The Alzheimer's Antidote: Using a Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet to Fight Alzheimer's Disease, Memory Loss, and Cognitive Decline

by Amy Berger, David Perlmutter, MD (Foreword by)

Overview

"If you or someone you know suffers from Alzheimer’s, I highly recommend this book."—Robb Wolf, New York Times bestselling author

"An important and informative text . . . an excellent book."—Dr. David Perlmutter, New York Times bestselling author

A revolutionary multi-pronged nutrition and lifestyle intervention to combat Alzheimer’s disease at its roots from Certified Nutrition Specialist Amy Berger  

Amy Berger’s research shows that Alzheimer’s results from a fuel shortage in the brain: As neurons become unable to harness energy from glucose, they atrophy and die, leading to classic symptoms like memory loss and behavioral changes.

This is a revolutionary approach—one that has been discussed in the scientific literature for years but has only recently been given credence in clinical settings, thanks to extremely promising studies wherein Alzheimer’s patients have experienced complete reversals of the condition. Medical and scientific journals are full of research showing alternate ways to fuel the starving brain, but no one has been bringing this essential information to the people who need it most—until now.

In a culture obsessed with miracle medications, the pharmaceutical route for tackling Alzheimer’s has been a massive failure. Pills and potions don’t address underlying causes, and regarding Alzheimer’s, they typically fail to improve even the symptoms. As a metabolic problem, the only effective way to treat Alzheimer’s may be a multifaceted approach that fundamentally reprograms energy generation in the brain. The good news is, the secret is as simple as switching to a low-carb, high-fat diet.

The Alzheimer’s Antidote shows us that cognitive decline is not inevitable, but if it does occur, we don’t have to sit idly by and wait helplessly while it progresses and worsens. Amy Berger empowers loved ones and caregivers of Alzheimer’s sufferers, and offers hope and light against this otherwise unnavigable labyrinth of darkness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603587099
Publisher:	Chelsea Green Publishing
Publication date:	03/24/2017
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	358,860
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Amy Berger, MS, CNS, NTP, is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. She is a US Air Force veteran who now specializes in using low-carbohydrate nutrition to help people reclaim their vitality through eating delicious, wholesome foods, and teaching them that achieving vibrant health doesn’t require starvation, deprivation, or living at the gym. Her motto is, “Real people need real food!” You can read her blog at www.tuitnutrition.com, where she writes about a wide range of health and nutrition-related topics, such as insulin, metabolism, weight loss, thyroid function, and more.

Table of Contents

Foreword xi

Acknowledgments xv

Introduction xix

Part 1 The Metabolic Origins of Alzheimer's Disease

1 The Origins of Alzheimer's and a Strategy to Eight It 1

2 Brain Fuel Metabolism: Key to Understanding Alzheimer's Disease 16

3 The Shape and Structure of Neurons and Their Role in Alzheimer's Disease 45

4 Cell Membranes: The Bouncers of the Body 56

5 Mitochondrial Function and Dysfunction 61

6 Beta-Amyloid as a Cause of Alzheimer's: Guilty Party or Wrongly Accused? 71

7 ApoE4: Is There an Alzheimer's Gene? 76

Part 2 A Nutritional Strategy for Restoring Healthy Cognitive Function

8 Low-Carbohydrate Diet Basics 87

9 Cholesterol: The Brain's Best Friend 95

10 Carbohydrates: Starchy, Nonstarchy and Not as "Complex" as You Think 117

11 Protein: Primary Player in Our Bodies and on Our Plates 124

12 Fat Is Not a Four Letter Word! The Critical Importance of Fat in the Body 134

13 Special Fats for the Brain 153

14 Additional Dietary Considerations: Dos and Don'ts on Dairy, Gluten, Sweeteners, and Sugar Alcohols 164

15 Low Carb in the Real World 178

16 A Primer on Food Quality 194

Part 3 Lifestyle Factors to Support Healthy Neurological Function

17 The Importance of Exercise 205

18 Too Much Stress and Too Little Sleep Can Break the Brain 211

19 Intermittent Fasting: Boost Ketones and Let the Brain "Clean House" 219

Part 4 Setting Yourself Up for Success: Beyond Diet and Lifestyle

20 Your Roadmap for Making the Transition 227

21 Support for Healthy Digestive Function 239

22 Not by Diet Alone: Effective Nutritional Supplements 246

23 Don't Go It Alone: Moral Support and Other Support Strategies for a Low-Carb Diet 253

24 Potential Prevention Strategies 258

Conclusion: Why Alzheimer's Is on the Rise and How to Repair a Broken Brain 267

Notes 272

Recommended Resources 306

Index 311

Editorial Reviews

Magnificent. . . . The Alzheimer’s Antidote harvests our most highly regarded, scientific research to create an empowering, user-friendly game plan that rewrites our health destiny. . . . This is a program for everyone, whether already diagnosed, at high risk, or even if there is no family history of this disease.”—David Perlmutter, MD, author of Grain Brain, #1 New York Times Bestseller (from the Foreword)

"There are few things people fear more than cancer, with the possible exception of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Not only does AD ultimately cut lives short, it effectively steals who the person 'is' long before they die. Traditional treatment methods have been lackluster at best, but there is hope. The Alzheimer's Antidote is a scientifically sound method of nutrition and lifestyle which combats AD at a molecular level. If you or someone you know suffers from AD, I highly recommend this book."—Robb Wolf, New York Times bestselling author of The Paleo Solution and Wired to Eat

“Amy Berger brings a fresh, new perspective to the rising problem of Alzheimer’s disease. She proposes a natural treatment that has, in my opinion, a far greater chance of clinical success than standard medications. The Alzheimer’s Antidote is a terrific book.”—Jason Fung, MD, author of The Obesity Code

“Amy Berger elegantly explains how Alzheimer’s, a devastating disease that has touched virtually every American family (or soon will), is much more than just a normal manifestation of growing old, and its management must include much more than just cholinesterase inhibiting drugs. She delves deep into Alzheimer’s as a complex metabolic disease, one that can be greatly reduced, and likely avoided completely, with the right combination of lifestyle modifications within our control. Berger offers comprehensive treatment approaches that go way beyond what most patients are told by their physicians. This book is long overdue and a must-read for health care providers and laypeople alike.”—David M. Brady, ND, CCN, DACBN, author of the Amazon bestseller The Fibro Fix; vice president for health sciences and director of the Nutrition Institute, University of Bridgeport

“A growing body of research suggests brain insulin resistance is strongly linked to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In The Alzheimer’s Antidote, Amy Berger provides a clear understanding of the pathology of AD and explains how a low-carb, high-fat lifestyle can improve cognitive function and increase quality of life by providing an alternate fuel source for the Alzheimer’s brain to use: ketone bodies. This exceptionally well-written, well-researched book is a must-read for family members and caregivers of people with AD.”—Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE

From the Publisher