The Book: Grain Brain

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mlb929
mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Has anyone read it? What are your thoughts?

I've just started it. But I read it from the perspective that both of my children have Celiac disease, not for general knowledge or information. But main because it's a lifestyle which we were handed and work through. I generally have felt pretty blessed by having gluten free kids - 13 years ago when my son was diagnosed, it was unheard of and now "gluten intolerance" is a pretty common occurrence.

Just curious to know what "non celiac" person thinks of the information in this book. I started to read "wheat belly" when it came out but was just too boring to get through for me.

Replies

  • freshstart
    freshstart Posts: 30 Member
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    I have just started reading this book. My interest is from an Alzheimer's disease and diabetes point of view. Diabetics can definitely use a low-carb diet for treating their disease. My mother has Alzheimer's disease and I am very interested in figuring out why the number of people with this disease is sky-rocketing. Yes, we are living longer, which increases risk. I believe our low-fat recommended diet of the past 30+ years is making us all sick. The other residents in my mother's dementia unit at the nursing home all definitely have a "sweet tooth" and the nutrition there is full of carbs, which they like. Could it be that this sort of diet has destroyed their brain? My mother was into low-fat cooking and I remember her rinsing ground beef to get the fat out of it. Our brains need saturated fat. Interesting.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
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    I saw it at Costco the other day. I have no medical reason to avoid grains but I am curious about what the book claims grains do to our brains?
  • dickster1961
    dickster1961 Posts: 29 Member
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    I read Wheat Belly and am just about finished with Grain Brain. I found it to be very interesting. My mother is suffering from Alzheimer's and was recently diagnosed as having gluten intolerances. She is now on a gluten free diet. At one point, I believe she was also getting close to being pre-diabetic.

    I have been trying to stick with a paleo type diet and do well for stretches, but periodically fall off the wagon. Reading the book has made me more inclined to try to give up gluten completely.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    Has anyone read it? What are your thoughts?

    I've just started it. But I read it from the perspective that both of my children have Celiac disease, not for general knowledge or information. But main because it's a lifestyle which we were handed and work through. I generally have felt pretty blessed by having gluten free kids - 13 years ago when my son was diagnosed, it was unheard of and now "gluten intolerance" is a pretty common occurrence.

    Just curious to know what "non celiac" person thinks of the information in this book. I started to read "wheat belly" when it came out but was just too boring to get through for me.

    Lol

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1134813-how-to-write-a-pseudoscience-book?hl=pseudoscience
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
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    Read it, as well as Wheat Belly, and the conclusion I came to is that I need to put my writing degree to use and write a diet book demonizing a food group, and then I'll make lots of money :drinker:
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,020 Member
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    Over consumption of refined carbs and sugar is never a healthy route but to say everyone should consume under 60g's of carbs is ridiculous, especially considering we've evolved consuming carbs for a pretty long time and the fact that there's plenty of proof of other populations around the world that consume diets high in carbs without the same effects as NA would suggest that context and dosage is ignored.
  • jamaicasunshine
    jamaicasunshine Posts: 21 Member
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    I'm almost finished Wheat Belly, and Grain Brain is next on the list :) I believe it all after seeing my a1c go from 10.6 to 6.1 in just three months, low carb. Makes perfect sense to me...:)
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    Now to read JUST HOW MUCH MORE wheat actually DAMAGES YOUR BRAIN is chilling.

    Hmm... I can't find any science that backs up that claim. You might want to put on a warm sweater and your thinking cap. :flowerforyou:
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    Read it, as well as Wheat Belly, and the conclusion I came to is that I need to put my writing degree to use and write a diet book demonizing a food group, and then I'll make lots of money :drinker:

    Great idea. But honestly, what food group has not yet been demonized??
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    I'm almost finished Wheat Belly, and Grain Brain is next on the list :) I believe it all after seeing my a1c go from 10.6 to 6.1 in just three months, low carb. Makes perfect sense to me...:)

    So, you're a diabetic who saw blood sugar improvements by reducing carbs. Got it.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
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    I have just started reading this book. My interest is from an Alzheimer's disease and diabetes point of view. Diabetics can definitely use a low-carb diet for treating their disease. My mother has Alzheimer's disease and I am very interested in figuring out why the number of people with this disease is sky-rocketing. Yes, we are living longer, which increases risk. I believe our low-fat recommended diet of the past 30+ years is making us all sick. The other residents in my mother's dementia unit at the nursing home all definitely have a "sweet tooth" and the nutrition there is full of carbs, which they like. Could it be that this sort of diet has destroyed their brain? My mother was into low-fat cooking and I remember her rinsing ground beef to get the fat out of it. Our brains need saturated fat. Interesting.

    ding ding ding ding! Seriously, Alzheimer's tends to hit the elderly, we have a HUGE aging population, and the number of cases of Alzheimer's is increasing. This is not rocket science.

    If you want to decrease your risk of Alzheimer's and dementia, exercise may be your best friend.

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130730123249.htm
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    I think it's a valid hypothesis but I don't think the science is there yet in regards to brain health. This article/interview was pretty even handed even though the writers contempt for the book was pretty obvious.

    TheAtlantic: This is your brain on gluten
    http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/12/this-is-your-brain-on-gluten/282550/

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