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Wellness + Wisdom with Josh Trent

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120 Amy Berger: The Alzheimer's Antidote

Jul 11, 2017

So our brains and guts have an incredibly powerful connection. So powerful in fact that with the right nutrition, we can use foods to heal our brain, and to energize, and invigorate our nervous system.

But if our lifestyle becomes filled with processed foods full of artificial ingredients, refined carbohydrates, and sugar, over time our brains begin to face an energy crisis. 

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We're talking about this with Amy Berger, the Author of The Alzheimer's Antidote and Nutrition Counselor at Tuit Nutrition. Amy's uncovering the different parts of the brain that have a connection to Alzheimer's, and shining a big spotlight on the scientific reach about how a low-carb and higher fat diet can help fight chronic neurodegenerative diseases, memory loss, and cognitive decline.

Even if Alzheimer's doesn't run in your family, this episode is full of great advice for preventing disease and keeping a healthy mind, for life. 

Food itself is not a cure for metabolic problems or chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. However, if we eat more nutritious foods with plenty of B12 vitamins, healthy fats, and clean non-CAFO sources of animal protein, we can begin to understand their connection towards easing the symptoms of Alzheimer's, brain fog, and dementia for so many millions of people out there who suffer.

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Early Prevention of Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's has been referred to as Type 3 Diabetes because those who have it also tend to have very high insulin levels. 

In a regular blood test, our insulin and glucose levels may appear normal when they're really not at all. To find out our insulin levels, we should specifically ask for a fasting insulin test from a doctor.

We can improve our insulin levels with a short term boost with intranasal insulin. However, we can't solely rely on short term fixes to help our brain.

Rather than turning to insulin treatment, we should be focusing on resensitizing the blood brain barrier. Even if someone is a carrier of the ApoE4 gene, that doesn't mean that they'll automatically have Alzheimer's some day. If we can begin to make lifestyle changes as early as in our 30s and 40s, we might be able to evade triggering the gene.

We also have to consider other factors that can lead to Alzheimer's and dementia such as the side effects from anesthesia or physical trauma to the brain. 

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Daily Exercise

We don't have to train or push ourselves to compete in marathons in order to have a healthy mind. Regular cardio, lifting weights, or even simple exercises like walking can keep our brains strong.

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The Ketogenic Diet

A low-carb, high-fat diet such as the Ketogenic Diet is not a miracle cure to end Alzheimer's. However, it has been proven that there are noticeable, subjective and objective measurable differences and improvements in the brain when following this diet.

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The Importance of the B12 Vitamin

Besides having high insulin levels, many Alzheimer's patients are also deficient in the B12 vitamin. 

The B12 vitamin is extremely important because it can help our brains function properly and transport messages via neurons. Unfortunately, even if we do eat plenty of foods that have the B12 vitamin, prescription antacids can inhibit our ability to absorb the nutrient. Too much follate can also mask our B12 numbers.

B12 deficiency can easily be mistaken for dementia because there are side effects that are irreversible. 

A deficiency in the B12 vitamin might not only lead to dementia, but it can also trigger memory loss, confusion, or loss of balance. If it's very severe, we can experience feelings of numbness, tingling sensations, and cold extremities.

To ensure we have good B12 levels, we can add the following foods to our diet:

  • Red meat
  • Egg yolks
  • Fatty seafood
  • Shellfish
  • Lamb
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Goat
  • Olive oil
  • Avocado oil
  • Nuts
  • Seeds

For vegetarians and vegans, some forms of algae or supplements can help.

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Listen To Episode 119 As Amy Uncovers:

  • Why Alzheimer's Disease  is referred to as Type 3 Diabetes
  • The power of the Ketogenic Diet to keep our brains healthy.
  • Why insulin and glucose levels are so high in Alzheimer's patients. 
  • Why we shouldn't rely on short term fixes to help our brain via insulin treatment, but focus on resensitizing the blood brain barrier.
  • What are the different pieces of the brain that contribute to Alzheimer's including the cell body, the axon, and the dendrites.
  • The importance of getting enough of the B12 vitamin and how to find out if we are deficient.
  • What else can affect our brain's function and a rapid onset of Alzheimer's besides just environmental and product toxins.
  • How we can measure brain decline at any age.
  • The difference between brain fog and experiencing the early stages of Alzheimer's.
  • How the ApoE4 Alzheimer's gene may or may not be a factor for whether some actually develops the disease.
  • About gluconeogenesis and how this metabolic pathway relates to the eating patterns we might have.
  • How to approach changing our diets and allowing our bodies to adjust.
  • Deciding whether or not Ketosis is right for someone.
  • How to give a short term fix and help someone who is older to take exogenous ketones or beneficial MCT oil and coconut oil to help their brain function.

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Top 3 Takeaways From The Show

  • Alzheimer's is basically an energy crises in the brain. Neurons that are affected by Alzheimer's have lost their ability to gather energy from glucose and so they starve and shrivel up. When atrophy begins, the connections between the brain neurons are lost. That is when memory loss, clouded thinking, and personality changes can begin.
  • The brain is like a hybrid car and can run on different sources of energy. Besides glucose and fats, the brain can also run on ketones. Many people have seen great improvement in how their brain functions by following a low-carb, high fat diet such as the Ketogenic Diet. The brain will always need a little bit of glucose for energy, but we don't have to be eating glucose for that to happen. Through gluconeogenesis, our brains are able to turn amino acids and fats into the glucose that it needs to survive.
  • Whether or not we have the ApoE4 gene, it doesn't necessarily mean we will or won't develop a chronic neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer's. Several lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise also come into play. By keeping up with regular exercise and following a healthy diet, we can help our minds stay strong and sharp for many years.

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Power Quotes From Amy Berger

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[tweetthis]"Ketones are a fuel substrate that can act like an energy drink for the brain. They can be a short term boost." - @TuitNutrition [/tweetthis]

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  • "Alzheimer's is basically an energy crisis because it's a metabolic problem. By that it's a problem with how the brain is receiving metabolic energy. When your body gets tired, you can be sluggish, cranky, or clumsy and maybe you make mistakes that you don't normally make. So, when the brain doesn't have enough energy, it does the same." - Amy Berger on why Alzheimer's is an energy crisis for the brain. 
  • "Many people who have Alzheimer's are also insulin resistant and therefore have very high insulin.  That's why Alzehimer's is now often referred to as Type 3 Diabetes. " - Amy Berger on Alzheimer's and insulin resistance in the brain. 
  • "Alzheimer's itself is not a rapid onset disease. Nobody wakes up one day with Alzheimer's disease. This is something that builds over the course of decades which is why it's so important to be pro-active." - Amy Berger on how Alzheimer's can  develop overtime.
  • "Brain fog is an acute, short term indicator of some type of energy problem in your brain. It's helpful to keep an eye on your blood sugar which you can easily do at home with a glucometer." - Amy Berger on how brain fog can be an indicator that your brain is lacking the energy it needs and how to measure it.
  • "ApoE4 does not cause Alzheimer's, but it does raise your susceptibility to developing it. The most important thing is to get rid of the refined carbohydrates and grains. Focus on eating more fatty seafood, shellfish, lots of healthy fat like olive oil, avocado oil, nuts and seeds or good quality animal protein like lamb, beef, goat, or  pork." - Amy Berger on the ApoE4 gene and what foods to eat to avoid triggering that gene. 

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About The Alzheimer's Antidote by Amy Berger

Amy Berger: The Alzheimer's Antidote WELLNESS FORCE RADIO PODCAST EPISODE 119A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in 2016 is startlingly similar to a half-century ago. Despite decades of research and millions of dollars invested in uncovering the causes and developing treatments for this devastating illness, progress has been slow, with each new “blockbuster” drug proving to be as big a disappointment as the ones that went before it. Today, an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is a death sentence.

However, there may be ways to prevent, delay, and possibly even reverse the course of this crippling neurodegenerative disease. In The Alzheimer’s Antidote, Certified Nutrition Specialist Amy Berger presents a multi-pronged nutrition and lifestyle intervention to combat Alzheimer’s disease at its roots. Berger’s research shows that Alzheimer’s results from a fuel shortage in the brain: As neurons become unable to harness energy from glucose, they atrophy and die, leading to classic symptoms like memory loss and behavioral changes.

This is a revolutionary approach―one that has been discussed in the scientific literature for years but has only recently been given credence in clinical settings, thanks to extremely promising studies wherein Alzheimer’s patients have experienced complete reversals of the condition. Medical and scientific journals are full of research showing alternate ways to fuel the starving brain, but no one has been bringing this essential information to the people who need it most―until now.

In a culture obsessed with miracle medications, the pharmaceutical route for tackling Alzheimer’s has been a massive failure. Pills and potions don’t address underlying causes, and regarding Alzheimer’s, they typically fail to improve even the symptoms. As a metabolic problem, the only effective way to treat Alzheimer’s may be a multifaceted approach that fundamentally reprograms energy generation in the brain. The good news is, the secret is as simple as switching to a low-carb, high-fat diet.

The Alzheimer’s Antidote shows us that cognitive decline is not inevitable, but if it does occur, we don’t have to sit idly by and wait helplessly while it progresses and worsens. Amy Berger empowers loved ones and caregivers of Alzheimer’s sufferers, and offers hope and light against this otherwise unnavigable labyrinth of darkness.

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About Amy Berger

Amy Berger is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and the author of The Alzheimer’s Antidote.

She is a US Air Force veteran who now specializes in using low-carbohydrate nutrition to help people reclaim their vitality through eating delicious, wholesome foods, and teaching them that achieving vibrant health doesn’t require starvation, deprivation, or living at the gym. Her motto is, “Real people need real food!”

You can read her blog at www.tuitnutrition.com, here she writes about a wide range of health and nutrition-related topics, such as insulin, metabolism, weight loss, thyroid function, and more.

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Resources Mentioned by Amy & Josh

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[tweetthis]You don't need to eat glucose because gluconeogenesis will create it on demand for the brain." - @TuitNutrition [/tweetthis]

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