Brain Maker Book Summary - Brain Maker Book explained in key points

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Brain Maker summary

Name: Brain Maker
Rating: 4.3 (207 reviews)
Author: Dr. David Perlmutter with Kristin Loberg

David Perlmutter Kristin Loberg

The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect your Brain – for Life

4.3 (207 ratings)

20 mins

Brief summary

Brain Maker by Dr. David Perlmutter explores how our gut microbes influence brain health and offers practical advice on how to support this connection through diet and lifestyle choices.

Topics

Diet

Table of Contents

Brain Maker
Summary of 8 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 8

What’s in it for me? Find out how a troubled tummy could lead to disease, and how you can avoid it.

It is said that the way to a person’s heart is through his stomach. It turns out that the way to increased health and disease prevention may be through that exact same spot.

Alzheimer’s and autism, depression and obesity are all diseases that could potentially be stymied, if not cured, by the right balance of miraculous little creatures that live in our guts – known as the gut microbiome.

It turns out that the health of your brain is closely linked to the health of your gut. Gut bacteria provides your body with valuable vitamins and helps to ward off infection, not to mention other nasty bacteria that would rather trigger inflammation and lay siege to your system.

The good news is that you can have a say in which group of bacteria prevails, and in doing so, join a whole new world of disease prevention by being smart about what you eat.

Reading these blinks, you’ll also discover

how the chemicals in your plastic notebook could make you fat;
how good gut flora may curb autism spectrum disorder symptoms; and
why a tasty, turmeric-heavy curry can make your brain grow.

Your gut microbes can have a considerable impact on the size of your waistline.

The human gut is colonized by tons and tons of bacteria. A thought that’s not only strange, but also perhaps a little gross. Yet here’s another strange fact: these colonies play a huge role in your health.

Let’s start with how much you weigh. Interestingly, the type of bacteria you’ve got in your gut can determine whether you stay slim or become obese.

Two groups of bacteria are accountable for some 90 percent of your gut’s microbiome – firmicutes and bacteroidetes.

While scientists don’t know the “ideal” ratio of these groups, they do know that when you have more firmicutes than bacteroidetes, you can suffer from increased inflammation and potentially from obesity.

Firmicutes are expert at extracting energy from the food you eat, which means that they help you consume more calories. In contrast, bacteroidetes aren’t so much involved with calorie extraction but work to break down plant fibers and starches.

Harvard researchers examined the connection of obesity and a person’s microbiome, focusing on two groups: people living in Western countries and in Africa. Considering that obesity is virtually non-existent in Africa, any differences in microbiome were viewed as notable.

And what researchers found was indeed notable. Africans had more bacteroidetes in their gut, while Westerners had more calorie-extracting firmicutes. So having more firmicutes may be at least partly responsible for the obesity epidemic in the West.

Your microbes not only help to keep you slim (or fat) but also help support your liver. Many foods contain environmental toxins; it’s the liver’s job to get rid of these once in your body.

Yet a healthy gut can also support the liver in its work, which is why the gut is often called the body’s “second liver.”

Gut microbes help to neutralize toxins that reach the intestines, acting as a first line of defense. In doing so, the microbes take a bit of pressure off the liver, keeping it healthier!

The body’s inflammatory response protects you, but it can go haywire and cause damage, too.

When an insect bites you, often the skin around the bite gets red and may itch. This redness is called inflammation; a process the body sets in motion to protect you and keep you healthy.

Yet sometimes inflammation can get out of control and actually be harmful.

If your gut and its microbiome aren’t in tip-top shape, your brain might be in trouble, too.

Did you know that your brain and your gut are actually connected? If your gut microbiome is imbalanced to the point where it no longer is assisting the immune system in protecting the body, your brain could be in peril, too.

Your gut is mostly busy absorbing nutrients from food during the day. While it’s performing this task, it must be protected from potential pathogens that could harm you. As a means of defense, the gut has a protective layer of cells that are responsible not only for absorbing nutrients but also for blocking harmful bacteria.

The development of autism spectrum disorder is believed to be strongly influenced by gut bacteria.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a perplexing condition. Scientists still don’t know what causes it, and while many therapies attempt to address ASD symptoms, there’s no known cure.

Examining the gut microbiome, however, may help us to better understand and treat ASD.

Too much fructose in the Western diet has led to a rash of diet-related diseases.

It’s hard to say no to the delicious taste of sugar. Yet a particular type of sugar, called fructose, is today ubiquitous in prepared foods and drinks – and is wreaking havoc with our health.

Fructose, found in processed and sweetened foods like soda and candy, is one of the most consumed sources of calories in Western nations.

As a society, we use too many antibiotics and are exposed to many toxins that could harm our health.

In 1928, Scottish biologist Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin. One of the most important breakthroughs of the twentieth century, Fleming’s discovery ushered in the era of antibiotics.

Unquestionably, the use of antibiotics has saved many lives. Yet today we take too many antibiotics, and in doing so, we’re compromising both our gut microbiome and our overall health.

Choosing fermented foods and fasting every season is good for you and your body.

What do wine, yogurt, sauerkraut and black tea have in common? They’re all fermented food products.

Humans have benefited from the process of fermentation in food for some 7,000 years, and nearly every culture has some kind of traditional fermented dish or drink. It’s no surprise, as fermented foods are often good for your health.

Two natural substances that can work wonders for your health are turmeric and coconut oil.

Do you enjoy a spicy curry? Good for you if you do, as this means the yellow spice, turmeric, is already part of your diet.

Turmeric is a popular Chinese and Indian seasoning that is often a component of curry powder, giving it a distinctive yellow color. But it’s more than just a spice – turmeric is also good for your body.

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What is Brain Maker about?

Brain Maker (2015) explains the connection between your health and your microbiome – the bacteria in your gut. It shows you how even diseases that affect the brain such as Alzheimer’s are actually influenced by your microbiome. Importantly, you’ll learn how making some simple dietary decisions can help you keep disease at bay and make yourself healthier.

Brain Maker Review

Brain Maker (2015) explores the vital connection between gut health and brain health, offering insightful guidance for a healthier mind and body. Here's why this book is worth reading:

Packed with groundbreaking research and scientific studies, it provides readers with a deeper understanding of the gut-brain connection and its impact on overall well-being.
Through practical tips and strategies, the book empowers individuals to make informed lifestyle choices that promote positive gut health and enhance cognitive function.
With its fascinating revelations about the role of the microbiome in mental health, the book captivates readers and challenges conventional wisdom, ensuring an engaging and thought-provoking read.

Best quote from Brain Maker

Death begins in the colon. – Elie Mechnikov

—Dr. David Perlmutter with Kristin Loberg

Who should read Brain Maker?

People wanting to improve their health
Parents of children with health problems or conditions such as autism
Medical practitioners and nutritionists interested in alternative approaches to health

About the Author

Dr. David Perlmutter is a neurologist and the president of the Perlmutter Health Center in Florida. He is the author of the bestselling book Grain Brain. Additionally, he has written for the Huffington Post, the Daily Beast as well as for medical publications such as the Journal of Neurosurgery.

Kristin Loberg is a writer and editor, and has been a contributing author for many bestselling books, including Rule #1 (with Phil Town), The End of Illness (with David Agus) and Grain Brain (with David Perlmutter). Loberg also holds writing workshops at the University of California at Los Angeles.

Categories with Brain Maker

Health & Nutrition Mindfulness & Happiness Science

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