Brain Fact Friday on "The Damaging Impact of Sugar on the Brain and Body."

<p>Welcome back to the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, for Brain Fact Friday and episode #117.  Since we just released the ground-breaking interview with Dr. Ratey on the impact of exercise and nutrition on the brain, I wanted to focus today’s episode on something that he said, that caught my attention.</p> <p>Since last week’s Brain Fact Friday was about “Building a Faster, Stronger, Resilient Brain, by Understanding Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)” or the compound that Dr. Ratey says is crucial for preventing cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s Disease, I wanted to focus this episode on something Dr. Ratey said that really made me think.</p> <p>This week's Brain Fact Friday, you will learn:</p> <p> ✔︎ What sugar does to the brain, cognition and well-being. ✔︎ How sugar contributes to cognitive decline and Alzheimer's Disease. ✔︎ What sugar is so addictive. ✔︎ What surprising things spike blood sugar. ✔︎ Healthy ways to naturally lower blood sugar.</p> <p>DID YOU KNOW THAT: </p> <p>High Glucose Levels are Toxic to the Brain and Limits the Production of BDNF</p> <p>He said, did you know that “High glucose levels are toxic to the brain, and limits the production of this glorious compound BDNF that has such a profound effect on cognition and well-being?”</p> <p>I remember a powerful quote from a BONUS episode I did for Podbean’s Wellness week<a href='#_edn1'>[i]</a>  that goes right along with what Dr. Ratey said, coming from Dr. David Perlmutter, who wrote the foreword to Dr. Ratey’s book <em>Go Wild</em>!<a href='#_edn2'>[ii]</a></p> <p>DID YOU KNOW THAT: Sugar in the brain looks like Alzheimer’s in the Brain?</p> <p>I wrote in this bonus episode, after watching Dr. Perlmutter’s Alzheimer’s The Science of Prevention Series, Did you know that sugar in the brain “looks like Alzheimer’s” in the brain, and that “60% of cognitive decline is related to how you handle blood sugar?”<a href='#_edn3'>[iii]</a> </p> <p>There was a study that followed “over 5,000 people