Podcast | Brain Defenders: Reversing Alzheimer’s Risk with Dr. David Perlmutter

Jul 23, 2026

 

Or, listen on Spotify.


Alzheimer's isn't just a diagnosis that shows up in old age. It's a slow metabolic unraveling that can start decades before the first symptom.


In this episode, Jeff sits down with Dr. David Perlmutter, a board-certified neurologist and author of the new book Brain Defenders (out August 18), to unpack what's really driving Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. They get into the brain's own immune system, the microglial cells that either protect or destroy your neurons, and why the beta-amyloid hypothesis may have sent decades of research down the wrong path.

  • Why microglia, not amyloid plaques, may be the true driver of brain degeneration
  • The link between insulin resistance, blood sugar, and neuroinflammation
  • How the gut microbiome and oral health shape the brain's immune response
  • Practical diet, sleep, and supplement strategies to protect your brain starting now

This episode is for anyone who wants to understand Alzheimer's prevention before symptoms start, and for the millions currently caring for a parent or partner facing cognitive decline.

 

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About the Commune Podcast

Hosted by Jeff Krasno, the Commune podcast features thoughtful conversations for modern times. Not always comfortable but definitely needed, we explore both humanity and our human-ness. How can we live healthy, purpose-filled lives and be in service of something bigger? Guests include spiritual teachers, poets, scientists, philosophers, and activists for food sustainability, functional medicine, mental and physical health, and collective healing.

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