I'm sure plenty of the people who are reading this will be skeptical - you don't believe that the foods you love can harm you. Ignorance is bliss and you've been living in it! Our whole lives we are told that carbs are the base of the food pyramid and should make up the majority of our diets, but this couldn't be any further from the truth.

Since the beginning of time, what has humanity been eating? Our ancestors feasted on fruits, vegetables, and meats. They never had processed cereals, pasta, or bread, for that matter. So why do we think it's so natural and that it can't cause us any harm? Advertising for processed foods has been so ingrained in our minds that we don't see anything wrong with them. But the truth is, our digestive systems have simply not evolved so much in the last century to digest the excess amount of processed food and sugar we eat today.

"Grain Brain" is a very informational book that presents medical literature that has existed for decades surrounding the effects of carbohydrates on our mental and physical wellbeing. Studies show that switching from a high-carb diet to one low in carbs and high in fats and meats can have significant positive effects on health. Dr. Perlmutter writes about the benefits of a change in diet especially in patients who have conditions such as anxiety, depression, headaches, and other brain disorders. He explains the danger behind the carbs so many Americans eat and how they have long-term detrimental effects; high-carb diets are proven to be linked to dementia and ADHD.

I've also seen doctors in documentaries rave about the positive effects of a high-fat diet for a patient with Autism. There was a young girl featured in the documentary "The Magic Pill" who was highly autistic and had constant tantrums. After weeks of eliminating gluten and processed foods from her diet, she started to communicate with her parents and even began feeding herself! Watching this documentary led me to Dr. Perlmutter to learn more about the hidden dangers of gluten and how powerful natural foods are.

The food industry doesn't want you to question the effects of your favorite cereal, but that may be the reason that you feel so sluggish all the time. Even if you don't feel the negative effects from it now, time will tell.

The first step to feeling better is being aware of the danger of carbs in highly processed foods and sugars. I recommend educating yourself about what you're eating and how it makes you feel. What you do after that is up to you. A diet that eliminates processed food and sweets is obviously ideal, but it doesn't have to be that extreme. Taking baby steps to cut out some of the processed food in your diet can make a difference in the way you feel today and in the future.