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Health & Fitness

Dr. Oz & "GrainBrain:" Carbs & Wheat Are Killing Our Brains & Causing Many Diseases

On a recent episode of Dr. Oz, the renowned Dr. David Perlmutter, also known as the “empowering neurologist,” talked about his new controversial book, “Grain Brain,” in which he asserts that almost all carbohydrates, even our supposedly “good” whole-grains and natural carbs that constitute most “healthy diets,” are the cause of the rise in many diseases: dementia, Alzheimer’s, ADHD, anxiety, chronic headaches, depression and much more. 

Dr. Perlmutter asserts that: 

1) grains and gluten should be avoided in order to prevent the most common diseases, especially those affecting the brain like dementia, memory loss and Alzheimer’s 

2) the amount of cholesterol and saturated fat in our diet should be increased because they are essential for brain health 

3) that all vegetables that grow underground, such as potatoes, beets, carrots, and most fruits should be eliminated from the diet because they are sugar-loaded carbohydrates 

I was very interested in this show for a number of reasons. First of all, I eat a plant-based diet constituted by lots of fruits and veggies that grow above and below ground. Secondly, I agree with Dr. Perlmutter that what we eat can greatly affect and change your health. Third, I strive to be proactive in preventing disease. Last, but not least, Dr. Perlmutter’s assertions, if correct, seem to fly in the face of what many doctors and layman would consider healthy diets. Plus, I was more than curious about how Dr. Oz would react, as a vegetarian. I was on the edge of my seat, taking notes! Would this be a diet that I could or should integrate into eating plant-based? 

Dr. Perlmutter states in his blog on HuffPost that the current number of Alzheimer patients, now at 5.4 million, is predicted to double by the year 2030. The number of patients presently with diabetes is at 26 million. He expresses his surprise and frustration that more attention is paid to treating symptoms and that increasingly more money is being earmarked to develop drugs to prevent these diseases when there are meaningful lifestyle and dietary changes that can dramatically reduce one’s risk for diabetes and consequently reduce one’s risk of dementia, since the two have been closely correlated. 

Read more about "Grain Brain" on Dr. Oz and how Dr. Perlmutter believes is the key to preventing brain disease, at:
http://veganamericanprincess.com/dr-oz-episode-grain-brain-asserts-wheat-carbs-are-killing-our-brains/

Ellen Francis

Vegan American Princess

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