Big Players in Brain Health Deliver Hope

BY LYNN U NICHOLS

A rundown of the latest discoveries.

IF YOU HAVE ALZHEIMER’S IN your family, or if you are experiencing some memory loss and it’s making you panic, here’s some good news. Prominent doctors in the United States are researching brain health and some of what they have to say is mind blowing, no pun intended. In a recent video series called Regain Your Brain, 10 doctors were interviewed, revealing some astounding research. Most have written books, so search them if you want more. Here are the highlights.

YOU’RE NOT STUCK WITH THE BRAIN YOU HAVE

This is a catchphrase of well-respected Dr. Daniel Amen, psychiatrist and founder of the Amen Institutes. He’s literally done thousands of brain scans and analyzed what they reveal to support his famous saying. He believes that lifestyle changes can improve your brain health and hence, improve your memory and even ward off Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers used to believe that after a certain age we didn’t make new brain cells, we only lost them due to unhealthy habits. Not true. Amen’s research shows that the hippocampus makes 700 new stem cells a day, all we have to do is keep them alive by controlling risk factors that affect our brains.

BRIGHTMINDS

Dr. Amen makes the risk factors easy to remember in his coined acronym BRIGHT- MINDS. Here’s a quick rundown:

B = blood flow. Increasing blood flow to the brain means it works better. Makes sense, right? To enhance blood flow, exercise and quit smoking.

R = retirement. When you stop learning, your brain starts dying—so learn new things.

I = inflammation. Inflammation is a key contributor to a ton of health problems including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia. To lower inflammation, increase your omega 3 intake (think fish and healthy fats like avocado), lower your carbohydrate intake, exercise, de-stress and get good sleep.

G = genetics. Not much you can do here.

H = head trauma. Yes, playing football or a headbanging sport does injure your brain, but your brain can heal with good care. Amen has studies to prove it.

T = toxins. Decrease toxins, such as alcohol, marijuana, drugs and endocrine disrupters like chemicals in your food, body products and cleaning supplies.

M = mental health. Depression and negative thoughts increase stress, which is bad for your brain.

I = immunity and infections. Did you know that infectious diseases like herpes and West Nile increase dementia risk by 20 percent? Do things to boost your immune system, starting with your gut health.

N = neurohormonal deficiency. Amen says that balanced hormones are like Miracle Grow for your brain. Get your hormones (including your thyroid) fully tested and balanced.

D = diabesity. Yeah, it’s not really a word, but diabetes and obesity are two big risk factors for dementia.

S = sleep. Your brain needs sleep, that’s when its cells wash themselves. If you are not sleeping well, get checked for sleep apnea as it triples your risk for dementia.

THREE TYPES OF DEMENTIA

Dr. Dale Bredesen, neurologist, is another well-known brain doctor. He names three factors that add up to cognitive decline: inflammation, a shortage of nutrients that feed the brain, and toxins. Yes, research is now showing that dementia can be caused by toxins and microtoxins, including molds, mercury, aluminum and chemicals. If you suspect you are overloaded with toxins, have your doctor run a blood panel to check for exposure. Bredesen says you can reverse cognitive decline with a brain healthy lifestyle, balanced hormones, adequate vitamin D, and more. If you are concerned about your declining memory, consider getting a cognoscopy—a test that measures your brain’s function.

BDNF FOR A HEALTHY BRAIN

Then there’s Dr. David Perlmutter, a neurologist that has studied brain health for years. He believes that by supporting a growth factor called brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF, our brains can regenerate themselves. BDNF is vital for stem cell growth in the brain. What increases BDNF? Lots of exercise—both aerobic and weight bearing. Taking omega 3 fatty acids. Eating turmeric, found in curried foods. Starting a high (good) fat and low carb diet, like Keto. Intermittent fasting. Taking or eating prebiotics (fiber) and probiotics that help maintain healthy gut bacteria. Maintaining high vitamin

D levels beyond the mere normal range on blood tests (most likely demands a supplement). Having low blood glucose levels and low fasting insulin levels. Eliminating leaky gut syndrome. Taking COQ10.

It’s a lot to consider, but eating lots of vegetables, lean meats, fish and exercising regularly gives you a big head start to getting there.

TELOMERASE TO REVERSE ALZHEIMER’S

The biggest mindblower in the Regain your Brain series came from Dr. Michael Fossil, who has done years of studies in mice showing he can reverse an aging brain by giving an injection of telomerase. This enzyme works at the cellular level, directing the length of the ends of glial cells in the brain— called telomeres. When we are young, our telomeres are nice and long but they shorten as we age. (Studies of the brains of Alzheimer patients show this correlation between the disease and short telomeres.) The telomere is the part of the brain cell that cleans, keeping cells young and functioning well. Fossil is running human trials now. He claims a shot of telomerase will be available in about three years that will restore brain health by five to 10 years.

Likely, your brain hurts after reading all of this. Have some green tea and relax—after all, it’s good for your brain! Then, make a daily plan to improve your brain health.