A 69% Alzheimer’s Risk Signal We Can Act On

The study results I am about to share may feel unsettling at first but take heart. I see this research less as a warning and more as guidance. Guidance that helps explain why certain choices matter, and how small, everyday decisions add up over time.

My mission is to empower people to achieve real health through real food. This research fits right alongside that goal, offering more clarity as we figure out how to take better care of our bodies and our brains.

🧠 What the study showed

A new study involving more than 350,000 adults reported a striking finding:

Individuals with higher blood sugar levels after meals had a 69% higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

You can read the full summary on ScienceDaily here: https://www.sciencedaily.com

That number stopped me in my tracks.

And it rang true. Loud and clear.

Because until just a few years ago, this is exactly how I ate.

Most mornings started with cereal or a bagel. Lunch was a cup of noodles or a couple of granola bars. Dinner always included pasta or potatoes or rice. And always bread on the side. I snacked on checkout counter candy bars and the kids' snack cakes. And, of course, there was popcorn or chips or pretzels at night.

Sugar and flour all day.

Carbs from morning to night.

Was it any surprise that my brain eventually struggled?

I had no idea that I was running on a constant cycle of blood sugar spikes. I thought I was eating normally. Responsibly, even.

If this sounds familiar, don’t panic. I have good news coming. This research does not mean we can never taste sugar again. It means we need to understand what is happening and how to be strategic in our food choices.

🧠 Understanding "high blood sugar after meals"

The study cautions that repeated high blood sugar after meals, also known as blood sugar spikes, put stress on the body and the brain over time.

So what causes blood sugar spikes?

Foods that break down into sugar.

This means sugar, yes, but not only sugar.

Sugar is a carbohydrate. Other carbohydrates also break down into sugar when we eat them. When we talk about foods that break down into sugar, we are talking about:

→ Sugar itself

→ Flour

→ Grains

→ Starches

→ Refined carbohydrates

Notice that these foods do not need to taste sweet to break down into sugar. Bread, pasta, cereal, crackers, and baked goods all break down into sugar very quickly once we eat them.

This is what causes a blood sugar spike.

Not every food causes blood sugar spikes, because not every food breaks down into sugar.

✔️ Protein does not break down into sugar.

✔️ Natural fat does not break down into sugar.

Foods like eggs, meat, fish, and cheese do not cause a meaningful blood sugar spike.

Nor do most non-starchy vegetables. They are relatively low in carbohydrates ("non-starchy") and high fiber. Think broccoli, bell peppers, and zucchini.

And yes, I know this may sound unsettling.

Stay with me.

There good news comes next.

🧠 How to enjoy both brain health and treats

This research does not mean you can never taste sugar again. It does not mean you have to avoid every carbohydrate forever.

What it does mean is that sugar and flour should not be the foundation of your diet.

The goal is to reduce how often and how hard your blood sugar spikes. And that is something we can do with strategy, not willpower.

Here is what helps.

First, build most meals around foods that do not spike blood sugar. Think eggs, meat, fish, cheese, natural fats, and non-starchy vegetables.

Second, time carbohydrates wisely.

Carbohydrates eaten on an empty stomach quickly overwhelm the bloodstream. Carbohydrates eaten after a meal of protein, fat, and fiber behave very differently. The protein, fat, and fiber slow the absorption of glucose, which reduces the spike. The impact is still there, but it is smaller.

Third, plan carbohydrates instead of letting them sneak in.

Carbohydrates should be a deliberate decision, not something you fall into out of habit or hunger. This is not about grabbing whatever is around just to feel full. It is about choosing a treat you actually care about and planning for it.

When you plan to eat carbohydrates and you have already eaten real food: protein and natural fat, you are far less likely to spiral into more.

This is the shift I made. Most of what I eat is low-to-no carbohydrate. When I do choose to "cheat" with carbs that break down into sugar, it is planned. It feels special and indulgent, like a true "treat."

We do not need abstinence. We do not need perfection. But those of us raised on the Standard American Diet, built on carbohydrates and ultra-processed foods, do need a new mindset: Carbs are no longer breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

But they can still be part of a clear and healthy life.

🧠 Brain Connection

We have more control than we were ever taught.

For years, we did not know how carbohydrates affected the brain. We did not know that repeated blood sugar spikes could quietly cause damage over time.

Now we do.

The hopeful truth is this: even when damage is not yet visible, it is building. And even when symptoms begin to appear, the brain can still heal.

Food choices matter. Timing matters.

And small changes, repeated daily, can lead to real improvement.

🛠️Tip from the Trenches

Warning! Take note!

Carbohydrates do more than raise blood sugar. Carbohydrates also interfere with the brain’s ability to feel satisfied.

Even after a full meal of protein and natural fat, one bite of carbohydrates that break down into sugar can switch off satiety signals. Cravings start. The brain asks for another hit. Suddenly there is “room” for more, even when you were not hungry a moment ago.

This is another reason why timing matters.

I never plan a morning cheat. I do not want to torment myself for the rest of the day.

Working with your brain instead of against it makes all the difference.

☀️ Study affirms: Eat Real Food!

For years, we were taught the wrong things about food and health.

Lately, it seems that every week more evidence emerges pointing to the same simple truth: the path to real health requires real food.

We cannot change our past.

But every choice we make today shapes our future, including the health of our brains.

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Until next time, stay strong, wise, kind, and good.

Choose real food for real health.