David Perlmutter - The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan: Boost Brain Performance, Lose Weight, and Achieve Optimal Health

Y OU CAN CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH destiny. Whether its effortless weight loss. Freedom from neurological disorders and other chronic conditions. Boundless energy. A radiant appearance. Sound sleep. A happy belly. A robust immune system. Relief from depression and anxiety. A sharp, fast-thinking brain. A great sense of self-confidence and well-being. A super-high quality of life.

These are all terrific goals, and my bet is youre hoping to achieve them yourself soon enough. People whove followed my protocols in the past have indeed experienced these results. Seriously. But to be sure: Such monumental accomplishments dont come without hard work and sacrifices. You cant necessarily turn away from the standard American dietbread, soda, OJ, sugar, cereal, muffins, bagels, processed foodsand embrace a totally gluten-free, low-carb lifestyle overnight. It takes commitment. It takes effort. But its doable with this book in your personal library.

More than a million people around the world have improved their healthphysical, mental, and cognitivethanks to Grain Brain, a book that became an instant bestseller. The book was followed by Brain Maker, another instant bestseller that added to the conversation by highlighting the importance of the human microbiomethe trillions of microbes that inhabit the gutto our health. Now the time has come to bring these two forces together in a highly practical, step-by-step holistic lifestyle program.

Welcome to The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan.

The main purpose of this book is to help you put my ideas into practice in the real world and to show you that living your best life is about much more than what you put in your mouth. It expands upon the core advice in my previous works and introduces exciting new information about the advantages of eating more fat and fiber, consuming fewer carbs and protein, evicting gluten forever, and catering to your intestinal flora. Included in the book are a bounty of delicious original recipes, tips for addressing unique challenges, a 14-day easy-to-follow meal plan, and advice about habits beyond the diet. From sleep hygiene to stress management, exercise, supplements, and more, The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan details how to live happily and healthily ever after.

Grain Brain and Brain Maker share the foundation of my general nutritional recommendations, complete with all the scientific evidence supporting them. I highly recommend you read these books if you havent already before tackling this program. They tell you the WHY part of the story in rich detail. The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan offers the HOW. If youve read my previous works, youll hear some echoes in these pages, but thats intentional. The reminders will reinforce your motivation to change, or to keep up the good work.

My ideas may have seemed out there when I began writing Grain Brain in 2012, but since then, not only have they been validated over and over again in the scientific literature, but also more extensive science has emerged, which Ill address in this work. Even the U.S. government has modified its dietary guidelines to reflect this research, backpedaling away from endorsing low-fat, low-cholesterol diets and moving closer to my way of eating.

Another new theme in this book that I havent covered previously is weight loss. Although I didnt strongly promise weight loss before, I know from thousands of people who took the tenets of Grain Brain and Brain Maker to heart that weight loss is one of the most common, immediate outcomes of the program. And the weight loss can be huge. You wont feel like youre on a dreaded diet, you wont feel an insatiable hunger, but the pounds will melt away.

I was motivated to write this book from my own personal experience, too. I have tried my best to do everything possible to remain healthy. But now in my sixties, Ive experienced my own health issues, and I have learned how to navigate through them successfully within the context of my own principles. I started to think about this book as an opportunity to get myself into the very best shape for the next forty years. Like anyone my age, Im certainly at risk for all the common disorders. And, by virtue of my family history, I have a higher risk for Alzheimers disease. But I know I am reducing my risk and stacking the deck in my favor by following the strategies presented in these pages. I want to show you what I have learned and what I do day in and day out.