. . . and boost memory. Sound too good to be true? Read on
by Celeste Perron
(LifeGoesStrong.com) - A few weeks ago I wrote about Dr. Larry McCleary, a pediatric neurologist who became fascinated with metabolism and how diet affects our brains as we age. The premise of his book, Feed Your Brain Lose Your Belly is that a diet high in simple carbs and low in essential fatty acids makes us fat and mentally dull (or, at least, not as sharp as we
These smoothies have super powers (Source: Getty)
could be), because the insulin spikes caused by a high-carb diet send energy straight to our bellies (where it’s stored as fat) and not to our brains—which, in need of nourishment, send out hunger signals that prompt us to eat even more simple carbs.
Although that exact insulin/brain/belly connection was news to me, the idea that you should avoid sugar and simple carbs is already a given, and something I try to do (though who can resist free samples of brownies and cookies like the ones the grocery store was giving out today? Not me). But what I found fascinating about Dr. McCleary’s diet recommendations is the idea that our brains really need three different types of fatty acids to function their best: the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil (which I wrote about here), the long chain omega-3 fatty acid DHA and the short-chain fatty acid ALA.
DHA is the essential fatty acid found in fatty fish and fish oil, and piles of studies suggest that it’s a miracle food for our hearts and our brains, and possibly every other part of our body. McCleary says that DHA increases the number of “sugar shuttles” in our brains, meaning that it helps get glucose out of our bloodstream (and away from our bellies) and into our brains. The cold water fish that are packed with DHA include tuna, salmon and swordfish, but since eating these every day can be problematic (expensive, bad for the environment, and possibly toxic, since these fish often contain high levels of mercury and chemicals such as PCBs), supplements are a great option. Instead of standard fish oil supplements Dr. McCleary recommends that we take krill oil—krill are tiny crustaceans that contain DHA in a form that’s most easily absorbed by our bodies (natural health guru Dr. Mercola also recommends krill oil).
ALA is the omega 3 fatty acid found in plant sources—flax seed and flax seed oil are its best known source, but it’s found in lesser amounts in walnuts, and other nuts and seeds. Now I’d always heard that ALA was just DHA’s less impressive sidekick, that it didn’t offer many health benefits on its own but could sometimes be converted to DHA in the body. But ALA has unique superpowers, according to Dr. McCleary, who points to research showing that ALA can break fat into ketone bodies, something the brain can’t do by itself. What’s so great about that, you’re probably wondering? “Ketones energize the brain better and longer than glucose—the brain can quickly turn them into a potent energy source that will last a long time,” says Dr. McCleary.
The yummiest way to get these essential fats is to start the day with a smoothie spiked with flaxseed oil and coconut oil (and only sweetened with fruit of course). “If you start the morning that way you’ll be amazed at how unhungry you are,” he says. Throw in krill oil supplements and you might just be on the path to the leanest and smartest you’ve been in years. I’m certainly no neurosurgeon, but Dr. McCleary’s plan sounds worth a try to me. Who doesn’t love smoothies?
