David PerlmutterPresident,, Perlmutter Health Center · Board-Certified Neurologist | Functional Medicine Pioneer | #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author | International Speaker | Host of The Empowering Neurologist Podcast

Eating to Prevent Alzheimer's

11 Feb 2014 · 1 min

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1:15

In this brief presentation, the speaker advocates a high‑fat dietary approach to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. He explains that dietary fat reduces inflammation, provides high‑quality calories, and is fundamental to human physiology because the brain is composed of 60‑70% fat and every cell membrane contains fat. He cites Dr. Oz’s recommendation of a “triad” of foods—organic coconut oil, avocado, and grass‑fed beef—as top choices for an Alzheimer’s prevention program. The speaker urges replacing carbohydrates with these fats, arguing that carbs are toxic to the brain, while humans have historically consumed fat for 2.5 million years, and our DNA is primed to thrive on adequate dietary fat.

Chapters

Here I am eating fat, and that really should be challenging to a lot of people. Eating fat— why do we do this? Because fat reduces inflammation in human physiology. It is an excellent source of good calories. Your brain is 60 to 70% fat. Every cell membrane in your body is made of fat. Fat is a good thing. In this case, Coconut oil, and in fact, on the Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Oz said, "What is the triad? What is the trio? What are those three foods that you would most recommend in an Alzheimer's prevention program?" Coconut oil, organic coconut oil, was number one on the list, right there with avocado, and if you choose to eat beef, grass-fed beef. And again, we're recommending that people eat more fat at the expense of carbohydrate. It's the carbohydrate that is so toxic to your brain. Eating fat is something humans have done for 2.5 million years. It's the right thing for our physiology, and even our genes, our DNA, is primed to respond to having good levels of fat in the diet.