Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

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jgilberAZ
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Re: Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

Post by jgilberAZ »

I would agree that even the leanest person still has a small amount of body fat.
I would think that 10% would be the lowest healthy amount.

However, given the range of acceptable protein intakes, I didn't feel that the amount of fat on a lean body would throw the calculation off by any significant amount.

For example, if I weigh 140 pounds and have 15% body fat (21 pounds), that's a difference of only 20g of protein (which I consider to be not that significant).

And really, when it comes to protein, erring on the high side is always better than erring on the low side.
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Re: Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

Post by Robhypno »

Great discussion btw and highlights some of the conflicting ideas that tend to confuse me

I read Dr Bredesens book that really started the diet changes for me personally

The keto diet has and continues to affect my health and cognition immensely. I have to admit that the ketoflex approach knocks me out of nutritional ketosis. Dr Grundy ideas just seem to contradict, just my opinion of course.

I have had my bloods checked regulary for almost a year since keto adaption. They have not shown any issues with lipids or inflammation despite my E4 status and moderate consumption of meat/animal fats, fairly high in saturated fat

I have on occasion increased carbs and not felt great, increased weight and bloating etc. I also cannot achieve ketosis by plant based diet which is the aim.

I find the carnivore diet intriguing. By carnivore diet, I mean head to tail and everything in between! Not just the favourite cuts. As much as I love my meat I just not prepared to consider it as I am the same about going vegan too.
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Re: Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

Post by floramaria »

jgilberAZ wrote:I I didn't feel that the amount of fat on a lean body would throw the calculation off by any significant amount.
For example, if I weigh 140 pounds and have 15% body fat (21 pounds), that's a difference of only 20g of protein (which I consider to be not that significant).
And really, when it comes to protein, erring on the high side is always better than erring on the low side.
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Re: Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

Post by swanlzs »

This is an interesting thread. I'm continually confused about what I should eat. I'm a 67 yr old female APOE 3/4 with no cognitive issues still working full time in the IT field. I'm not on the ketogenic bandwagon, but I do eat a lot of fat. My last total cholesterol was 224 with an HDL of 96, LDL 107 and triglyceride of 106 (all mg/dl). I do fast anywhere from 12-20 hrs/day. Usually 16 except weekends which is 12-13 hrs. When I check my ketones on a 12 hr fast they are around 0.2 and a 16 hr will bring it up to 1.0. I eat meat, but not a lot. Most carbs are whole grain. Not a lot of bread and when I do it's my whole grain homemade sourdough. I have pasta about once/week and it's whole grain. Probably average 30-40 gm fiber/day. I worry this won't work out for me, but it seems ok. Thanks Theresa for you post.
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Re: Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

Post by TheresaB »

swanlzs wrote:Most carbs are whole grain
You may want to look into eliminating the whole grains. The big four that Dr Bredesen recommends avoiding are: grains, simple carbs, dairy, and lectins (lectins have been added since his book). Whole grains check two of those “boxes” they’re a grain and contain a lectin, a particularly insidious lectin, Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA). WGA is not a gluten, it’s found in the bran, so it is not found in white bread, only whole grain products. Unlike other lectins, WGA is very small, so even if you have a healthy, non-leaky gut, it can pass through the walls of the intestines. Many ills have been attributed to WGA, but of interest to ApoE4s:
  • 1. It acts like insulin. Insulin is the “key” that unlocks the door of a cell to allow glucose (fuel) in. WGA will also fit into the “keyhole” but it just stays there, it doesn’t open the door. WGA blocks the insulin receptors of fat cells, muscle cells, and nerves/neurons. When WGA locks onto the insulin receptor of neurons, glucose can’t reach the neurons, adding to the cerebral glucose uptake impairment that afflicts all Alzheimer’s patients (remember Alzheimer’s is often called Type 3 Diabetes ). The brain demands a LOT of fuel, and if starved of fuel, brain cells die. ApoE4s seem to be predisposed to cerebral glucose uptake impairment (aka cerebral glucose hypometabolism), so avoiding anything that adds “fuel to the fire” seems to be a good idea to me.
    2. WGA can promote inflammation by releasing free radicals which can thin the mucosal lining of the gut.
    3. WGA crosses the blood-brain barrier, taking with it other substances to which it has bonded, additionally causing neurological problems.
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Re: Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

Post by SarahB »

All I can say is that, having given it more than a fair go with expert advice, a zero carb diet is decidedly not agreeing with me on an experiential level. In fact, I'd say it's impossible for me. I don't think we have a one size fits all answer.
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Re: Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

Post by jgilberAZ »

I think there are several ways to eat a healthy diet.

But, it must include the elimination of carbs and seed oils.

Do those two things and your health will improve dramatically whether you eat mostly meat or mostly plants.

I would say, though, that it’s more of a challenge to get all the nutrients on a plant-based diet versus an animal-based diet.

Taking supplements on an animal-only diet is not required. Taking supplements on a plant-only diet is required.

But, an 80:20 plants/animals or an 80:20 animal/plants diet can both be healthy as long as you eliminate carbs and seed oils.

Personally, I prefer an animal-based diet with some veggies now and then.
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Re: RE: Re: Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

Post by DaleBru »

jgilberAZ wrote:
But, an 80:20 plants/animals or an 80:20 animal/plants diet can both be healthy as long as you eliminate carbs and seed oil.
I'm curious about the 80:20. Is that fat:protein? And by calories or grams?

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Re: Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

Post by jgilberAZ »

It’s the ratio of animal food versus plant food.

For instance, I eat all animal-sourced food for breakfast and lunch. But, dinner will include a salad sometimes, with the rest of it being animal-based.

So, I’m probably eating a 90:10 animal:plant diet.

I don’t worry about calories.
I don’t worry about macros.
I rarely even check my ratios of fat:protein:carbs.

Here’s what I ate yesterday:

63% (106g) fat
30% (112g) protein
7% (23g) net carbs
1508 calories
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Re: Zero carb diet will help prevent Alzheimer’s

Post by roxanne »

This is an interesting topic but it's tricky for me. For a couple of years I was on a zero carb diet. I felt great. The problem were my markers. AIC 5.7, total cholesterol 385, LDL 190, LP-LPA2 high, EGFR 70, NMR particle size high, this scared me. I had to switch to a mostly vegetarian diet. It seems to me that when we speak of diet we have to take into account individual differences. I would definitely love to be able to eat a more carnivore diet, but it does not agree with me. If anyone has some advice, I would try it as I feel better in every respect, physically and emotionally. Cognitively, it doesn't seem to be any change.
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