Covid-19 & Health Update: Brain Loss Begins 30 Years Before Symptoms
Hello again everyone:
As you know from previous blogs, inflammation causes, perpetuates, or aggravates every known human chronic condition…from brain health to immune capabilities. Thus, it is important to consider that the early signs of Alzheimer’s can begin as early as 30 years before being diagnosed. Did you know that AD (Alzheimer’s Disease) has some estimating that it is the third leading cause of death…or that half of those that reach 85 will have dementia? If you are a baby boomer, your rates are expected to triple? AD is known to have a significant inflammatory component that has multiple drivers that at some point are mediated through the immune system.
As you know, as of today there is no official treatment for AD. We know a lot about it, and the area that has the greatest success has been shown to be functional medicine approaches. These are comprehensive lifestyle measures that may include adding or subtracting specific foods, intermittent fasting, supplements, sleep optimization, stress reduction, blood flow and oxygen normalization, blood sugar balancing, getting rid of toxins, getting rid of any latent or hidden infections, balancing hormones and more.
What do these all have in common? The reduction of inflammation and optimization of our immune system…not only to protect your brain but protect your health during the pandemic…it all works together!! One thing you can do now is to start and stay on an anti-inflammatory food plan!! Please read this brief article on inflammation, it is worth the quick read to really get the fact that getting a handle on inflammation is critical.
Bottom Line:
What you eat really matters a lot! It is NOT too early to consider adopting lifestyle strategies to lower your risk of AD or any other dementia. If you want a more comprehensive look into this, I recommend the following book by Dale Bredesen, M.D.: “The End of Alzheimer’s Program: The First Protocol to Enhance Cognition and Reverse Decline at Any Age”
Another study revealed those that ate green leafy vegetables daily had the cognitive abilities of a person 11 years younger than those that consumed none.
Another study showed that aging women who consumed fruit and green vegetables declined significantly slower than those with low intake.
Here are some foods and herbs that are especially brain friendly and beneficial (all of these should be organic only!)
- Coffee
- Blueberries
- Greens (think kale, arugula, spinach, chard, broccoli, etc.)
- Turmeric
- Green tea
- Omega-3 sources: walnuts, chia, flax, hemp hearts, algae, fish oil, legumes of all types
- Gingko, Ginseng, Bacopa and Rhodiola rosea and Red Sage supplements
- Do not start these supplements if on blood thinning medications: check with your prescribing physician first!
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