How Food Affects Your Behavior - Dr. Russell Blaylock - neurosurgeon
 

What's In That? How Food Affects Your Behavior -
by - Dr. Russell Blaylock - neurosurgeon (his father had PD)

Food additives and poor diet could help explain poor school performance, criminal behavior, alcoholism, and the growing numbers of Alzheimer's patients.
According to Dr. Russell Blaylock, high sugar content and starchy carbohydrates lead to excessive insulin release, which in turn leads to falling blood sugar levels, or hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia causes the brain to secrete glutamate in levels that can cause agitation, depression, anger, anxiety, panic attacks and an increase in suicide risk.

The glutamate that causes this is identical to the flavor-enhancing monosodium glutamate (MSG) and its chemical cousins, which are found in thousands of food products, further exacerbating the problem.
Repeated hypoglycemic episodes increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's and ALS (Lou Gehrig's). In children, hypoglycemia often leads to hyperactivity. In both children and adults, it can cause violent and aggressive behavior. In older people, there can be mental confusion.
An anti-hypoglycemic diet would consist of lean meat and lots of fresh vegetables. Another key is limiting sugars and starches.
Sources:

http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/353246.aspx
CBN News July 1, 2008

PS - I am hypoglycemic - diagnosed in my mid teens along time ago - ;)
my Dr. Freeman in VA. who dxd'd me finally, said the low blood sugar was the cause of the brain damage which damaged similiar parts - and resulted in PD...
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/354086.aspx
http://www.blaylockreport.com/

Dr. Blaylock is da' man!
 

One of the best and strongest allies we have. As Tena points out, he has looked into the eyes of PD as it took his own father. He is no ordinary neurologist and seems willing to litter the landscape with sacred cows when appropriate.

excitotoxcity
 

I recently read Blaylock's book "Excitotoxicity". It is not an easy read, but then, this is not an easy subject. Fascinating, is all I can say. Anyone who can get through it will be better for it, in all regards. And it completely reinforces something we all know or are rapidly realizing: we are on our own and better learn everything we can to take care of ourselves. Not only will the big arms not do it for us, it seems to me they actually take actions to our detriment.

I am beginning to wonder if the whole vaccine thing is one big plan to perpetuate that industry-poison the brains of the tiny innocents at a time when the BBB is basically nonexistent in terms of actual function, and thereby set the wheels in motion for horrible diseases decades down the line, all necessitating vast quantities of medical visits, hospitalizations, and, of course, let's not leave out, pharmaceuticals. Seems like the more vaccines we thrust upon infants before they are two (the list gets bigger almost every year!), the more, and younger, cases of neurological diseases that we see. And I don't buy the medical world's explanation for this: that it's simply a matter of better diagnosing. Bull.

Paranoid? Maybe, but I prefer realistic. Just looking at the stats, seems like we have some of the highest rates of "incurable" disease, yet our health system is supposedly one of the best. Makes one wonder.

This is really interesting to me. I was hypoglycemic as a child, then diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 26. My pancreas officially shut down insulin production when I was about 28. I am currently on an insulin pump and doing pretty well controlling my blood sugars. Even then, I still have some hypoglycemic episodes. I woke up in the middle of the night two nights ago with a blood sugar level of 44! There are so many factors that affect a persons blood sugar levels, aside from food...so it can be really challenging. Hormones and stress are culprits in my case. I am trying really hard to eat healthy, get plenty of rest, and minimize my stress. Some days are better than others, and I am finally learning to accept that.

I am hypoglycemic
 

and sugar among other things (actually anything that rapidly turns to glucose)
add grief to my already overburdened body. I believe the best medicine for any sort of dysfunction related to food is exercise. Unfortunatley, we cannot stop eating like we can quit smoking or avoid alcohol. Take the time to educate yourself about what's what when your going to put something into your mouth. I have spoken about this at several PD support groups and it's discouraging what people do not know about nutrition. I quickly realized an hour of presentation on good nutrition had about the same impact as pouring my diet coke in the ocean.

Thanks for the heads up on the book. I'll definitley have a go at it.

doctors aren't taught nutrition in medical school
 

And, have you ever had a doctor ask about what you ate or, more incredible, actually made a dietary suggestion that might improve how you feel? (other than diabetes and/or heart issues, of course, we all know what sugar and butter do, much as we love them). Amazing.

They (student doctors) actually are taught some in my school
 

About six years ago the curriculum was expanded to include 12 weekly one hour lectures on nutrition by a real dietician. I would grade the course as "fair"; certainly better than nothing. What is still lacking in ours, and most schools is a strong emphasis on preventing disease and on healthy eating as part of preventative medicine.

As most of us know, eating habits are very emotional, and trying to change patients attitudes toward eating is something most doctors simply don't feel like they have time for. The "illness intervention" model reigns!

What healthy food?
 

One can see how far gone we are as a society when we are hungry and looking for really healthy food. What's out there? We don't have any specialized food stores or restaurants locally. Organic? Good luck! Things are improving rapidly in the right direction but still less than 1% of the grocery store is even reasonable.