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Throughout my work on Grain Brain and Brain Maker, I’ve received a lot of questions on subjects like low-carb diets, gluten-free diets, and eating to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s. Some of these questions have appeared countless times, so I’m pulling together the answers here in this FAQ section of my website. This should cover some basic questions on gluten, exercise, supplements, and more, and prove a useful tool for you to direct friends and family members to when they have questions of their own.

We’ll keep this section up-to-date as we start to see more common questions come in.

• Why all the excitement about gluten if only about 1.8% of the population has celiac disease?

• Is it true that nobody can properly metabolize gluten?

• Why, in the last few years, has the number of people with gluten allergies skyrocketed?

• Is gluten-free really the way to go, even if you don’t have celiac disease?

• If you are going gluten-free, but don’t have celiac disease, is it necessary to get rid of cookware, cutting boards, utensils, etc. that have been used with wheat products?

• How much carbohydrate do we absolutely require in the diet?

• My blood testing showed I’m not sensitive to gluten. So can I eat bread?

• Do “good carbs” set off insulin and/or increase blood pressure? Is there anything bad about them?

• Organic Steel-cut oats have been part of my breakfast for years.  They are gluten free, can I continue this?

• Can I eat Einkorn Wheat on the Grain Brain Diet?

• Do you believe it’s okay to eat grains after soaking them?

• What is the ideal diet for optimal brain function?

• What are the highest-impact changes you can make to your diet?

• What is the truth about the nutrition of avocados?

• Why do you advise against a vegan diet?

• You tell people to eat a lot of olive oil.  Isn’t that bad for cholesterol?

• Could the consumption of meat overload our brains with iron, zinc and copper, and increase our risk of Alzheimer’s?

• You are on the run, hungry and in need of energy. A convenience store is your only option. What are the healthiest food choices you could make?

• Do you have an opinion on free-range eggs?

• How have your dietary recommendations changed over the years?

• Other health advocates and doctors advocate low-fat and vegetarian diets.  I am very confused how doctors can be of such opposing views.
  

• How do you combine the work of T. Colin Campbell (The China Study) and other vegan/vegetarian based researchers with your research and results?

• I have read that Agave is a good alternative to sugar.  Is it in fact healthier?

• Does a high fat diet predispose people to breast, prostate and colon cancers?

• Can you explain the similarities and differences between the Grain Brain diet and the Atkins diet?

• What effects do maltodextrin, aspartame, etc. have on the body?

• What are your views on salt as it pertains to memory/cognition?

• What is the efficacy of coconut oil on dementia patients?

• What is the relationship between diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease?

• What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?

• Is Alzheimer’s disease hereditary?

• What are the latest and most promising hypotheses of the cause of Alzheimer’s?

• What are some ways to avoid getting Alzheimer’s?

• What are the key open questions regarding Alzheimer’s disease?

• Can vascular dementia be prevented or treated with the diet suggested in Grain Brain?

• What is neuroplasticity and how does it work?

• Do Gamma-Amino Butyric acid (GABA) supplements cross the blood brain barrier and effectively reduce anxiety?

• How does a gluten- or grain-free diet impact athletics performance?

• Should diabetes be renamed to Sugar Inflammation Syndrome?

• In Grain Brain you mention Resveratrol supplementation, what about pterostilbene?

• Do you know or have thoughts about cholestyramine and its effects in terms of cholesterol, and hence, the brain?

• You have recommended different supplements in your other books.  Why the change?

• Can coconut oil be taken in pill form?

• How does Curcumin impact neurological health?

• Is it safe to take your suggested supplements while pregnant or nursing?

• In every possible measure, I feel amazing on meats and fats, etc. However, my sleep suffers. How can I avoid this?

• I am wondering if my RLS could possibly be helped if I go on the Grain Brain diet?  I’m interested in your thoughts.

• I am concerned about uric acid and gout from purine rich diet.  Does the Grain Brain diet lead to gout?

• Does a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease preclude the use of fats?

• There has been some talk about a possible genetic link between Tourette’s Syndrome and Celiac Disease. Do you have any comments on that?

• Does the Grain Brain lifestyle have any impact on Crohn’s Disease?

• Does your science pertain to those of us with Atrial Fibrillation (not caused by valve problems)?

• What options are there for treating my migraines?

• If you had 15 minutes to educate a doctor about anything, what would it be, and why?

• What is one thing that you regret learning in medical school?

• How can I improve my short-term memory?

• Is coconut water ok to drink on a ketogenic diet?

• Is it okay to drink carbonated beverages?