Feb 28, 2023
Ketones are naturally produced in the body and play an important role in brain health. When the body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to use for energy, it begins to break down stored fat cells into ketones which can be used as a source of fuel instead.
A diet that is high in fats and low in carbohydrates is referred to as a ketogenic diet and is associated with improved cognitive functioning and reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease in older adults.
On another This Is Getting Old: Moving Towards an Age-Friendly World episode, we welcome Mary T. Newport, M.D. to the show - she's bringing her medical expertise and experience on ketones, diet & lifestyle.
Key points covered in this episode:
✔️ Dr. Mary T. Newport: The Expert on Ketones and Healthy Brain Aging
Mary Newport, M.D. graduated from Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She trained in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in neonatology at the Medical University Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina. More recently, she practiced at the opposite end of the spectrum, providing hospice care and health-risk assessments.
In 2008, a ketogenic nutritional intervention with coconut and medium-chain triglyceride oil dramatically helped her husband Steve Newport, who had early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, resulting in nearly four better quality years.
Her book Clearly Keto for Healthy Brain Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention focuses on a whole food ketogenic Mediterranean-style diet and other lifestyle modifications to help maintain brain health and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
✔️ From Newborns to Old Age: Dr. Newport's Fascination With Ketones and Alzheimer's Prevention
For 30 years, Dr Mary Newport practiced in Intensive Care. When her husband Steve was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, she became his caregiver. She cared for him through the late stages of his disease until he passed away. During this time she began to investigate ways to improve his cognition and slow down progression of the disease.
When Dr. Mary T. Newport first read a 2006 paper linking the Mediterranean diet to longer life expectancy for those with Alzheimer's, she was intrigued by the potential impact of nutrition on this condition and immediately invested in healthier eating habits based on that research. This experience sparked an interest in her to further explore ketones and lifestyle interventions related to brain health and Alzheimer's prevention.
She now shares her knowledge as an expert on this topic, in her book and through her work helping others understand the power of diet in maintaining brain health.
✔️ Alzheimer's Reversal: Is It Possible?
Alzheimer’s experts now say that 30-40% of Alzheimer’s and dementia cases could be prevented by making lifestyle changes, and a healthy diet is at the top of that list. Moreover, prediabetes and diabetes are major risk factors for Alzheimer’s.
The Mediterranean diet is a pattern of eating inspired by the traditional cuisines of countries that line the Mediterranean Sea. It emphasizes plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, and olive oil. It also includes moderate amounts of fish, dairy products (mostly yogurt or cheese), poultry and eggs.
Eating a low-carb Mediterranean diet can help address the problems of poor glucose uptake, the brain-energy gap, and inflammation in the aging brain which are accelerated in Alzheimer’s. A low-carb Mediterranean diet has the benefit of keeping blood sugar levels more stable over time and providing energy from fat to fuel our cells. The high intake of antioxidant-rich foods, including fruits and vegetables, is thought to help minimize inflammation in the brain which can contribute to Alzheimer’s.
✔️ Keto-Boost Your Brain: The Key To Maintaining Cognitive Health
Ketones come from fat when we are fasting, but also from eating a low-carb higher-fat ketogenic diet, which has been used to treat epilepsy for 100 years, but is used now for many other conditions, like controlling blood sugar in people with diabetes, which is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s, and that this diet shows promise in improving people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, etc.
Some other ways to increase ketones are taking coconut oil, MCT
oil, overnight fasting, exercise, and ketone supplements.
✔️ Take Control Of Your Brain Health!
The most important change a person can make to enjoy healthy aging is to steer away from sugary, starchy, and highly processed foods and eat a healthy whole-food diet.
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✔️ Have Questions About The Science Behind Ketones?
Connect with Dr. Mary Newport, the authority on all things culinary medicine! Reach out to her over email at ketones08@gmail.com or follow and engage in Culinary Medicine social media conversation - anywhere from Facebook to Instagram and Twitter!
For more information, be sure to also check out the Culinary Medicine website and Dr. Mary Newport’s website: https://coconutketones.com
✔️ Looking For The Perfect Manual To Help You Think More Clearly And Prevent Alzheimer's?
Dr. Mary Newport has got your back with Clearly Keto! This book is filled with all-natural tips, tricks, recipes & advice just waiting to be discovered - so don't miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime!
✔️ Have You Ever Been Eager To Learn More About Health, Food, and Alzheimer's?
Spotlight Tim Harlin's podcast for some insight into the nutritional value of what we eat! Plus, listen in on the Top 10 Tips To Stay Ahead Of Alzheimer’s Disease. And find out How Doctors Diagnose It Too - all without having to participate in any lab experiments or medical trials (unless you want a career change).
If you have questions or comments or need help, please feel free to drop a one-minute audio or video clip and email it to me at melissabphd@gmail.com, and I will get back to you by recording an answer to your question.
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About Melissa Batchelor, PhD, RN, FNP, FGSA, FAAN:
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing ('96) and Master of Science in Nursing ('00) as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) School of Nursing (SON). I genuinely enjoy working with the complex medical needs of older adults. I worked full-time for five years as FNP in geriatric primary care across many long-term care settings (skilled nursing homes, assisted living, home, and office visits), then transitioned into academic nursing in 2005, joining the faculty at UNCW SON as a lecturer. I obtained my PhD in Nursing and a post-master's Certificate in Nursing Education from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing ('11). I then joined the faculty at Duke University School of Nursing as an Assistant Professor. My family moved to northern Virginia in 2015 which led to me joining the George Washington University (GW) School of Nursing faculty in 2018 as a (tenured) Associate Professor. I am also the Director of the GW Center for Aging, Health, and Humanities. Please find out more about her work at https://melissabphd.com/.