The main issue is protein glycation and how higher blood sugar levels cause brain degeneration. Beta-amyloid proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease can become glycated and produce inflammatory free radicals. What can you do to protect against high blood sugar levels and protein glycation?
Here is my list:
Become carb conscious. Keep your carb consumption between 60 to 80 grams per day. Read labels or use an app to look up the carbs in foods. You'll be eliminating your usual power bars that are candy bars in disguise and a whole lot more.
Increase your intake of good quality fats like extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, olives, small amounts of grass-fed meats and wild fish. Corn and soy fed meats are genetically-modified foods that are high in omega-6 fatty acids that promote inflammation.
Eat a colorful salad with a wide array of greens and vegetables. Add 3 - 5 oz. of high quality protein (size of your hand) on top and dress it with a healthy homemade dressing each day (see recipe below).
Use grass-fed animal proteins or wild fish from reliable sources.
Exercise daily - it's what your brain needs to keep your hippocampus from shrinking. You'll have better memory, better decision-making and neuroplasticity for learning. No drug comes close to the benefits you get with exercise. Your brain grows with exercise and you reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer by 50%.
Second Nature patients take Xymogen's CinneDromeX for great blood sugar regulation, NeuroActives Brain Sustain for cognition and Vitamin D3 for genes that regulate brain preservation. Call my office 845-358-8385 if you'd like to order these supplements.
Here's one of my favorite recipes for a Delicious Salad Dressing
3/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon of organic raw honey
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
2 teaspoons of gluten-free tamari
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 cup of rice vinegar
Make it super creamy by adding an avocado half or 1 cup of non-GMO tofu
Blend together.