Frequently Asked Questions
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Most of the data so far on nutrition and dementia prevention is complicated by a few factors. First, most of the current data we have relies on a subject’s memory of what they have eaten, and this data can be pretty flawed for obvious reasons. Second, people in both higher socioeconomic and higher educational groups tend to eat “brain-healthier” foods than those in the lower groups. This also likely skews the data a bit.
But there are some things we do know. To date, omega-3 fatty acids (via fish consumption or dietary supplementation), a Mediterranean style diet, and the MIND diet are among the most studied. The MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) emphasizes natural, plant-based foods, limits foods that are high in animal and saturated fats, and specifies green leafy vegetables and berries. The MIND diet is currently being studied as a possible way to lower dementia risk over time. So far, the data shows that even only moderate adherence to the MIND diet can reduce one’s risk of dementia significantly. This MIND diet has already been shown to reduce the risk of developing Parkinson disease and slow the progression of the disease in those who have it.
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The brain cannot store its own energy and can only use two energy sources for processing. These include Glucose (sugar) and Ketones, which are made in the liver from fatty acids. The brain uses glucose when energy is needed and will revert to using ketones when the liver and blood are out of glucose. Examples of the latter include starvation, fasting or the ketogenic diet. The higher the glycemic index of the food, the faster the sugar enters the bloodstream and the more sugar enters the bloodstream. (Show glycemic index chart here)
In particular, the following foods are particularly detrimental to brain function:
1) Sweets that contain sugar. The problem with sugar is that sugar that is not immediately used by the body as an energy source is stored as fat.
2) Sugary drinks and Soda
3) Refined carbohydrates
4) Trans-saturated fats such as packaged baked goods and fried foods. These kinds of fats increase your bad cholesterol, also known as your LDL, and lower your good cholesterol, also known as HDL. These trans-saturated fats are highly inflammatory and raise your risk of stroke, heart disease, and diabetes, as well.
5) Processed foods
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1) First, eat fresh foods. Over 75% of processed foods contain sugar, so it’s wise to avoid processed foods, in general. Eat fresh foods instead.
2) Eat a Rainbow. Be sure to eat a variety of plants! Plants contain healing and beneficial antioxidants and phytonutrients based on their colors. Try to eat two foods from each colored plant group each day.
3) Eat good or “healthy” fats such as plant oils harvested without heat, such as olive oil, grapeseed oil, walnut oil, sesame oil. Other healthy fats include fish, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados. Cholesterol from healthy fats such as these, high in Omega 3, help heal the heart and brain, enhancing cognitive functions.
4) It’s important to adopt a mindset of improvement and learning each day rather than feeling like a failure if you don’t have 100% perfection with your diet.
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The MIND diet is a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating patterns.
Traditional Mediterranean diets consist primarily of whole, minimally processed foods including grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts and fish. Small amounts of meat, eggs and dairy products, and a modest amount of alcohol, may also be included.
The DASH diet emphasizes fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. It includes whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts but is limited in fat (specifically saturated fat), red meat, sodium, added sugars, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
The MIND diet encourages many of the plant-based foods recommended in the Mediterranean and DASH diets, as well as fish and poultry. It also shares the recommendation to limit saturated fats and added sugars. The factors that differentiate the MIND diet come from the focus on daily and weekly recommendations for specific foods and food groups.
Vegetables
2 or more servings per day
At least one serving of leafy green vegetable per day.
Berries
2 or more servings per week
Any type of berry, although blueberries may be potentially more beneficial.
Whole grains
3 or more servings per day
Emphasis on grains that are minimally processed.
Nuts
5 or more servings per week
Beans
4 or more servings per week
Seafood
1 or more serving per week
Focus on fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines.
Poultry
2 or more servings per week
While there is a strong emphasis on which foods to consume with the MIND diet, it also strongly encourages limitations on several categories of food, including: red meats, saturated fats such as butter and margarine, cheese, refined grains, added sugars and fried foods.
Study results spanning an average of four and a half years showed that participants following the MIND diet lowered their risk of AD by as much as 53 percent in participants who adhered to the diet rigorously, and by about 35 percent in those who followed it moderately well. More research is ongoing to confirm these results, however, using this dietary pattern approach seems to be a promising strategy to improve cognitive decline in the older population.
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Semaglutide is an injectable medication that belongs to a class of medications called GLP-agonists. GLP-1 is a hormone that affects the regulation of blood sugar by stimulating glucose-dependent insulin secretion. Insulin is a hormone that promotes sugar uptake by the cells, stores sugar as glycogen, promotes the building of fat, and signals the body to build skeletal muscle.
GLP-1 agonists inhibit the release of the GLP-1 hormone , which slows down the release of sugar into the blood so that you burn more fat, and slows down gastric emptying to make you feel full longer while reducing the desire for food intake.
Semaglutide mimics the GLP-1 hormone in your body, which helps to control your blood sugar by blocking the liver from releasing sugar into your bloodstream, slows down how fast your stomach empties food, and causes your pancreas to release insulin.
Together, these functions can help you feel less hungry, causing you to eat less food and lose more weight. This medication is also currently being studied as a possible treatment for cognitive loss and dementia.
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Yes, semaglutide can help curb your appetite. In addition to slowing gastric emptying to make you feel full for longer, GLP-1 also plays a direct role in how your appetite is regulated.
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Weight loss will be gradual since you will slowly work your way up to the target dose of semaglutide, at which time you will see the most amount of weight loss.
It is important to keep in mind that weight loss can take time, and you’ll see the best results when you are using your medication in combination with a healthy diet and exercise. Sometimes the medication may not work for you, or you may not be able to tolerate the full dose due to side effects.
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Our weight loss program at NeuroSpa is designed to help you begin adopting healthy lifestyle changes that will promote lasting weight loss where medication is no longer needed. Being on semaglutide can help you learn to control your portion sizes. However, if you go back to how you were eating once off semaglutide, and do not adopt the necessary lifestyle changes to maintain the weight loss, it is likely that you will gain the weight back.
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At NeuroSpa, we use a compounding pharmacy that combines semaglutide with B-12 to meet your nutritional needs.
Although the semaglutide dose can be different for everyone, we usually start with a low once weekly subcutaneous dose and titrate up every 4 weeks until you are beginning to meet your own weight loss goals.
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Most people have very few side effects at all, other than reduced appetite. However, some side effects that might occur include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, or constipation. Our medical team will check in with you weekly to see if you are experiencing any side effects and give you advice to help.
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It is recommended that you limit sugar, fast-digesting carbs, and processed foods. Fried foods and fatty foods, such as fast food, processed foods, carbonated and sugary drinks, and foods high in sugar and saturated fat may be more likely to cause nausea while on semaglutide.
You may also want to limit how much alcohol you’re drinking while taking semaglutide. This might make you feel worse in combination with some of the GI side effects from the medication. If you are a heavy drinker, it’s important to lower alcohol use slowly over a period of weeks to avoid a medical emergency.
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Yes. Semaglutide is considered to be safe and effective when used as indicated. “Safe” doesn’t mean that there aren’t risks. Semaglutide is FDA approved for weight loss in the branded version Wegovy.
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This is true, especially with several online pharmacies. It’s important to be sure you are receiving medicine from a state licensed pharmacy that is highly regulated by the FDA. The compounding pharmacy we use is a state licensed pharmacy in good standing, as well as an FDA regulated 503A designated pharmacy held to the safety standards of USP 797.
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Semaglutide is not recommended for those with a history of thyroid cancer, type-1 diabetes, history or pancreatitis, people who are pregnant, or if on other blood sugar lowering medications.
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We partner with the following local providers for healthy eating education and resources.
Shari Havourd MS, CNS, LDN provides medical nutrition therapy with an integrative approach and compassionate care for individuals with ADHD, anxiety, depression, dieting distress, disordered eating, eating disorders, GI conditions, or overall gut dysfunction. She uses functional lab testing to address root causes and creates a balanced health care plan for her clients. You can read more about Shari and schedule a complimentary 20 minute consultation at https://www.aetio.health/.
Marci Seymour is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) and Restorative Wellness Practitioner (RWP). She believes that health can be achieved through a holistic and bio-individual approach to nutrition and lifestyle. She takes a whole food approach to supporting the body with a heavy focus on nutrient density, supporting gut health, blood sugar regulation, mineral balance, hydration, and fatty acids while finding the root cause of dysfunction and symptom presentation. Marci offers one-on-one nutritional therapy services in conjunction with functional lab testing. Visit www.getnourishedco.com to learn more about Marci and her practice.
Tuesday Foods is a local Roaring Fork Valley company that delivers healthy, plant-based, ready-to-eat meals directly to your door. Each week, chefs create a delicious nutritionist approved menu packed with the highest quality ingredients. All of the meals are vegan, gluten free, and sourced organically wherever possible. For 10% off your first order, use the code ….. when you visit https://tuesdayfoods.co/
We also recommend the following films, podcasts, websites and books for brain healthy nutritional learning:
Forks Over Knives
https://www.forksoverknives.com/the-film/
MIND Diet for Beginners
Brain Food
How Not To Die
Food Pysch