Today’s video takes a look at a subject that’s at the forefront of our discussion on this blog: how lifestyle choices can impact the fate of your brain. Specifically, we’re looking at how the lifestyle choices that can lead to the development of diabetes may also play a role in raising your risk for Alzheimer’s disease (remember, a disease for which there is no cure).
A new study, published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, explores changes we see in brain energetics, or the brain’s ability to utilize fuel. Traditionally this is looked at considering glucose, or sugar, as a fuel source. Continue reading
Osteoporosis and low bone mass (osteopenia) represent a major public health threat here in the United States, affecting over 53 million American women and men aged 50 and older. To be clear, this represents more than half of the people in this age group.
Certainly, the main issue that people become concerned with when discussing osteoporosis is the dramatically increased risk of associated bone fracture, of which fractures of the vertebrae are the most common. Of course, associated hip fractures remain extremely important as well. In fact, as published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, nearly 65,000 women die from complications of hip fracture each year, and the risk of death within the first 6 to 12 months after hip fracture is an astounding 25%. Continue reading
It is certainly clear that our most pervasive chronic conditions share a common feature in terms of their underlying cause. Whether we are talking about coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, depression, rheumatoid arthritis, or even Alzheimer’s disease, what current medical literature reveals is the powerful role that inflammation plays in these and other common conditions.
Ultimately, the main issue with higher levels of inflammation that manifests as damage to tissue is the fact that when inflammation has been turned on, it increases the production of damaging free radicals, a situation we call oxidative stress. When oxidative stress is running rampant, damage occurs to our proteins, and fat, and even our DNA. Continue reading
Estimates indicate that approximately 11% of school-aged children in United States have attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Further, approximately 2/3 of these children are currently being medicated for this diagnosis. The most common medications are essentially stimulants like amphetamines or methylphenidates, including drugs like Adderall and Ritalin.
The areas of the brain that are potentially damaged or disrupted by these medications include the basal ganglia, brain structures that are involved in coordinated movement. The other area that is potentially involved is the cerebellum, which also plays a role in movement. Continue reading
As I’m sure you’re aware, we spend a lot of time in this forum discussing how the health of the brain is impacted by the health of the gut, the gut-brain connection. Made clear by the latest science, this is a powerful relationship that has ramifications which affect our risk for myriad number of diseases, including Alzheimer’s, a disease for which there is no cure.
Wow! Yesterday, the release of Grain Brain Revised, was an incredibly exciting day. From visiting with the folks at MindBodyGreen to taking your questions live in numerous live chats on Facebook and Instagram, I was privileged to get to spend the day speaking with you all and spreading our message on optimal health.
But it goes without saying that the most provocative part of my day was how it started — my conversation with CBS This Morning. Let me start by saying it was an honor to get to sit with such a storied team of reporters. It was humbling to have Gayle, John, and the entire team present for this dialogue.
This past summer, Leize and I spent a lot of time in British Columbia. In fact, if you are following my live videos on Facebook, you might recall several entries that called attention to the massive fires that were raging through both the B.C mainland and Vancouver Island. While fires in the Northwest are not uncommon, this year’s events were unprecedented in terms of their scope and duration.
As I pondered the reasons for what we were observing, I naturally defaulted to the idea that, front and center, this was yet another manifestation of climate change. But just this morning I learned that there is another sinister player that appears to be be playing a major role in increasing the frequency and intensity of these wildfires.
By: Austin Perlmutter, M.D.
Electronic cigarettes (commonly known as e-cigarettes) are a relatively new phenomenon. They’ve been discussed by some as a safer alternative to regular cigarettes, and have seen massive spikes in popularity over the last several years. Like many new technologies, it’s taken a bit of time for research to catch up with marketing. Unfortunately, this window has allowed for an incredible surge in e-cigarette use within one of our most vulnerable populations.
In November of 2018, the CDC released a report on e-cigarette use in American youth. The results show an epidemic, with 1 in 5 high school students and 1 in 20 middle school students using these products this year. These shocking statistics show that e-cigarette users increased from 1.5% of high school students in 2011 to 20.8% in 2018. Even more shocking, the total number of high schoolers using e-cigarettes increased by 78% from 2017 to 2018. Continue reading
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