Health New Update: Two diets linked to better brain health, slowed aging!

Mark Smith • September 23, 2024

Hello again:

 

In the last blog I reviewed how science knows that sugar can cause harm to your brain. Now I will share a report on two diets that have been shown to improve brain function and slow brain aging in older adults with insulin resistance (over-fueling with sugars and processed carbs):


Highlights

·      8 weeks of 5:2 intermittent fasting caused more weight loss than healthy living diet

·      Both diets reduced neuronal insulin resistance and the pace of brain aging

·      Both diets improved memory and executive function, with 5:2 intermittent fasting more so

·      Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease did not change (minimal changes that were positive but not statistically strong) with either diet


Participants were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of an IF (Intermittent Fasting) diet or a HL (Healthy Living) diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy and limits added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.

The IF diet involved following the HL diet for 5 days per week and restricting calories to a quarter of the recommended daily intake for 2 consecutive days.


https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/abstract/S1550-4131(24)00225-0

 

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/two-diets-linked-improved-cognition-slowed-brain-aging-2024a1000dqj?src=FYE&ecd=WNL_recnlnew4_broad_US_perso_etid6713129&uac=428598BV&240801&impID=6713129


Bottom Line:

 

Your food can be your medicine or a slow poison. Imagine a consistent dietary pattern where you consume the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) and how this will slowly erode your health and destroy your brain. Long term food choices that are low in nutrients, high in unbalanced carbs, fats, and protein, low in fiber and accompanied by additives, preservatives, taste and texture enhancing chemicals, addictive chemicals, added sugars, and toxic pesticides is what defines the most common dietary pattern in our country. This food pattern especially damages children. Many families report that when they shift to a healthy living dietary pattern, that their children’s moods, behaviors, and grades improve dramatically. Eating right benefits brain health at ALL ages. Now you know that there is a way out, and now that you know, what will you do?

 

“Intermittent fasting and healthy living improved executive function and memory, with intermittent fasting benefiting more certain cognitive measures.”

 

For more about 5:2 intermittent fasting, read ‘The Longevity Diet’ by Valter Longo, PhD.

By Mark Smith March 23, 2026
Health News Update: How To Fight Inflammation and Chronic Disease 3.23.26 Hello again everyone: You might wonder why I keep focusing on food…so here are some of the reasons: food choices are the leading cause of death in the U.S. and spreading around the world. Poor food choices lead to inflammation which slowly destroy health. It is that simple, plain, and clear and backed by research. The next question: how do we fight back? Introduction The positive impact of food on health was postulated by the ancient Hippocrates, father of modern medicine with his famous quote: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” [1]. In the 21st century, scientists have focused on the effect of nutritional habits in diseases. Nowadays, it is well documented that food plays a noteworthy role in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases namely cardiovascular diseases (CVD), metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus type II, and cancer [2–5], as it correlates with others with the lipid pattern, the blood pressure, and the endothelial function. The scientists examine the effect of nutritional habits on disease emergence and progression in both individual nutrient intake and dietary patterns models. Worldwide, two dietary patterns are usually compared—the Mediterranean diet (MD) and the Western diet (WD) [3,6]. The Mediterranean diet reflects the food culture of most Mediterranean countries based on olive oil consumption, seasonal fresh vegetables, cereals, and plants in balance with low consumption of meat [7]. The Western diet, on the contrary, is dominated by high-fat dairy products processed and red meat [8]. However, discordance in the different MD patterns and consumed food doses had been recognized. Without any doubt, those discrepancies could confine and restrict our knowledge on the health benefit mechanisms of the MD [9]. Due to the above, the medical community along with nutritionists and dieticians take a keen interest in MD and its traits [7]. https://www.academia.edu/45378994/biomedicines_Mediterranean_Diet_as_a_Tool_to_Combat_Inflammation_and_Chronic_Diseases_An_Overview?email_work_card=view-paper food choices can fight inflammation and chronic disease Bottom Line: This is a 2020 paper and since then literally hundreds of papers on the MD have emerged showing how the food plan lowers inflammation and the risk for developing multiple chronic illnesses. Even still, lots of research needs to be done to elucidate the many mechanisms of how food impacts our system and how to optimally individualize dietary recommendations. At this point, our best strategy to prevent and/or recover from any chronic condition is to eat as clean and natural as possible. It has become rather obvious that the further away from a natural diet we get, the sicker we become. On top of that, I have yet to see a full recovery from any health issue without the foundation of a predominantly plant-based, unprocessed, whole foods approach…which is why I keep posting about this subject. All the best to you and yours!
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