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The Grain Brain diet: adopting a demanding nutrition plan

Lori Branham
/
Flickr

It’s breakfast time, and you’re about to dig into a plate of—salmon?

This week on “Take Care,” we present the second installment of our interview with Dr. David Perlmutter, who explains how to transition into his low-carb diet.  Perlmutter is a board-certified neurologist and Fellow of the American College of Nutrition.  He is also the author of Grain Brain: The surprising truth about wheat, carbs, and sugar—your brain’s silent killers.

Click 'Read More' to hear our interview with Dr. Perlmutter.

Perlmutter says he tells his patients to “jump in with both feet” instead of only partially dedicating themselves to the diet. Changes can be seen within a matter of weeks, Perlmutter says. 

“It doesn’t take very long at all for them to start getting very positive reinforcement because it’s working with them.” 

Perlmutter says that the benefits of committing to the diet include weight loss, improved alertness, and better sleep.

For breakfast, Perlmutter recommendshaving leftovers from the night before, which should be rich in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.  Eggs, fish, and grass-fed beef are examples of good options.  “It doesn’t have to be a waffle drenched in corn syrup,” he says.

In addition to the anti-inflammatory effects of a low-carb diet, eating less carbs especially at breakfast helps you stay satiated throughout the day. 

“Once you’ve changed your physiology and metabolism to welcoming fat, you can easily tap into your body’s fat reserves and you have plenty of calories to last you for a day of fasting,” Perlmutter says.

Besides a diet rich in healthy fats, Perlmutter also says that sleep and exercise are important to maintaining a healthy brain.

“Doing aerobic exercise turns on a growth hormone to grow back new brain cells,” Perlmutter says.