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Sugar plays a crucial role in how our brains function, as glucose—a form of sugar—is the primary energy source for our cells. The brain, our most energy-demanding organ, uses nearly half of the body’s sugar energy. While natural sources of glucose, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts, provide essential nutrients, fiber, and vitamins, processed sugary foods like cakes, candies, and sodas lack these benefits and can harm your health.
Join Dr. Penelope McDonnell for an enlightening discussion on how the brain absorbs and utilizes glucose. Learn how excess sugar consumption can impair cognition and overall brain health, and discover practical strategies to identify and reduce sugar intake, empowering you to support better brain function and long-term health. She will address how one person’s response to a serving of sugar can vary dramatically from another’s and touch on how to assess your own body’s unique reaction to different levels of sugar intake.
Dr. Penelope McDonnell graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and the Columbia School of Business and worked on Wall Street for many years. After taking time off to start a family, she decided to switch careers to become a naturopathic doctor. She attended the University of Bridgeport School of Naturopathic Medicine in Connecticut, a leading accredited university that offers a four-year program in science-based natural medicine.
Dr. McDonnell focuses on prevention as the primary strategy for maintaining health. Her treatment plans generally include a combination of natural medicines and specific lifestyle changes designed to bring balance to every system of the body. Dr. McDonnell is particularly interested in treating challenging health concerns such as dementia and diseases of the aging brain, cancer coping and recovery support, lifestyle nutrition planning, women’s health such as hormonal imbalance, fertility, and menopause, as well as SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and microbiome well-being.
