45: Brain Health & Steps You Can Take to Prevent Dementia with Max Lugavere

Master Your Health Podcast

The brain is one of the most important organs in your entire body. It plays a major role in how well other organs function, so it's a good idea to support a healthy brain with a healthy lifestyle. In this episode, Max Lugavere, a health and science journalist, expert in all things brain health, and author of New York Times best-seller Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life, shares what he has learned about how food, exercise, lifestyle changes, and more can affect brain health and cognitive decline.

In this episode you'll learn:

-How Max got started in the health/fitness/nutrition space

-How his mother's experience with dementia affected him

-That dementia can affect people at any age

-Why preventive actions are so crucial for dementia

-Why good metabolic health is key to maintaining and boosting brain health

-Only 12% of people in the US have what is considered "good" metabolic health

-That blood pressure plays a key role in brain health

-About the myth that dietary sodium from homemade food largely affects blood pressure

-Why whole foods are a better choice than highly processed foods

-That 71% of the sodium that your average person consumes comes from ultra processed packaged foods, and restaurant foods

-Why he chooses to eat low-carb

-Why Max advocates for a mostly grain free diet for those with blood sugar regulation issues and nutrient deficiencies

-For improved brain health protein and fiber should be prioritized at every meal

-Max's view on the ketogenic diet and improvement to cognitive function

-About glucose hypometabolism

-About time restricted feeding and how it has been shown to affect metabolic health and blood sugar regulation and blood pressure

-Some of Max's favorite foods for brain health

-Benefits of avocados and a certain fat they contain

-Why grass fed beef is a great choice when it comes to healthy protein and fat sources

-The importance of understanding how foods affect behavior

-That Max allows himself 1 "snack" per day to help maintain moderation

-Some oils people should avoid (grape-seed oil, canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil)

-The difference between monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats

-How different oils are extracted

-Some better options when it comes to choosing salad dressings

-Why Max isn't afraid of unsaturated fats

-The brain benefits of exercise, especially aerobic exercise

-Why resistance training is crucial for metabolic health

-That non-exercise physical activity makes up a huge portion of calories that you burn everyday

-That boxing can greatly benefits fitness levels and brain health

-About the benefits if sauna for mental and cognitive function

-The importance of mastering the art of positive self-talk

Connect with Max on Instagram

Max’s books, Genius Life and

Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life

Max’s Podcast Genius Life

Other References:

Amanda's episode: How to Meal Prep Like a Boss

Barrel sauna

Infrared sauna

Studies:

-2019 NIH study that found ultra processed foods overconsumed by about 500 cals per day https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-study-finds-heavily-processed-foods-cause-overeating-weight-gain