I hope you are well and enjoying the weather wherever you are. We spend a lot of time talking about avoiding diseases of the body – strategies to prolong our health. In this issue, I talk about one of the most important factors in our quality of life – the health and function of our brain. I hope you find it illuminating…
Type 3 Diabetes?
Most people are well aware of diabetes and the ways that it can ravage your body – increasing your risk of heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, amputations, and cancer. There is now more and more interest in how this same process can dramatically increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, robbing us of the ability to enjoy the very lives we have built.
Sugar is poisoning your brain.
At the heart of many of our most terrible diseases is a problem with sugar. Our diets, loaded with calories and with sugars (in many hidden forms) cause our insulin levels to increase, over time causing insulin resistance and frank diabetes. But does sugar cause dementia too? Many studies have shown a very strong association between insulin resistance, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Did you know that insulin resistance actually doubles your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease?
Diabetics with the worst blood sugar control have the highest risk of developing this most common form of dementia. As it turns out, insulin (in addition to being the hormone that helps your body control and use glucose) is an important growth factor. It is central to your brain’s ability to continually repair and form new connections.
In opposition to the rest of the body, as insulin resistance appears, insulin levels in the brain start to decrease. As insulin levels fall, brain cells begin to die and the scar tissue that is typical of Alzheimer’s disease begins to appear. At the same time, the number of insulin receptors in the brain (and their ability to help brain cells use glucose to produce energy) also begins to fall. Overall, your brain starts to shrink and scar, producing memory loss and dementia.
So what is the answer?
Many of us suffer from “mental fog.” Very often we write this off to getting old, leading stressful lives, or other factors we simply “can’t do anything about.” It doesn’t have to be this way. If you have any of the signs that sugar may be causing you trouble (including mental fatigue, memory problems, or trouble concentrating throughout the day) you may be in for a surprise. The answer could be as simple as sugar!
Call for your free consultation today!
In good health,
David R. Gurley, MD
Whole Life Medicine
888.399.5580
info@wholelifemedicine.com
