Your brain on fat (Alzheimers, Dementia and Ketosis)
Here’s what we know: 1. The brain not only requires but thrives on healthy fats 2. Excess carbohydrates in the standard American diet lead to metabolic disease which affects the brain, cognition, memory, mood and more. Here’s how that played out in a large scale study using MRI data, now correlation is not causation, of course, but this is consistent with findings we see where keto can restore cognitive function after TBI, TIA, epilepsy and alzheimers. What it suggests though is that even small changes, can make an impact. Encouraging people not quite ready to dive totally into paleo, keto or carnivore to at least fully give up the bread, pasta, crackers, cookies and refined starches and franken-food products can save a life (or a brain). Carbs, Fats, and Brain Health: 10,000‑Person MRI Study A large cross‑sectional analysis of nearly 10,000 middle‑aged adults across four countries linked higher carbohydrate intake to more "silent" vascular brain changes on MRI (covert infarcts and white matter hyperintensities) and slightly lower cognitive test scores, while higher total fat—especially monounsaturated fats—tracked with fewer MRI lesions and better processing speed. In fact, swapping just ~5% of calories from carbohydrates to monounsaturated fat (think extra‑virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts) was associated with lower composite vascular brain injury. Because this was cross‑sectional, we can't infer causation, and the effects were modest—but the pattern aligns with what we know about metabolic health, carbohydrate quality, and nutrient density. Practically, that looks like moderating refined starches and sugars, keeping protein adequate, and favoring whole‑food fats from olive oil, fatty fish, pasture‑raised eggs, nuts, and seeds—then personalizing to your glucose response, genetics, and activity level. In a world where metabolic diseases and mental health issues are at the forefront of daily life - we have a responsibility to remind people 1. It doesn’t have to be like that