Title: Grain Brain (Revised)
Author: Dr David Perlmutter
Year: 2019
Publisher: Yellow Kite
About the Author
Dr David Perlmutter is a well-established neurologist as shown by his extensive history of delivering several lectures, presentations and journal publications. He first published “Grain Brain” back in 2013 which then became the #1 New York Times bestselling book. He then went on to publish a revised version with updated findings in neurological and nutritional science.
Review
What if someone tells you that you can potentially greatly reduce the risk of getting neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease? Or other health problems such as chronic headaches, anxiety and depression?
Dr Perlmutter Explains How a Low-Carb, High Fat Diet Leads to a Better, Longer & Healthier Life
In his book, Dr Perlmutter explains and proves a way of life that will not only help you overcome those issues but to also help you live a better, longer and healthier life by adopting a low-carb and high-fat diet (LCHF diet).
It is a science-based book which has a clear structure of how the author wants to present his case. It starts off with an introduction and a self-assessment where the reader can identify their hidden “bad” habits.
The Science Behind the Effects of Grains & Gluten on Brain Health
This is essential as it helps to ease the reader into the next few sections of the book as it contains information which goes against what we have been told. The book is mainly divided into three parts:
- Science behind the effects of grains and gluten on brain health
- Lifestyle habits to adopt for optimal brain function
- Dietary advice for a healthy brain
The first section gives an in-depth explanation behind the chemistry on how grains influence the brain through inflammation and other problems, thus subsequently leading to brain disease. Several research studies were detailed as evidence to prove his theory and to resolve potential concerns we may have about the suggested diet.
For example, cholesterol has the ability to protect the function of the brain but generally the public deem it as something to avoid in their diet. However, he addresses the importance of it and clears up the misconceptions further in the book. Despite being technical, it is still very readable and interesting as it is intertwined with testimonies of people showing tremendous health improvements after adopting a LCHF and gluten-free diet.
David Discusses Practical Methods that Cover Sleeping Patterns, Exercise Routines & Diet
In the next two parts of the book, David writes about practical methods that you can adopt in order to be healthy; the details on the type of lifestyle one should live in terms of sleeping patterns, exercise routines and dietary requirements.
A 4-Week Plan, Meal Plans & Recipes are Included
To make it easier for you to ease yourself into a new lifestyle, he gives you a 4-week plan, a week’s worth of sample meal plans and recipes that you can try and replicate. In addition, a guideline is also given on the recommended dosage of supplements and food items you can have in your diet.
It is evident that the author is against the consumption of carbohydrates, sugars and gluten and has found solid proof for his reasoning.
Dr Perlmutter Advises against Consuming Carbs, Sugars & Gluten
If you were playing devil’s advocate, you could argue that some studies used could be unreliable because looking at the controversy behind eggs, theories were found saying that they’re bad for health but other studies show that they’re beneficial. Thus, this could be another theory where they had found a correlation but not a direct causal relationship.
Nevertheless, he did an excellent job in presenting his case and making sure every aspect is covered which is challenging as it is against the ‘status quo’ norm and flies in the face of what the public probably wants to hear.
Summary
Overall, it is an extremely comprehensive, interesting and eye-opening book that looks at the benefits of a LCHF diet in the context of preventing neurological diseases and better overall health. It is a great book for those who are curious to learn about the science behind sugars and the effect of gluten on humans or for those who are looking to improve their health.
