The Genius Life 538: Ultra-Processed Foods, Inflammation and the Hidden Risk to Your Brain | Max Lugavere and Tim Gray
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Dec 31, 2025 
Max Lugavere, a health journalist and brain health advocate, dives into the impacts of ultra-processed foods on cognitive function. He shares his personal journey driven by his mother's dementia diagnosis, highlighting how diet and lifestyle modifications can significantly influence brain health. Discussing the dangers of chronic inflammation and the benefits of nutrients such as creatine, he emphasizes the importance of prevention. Max also insists on balancing meat with plant-based foods for overall cognitive longevity, while advocating for fermented foods to boost gut health.
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Personal Drive From Family Tragedy
- Max's entire advocacy began after his mother was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in her late 40s and prescribed Alzheimer's and Parkinson's drugs.
- He spent a decade researching prevention to help others avoid the same fate.
Generational Contrast Sparked Investigation
- Max compared his mother and grandmother to spot generational differences in dementia risk and the changing food environment.
- He identified ultra-processed food prevalence as a likely contributor to increased dementia incidence.
Ultra-Processed Foods Raise Dementia Risk
- Ultra-processed foods now dominate modern diets and correlate with higher dementia risk; every 10% increase links to ~25% higher Alzheimer's risk.
- UPFs include products you couldn't make in a home kitchen and often act like 'vending-machine' foods.
