Lessons from Dr. David Perlmutter’s Grain Brain and Brain Maker

Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar -- Your Brain's Silent Killers, by Dr. David Perlmutter. ISBN: 9798991880015

Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain -- For Life, by Dr. David Perlmutter. ISBN: 9798991880015

I so respect the work of Dr. David Perlmutter, a board-certified neurologist. He is constantly searching for new research related to the brain and health, and both of these books are packed with a wealth of information, resources, and footnotes.

Both of these books should be a wake-up call that our poor diets and lifestyles not only negatively affect our physical health, but are also detrimental to our brains.

My Key Nuggets From the Grain Brain

From the publisher: Grain Brain shows that the fate of your brain is not in your genes. It's in the food you eat. The cornerstone of all degenerative conditions, including brain disorders, is inflammation, which can be triggered by carbs, especially those containing gluten or high in sugar.

It's not your genes that make you sick; instead, diet and lifestyle choices profoundly affect the activity (and expression) of our genes, directly affecting both health and longevity. This should be empowering, as we have much more control over our genes than previously thought.

Brain dysfunction is not any different from heart dysfunction; it develops over time through our behaviors and habits – which means we can prevent disorders with healthy foods and healthy habits. To help readers understand, Dr. Perlmutter starts the book with a self-assessment of food and lifestyle risk factors.

Researchers have known for some time that the cornerstone of all degenerative conditions, including brain disorders, is inflammation – with gluten and a high-carb diet among the most prominent stimulators of inflammatory pathways that reach the brain. The problem, however, is that with brain disease, it is often not known until the symptoms become evident.

The human requirements/needs for carbohydrates is virtually zero. In fact, based on biology, it’s clear that carbs – not dietary fats – are the primary cause of weight gain.

Occasional inflammation is not the issue – it is when it becomes chronic. At the center of chronic inflammation is oxidative stress, and when this becomes rampant and the body can’t keep it under control, it potentially turns deadly.

Cholesterol is good. Cholesterol is one of the most important players in maintaining brain health and function, stating that current research shows that high cholesterol reduces your risk for brain disease and increases longevity.

The old theory that a high intake of fat or cholesterol causes heart disease has been repeatedly shown to be wrong. According to Dr. George Mann of the famous Framingham Heart Study, “The public is being deceived by the greatest health scam of the century.” If anything, cholesterol is at most a minor player in coronary heart disease.

Similarly, healthy dietary fat consumption has been proven to be key to health and peak brain function. Our bodies and brains thrive when given good fats. Furthermore, certain vitamins (A, D, E, and K) require fat to be absorbed properly in the body.

Omega-3 fats are heart-healthy and should be part of people’s diets, including fatty fish and omega-3-rich oils (such as olive, flaxseed, and walnut). Unfortunately, because of the ultra-processed foods most people consume, which are high in omega-6 fats (from the seed oils used). Even both grassfed and wild animal meat contain omega-3 fats, but not conventionally raised meats.

He quotes Dr. Donald W. Miller, a retired cardiac surgeon, Professor Emeritus of Surgery and former Chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, who writes: “The sixty-year reign of the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet will end. This will happen when the health-destroying effects of excess carbohydrate in the diet become more widely recognized and the health benefits of saturated fats are better appreciated.”

In fact, saturated fat plays a pivotal role in a lot of biochemical equations that keep us healthy. Every cell in your body requires saturated fats; they make up 50 percent of the cellular membrane. They also contribute to the structure and function of your lungs, heart, bones, liver, and immune system.

Another reason why the body needs cholesterol. Vitamin D, which is a fat-soluble nutrient (and prohormone) and key regulator in the body, is made from cholesterol in the skin upon exposure to UV rays from the sun. Interestingly, the brain has widespread receptors for vitamin D, and a deficiency can heighten the risk for dementia, as well as depression, and other diseases.

Finally, numerous studies have demonstrated that depression runs much higher in people with LOW cholesterol; worse, people who take cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) can become much more depressed, as well as experience increased negative impulsive behaviors, such as suicide and violence.

My Key Nuggets From the Brain Maker

From the publisher: Astonishing new research is revealing that the health of your brain is, to an extraordinary degree, dictated by the state of your microbiome - the vast population of organisms that live in your body and outnumber your own cells ten to one. What's taking place in your intestines today is determining your risk for any number of brain-related conditions.

In the 10 wealthiest Western countries, death from brain disease, which basically reflects death from dementia, has risen dramatically over the past twenty years – and guess what? The U.S. leads the way in death from brain disease. And it’s not just the needless deaths, but also the cost: when the book was written the annual costs for caring for dementia patients was about $200 billion (and now estimated to be about $250 billion).

The focus of the book is on enhancing the growth of the right kind of brain-sustaining organisms (in your gut microbiome), and includes six essential keys: prebiotics, probiotics, fermented foods, low-carb foods, gluten-free foods, and healthful fat.

One of the most important things pregnant women can do is to advocate for vaginal birth rather than an elective C-section because the C-section bypasses the many beneficial organisms babies get via vaginal birth. Disruption of an infant’s gut microbiota has been linked to many inflammatory and immune problems, including allergies, asthma, and cancer. Furthermore, every woman who gets a C-section is given antibiotics, which have the potential to destroy many of the beneficial bacteria in both the mom and infant.

Three forces are working against people having a strong and healthy gut microbiome:

1. Exposure to substances that adversely change the microbiome, which include environmental chemicals, ingredients in foods, chemicals in water, and numerous prescription and over-the-counter medications.

2. Lack of nutrients in our foods to support a healthy and diverse microbiome.

3. Chronic stress.

Thus, brain health begins in the gut, and, people need to protect the integrity of the gut lining to prevent leaky gut.

The gut microbiota produces important chemicals for brain health; yes, in the gut. They produce the brain-enhancing BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), various vitamins including B12, and even neurotransmitters like glutamate and GABA. They also ferment certain food compounds into anti-inflammatories to help protect the brain.

Too many people are on medications that do nothing more than treat symptoms, while the underlying cause is completely ignored and there is no plan to get people off the meds. This includes antidepressants as well as ADHD drugs.

High blood sugar is one of the biggest risk factors for depression, just as it is for Alzheimer’s Disease. There’s even a connection with people who have diabetes and depression. And looking at trends, in the past decades both rates of diabetes and depression have soared. Of course, obesity is also associated with increased inflammatory markers – and the risk of depression.

Diabetes is the leading cause of early death, coronary heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, blindness, and neurological disorder… and a major cause of Alzheimer’s if it goes on untreated for years.

Here’s how to feed your microbiome:

1. Choose foods rich in probiotics (especially fermented foods).

2. Go low-carb and embrace high-quality fats (such as olive oil, grassfed butter, avocados, olives, nuts, seeds).

3. Enjoy wine, tea, coffee, and chocolate in moderation – for their flavonoid component.

4. Choose food rich in prebiotics, ingredients the gut bacteria love to eat.

5. Drink filtered water to avoid chlorine and other gut-busting chemicals found in most municipal water systems.

6. Fast every season.

Final Thoughts on Grain Brain and Brain Maker

Both of these books cover a lot of important ground for both overall health and well-being and the health and well-being of your brain.

If you are looking for an entry point into diving more into the practical and scientific behind some of these issues, then check out one or both of these books.

I also recommend following Dr. Perlmutter on social media for his continued insights and discoveries.