You are in charge of your own fate.
That was the message Dr. David Perlmutter gave to those in attendance at the WGCU annual fundraiser at the Naples Grande Beach Resort on Feb. 17.
Perlmutter is the Naples-based neurologist famous for his Grain Brain and Brain Maker best-sellers that promote the (sometimes controversial) theory that links gluten and grain to a decline in brain health.
The doctor focused largely on the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease in his wide-ranging discussion. The prevalence of dementia is expected to increase as baby boomers age. But Perlmutter stressed that preventing Alzheimer’s can largely be up to us. The key is healthy eating, avoiding sugar, high fructose corn syrup and carbs. He said preventing diabetes is also key in stopping the onset of Alzheimer’s, noting that diabetics are twice as likely to develop the disease.
In the often lighthearted talk, Perlmutter projected a slide in his presentation of the “health food” section in a super market.
“What’s the rest of the food here if it’s not health food?” he asked. “We have to look at what passes for food.”
He also stressed the importance of exercise for brain health, as well. Studies have shown how staying active can help the mind stay fit as we age.
“I often get the question from my patients, ‘What’s the best supplement I can take?’ My response: Exercise,” he said.
Read more about Perlmutter’s insight into brain health in his column in The Huffington Post.
Read The Feel Good Report every Tuesday and Thursday online and every month in Gulfshore Life.
