empowering_neurologist_phillips

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

reversing_alzheimers_disease

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

empowering_neurologist_james_dinicolantonio

The Empowering Neurologist – David Perlmutter, MD and Dr. James DiNicolantonio

Without question one of the most common recommendations made when adults visit a medical practitioner is to reduce their sodium consumption. We’ve all been led to believe that salt is about the worst food additive out there and that it will make everybody hypertensive and affect heart and kidney functioning as well.

But much like the castigation of saturated fat, there is another side of this story we’re just now learning. Dietary sodium may have some very important positive attributes. Sodium, it turns out, it is important for the function of the hormone insulin and as such, deficiencies of sodium may relate to diabetes. Other problems that may be associated with not consuming enough salt include sleep dysfunction, poor energy, loss of mental focus, declining athletic performance, and even poor sexual performance.

Continue reading

measuring_ketosis_ketones

Am I in Ketosis? Four Simple Steps to Find Out!

We’ve talked a lot about the benefits of being in ketosis lately, but do you know how do you determine if you are in this state?

Science has given us a number of methods for doing so, including breath tests, urine tests, and blood tests. To be certain, each has their own advantages and disadvantages, but I tend to fall on the side of advocating for blood-based testing, which measures your level of the chemical beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). Continue reading

empowering_neurologist_will_cole_perlmutter

The Empowering Neurologist – David Perlmutter, MD, and Dr. Will Cole


When Grain Brain first hit shelves, one of the first questions I started to hear repeated to me again and again was “This is great and all, but what can I do if I’m a vegetarian?” The answer is simple: you can be a vegetarian and follow the Grain Brain lifestyle, no problem (and if you want to learn more about this, visit our vegan/vegetarian focus page).

Now as similar lifestyles begin to take the spotlight, the ketogenic lifestyle chief among them, the same question, posed about these diets, are coming to the fore. Thankfully, Dr. Will Cole is here to help. Continue reading