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How A Keto Program Helps Parkinson’s Disease

These days so much is being written about the health benefits of lifestyle and nutrition strategies that produce ketosis. Indeed, actually treating certain conditions is now a fair-game discussion because of the robust scientific support being generated from institutions around the world.

I have previously presented information detailing the therapeutic benefit of a ketogenic lifestyle for issues like diabetes (both types 1 and 2), dementia, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. To be sure, there’s some outstanding work being done that demonstrates the effectiveness of a ketogenic program in Parkinson’s disease (PD). And one of the pioneers in studying the ketogenic diet in PD is Dr. Matthew Phillips, a neurologist in New Zealand who we’ve previously featured on The Empowering Neurologist. More recently, I had the opportunity to co-author, along with Dr. Phillips, a book chapter focused on the use of a ketogenic diet as an actual therapeutic intervention for Parkinson’s disease. Continue reading

Doug H.

At 57 years-old and 460lbs, my father passed away. Watching this happen at 40, I knew I needed to turn my life around. Grain Brain, and a ketogenic lifestyle, did that for me.

I went from 360 lbs. to ~250 lbs. in a couple years. I started with a modified keto diet, but as I saw results I continued to improve over a 3-year period to reach the optimal keto diet I am currently on, which is low-fat, high-protein, and extremely low-carb diet. As a lifestyle change, I have combined this with intense strength training. I feel 18 again, and can keep up with anyone else in the gym without needing carbs. I recover exceptionally well and my joints feel great. Best of all, my body is dropping fat fast. I’m almost in a size 34 jean now at 258 lbs.

I eat very clean, organic protein, lots of spinach, broccoli, asparagus, etc. I enjoy grass-fed beef, properly raised and fed chicken, and have been adding more fish to my diet as well. Never eat any wheat/gluten, ever.

-Doug H.

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The Empowering Neurologist – David Perlmutter, MD, and Dr. Matthew Phillips

While there certainly are various medications that prove somewhat helpful in the treatment of symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, it’s important to recognize that these medications are not actually treating the underlying disease itself.

We now understand that one of the pivotal mechanisms in Parkinson’s disease is the compromise of energy production at the mitochondrial level. This ultimately manifests as various problems, not just in the brain but throughout the entire body. With this understanding, specifically targeting mitochondrial function makes sense as a way of addressing this fundamental and underlying abnormality in Parkinson’s. Continue reading

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Yes – Alzheimer’s Can be Reversed!

I’ve often been quoted as stating that there is no pharmaceutical approach that has meaningful effectiveness on the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, I have to continue to make this claim. As was recently reported in the journal Neurology:

Despite great scientific efforts to find treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), only 5 medications are marketed, with limited beneficial effects on symptoms, on a limited proportion of patients, without modification of disease course. The prevalence of AD doubles every 5 years reaching an alarming rate of 50% in those aged 85 years and older. In the context of the demographic trends of modern society, where the elderly are the fastest growing segment of the population, identification of new therapeutic targets that may prevent, delay, or cure AD is critically needed. (italics added).

The authors reemphasize what we know: that there is no silver bullet available now, or in the foreseeable future, that will help with this devastating and fatal condition. Continue reading