Increase Your Brain Power with Carbs (Part 3)

🧠 The Right Way to Fuel Your Brain Without Overloading on Sugar

Welcome back to the Restorative Longevity Podcast, where we don’t just talk about living longer—we talk about living better. This is the final part of our three-part series on how carbohydrates impact brain function, memory, and cognitive performance.

If you missed Parts 1 & 2, here’s a quick recap:
✔ Your brain runs ONLY on glucose—not fat, not protein, but glucose.
✔ Low-carb & keto diets starve the brain of energy, leading to brain fog & poor cognitive function.
✔ But too much sugar can also damage the brain, increasing the risk of dementia & Alzheimer’s.

Today, in Part 3, we’re discussing:
✅ Why too much glucose is just as harmful as too little
✅ The connection between high blood sugar & dementia
✅ The best foods to get glucose without overloading your brain

Your Brain Needs Glucose—But Too Much is a Problem

We’ve established that your brain only runs on glucose and that low-carb diets deprive it of energy. But what happens if you overload on glucose?

📌 Too much glucose in the bloodstream can:
🚨 Increase chronic inflammation – The root cause of ALL chronic diseases
🚨 Cause insulin resistance – Leading to type 2 diabetes
🚨 Raise your risk of strokes & clogged arteries
🚨 Speed up cognitive decline & dementia

The Link Between High Blood Sugar & Dementia

A 7-year study of over 2,000 elderly individuals found that:
📉 Higher blood sugar levels correlated with poor cognitive function over time.
📉 Those with high blood sugar developed dementia faster than those with normal blood sugar.
📉 Even those with “normal” blood sugar levels (under 120 mg/dL) still had an increased risk of memory loss.

🚨 Conclusion:
The higher your blood sugar, the faster your brain function declines.

What Happens When Your Brain Gets Too Much Sugar?

When you flood your brain with too much glucose, it causes:

❌ Inflammation in the brain → Leading to brain fog & slower thinking
❌ Increased risk of strokes → Caused by excessive sugar clogging arteries
❌ Shrinkage of brain tissue → Linked to memory loss & poor focus
❌ Insulin resistance in the brain → Which can trigger Alzheimer’s disease

💡 Fact:
Even an MRI study showed that dementia-free elderly individuals who raised their blood sugar levels developed:
📉 Weaker memory performance
📉 Brain shrinkage
📉 Faster cognitive decline

How to Eat Carbs Without Hurting Your Brain

🚨 The key is balance. Your brain needs glucose, but too much is damaging.

✅ You need 62g of glucose per day for optimal brain function.
✅ That equals only 250 calories from glucose per day.
✅ Excess glucose beyond that gets stored as fat—or worse, clogs your arteries.

🔥 Best ways to get 62g of glucose daily:
🥄 3 tbsp raw honey
🥦 3 small beets
🍑 3 dried apricots
🍇 1 cup of grapes + a kiwi

🚀 Stick to this, and you’ll have:
✔ Better focus
✔ Sharper memory
✔ Faster mental processing
✔ No more brain fog!

Understanding Glycemic Index & Glycemic Load

To avoid brain-damaging sugar spikes, focus on low glycemic foods with high fiber content.

📌 What is the Glycemic Index (GI)?
A ranking system that measures how fast a food raises your blood sugar.

❌ High GI Foods (BAD for brain health):
🍞 White bread, white pasta, white rice
🍬 Processed sugar & junk food
🥔 White potatoes & instant oats

✅ Low GI Foods (GOOD for brain health):
🥦 Vegetables (beets, carrots, onions, leafy greens)
🍎 Fruits (grapefruit, berries, kiwi, apricots)
🍠 Sweet potatoes & yams
🌰 Legumes (black lentils, garbanzo beans)

📌 What is Glycemic Load (GL)?
A measurement that includes fiber content—the more fiber, the slower the sugar is absorbed.

✔ High-fiber foods slow digestion, preventing sugar spikes & keeping glucose levels stable.
✔ More fiber = a healthier brain & reduced inflammation.

How to Prevent Sugar Overload While Enjoying Sweets

🍫 Craving something sweet? Try this instead:
✅ 70% or higher organic dark chocolate – A natural brain booster
✅ Raw honey in moderation – 3 tbsp per day is all you need
✅ Fruits with fiber – Grapefruit, berries, kiwi

🔥 Pro Tip:
Before eating sugar, eat a high-fiber food first. This slows down sugar absorption and prevents blood sugar spikes.

Final Takeaways: How to Eat for Maximum Brain Power

✅ Your brain NEEDS glucose—specifically 62g per day
✅ Too much sugar can cause brain inflammation & increase dementia risk
✅ Avoid processed carbs & simple sugars—stick to whole, fiber-rich foods
✅ Choose low-glycemic, high-fiber foods to protect your brain health

🚀 Want to boost your memory, focus, and mental clarity?
📅 Follow this plan for 30 days and FEEL the difference in your brain power!

This Week’s Action Step

1️⃣ Swap processed sugar for natural glucose sources (beets, honey, fruits).
2️⃣ Start your day with a brain-boosting meal rich in complex carbs.
3️⃣ Track your blood sugar levels to monitor how foods affect your cognitive function.

🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to the Restorative Longevity Podcast!

📅 Join us next week for a brand-new topic on brain and body health!

🚀 Don’t forget to share this post with someone who wants better brain health!