Is That So?

I was recently listening to a CBC radio program in which a neurologist (David Perlmutter) was talking about the harmful effect of carbohydrates and sugars on the brain.  As I understood the discussion, the body’s defensive mechanism against carbs and gluten is inflammation.  It was this inflammation that had the neurologist concerned.  He attributed the onset in later life of brain degenerative issues such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease to the inflammatory effects of carbohydrates and gluten.  He also indicated that excessive carb intake contributes to ADHD, heart disease, diabetes, depression and obesity.  His bottom line was that our dietary choices shall have a huge impact on our future quality of life.

Interestingly, a second scientist (Carol Greenwood) spoke to the benefits of carbohydrates and whole grains.  Her general take on dietary choice was one of balance.

Hmm.  What to believe?

I have started to count my daily carbohydrate intake and intentionally kept it under the suggested daily intake of about 260 grams.  Coincidentally or not, I have shed about 3.5 lb over the past five days, in combination with four exercise outings.

Part of my purpose in writing this blog is to point out a related (at least it is in my mind) but different subject and that is the idea of life long learning.  My interest in learning new ideas about diet is equally applicable to my overall interest in life long learning.  As a business coach, I find that most business subjects/concepts/ideas have relevance outside the workplace.  But the important point for me is having an attitude towards life long learning.

For a long time I’ve felt that I like the idea of being smarter tomorrow than I am today.  For this to happen, I have to be open to the possibility of learning.

I would encourage everyone to embrace the benefits that come with learning.