What to eat to prevent Alzheimer’s

If you’re misplacing your keys, forgetting names and struggling to concentrate, it might already be too late, says Dr. Steven Masley.

That’s why Masley, author of the new book “The Better Brain Solution” (Knopf), recommends changing your diet to improve your cognition now, well before the symptoms of memory loss start.

After spending the better part of his 30-year career helping patients overcome heart disease and other age-related conditions, the St. Petersburg, Fla., physician began studying the brain — specifically, the connection between memory loss and insulin, the hormone that tells your body how to store energy.

When everything works properly, insulin helps convert food into glucose, which in turn powers your cells. But when cells are flooded with sugar day after day, they become insulin resistant, meaning they can’t absorb glucose anymore. This can lead to Type 2 diabetes, an epidemic illness in this country. According to Masley’s research, insulin resistance is also a key risk factor for developing dementia and even Alzheimer’s disease.

And the typical American diet is heavy in sugar and simple carbohydrates, which can cause insulin resistance and leave you feeling less than sharp.

“If you have brain fog and you’re sputtering through the day,” Masley says, “you’ve had enough danishes.”

So put down the pastries and eat this brain food instead. Click here to continue reading.