EP130: Part I: Ketones, Diet, & Beyond: Lifestyle, Healthy Brain Aging, & Alzheimer’s with Mary T. Newport, M.D.

<p>Ketones are naturally produced in the body and play an important role in brain health. When the body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to use for energy, it begins to break down stored fat cells into ketones which can be used as a source of fuel instead. </p> <p>A diet that is high in fats and low in carbohydrates is referred to as a ketogenic diet and is associated with improved cognitive functioning and reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease in older adults.</p> <p>On another This Is Getting Old: Moving Towards an Age-Friendly World episode, we welcome Mary T. Newport, M.D. to the show - she's bringing her medical expertise and experience on ketones, diet & lifestyle.</p> <p><strong>Key points covered in this episode:</strong></p> <p><strong>✔️ Dr. Mary T. Newport: The Expert on Ketones and Healthy Brain Aging</strong></p> <p>Mary Newport, M.D. graduated from Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She trained in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in neonatology at the Medical University Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina. More recently, she practiced at the opposite end of the spectrum, providing hospice care and health-risk assessments. </p> <p>In 2008, a ketogenic nutritional intervention with coconut and medium-chain triglyceride oil dramatically helped her husband Steve Newport, who had early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, resulting in nearly four better quality years.</p> <p>Her book Clearly Keto for Healthy Brain Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention focuses on a whole food ketogenic Mediterranean-style diet and other lifestyle modifications to help maintain brain health and prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementias.</p> <p><strong>✔️ From Newborns to Old Age: Dr. Newport's Fascination With Ketones and Alzheimer's Prevention</strong></p> <p>For 30 years, Dr Mary Newport practiced in Intensive Care. When her husband Steve  was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, she became his caregiver. She cared for him through the late stages of his di