If you or a loved one is trying to improve Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, it's crucial that you avoid this food—do you know what it is?
0:00 Introduction: Improving Alzheimer’s symptoms
0:15 What is Alzheimer’s disease?
0:45 Insulin and Alzheimer’s disease
4:42 Fix insulin resistance and improve cognitive function
8:42 Learn more about what to eat to support a healthy body!
In my opinion, what you eat is the most important thing that influences dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. There is one food I believe you have to avoid if you’re trying to improve symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, and that is refined carbohydrates.
Surprisingly, insulin is actually neuroprotective, and carbs increase insulin. If you’re deficient in insulin, your risk for amyloid plaquing goes up.
But this doesn’t mean you should consume more carbs. A high-carb diet is associated with high blood sugar, and people with high blood sugar or diabetes have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
When your insulin is too high, your body starts protecting itself against excess insulin, leading to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a deficiency of insulin inside the cells. It's important to have just the right amount of insulin.
Refined carbs and sugar can also create brain inflammation. Not only that but sugar and refined carbs can destroy the energy sources for neurons and create oxidation and free-radical damage while also decreasing antioxidants.
This is why it’s key to fix insulin resistance. If you fix insulin resistance, the neurons can get the level of insulin they need for neuroprotection and to help decrease inflammation.
How to support healthy insulin levels:
1. Get on the keto diet (run your body on ketones)
2. Do intermittent fasting
3. Do OMAD
4. Consume nutrient-dense foods
5. Decrease stress
Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:
Dr. Berg, age 57, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan, and is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.
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Disclaimer:
Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients so he can focus on educating people as a full time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, and prescription or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
#keto #ketodiet #weightloss #ketolifestyle
Thanks for watching! Follow these tips if you or a loved one is trying to improve Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. I’ll see you in the next video.
64 responses to “The #1 Food to AVOID to Improve Alzheimer’s Disease Symptoms”
Low carbs and fasting has helped my memory and added productive years to my career. Thanks for all the help Dr Berg!
@Cyberfunk Thanks for the reply. It’s always best to get all sides of the information we have available. I skimmed the study you referenced. It sounds like the sample size was small and the duration of the study may have been too short for a good nutritional evaluation. Hopefully we’ll get more research into this.
@Alyce P. There is plenty of study done for this question, a few examples: “Dietary fat, insulin sensitivity and the metabolic syndrome”, “Saturated Fat Is More Metabolically Harmful for the Human Liver Than Unsaturated Fat or Simple Sugars”
Even the exact mechanism is well known: saturated fat blocking how insulin is able to work in tissues. This isn’t a mystery but something fairly known even if keto/carnivore advocates push a different narrative.
@Cyberfunk Thanks again. I’ll check out that study. Personally I don’t think keto has to be extremely high in saturated fat. I mostly eat salmon, fermented veggies and good oils. My n= 1 study shows keto works for me.
@Alyce P. It doesn’t have to be but in many cases it is. If you are able to avoid saturated fat on a keto diet, that is obviously better than those people that eat butter like it is a health food.
@Cyberfunk ultra processed and refined carbs is the problem. There’s tons of carbs in vegetables but it’s natural.
Very interesting hypothesis and approach, certainly worth trying. My dad has advanced Alzheimer’s, my mother shows no signs. My dads early symptoms included being unable to stay awake and before that constant snacking which points to an insulin issue, he was also increasingly stressed out and fearful. The UK health service was useless as were doctors I know, which suggests the whole medical establishment has bought into the idea that there’s nothing you can do. Thanks for these insights. What would be good would be if there was more focus from academia and the medical establishment, but it seems their focus is to push drugs.
Here in the US a proposal was made called ‘the Right to try’. Intended for severe cases to try unconventional therapies in order to increase life quality. On it’s face, it basically says there’s a lack of confidence in current standards however the medical and food industries exert enough influence to push back against these efforts. It is up to niche providers to answer the call while the major providers struggle with changing ‘the way we’ve always done it’. I applaud persons like Dr Berg for having the foresight to raise awareness.
@Seattle Six Was it President Trump who brought in the right to try? Namaste 🙏
There was a woman who reversed dementia in her husband years ago with low carb and coconut oil. Personally I do not like the slight coconut taste, but MTC oil has no taste and is great for making salad dressings including homemade mayo. Great for deviled eggs or creamy coleslaw.
I combine it with good olive oil for mayo. Good olive oil overwhelms mayo if used straight. Also in a nice balsamic dressing and a spicy dressings with apple cidar vinegar.
If I am making ranch I use plain, full fat Greek yogurt when I can get it and keifer to thin. But you could also likely use MTC oil to thin.
These are all very easy and fast to make for your mother who will be dealing with this. Likely never noticed by your father.
There are a lot of low carb recipes out there. Clowd bread for instance. Can be baked, plain, with cheese sprinkled on or cinnamon and sweetener. Or after baked brushed with butter and garlic. Some cheese add then. Return to oven.
Things might not go smoothly. My husband had several strokes about 14 years ago. The death diet from the hospital was a complete failure. And I knew he could not cheat. Went down hill for 8 months straight.
Then I switched him to the old 1950s British diet in the prologue of Good Calories, Bad Calories. Great improvement. Bloodwork after justb2 weeks improved. Several months later a stranger understood him.
But once he hit a certain health level and could control his own foods bad habits slipped back in. So while the meals I cook are great, other things not so good slip in.
So I consider 80 of his diet is great, but 20 percent Bad. Still better than most people where everything is bad.
The reality is that most women can not control what their husband’s choose to eat. I had about 6 months, but after my husband’s health improved to a certain level I lost the control.
Doctors use to put the responsibility for the husband’s health on the wife. It creates stress for the woman, and the marriage, because she is being asked to control an adult man just like you would control a child. Does not work.
You, might have much more influence in convincing him to go low carb or keto. Adult children often have much more influence than spouses.
The UK government is deliberately trying to keep everyone in fear, maybe you could stop your father watching the news and getting him to find what he likes on YouTube instead. Statins, antidepressants and many other drugs cause Alzheimer’s and also lack of exercise. Is he too far gone to help him? Maybe you could help your mother to get carbs out of her diet because I guess she was the person feeding carbs to him? Very sad for you both to be losing him in this way you, I know Alzheimer’s patients are usually very interested in music from the past and other things from the past which can make them happy. Namaste 🙏💜🙏
@Tumbleweed UK I believe so. Even if he didn’t he’s still the greatest President we’ve had in the last 100 years. Brave, intelligent, and kind. A leader like no other. He will be back in 2024🇺🇸
I scratch my head every time I’m in a hospital or a retirement home. I was visiting a cancer ward and they’re feeding everyone pasta for lunch with jelly and ice cream. Its no wonder so many are sick when that’s what the health service feed patients. The lack of good nutrition in hospitals is staggering
@Susan Maziarz – in which country do you live?
Pasta is the worst. Teamed with the fact its sprayed so bad, and probably a new g.m.o. Strain. And the fact its grain. Then dairy has always been a carcinogen, so limit if you can. Then I bet the jelly has sweetener in it!!!!!!! Even worse than putting less sugar in) cant believe they would do that. There’s a deliberate lack of nutrition (I mean proper nutrition) taught to med. students. I so agree with you, but the fact is, people dont research. They just think somethings good and dont use their brains. People that help are hushed too.
That’s the plan. To kill off the old.
The mother of a friend of mine was in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s. I went to visit her a handful of times and the entire menu at that place was nothing but cheap carbs. It wasn’t good.
@Pragnant weggy board i was told to have them once, and had told the G.P. I’d look into them first. I was at college doing (think it was advanced reflexology) and my teacher (a nurse in n.h.s too!)touched on statins, saying how bad they affect you and why. Sadly i missed most of it was called outside the class, but when i said I’ve been given some, she said Oh, please dont take them. They’ll make you worse. It’s just coming about how bad they are.
Thank you, Dr. Berg. You and your team are responsible for improving the lives of so many people.
No problem. Glad to help!
@Dr. Eric Berg DC
Thank u for changing my life.
@Dr. Eric Berg DC my b12 increased rapidly after 10 day fasting it’s just surprised me
It’s fascinating that for any health problem just fixing insulin resistance will fix everything
It definitely goes a long way to correcting so many problems!
I wld think even flu-by taking apple cider vinegar when i hve a sore throat n eating more veg i seem t nip flus n the bud!
@Ano Odono Proper spelling is fundamental. You should try it.
It doesn’t.
It will make anything better has been my experience.
Once Alzheimer has started the victims crave carbs. I’m seeing this with my mother. She is the happiest with just bread rolls and anything with sugar.
@Krillo Durum Yeah, it will be a race between cancer and Alzheimer for the mother.
My carb addicted friend came to stay with me after open heart surgery and without him even noticing I fed him a virtually keto diet with intermittent fasting and he got so well he now walks without a Zimmer frame. He is not converted but much better. I also got him off his statins and other drugs and replaced them with things like magnesium and vitamin C and black seed oil and vitamin D3 with K2
@Tumbleweed UK you’re a true friend in deed.
@Tumbleweed UK everyone needs a friend like you.
@Tumbleweed UK
Your friend should live with you forever! Sadly, there’s a good chance he would go back to old habits if left to his own devices.
Then, most of the gains would be lost 😔
I have declared Dr. Berg my virtual doctor. I have recently purchased electrolyte supplements from Dr. Berg and have benefited immensely, not to mention the alterations I have made to my family and my eating habits. So much love to Dr. Berg and his family. May you live a long, healthy, prosperous life. God fully bless you xxx
Thank you very much for your purchase. Stay safe and healthy! Wishing you the same!
@Dr. Eric Berg DC Thank you dearest Dr Berg. Waves of loving gratitude to you and your family. You are a Saint and I am filled with gratitude to have discovered you. X
This is invaluable information. Thank you most sincerely, Dr. Berg. Also, Dr. Joseph Kraft (RIP) was interviewed by Ivor Cummins on the topic of insulin resistance and diabetes a number of years ago. It is available online. Fascinating.
Thanks for your comment. Glad to know that you like the video. Have a nice day!
Ok I’ve been learning about this stuff for years and I’ve watched so many of your videos and somehow this one has put me over the edge. I’m still not sure how I’m going to make such a huge change but if food becomes that expensive it shouldn’t be too hard
Lol. Sorry for laughing but it is a refreshing and updated look on eating once a day. Haven’t consider it before your comment on food prices.
The better ypu eat the less you need to eat and the less you desire to eat for anything other than a refuel.
Definitely human beings were not made to eat carbohydrates. While I did paleo and low carb, I saw some improvement in my health. But nothing significant, however, when migrating to the carnivore that the scenario changed drastically for the better. Now I’m a little over 2 years into this eating style, I finally feel good and I keep noticing improvements.
I worked as a nurse in a large nursing home. We had many residents who were diabetics and who often went into hyperglycemia due to improper nutrition. Carb-fueled meals were the norm, and some of the food choices made me cringe. I often butted head with the nutritionist as she would allow diabetic residents to eat dessert, saying: ” oh it’s ok, it won’t hurt them ”, even after warning her that I would have to give extra insulin if they had a blood sugar spike, which happened every single day.
Sadly the sugar industry/big food has captured nutrition education 😢
@Bee On Thyme When I was a nursing student, the curriculum didn’t pay much attention to nutrition. I’m sure you’ve experienced that also. I worked with an RN from Honduras who told me that Coca Cola was a staple on every table in her town, that it was safer to drink than water. Very sad.
your brain needs carbs for it to function those people in nursing homes probably look forward to desert, in fact just reading this article made me open a nice delicious tasty bag of ruffles cheddar & sour cream chips. p.s. it was the low fat kind
@snowoman – i agree about our bodies also need some carbs, but surely not too much and not in the form of sweets.
You can’t tell a dietitian anything, they think they know it all. I pay attention to how foods make me feeland eat more of the ones that feel right. Each person is different in their needs by varying degrees
I wish I had discovered Dr Berg and his keto advice years ago. I know I could’ve extended the lives of my mother and stepdad by several years. They ate so badly. Even the expensive assisted living place they lived in fed them all the wrong things. Ugh.
Yayy because carbs are cheap and easy to prepare.🙄
Doctor, i was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment a month ago, and im only about to turn 32. i read that this is also called diabetes type 3 so im doing keto to prevent it. putting my hopes hard on this diet to at least remain sentient and sane for my small child.
Dr Berg, your videos should be mandatory viewing for every health care provider.
At 70, I fast around 18-20 a day but also do OMAD a few times a week.
Now my body is used to it and I am never hungry, never think about food the rest of the day. No hunger pains
at all. Plenty of energy, I do not snack at all. It works! 💪
Well done you ❤️
That’s great, I am going to try to do that.
Been doing
One
Meal
A
Day
For about a year now 🎯❤️
@Lilo Leist 🤔 don’t think you watched the video 😲
Thank you Dr. Berg. Mother went from highly gifted IQ, energetic, creative person into Alzheimer’s. Distressing. I’m not so swift myself now, disconcerting. All your videos so much appreciated.
I was a granny nanny for a number of years. This beautiful little lady with an amazingly great diet ended up with alzheimer’s. It took so many years to take her, over 20. It must have been her great diet that made it creep so slowly up on her. Over 20 years.. Crazy great information, thank you!
Dr Berg, I would be interested in hearing your take on the recent JAND study claiming skipping meals can increase all cause mortality by as much as 30%. It is being reported widely, but is handily behind a paywall that stops most people from seeing the data, in particular how they “adjusted the data” for lifestyle and dietary factors.
From the articles I’ve read, there seems to be some confusion between “intermittent fasting” and being too busy, stressed, poor or all of the above to eat healthy food.
I think it would make an interesting video, or if you have already done one, please point me in the direction of it!
Wish I got this information earlier, Dr Berg. My Dad had advanced dementia and passed away 3 months ago. We were asked to give him many small meals stating that he was getting weak and he was also put on a Ensure twice daily. He would crave sugary foods and often requested candies to combat his cravings. It was very painful watching him deteriorate and we had no idea what we were doing. There should be more research and talk on this dreaded disease. Thanks doctor Berg!.
My grandfather never had Alzheimer’s but his brother did. They ate the same foods. Japanese food but I honestly believe it’s also lifestyle that heavily influences health as well. My grandfather was constantly active. His brother was alone and rarely had family over at his place. My grandfather was always surrounded by family 24/7. And busy taking care of family living until 93.
Wow. I’ve heard that even 5 minutes of walking daily can add to your brain health. Wow. I’m sorry for your great uncle’s health issues but happy to hear how your father lived. I’m about to turn 50, and I’m confident about how to keep my brain in good working order. Thank you for your story.