Carbs - A cautionary Tale

EbbySoo

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EbbySoo

I think the low carbers and paleo people chiming in with their insensitive comments should take their crusade elsewhere.

OP, I am sorry you have been diagnosed with Alzheimers. Hopefully you have plenty of support and the disease goes easy on you..

That said, there is no evidence in the literature to suggest a link between carb intake and alzheimers.

This ^^^

FranWins

I have read that the RDA of carbs for a man is some 275-325g, i have been eating less than 100 a day!!!
There are many studies on the internet explaining that carbohydrates are brain foods and to starve your body of them can and will affect brain function/memory.

First of all, my sympathy for the diagnosis. That is a frightening thing to hear, and I understand that you want to do everything you can to take control of that. I'm going to say a few things, and then give you some citations, and I hope that you can keep an open mind.

Our brains DO need glucose to function, and that we cannot get that from stored fat, so SOME sugar (carbohydrates) are necessary. Look into the works of Dr. Joel Furhman (author: Eat to Live) he has some great information on that.

However, our brains are also fat. Nutritionist Tom Naughton explores that in his movie Fat Head. In it, he does advocate a low carb diet, but he also advocates staying away from a lot of the "unnatural" fats most of us consume (that is, trans-fats aka hydrogenated vegetable oils, etc) in favor of oils from nuts, coconut oils, olive oil, and yes saturated fat from meat. All things that are easily obtained if your dietary plan has a "hunter/gatherer" mentality rather than an agriculturally based one.

Bear in mind that government dietary regulations are often based more on agriculture, and most of these "studies" that encourage high consumption of grains and carbohydrates are funded by the Department of Agriculture. In the grand scheme of human history, it has only been within the last few hundred years that we as a species have relied heavily on grains. It has also been since we began to rely on grains and agriculture - instead of what we can "hunt and gather" - that obesity and heart disease have become more and more prevalent.

My point is, do your research before you desperately start "carb loading" and end up in an even more unhealthy situation. Your brain needs energy (sugars) to function, but don't overdo it.

kindness64

I followed a low carb diet once, under 100g a day for almost 11 months and felt great. BUT my hair did thin quite a bit. That was the only draw back for me.

BrianSharpe

Brian, that's according to an article in a magazine I got at my local health food store (I didn't keep it, sorry, otherwise I'd give you the details). It's not a clinical trial but the statements of care staff and relatives of patients, all of whom independently observed the same thing. My thinking is, try it, if it doesn't help, it won't hurt.

sabinecbauer, read http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521166-psuedoscience

Captain_Tightpants

Avoid simple carbs, but complex carbs are needed for your body to function properly.

Not true. The body actually doesn't need any dietary carbs for survival.

Only fats, proteins and certain micro nutrients are essential.

This isn't a paleo or low carb defense. Just basic biochemistry.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/how-many-carbohydrates-do-you-need.html is a good primer on the subject if you want to look further into it.

dennydifferent

Alzheimer's is often asymptomatic for years. If you have it, it's likely you developed it way before going low carb.

awidener86

I hope you can reverse it.

sheryllamb72

My Mum had alzheimers, and passed away a year ago from the disease, aged only 68. She was only diagnosed with it in 2005 and died 6 years later.

If coconut oil is meant to be so brilliant in either slowing the disease down or stopping it, why isnt it prescribed by GP's/hospitals?? It's all a crock of crap........there is currently no over the counter herbal remedy that can slow this awful disease down.

I'm so sorry Jeff.....I hope for yours and your family's sake that you haven't got early onset alzheimers disease.

I wish you all the best.

sheryllamb72

Alzheimer's is often asymptomatic for years. If you have it, it's likely you developed it way before going low carb.

I second this^^^^^^^

sheryllamb72

I have read that the RDA of carbs for a man is some 275-325g, i have been eating less than 100 a day!!!
There are many studies on the internet explaining that carbohydrates are brain foods and to starve your body of them can and will affect brain function/memory.

First of all, my sympathy for the diagnosis. That is a frightening thing to hear, and I understand that you want to do everything you can to take control of that. I'm going to say a few things, and then give you some citations, and I hope that you can keep an open mind.

Our brains DO need glucose to function, and that we cannot get that from stored fat, so SOME sugar (carbohydrates) are necessary. Look into the works of Dr. Joel Furhman (author: Eat to Live) he has some great information on that.

However, our brains are also fat. Nutritionist Tom Naughton explores that in his movie Fat Head. In it, he does advocate a low carb diet, but he also advocates staying away from a lot of the "unnatural" fats most of us consume (that is, trans-fats aka hydrogenated vegetable oils, etc) in favor of oils from nuts, coconut oils, olive oil, and yes saturated fat from meat. All things that are easily obtained if your dietary plan has a "hunter/gatherer" mentality rather than an agriculturally based one.

Bear in mind that government dietary regulations are often based more on agriculture, and most of these "studies" that encourage high consumption of grains and carbohydrates are funded by the Department of Agriculture. In the grand scheme of human history, it has only been within the last few hundred years that we as a species have relied heavily on grains. It has also been since we began to rely on grains and agriculture - instead of what we can "hunt and gather" - that obesity and heart disease have become more and more prevalent.

My point is, do your research before you desperately start "carb loading" and end up in an even more unhealthy situation. Your brain needs energy (sugars) to function, but don't overdo it.

*Like*

zafferFL

Jeff, you may want to try eating 1 to 2 tbsp of extra virgin coconut oil per day. I know, nothing to do with carbs, but EVCO has been shown to have an amazingly beneficial effect on the memory function of Alzheimer's patients.

join a thread about a cautionary tale about not following fad diets.
reply with another fad.

trollololol

tracym17

[/quote]

It's only been in the past century that the average lifespan has exceeded 50 years old. Alzheimer's usually onsets in the mid-60's so there is no way to know if our ancestors did/could have suffered from Alzheimer's since man did not live long enough to see such a disease.
[/quote]

do you know what average means? the average age of my children is 18, this doesnt mean they are all 18, they range from 10 to 24. In the past many women died in childbirth and there was a high child mortality rate but that doesnt mean our ancestors were all dead by 50. Many of those who reached adulthood still lived to an old age, which is why the 'average' was in the mid range.

to the OP, you are in my prayers. I hope you get good news from your neurologist.

Kar3n84

Maybe try looking outside of carbs. You said you noticed it happened after you've been dieting and lost 70 lbs. Was part of your dieting switching to diet sodas/drinks that included sweeteners like Splenda? I once had a customer at my job tell me that she recently started having short-term memory loss and her doctor told her it was because of all the sweetener she was consuming. She said once she cleared out the sweetener from her diet, her short-term memory started to come back. Just an idea.

gg24

Are you taking a Statin for high cholesterol? If so then you might want to do some research. Not only are they finding that statins are increasing diabetes type 2 but also some people are experiencing severe memory loss, which can be reversed if the statins are no longer taken.

Clarecbear82

Let us know if eating more carbs reverses your Alzheimer's, if you remember.

If you don't agree with what the op says then fine but there's no need to get nasty!

Isolt

By the way Op, if you DO have Alzheimer's then you have my sympathies. My Father died of it and his Father before him (they both ate normal amounts of carbs)

However as others have said, it's rather rash to a) jump to the conclusion you have it without any actual diagnosis and b) to try and combat a disease you may or may not have by loading up on carbohydrates.

There are studies that say a good intake of fatty acids may help prevention - so fish and flaxseed would be good for that.

Purple_Orchid_87

Yup, your Altzheimer's *must* be down to a low-carb diet :laugh:

I dont understand why the laugh is here? to laugh at someone who is ill may be considered sick-minded, would it not?
would someone laugh at someone thinking something they chose to do in life led to them getting Cancer, or something similar???

just dont think this is a laughing matter, whether the cause is low carb or not.....

0EmmeNicole0

Ahh so you think you have early onset Alzheimer's and naturally came to the conclusion it must be your low-carb diet.


It's quite amazing that our species even managed to survive this long really isn't it....what with them living for 190,000 years on a hunter/gatherer diet and only the last 10,000 years with the agrarian culture that allows high carb intakes. Yup, your Altzheimer's *must* be down to a low-carb diet :laugh:

I hear what you're saying - how did man survive without carbs? Obviously they aren't necessary for basic survival.

It's only been in the past century that the average lifespan has exceeded 50 years old. Alzheimer's usually onsets in the mid-60's so there is no way to know if our ancestors did/could have suffered from Alzheimer's since man did not live long enough to see such a disease. Additionally, it may have occurred but was not documented.

There are many variables and let's hope that isn't the cause and/or that he doesn't have Alzheimer's.

I agree with browneyes 100%.

FranWins

I have been sufffering with some shor term memory loss and mood changes. My wife made me go to see my GP who has now referrred me to a neurologist beacuse I may be suffering with 'Early Onset of Alzheimers'.

Question: Are you taking any statins? I just found this and thought of you: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/health/fda-warns-of-cholesterol-drugs-side-effects.html?_r=2&hp