined carbohydrates.
Ghrelin is another important hormone released on an empty stomach, which increases appetite. It tells your brain that you need to eat. A disruption in the dance between leptin and ghrelin is the enemy of your food cravings, your feeling of fullness, and your ability to resist temptations in the kitchen. When appetite hormones don’t behave normally, your brain essentially disconnects from your stomach. It tricks you into thinking you’re hungry when you’re not, and further reinforces an almost irresistible desire for food, which encourages fat formation.
Healthy eating diet. Focus on food, exercise and sleep.
Possibly the egg is the most perfect food in the world, after breast milk.
Seek consistency in your daily habits.
Life is an endless sequence of choices. Try to stick to the 90/10 rule.
Click here and download it completely free
