High protein/low-carb diets are one fad diet that doesn’t go away. It is true that low-carb diets can produce a rapid initial weight loss, but many are high in saturated fat and low in fiber, which can increase cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Since your brain runs on carbohydrate, high protein diets reduce brain functions. Now a recent study suggests that a high protein/low-carb diet may actually cause brain shrinkage and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

The discovery was found while studying the effects of different diets on mice that were bred to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The mice were fed various diets including a regular diet, high fat/low carb diet, high protein/low carb version or a high carb/low fat diet. Researchers discovered that the brains of the mice fed a high protein/low carb diet were 5 percent lighter than all the others and the hippocampus regions were less developed.  

Low-carb diets are used for weight control, and those diets sometimes combine high fat and high protein, which may be doubly damaging.  It is possible that the high fat increases the accumulation of plaques and the high protein sensitizes nerve cells to the poison released by plaques.  Previous research has shown a Mediterranean-style low-calorie, low-fat diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and fish might delay the onset or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting as many as 5.3 million Americans. Brain lesions, called amyloid plaques and tangles, accumulate, destroying brain cells, causing memory loss and problems with thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, social life and even the ability to cope with everyday life. Over time, Alzheimer’s gets worse and is fatal. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but researchers around the world continue to search for better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, or prevent it from developing.

 

Compulsive overeating is often caused by an emotional connection to an emotional event.  When ever I work with someone for weight issues, I always ask if there was a time when they gained weight suddenly.  If they say yes, there is a good chance that there was an emotional event that is unresolved and is causing the compulsive overeating.

I was demonstrating Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) at a seminar this week with people who had a strong desire for chocolate.  Normally, they will lose their desire for the chocolate after a few of rounds of EFT.  One person still had a fairly strong desire for the chocolate after using EFT, although she did notice that her appetite for food in general had disappeared. 

I asked if there was a time when she had gained weight suddenly, and she told us about her recovery from cancer.  After the treatment, her appetite came back and food tasted better than ever, especially chocolate.  She was thrilled to eat the sugary foods that she had not been able to have during her treatment, and that is when her weight gain started.

I suggested that she had created an emotional connection to these types of foods because her subconscious mind had connected these foods to the feeling of being free of cancer.  It was not the desire for chocolate as much as the feeling of being well that created her compulsive overeating.

Once you find the underlying driver of this emotional desire, you can release the need for overeating.  If you suffer from compulsive overeating, think back to when it started and ask yourself what emotional events were happening in your life.  You will probably find the clues that will lead you to your answer and you can release the emotions of the event and be free from overeating.