"Our dietary choices play a major role in determining whether we are going to live into our 80s and 90s and even beyond with a good, functioning brain, or like 50% of people who live to be age 85, we will experience brain decline in the form of Alzheimer's which is a preventable disease."- Dr. David Perlmutter 

When we think about brain health, we don't think that our gut has anything to do with it. However, the fact is that the gut has everything to do with how our brains function as we grow older.

Neurologist and New York Times Best Selling Author, Dr. David Perlmutter has witnessed the damaging effects that a poor diet can have on our brains. Today is perfect timing with the launch of his new book, The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan, as he shares why we are vulnerable to develop brain degenerative disease and how we can take matters into our own hands in order to live long, healthy lives with a bright mind that is free of illness.

 

Make the Choice to Have a Healthy Brain

Even if a relative of yours was diagnosed with a brain degenerative disease such as Alzheimer's, you have the amazing opportunity to make lifestyle choices to ensure your brain's health.

Factors such as sleep, nutrition, stress levels, and exercise can impact your health, but you can also take advantage of them to improve your wellness and lower the chances of brain decline.

 

Connecting Wellness And Gut Health

 

"It's a bit humbling to recognize that mood is regulated by our gut. Not only through the process of controlling inflammation, which is a cornerstone player in depression, but that around 90% of our levels of dopamine and serotonin are not manufactured in the brain. They're mostly manufactured in the gut." - Dr. David Perlmutter

 

 

If the gut is leaky and we lack serotonin, it can be linked to feelings of depression. In a study with probiotic yogurt, researchers found a dramatic change in brain function and mood in the test subjects that ate the yogurt compared to those who did not.

 

Build a Healthy Gut

At this moment, there is a diverse community of healthy, gut bacteria living inside of us. If any harm comes our gut's way, it can increase the chances of having a leaky gut. This leaky gut can lead to inflammation and degenerative diseases including:

• Alzheimer's
• Parkinson's
• Diabetes
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Cancer

The right way to eat food, is to focus on following a diet that helps reduce the chance of a leaky gut and inflammation from happening inside the body.

 

Do You Have a Leaky Gut?

In today's world, we should assume that it is likely that we all have somewhat of a leaky gut. We would have to take a test or participate in a study to know for sure by having an LPS level done in a lab.

There's a higher chance that you have a leaky gut if you have an inflammatory condition such as:

• Depression
• Early onset Parkinson's
• Alzheimer's