Brain Included: About the Health of Your Whole Head! (Yes, Your Hair Too)
We focus on maintaining your health through using natural, scientifically tested & proven treatments. Keeping a healthy diet is important as well!
When it comes to the health of your brain and body, neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter focuses on how the health of your microbiome affects the health of your brain. His theory focuses on the fact that your brain is fueled by what you put into your body. Therefore, the way it’s fueled will affect how it responds. Sounds simple, eh? I know, we should all be scientists.
The diet and foods he recommends are similar to the Mediterranean diet. Dr. Perlmutter’s diet for brain health focuses on eating mainly fruits and vegetables, and eating protein in side dish sized amounts.
Interestingly enough, the foods in his diet also help hair health and can help stop hair loss. These healthy fats give your body needed nutrients; while the fruits, veggies, and seeds give your body the vitamins it needs to stimulate hair growth. Tomatoes block DHT with lycopene, which down regulates and inhibits 5 alpha reductase. Nuts and seeds contain L-lysine, which is a natural DHT inhibitor (click here to read more about DHT).
For high fiber fruits, vegetables, and seeds, he recommends:
- Leafy greens, including lettuce, spinach, and broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Cauliflower
- Brussel Sprouts
- Green Beans
- Radishes
- Jicama
- Avocado
- Bell peppers
- Cucumber
- Tomato
- Zucchini
- Squash
- Eggplant
- Berries
In order to maintain healthy gut flora, Dr. Perlmutter includes fermented foods at least once a day. His list includes:
- Live-cultured yogurt
- Kefir
- Kombucha Tea
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Pickles (must be pickled in brine, not vinegar)
- Pickled fruit and vegetables (e.g. carrot sticks)
Healthy are vial for brain health. According to Dr. Perlmutter, use:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Organic or pasture-fed butter
- Almond milk
- Olives
- Nuts and nut butters
- Cheese (except for blue cheeses)
- Seeds (flaxseed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds)
Protein gives energy, so use the following:
- Whole eggs
- Wild fish (salmon, black cod, mahimahi, grouper, herring, trout, sardines)
- Shellfish and mollusks (shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, clams, oysters)
- Grass-fed meat, fowl, poultry, and pork (beef, lamb, liver, bison, chicken, turkey, duck)
Diets can be healthy while keeping eating interesting. Dr. Perlmutter’s diet does allow for coffee (2–4 cups daily), wine (1 glass for women, 1–2 for men), dark chocolate (2–3 squares), and tea. He lists other foods to help add helpful organisms to your microbiome, and recommends water as his favorite healthy drink.
Always remember: a healthy diet creates a healthy body, includes early prevention, and will help you maintain the health of your body and mind.
