Episode 7 TRANSCRIPT
"Diet, Exercise and Alzheimer's"
[Janna opens with a flute intro]
Janna: Hi, I'm Janna, and I'm an Alzheimer's ThriverTM.
Larry: And I'm thriving too, this is her husband, Larry.
Janna: What's on the docket today, Larry?
Larry: Today we're going to talk about whether or not diet and exercise effect the trajectory of Alzheimer's.
Janna: Are you a doctor?
Larry: I am not a doctor. Are you a dietician?
Janna: In a manner of speaking, but no. No.
Larry: And we're not pharmacists or have any affiliation with any company that may produce food or exercise or diet or anything like that, but we are going to talk about how it affects us.
Janna: Yep, we don't claim that.
Larry: Yeah. So, this is just personal experience. So, Janna, about three years back, you decided you were going to (you and I both decided) we were going to do some research about this Alzheimer's and what might slow it down. And you came up with a few epiphanies based on the research. The first one was to cut out empty carbs and reduce the amount of good carbs, net carbs that we use in our food down to below 50 grams a day. And you decided to also not participate in eating refined sugar and also lean protein with the other diet.
Janna: I can look at it, but I can't touch it.
Larry: And I mean, come on, that's why would we do that? But first of all, why we did it and how that works based on the research, why don't you say what you noticed about your hands and anything like that?
Janna: Mmm. My hands have been puffy for a while and now the inflammation is totally gone. And that's good because I play flute and so I need to be able to wheel my fingers around. So, I noticed that as that change happened.
Larry: You know, for someone who's been eating sugar and that kind of thing, all your life.
Janna: Mm-hmph. Yum, yummy.
Larry: It's common to have cravings and when you eat a bunch, you just want more and more. So how did this affect your cravings?
Janna: Well, I didn't realize how hard it would be to pull back on using sugar and carbs. But it is, it is a loss and it's almost like an addict I would think. It feels like I just got to have it. And my desire for that was so strong that that's what I wanted to do. But as we've researched and as we’ve experienced, if you can try and knock out carbs pretty much and what else?
Larry: Yeah, the refined sugar.
Janna: The refined sugar, right, right, right. Wow, things turned around and you feel better.
It's hard to do. It takes a lot of...
Larry: Yeah, a lot of willpower ...
Janna: Willpower, yeah.
Larry: Well, a lot of desire to because I mean, this is something that is serious. Alzheimer tends to, an Alzheimer condition tends to end not so great.
Janna: And nobody promises you, okay, if you stop eating these carbs and all that you're going to feel smarter. No, no, no, that doesn't happen that way. And yet as time's going on, I'm, I've still, I've just of late - I couldn't tell you how many months that is, you probably know, but I've started to realize I, I've always felt like a broken person I always felt since I had Alzheimer's, I felt less and less of a person. I feel a broken person and like I'm not worthy and like I really can't get very smart - I used to be smart, but I never will be able to have good thinking anymore. But it's just been of late that I have decided to smile at myself and say, why don't I just turn this around and tell myself that I’m intelligent. I mean, it’s a lie because I have so much trouble, but it's kind of like a faking myself in that that I should be confident. And as I've started to do that I'm not crying much, I mean...
Larry: Yeah, you've really changed, I've noticed. The question is really, you know, why, why do something that you're not sure if it's going to work for you or something like that? So, I guess I would say that both of us, when we were doing our research, we found many studies and you know what, you guys that are listening to this, you can do the research too just by, you know, putting it into a chat or Wikipedia or something and just kind of follow the trail.
But inflammation – A Big Deal - inflammation and what causes inflammation, there's a lot of factors. And like we said, we're not doctors, but the inflammation that was in your hands and that sort of thing definitely did go down. And we know that the amyloid plaques...
Janna: My hands don’t hurt even.
Larry: ...yeah - the amyloid plaques, the inflammation tends to aggravate that in your brain.
And the aggravation tends to grow the amyloid plaques even more. So, you have this cycle, this terrible cycle of inflammation and amyloids just kind of growing faster and faster, killing your brain. So hey, you want to stop the inflammation. And you know, as I was thinking about that, I asked you, I said, well, why do these people in Asia they eat lots of carbs ,they eat all that rice all the time, and that has a lot of carbs in it.
Janna: That's a conundrum to me.
Larry: So, what is it? We kind of looked at that, well, a lot of that has to do with portions, and it has to do with whole grains that they're eating and not empty carbs. And so, apparently, they walk around a lot. A lot of people are doing a lot of walking, more exercise than we do here in America. So, there's a balance that we have to find, and everybody has to find it kind of themselves. I mean, there' are a lot of so-called experts out there on YouTube and in different places trying to tell you what to eat and what not to eat. But we decided to just give it a try and just do the carb and sugar thing and just see if that would make a difference in. And it has. And you know what? I did it with her. So, one thing that you might find is you're going to just automatically start losing weight Don't be scared with that. It's not that you're withering away.
Janna: I don't know about guys, but most women don't mind losing a little weight.
Larry: It could be.
Janna: Even if you can do it and eat all the good foods that you want to.
Larry: Well, so what do you eat?
Janna: Oh gosh, I'm not the one with the memory and the vocabulary anymore. So why don't you help me figure these out?
Larry: Well, we do eat a salad every night and that is the dark greens. We do cauliflower and broccoli in there and we do some mushrooms and avocado. And then we add a protein. And so and we also throw blueberries in there because blueberries are low in the ne carbsAnd so you might think, well, salad every night, that's crazy. But it actually tastes pretty good if you find a good dressing. You don't have to use dressing, but if you find a good dressing and then the protein we're eating a fish, chicken and sometimes tuna fish and every once in a while red meat.
Janna: The best thing from my point of view is I can eat a mass and be okay. What is it that people say, help me with this word Larry. I have something in my hands ...arthritis,
I've had arthritis as a younger person and my mom had it, my sister had it, and it seems like everybody just relegates that that's going to happen at that age. But you know what, now, I mean, I'm not the doctor, but I don't have it. I don't feel it.
Larry: Yeah, your hands are very thin, not thin, but slimmed down.
Janna: Puffy before. And it doesn't hurt. That's the best part. Yeah, so. Hands feel great.
Larry: Okay, so there's the salads every night with the protein and then Greek yogurt is a good dessert. If you throw a strawberry or two in there...
Janna: You’re making me drool.
Larry: Yeah, we like it. “Would you like some dessert,” I say, and what do you say?
Janna: I don’t know, what do I say?
(Both Laugh)
Larry: “I wouldn't say no!” You know, all of this is available at Costco, and I'm not promoting Costco particularly, I'm sure it's available everywhere else, but you get a good price there.
Janna: And maybe you guys will discover some things on your own too, right?
Larry: Yeah, yeah. We do a protein shake in the afternoon, which consists of almond milk and OrgainTM brand vanilla Protein Powder...
Janna: I think it could become a fad. it's going to be a fad.
Larry:...and some strawberries - and, and we throw in some nuts. We've got macadamia, almonds and what are the? ...pecans. So those are the three nuts.
Janna: He likes to say pee-cons .
Larry: Pee-cons! Some people do like to say pee-con, but she's taught me to say pecans. And she thinks you're not supposed to say eh-vah-cah-do, you're supposed to say ah-vah-cah-dos. So now I say, I” ah-vah-cah-do...”
Janna: You want to want to weigh in on that?
Larry: ,,,just to please her. Any-who. And then for breakfast though, you know, we might have something, some nut granola, which you can get at Costco it’s keto friendly, they call it, but we're not on a strict keto diet, but that's, that's what they call it. And it tastes pretty good. It's got nuts and some coconut and it's roasted, tastes pretty good with almond milk or with Greek yogurt. Also hard-boiled eggs and put some salt on that. And we've got guacamole made from avocados ...did I say it right?
Janna: And I'll tell you, you guys out there in podcast land. might be thinking, well, I have some questions, I have some questions. And you know what, you could ask them all as much as you want, but that's one thing we decided we're not going to go into, we're not going to try and like answer questions and all that. You could throw out something maybe sometime and you'll hear the answer come across, but for now we're just trying to do what we can and take it or leave it, you know, but I hope it can help you.
Larry: And you know what, that's not enough ...diet is important. But it turns out, and should I say the word “exercise” is important too. Now, some people can just sit in a chair and throw their arms up and down, and their legs up and down, and do a couple of things.
Janna: I love that one where II go, okay, I'm getting up in the morning, okay, I get my circulation going, so I stand in place, and a jumble in place for a while. And then I bend my elbows and go down and up, and down and up, and down and up, and down and up. I challenge you to do that for about three minutes and not have your heart rate, go faster - and it does. And you know when your heart rate is getting going, you're getting smarter.
Larry: You’re getting circulation to the brain and all parts of the body.
Janna: You can't be sedentary, you just got to knock that out.
Larry: For those of you that are in a mild stage of Alzheimer's, you probably have your own exercise that you do. So don't neglect that because ...I mean, I don't have Alzheimer's, Janna has it. But I could get sedentary very quickly.
Janna: You have a disease, it's called stubborn.
Larry: I have the “husband diseases,” whatever those are. But yeah, so you can get sedentary and especially when you kick back and just decide, “well, I can't do anything anymore and so I'm just going to sit here and watch TV.” That's a choice.
Janna: So, what do we figure out?
Larry: What do we want to do? Well, we want to, we want to slow down the trajectory because we want to improve our quality of life.
Janna: And we're not pretending you can solve the whole thing, but what can we do to slow it down, right?
Larry: Yeah, and my quality of life as a care partner is to be able to have a conversation with my wife and to be able to do things with her, with you.
Janna: You weren't as interested in it when I was going... (Mocks not being able to get any words out). Couldn't get the words out.
Larry: Yeah, that was before you started doing some of the things that we do and that will be on other episodes. We're going to do a whole thing on mind games that are possible for you that have really helped with the vocabulary and the fluidity of speech. But for now, we wanted to slow down the trajectory and it, it slowed down. I mean, look, it's been ten years. You're doing better in some areas than you had before. Oh, tell them about what we found out that, that you still have a portion of your brain, even if you've got amyloid plaques that are capable of what?
Larry: Is it regenerating...?
Janna: Yeah, regenerating your own. Isn’t it amazing? Because I thought that was done for.
Larry: Like you're done for, yeah. Yeah. But actually, you know, complex things, learning, you can learn a language, you can paint, you can do word games, anything that's kind of new and complex is going to grow neurons. I mean, that's established, and you guys can do the research on it. I did, and I found many studies to support that. Since about 2008, there's been like five studies having to do with that. And yeah, what else?
Janna: Well, I thought I was going to goner some time back before I realized it was Alzheimer's, and I lost my ability to read after a traumatic brain injury ...left occipital lobe. And yet now, as I've changed my diet and done a lot of exercises, I'm trying again. I'm thinking, you know, maybe I really could learn to read again. I don't know. I'm an old girl, but I could make it happen. I used to be an excellent reader. Maybe I could do it. Just push a little bit.
Larry: One of the things is to have patients to do the woodshedding. You know what woodshedding is? It's where you repeat something over and over and over and over.
Janna: Musicians know how to do that. Yeah. Yeah. What is it? G, which one was it? The scale that I'm working with.
Larry: A minor.
Janna: A minor. Boo, hoo, hoo. It's hard for me. Very hard. But when you try to do difficult things, it's said to help your brain.
Larry: Yeah.
Janna: Pushes it. Pushes it.
Larry: So, keeping with the diet and exercise, the main thing we're really trying to get to is we want to thrive as an Alzheimer's person. And you certainly are thriving. You're going to have at the San Diego County Senior Services, you're going to be able to be interviewed and have a talk in front of the staff there as to how you've been mitigating some of the problems and whatnot. So, you're definitely an Alzheimer's thriver.
Janna: There's a lot of people on board that want to help. They want to help things get better. No doubt they're thinking, well, this could happen to me or my loved one. Yeah. Anybody could benefit.
Larry: Yeah. And people are curious. People who are in the field are curious as to the individual outcomes and what they're based on.
Janna: Well, so here we are for the day. And I just want to say, you know, we're Alzheimer's thrivers for sure. And you can be one too, if you want to. I know it sounds kind of corny. But guess what? I can be kind of corny because I was a high school cheerleader. And so, cheer, cheer, cheer, cheer, cheer yourself along. Be your own cheerleader. You know, say, “Hey, I can do this. I'm in the game. I've got it. Come on. I'm going to thrive.” And go for it. Go for it. Put a smile on your face. Take some fast walks. Tell yourself, “I think It makes a difference.” Tell yourself that “I can feel better than I do right now. I'm not trying to fool myself, but I want to be my best self, right now.” And I think you'll surprise yourself if you start to believe in yourself. It's only just of the last couple of days that I've realized, okay, I'm not just talking about this stuff. I'm going to start living it and believing it for the other people who have been so depressed and discouraged about it. I'm starting to lose that depressed and discouraged part. And I want to encourage you if that's happening to you. Grasp hope, grasp hope.
Larry: Good advice, Jan. Dang. I want you to be my coach.
Janna: I'm a preacher. I'm a preachin’ it. Preach it sister.
Larry: Can I get a witness?
Janna: What's that song? Let's see. You want to have a witness?
Larry: “Can I get a witness?” Sounds like Grand Funk Railroad.
Janna: Ooh, I like that.
Larry: All right. Well, why don't you go ahead and sign off and off we go.
Janna: Okay. My buddies ...my Al's buddies, znd my husband and all of us who are trying to thrive. I'm going to cheer you on. Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. This is Janna and her husband, Larry, signing off. And I'm wanna to say to you, “Go, go, go, go, go, thrive, thrive, go, go. Really though? Please thrive. Please believe that you can do well and that somebody's watching over your shoulder to see that that happens. Until next time, you've been hearing from the horse's mouth.
[Janna closes with a flute outro]
“Can Diet and Exercise Really Slow Alzheimer’s? What We’ve Tried—And What’s Actually Helped”
Show Description:
There’s no one-size-fits-all cure for Alzheimer’s—but could small shifts in food and movement help slow things down?
In this honest and hope-filled episode, Janna and Larry share what they’ve personally tried in the areas of diet and exercise, and how those changes have impacted Janna’s inflammation, energy, and daily outlook. From anti-inflammatory foods to brain-boosting walks, they offer no medical claims—just real results, told straight from lived experience. But,
(Be sure to check the links to our research of the studies at the bottom of the transcripts. Also visit our site at alzheimersthriver.org)
You’ll discover:
- How cutting refined sugar and empty carbs impacted Janna’s energy and joint pain
- What a typical day of brain-supportive meals looks like (including dessert!)
- Simple, do-anywhere exercises to boost circulation and cognition
- Why trying hard things—like reading or music—can still grow new brain pathways
This isn’t about perfect plans—it’s about practical, encouraging steps toward thriving. And if you’ve been feeling discouraged, Janna’s message at the end will give you the boost you didn’t know you needed.
Links to research regarding this episode:
Diet-Induced Brain Insulin Resistance
“Induction of Brain Insulin Resistance and Alzheimer’s Molecular Changes by Western Diet”
Rodents fed a Western-style diet (high simple sugars + fats) developed insulin resistance in brain regions critical for Alzheimer’s. This led to increased amyloid precursor processing and tau pathology over time NIH
Human Data: Diet and Amyloid Accumulation
“High Glycemic Diet Is Related to Brain Amyloid Accumulation Over One Year in Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease”
In cognitively-normal older adults, higher intake of high-glycemic foods (including sugars) correlated with increased amyloid PET signal over 12 months—especially in the precuneus, a region vulnerable to amyloid buildup
NIH
Mechanistic Reviews: Insulin Resistance → Amyloid
- A mechanistic review outlines how insulin resistance promotes amyloidogenic APP cleavage, Aβ aggregation, and tau hyperphosphorylation—and how aggregated Aβ further disrupts insulin signaling, forming a vicious positive feedback loop PubMed
- In models, insulin resistance alters the blood–brain barrier, reducing insulin uptake and increasing Aβ entry and retention in the brain AlzheimersJournalss.
Additional Mechanisms: Glycation & Inflammation
- Elevated sugar leads to advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) that bind RAGE receptors, amplifying Aβ production, tau phosphorylation, neuroinflammation, and insulin resistance frontersin.org.
🧩 Synthesis: The Pathogenic Cycle
- High sugar → insulin resistance (peripheral and central).
- Brain insulin resistance → enhanced amyloidogenic APP processing and tau pathology.
- Aβ aggregates → disrupt insulin receptor signaling, worsening insulin resistance.
- Hyperglycemia & AGEs → aggravate oxidative stress, inflammation, and blood–brain barrier dysfunction, further increasing Aβ deposition.
- Empirical evidence from mouse and human studies shows sugar intake directly accelerates amyloid accumulation and cognitive decline.
Carbs and Alzheimer’s
Human Observational Study: High Glycaemic Diet & Amyloid Accumulation
“High Glycemic Diet Is Related to Brain Amyloid Accumulation Over One Year in Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease”
- Population: 102 cognitively normal older adults in a 1-year longitudinal study.
- Key finding:
- Higher total carbohydrates and sugar intake were significantly linked to greater amyloid accumulation in the precuneus, and among those with elevated baseline amyloid, also in the lateral temporal lobe and posterior cingulate (β ≈ 0.06–0.11, p=0.01–0.04) PubMed
- Mechanism: High-glycemic diets cause repeated glucose and insulin spikes, contributing to insulin resistance—which in turn impairs amyloid precursor processing and Aβ clearance MIH
📌 Conclusion: In humans, high carb/glycemic diets are associated with increased amyloid buildup in key brain regions involved in Alzheimer's—even before cognitive symptoms appear.
Bottom Line
High carb intake, particularly of high-glycemic foods, contributes to:
- Insulin resistance (peripheral and central),
- Brain metabolic disruption,
- Enhanced amyloid and tau pathology, and
- A self-perpetuating neurodegenerative cycle in Alzheimer’s disease progression.
The animal and human data together make a strong case that reducing carbohydrate/glycemic load may be a viable strategy to slow this cascade.
Exercise and Alzheimer’s: Structural & Network Benefits
- Middle-age cohort (45–65 yrs) meeting WHO exercise guidelines had lower beta-amyloid accumulation and greater cortical thickness in memory-sensitive brain regions—effects appeared dose-dependent ScienceDaily.
- In older adults with MCI, a 12-week walking intervention improved story recall and strengthened functional connectivity across key brain networks (default mode, frontoparietal, salience)—critical for memory and attention Reddit
Effects of a positive attitude and purpose in Life with Alzheimer’s Patients:
🌟 1. Purpose in Life Buffers Alzheimer’s Pathology
A study involving ~250 older adults with autopsy data found that those with higher purpose in life scores showed slower cognitive decline, despite similar levels of amyloid and tau pathology.
Every 1point increase in purpose reduced the effect of Alzheimer’s pathology on cognitive decline by about 0.085 units per year (P = .03) Jama Psychiatry Takeaway: Psychological purpose builds a kind of “neural reserve” that dampens the impact of pathological burden.
😊 2. Positive Affect & Memory Preservation
Long-term studies of healthy older adults show that higher positive emotional well-being is associated with slower memory decline over nearly a decade.
- Individuals with higher baseline well-being exhibited significantly less memory loss compared to peers .
🧠 3. Well-Being Enhances Resilience to Pathology
Individuals with greater hedonic/eudaimonic well-being demonstrated better-than-expected cognitive performance despite levels of amyloid and tau typically linked to impairment.
- This effect remained even after adjusting for socioeconomic and health-related risk factors. NIH
👥 4. Optimism Reduces Dementia Risk & Enhances Quality of Life
- Across 10,000+ adults, those scoring high in purpose in life had a 30% lower risk of dementia over 6–8 years NIH
- Caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients with greater optimism reported less psychological distress, mediated through improved perceived social support and reduced burden PUBMed
🎵 5. Reminiscence & Music Therapy Boost Mood and Cognition
- Reminiscence therapy in AD patients improves mood, engagement, cognition, and quality of life, with demonstrable improvements compared to control groups .
- Music therapy has been shown to enhance emotional well-being, slow memory decline, and reduce medications for behavioral symptoms in dementia Wall Street Journal
🛡️ Why This Matters
- Psychological resources (purpose, optimism, positive mood) function as protective systems—like cognitive and neural “reserve” Jama Psychiatry
- These factors buffer the impact of pathology, helping individuals maintain function even as brain changes occur.
- Interventions that boost positivity—such as reminiscence, music, purpose-focused therapies, or optimism training—can improve mood, lower stress, and bolster daily functioning in both patients and caregivers Wall Street Jopurnal
✅ Practical Applications
- Purpose-focused programs: Goal-setting, legacy projects, or volunteering to help build meaning.
- Emotion-enhancing therapies: Reminiscence groups, music sessions, or gratitude and presence exercises.
- Optimism training for caregivers: Structured interventions can lessen caregiver stress and improve the care recipient’s quality of life .
🧩 Summary
Positive psychological factors—purpose in life, optimism, positive affect, and emotional well-being—are not just “nice-to-haves.” They confer measurable protection against cognitive decline, enhance daily functioning, and elevate quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s and those caring for them. These findings underscore the importance of integrating mental and emotional care into Alzheimer’s management.