It’s long been known that dementia and Alzheimer’s are related to a shrinkage in brain size. A number a factors contribute to this shrinkage, and one of the biggies is glycation in the brain. You don’t need to have type 1 or type 2 diabetes to end up suffering with type 3 diabetes, which affects the brain.
What Is Glycation?
Glycation is the process that happens when blood glucose combines with proteins and certain fats, and they get tangled up together. This results in the affected proteins and fats becoming stiff and ineffective. They can’t function any more. You can see this in your skin, if you’re old enough – wrinkles!
A low level of glycation is inevitable, but Western diets that are high in carbs increase glycation to really high levels – having a disastrous effect on the brain, because the brain is tremendously vulnerable to glycation. This paves the way to type 3 diabetes.
When glucose combines with the structures in the brain it destroys their function, over time leading to memory problems and then dementia and Alzheimer’s (or as is increasingly being referred to by researchers – type 3 diabetes)
Don’t Think You’re Safe!
Your red blood cells carry the protein haemoglobin, it’s this protein that carries oxygen around your body.
People already diagnosed with diabetes have their condition monitored by a blood test that measures the level of glycation of haemoglobin, it’s called HbA1C.
It’s long been known that diabetics have a much higher risk of dementia. More recently the causes of this are becoming clear, and one of them is increased levels of glycation in the brain.
But you’re not safe from this if you’re not diabetic.
This blood test is being used by researchers to study decreased brain function, memory problems, and Alzheimer’s. It’s been found that even ‘high normal’ levels of HbA1C are linked to type 3 diabetes, i.e. Alzheimer’s
The more carbs you eat and drink, the higher your HbA1C.
Are You At Risk Of Type 3 Diabetes?
If you answer “yes” to any of these, then you are at risk:
- Your diet contains a lot of carbs, particularly refined and processed ones
- You drink a lot of alcohol
- You are overweight – the more overweight, the higher your risk
- You have pre-diabetes
- You have diabetes
This is really scary stuff.
The rate of dementia and Alzheimer’s is rising really quickly. You hear on the news this is down to people living longer. Much of it is actually down to eating the wrong foods and drinking too much alcohol, and research is proving this.
The good thing to take from this is that dementia (i.e. type 3 diabetes) isn’t all down to ‘pot luck’. We have a lot of control over our risk of getting this, and it involves controlling our blood sugar. This is done by eating food that the human body is designed for, not tons of carbs and loads of booze.
Your brain health will be a lot better with more healthy fat in your diet and less carbohydrate. You’ll reduce your risk of type 3 diabetes.
This is what Uber Slim is all about.
So although people join Uber Slim with the aim of losing weight, they actually end up increasing their brain health too, and vastly cutting their risk of dementia (type 3 diabetes).
If you value your brain power, and want to keep it when you get older – look after your brain. If you need help with that invest in Uber Slim – find out the details by clicking here.
Have a great week
Dr Julie
PS If you would like a free video course to help with weight loss – check this out.