There is
something about losing our mind, personality, memories, control of our bodies
and emotions that we all inherently fear and want to avoid (ya think?). The key to
maintaining and improving our brain’s health is gaining an understanding of how
it works and what it needs to function and stay sharp. This article will cover some simple things we
can do to keep the brain “young,” improve our memory, and reduce the risk of degenerative
diseases that affect our brain and nervous system like Parkinson’s, ALS, MS and
Alzheimer’s.
A few
things we should understand first; the brain is, arguably, the most important
organ in the body, is composed of primarily fat, it holds about 25% of the
body’s total cholesterol which it has to have to function properly, uses
glucose and, occasionally, ketones for energy, requires a fine balance of
several neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, serotonin and dopamine to name
a few, and is full of more neurons than our galaxy has stars. Furthermore, it helps to understand that our
neurons, nerves and spinal cord are protected by a myelin sheath, also largely
composed of fat and cholesterol. The purpose of the myelin sheath is to act as a type of
insulation that allows impulses to transmit quickly and efficiently along the
nerve cells. If myelin is damaged, the impulses slow down. This can lead to
diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
This tells a few things: our brain and myelin sheath need fat and
cholesterol, and, since the brain uses glucose, it is sensitive to elevated
blood sugar, impaired by insulin resistance and requires the right
“ingredients” to function.
Lets start with the neurons. We are born with all the neurons we will ever
have, once we lose them we never get them back.
Despite the fact that we lose neurons as we age, we can, however,
improve the connections between the neurons we have. This is called plasticity. Think of it in terms of the Internet…the
information and data exist somewhere (kinda like data stored in our brain) but,
with the Internet, the accessibility or connections between the data is
increased. This is good news because it
means as we age we can improve our plasticity or ability to access information.
We can improve the plasticity of
our brain by doing some simple things like crossword puzzles, reading, playing
music, singing, creating art, meditating, writing, word games or any game that
requires some thinking, creativity or solving a puzzle. Think of it as exercise for the brain. If you don’t use it you lose it and if ya
haven’t used it in while you will have to start slow just like with a physical
training program.
Now let’s
talk about how nutrition affects the brain.
The brain needs fat and cholesterol.
The majority of total cholesterol, 80% or more, is made within the body
and is largely unaffected by what we eat.
Remember, we need cholesterol since it is an antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory, required to make bile, needed in every cell in the body to
function, repair the myelin sheath and a precursor to every hormone and
neurotransmitter in the body. The notion
that cholesterol is bad for our health is one of the most dangerous and
damaging myths and scams of the century perpetuated by big pharma! As a matter
of fact, the evidence of how important cholesterol is, especially as we age, is
overwhelming but is kept out of the spotlight and obscured with misinformation
and advertising by the pharmaceutical industry.
The importance of cholesterol is nothing new. In 1994 in the Journal of American Medical Association,
a trial was published showing that cholesterol levels in older adults had no
effect on the rate of death from heart disease.
Another study in the medical journal, The Lancet, showed that, in the
elderly, with each 39% increase in total cholesterol a 15% decrease in
mortality occurred. Finally, in the
journal of Neurology, higher levels of cholesterol proved to be a protective
factor for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease.)
Long story short, if we want good neurological function and a healthy
brain, we do NOT want to mess with our cholesterol levels!!!!
Healthy
fats for the brain include animal fats (wild caught, grass fed, butter from grass-fed
cows,) unrefined coconut oil, monounsaturated fats, and Omega-3’s (found in the
animal sources listed above or in fish oil.)
We want to avoid inflammatory and unnatural fats like processed
vegetable oils high in Omega-6 and hydrogenated fats.
Too many
carbs or too much sugar is very damaging for our body and brain. It accelerates oxidation, atherosclerosis
(plaque in the vascular system), increases inflammation and causes insulin
resistance. Insulin resistance in the
brain is now being called Type-III diabetes or Alzheimer’s. Yes, excessive carb consumption increases the
risk of all those bad things. So what
do we do here? (I have written about
this in several other articles, which I encourage you to read.) The message is simple; we reduce our total
carb load. A good starting point is 150g
or less a day or, if you are already dealing with some health issues, under
100g a day. Wait there’s more!! The
gluten and gliadin proteins found in wheat damage our gut; increase
inflammation, autoimmune disorders and increase the risk of neurological
disorders and disease. How do deal with
that? Stop eating wheat!
Another problem that happens when we constantly consume too many carbs is the risk of insulin resistance. This basically means our insulin looses the ability to transport glucose. We have all heard of Type-II diabetes but how about Type-III? That is what Alzheimer's is now being called. Part of the solution is don't let it happen but if the symptoms already exist then you may want to check out the benefits of coconut oil in this article. Coconut oil is loaded with Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT's) which, when consumed in high enough doses, make ketones. Ketones are a clean burning fuel source the brain can use without insulin! Pharmaceutical companies are currently developing a prescription grade coconut/MCT oil to treat patients with Alzheimer's.
Keeping inflammation down or avoiding foods that trigger inflammation is another thing to look at. Folks with food sensitivities/allergies, gluten intolerance and Celiac's disease have a much higher rate of Autism, Alzheimer's, ALS, MS, headaches, depression, bi-polar disorder, ADHD and just about every other neurological disorder you can think of. This makes sense since it is often the frontal lobe of the brain, where reasoning and the ability to focus occur, that suffers from inflammation when certain foods are consumed. Additionally, when folks develop food sensitivities/allergies the body often attacks several types of tissues throughout the body including the myelin sheath. What can be done here? Consider eating a Paleo-ish type diet free of gluten, casein (milk protein) and processed foods. Processed foods are loaded with trans and hydrogenated fats, which are awful for our bodies and impair cellular repair/growth, gut health, chemical signaling and neurological function...not to mention full of Omega-6 fats that drive inflammation. There are several articles in this blog that discusses Paleo type foods and diets.
Another problem that happens when we constantly consume too many carbs is the risk of insulin resistance. This basically means our insulin looses the ability to transport glucose. We have all heard of Type-II diabetes but how about Type-III? That is what Alzheimer's is now being called. Part of the solution is don't let it happen but if the symptoms already exist then you may want to check out the benefits of coconut oil in this article. Coconut oil is loaded with Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT's) which, when consumed in high enough doses, make ketones. Ketones are a clean burning fuel source the brain can use without insulin! Pharmaceutical companies are currently developing a prescription grade coconut/MCT oil to treat patients with Alzheimer's.
Keeping inflammation down or avoiding foods that trigger inflammation is another thing to look at. Folks with food sensitivities/allergies, gluten intolerance and Celiac's disease have a much higher rate of Autism, Alzheimer's, ALS, MS, headaches, depression, bi-polar disorder, ADHD and just about every other neurological disorder you can think of. This makes sense since it is often the frontal lobe of the brain, where reasoning and the ability to focus occur, that suffers from inflammation when certain foods are consumed. Additionally, when folks develop food sensitivities/allergies the body often attacks several types of tissues throughout the body including the myelin sheath. What can be done here? Consider eating a Paleo-ish type diet free of gluten, casein (milk protein) and processed foods. Processed foods are loaded with trans and hydrogenated fats, which are awful for our bodies and impair cellular repair/growth, gut health, chemical signaling and neurological function...not to mention full of Omega-6 fats that drive inflammation. There are several articles in this blog that discusses Paleo type foods and diets.
Now onto
neurotransmitters. Here is
a list of a few of the important neurotransmitters in the brain:
- Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA)-needed for motor control, stable mood and vision and associated with epilepsy, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, inability to concentrate, restlessness and Huntington’s disease. Gluten has been shown to trigger GABA imbalances as well as elevated blood sugar. Folks with autoimmune disorders, celiac disease and gluten intolerance often have GABA imbalances and a higher rate of autism. Magnesium, B-12, P-5-P (active form of B-6) and folic acid are important co-factors. Too much sugar in the diet can cause imbalances.
- Glutamate-needed for memory and associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Sources include meats, veggies and nuts. Elevated blood sugar impairs glutamate function.
- Dopamine-this is largely responsible for feeling pleasure and modulating mood. A loss of dopamine in certain parts of the brain causes the muscle rigidity typical of Parkinson’s disease. Precursors are found in meat, eggs, cheese and chocolate. Primary precursor is amino acid phenylalanine. Blood sugar imbalances impair dopamine balance.
- Serotonin-is needed for stable moods, feeling content, confident, regulating sleep and appetite. Imbalances are associated with depression, suicide, impulsive behavior, and aggressiveness. Precursors are foods rich in tryptophan, such as meats and certain veggies like spinach. Magnesium, B-12, P-5-P (active form of B-6) and folic acid are important co-factors. Too much sugar in the diet can cause imbalances.
- Acetylcholine (acetic acid)-is involved in the formation of memories and secretion of hormones. Poor memory and Alzheimer’s disease are associated with a lack of acetylcholine in certain regions of the brain. Imbalances include “brain fog,” difficulty learning and a loss in spatial orientation (getting lost easily.) Sources rich in choline, the primary precursor, include liver, beef, egg yolk, cream nuts and cheeses. Supporting co-factors include L-acetyl carnitine and pantothenic acid. Elevated blood sugar and low levels of EFA’s (essential fatty acids) can cause imbalances.
From a nutritional standpoint,
what can we do to help with the balance of these neurotransmitters? Pretty simple, eat plenty of animal fats and
proteins from quality sources that are wild caught or grass-fed, lots of
veggies, supplement with fish oil, magnesium, B-12 and Vitamin-D if necessary,
stop eating wheat and keep carbs low.
This means also means keeping cortisol under control since it elevates
blood sugar and also damages the brain.
I know many of you will remember from past articles that cortisol is the
stress hormone that suppresses testosterone and accelerates aging. One supplement that reduces cortisol that has
gathered a lot of evidence is phosphatidylserine. It has been shown to protect the brain (which
makes sense since our brain is full of phosphatidylserine,) reduce cortisol,
and improve cognitive function. I
personally love this stuff and even use it on occasion as a sleep aid. I order mine in bulk powder from Health
Supplement Wholesalers, which is a quality source that is less expensive.
From a hormonal standpoint, what
can we do to promote brain health?
Exercise, stay happy, have fun, manage and choose your
outlook/perspective, which will keep stress low. When I say exercise, I mean strength training
as a foundation (especially as we get older) mixed with some occasional
endurance/cardio and high intensity interval…try to keep it fun, perhaps take up some
grappling, boxing or other sport. Exercise increases oxygen to the brain, but remember too much exercise can be just as bad by driving cortisol levels too high.
Two books that I have recently
read: Grain
Brain by David Perlmutter and Why
Isn’t My Brain Working? By Datis Kharrazian are both fascinating books that
explore the effects of nutrition, toxins and stress on our neurological
function. Both discuss the dangers of
the typical American diet and connection with the rise in neurological diseases.
It also discusses how many of the standard methods of treating these disorders
with prescription drugs, especially statins, just adds fuel to the fire.
The first book, Grain Brain,
focuses primarily on the damage that wheat has done to our bodies, brains and overall
health of our society. It is a fairly
easy read and provides very simple guidelines for anyone wanting to improve
their health. The second book, Why
Isn’t My Brain Working is a bit more technical and detailed. Great book nonetheless. It goes into detail on particular symptoms,
case studies and various treatments.
So in summary, to improve our
brain function and to keep it young, here are a few things we can put on our
list:
·
Exercise your brain, find ways to challenge it
and new things to do
·
Exercise your body
· Keep cortisol low
· Keep cortisol low
o Sleep
o Meditate
o Find
ways to be happy
o Elevate
testosterone, which improves brain function, with strength training
o Supplement
with phosphatidylserine if needed
·
Eat healthy fats and reduce inflammation
o Quality
animal sources
o Un
refined coconut oil
o Extra
virgin olive oil
o Butter
from grass-fed cows
o Supplement
with fish oil if needed
·
Eat quality proteins
·
Eat lots of veggies
·
Avoid processed vegetable oils and hydrogenated
oils
·
Keep sugar and carbs low
·
Stop eating wheat
·
Support neurotransmitter function with diet as
much as possible
·
Supplements of interest
o B-12
(methylcobolomine is the active form)
o Vitamin-D
o Magnesium
o P-5-P
o Acetyl
L-carnitine
o Choline
Folks, the rapid rise in these
neurological diseases and disorders are very new. Fifty years ago, our grandparents would have
never heard of most of these disorders and diseases because they were very rare
and, back then, folks ate different foods than we do now. By understanding how our brain works and what
it needs to be healthy is a step towards keeping it working the way it designed
to work. Getting older doesn’t have to
mean having our mind slowly waste away.
With a little knowledge and practice we can look forward to staying
sharp, happy and keeping our brain “young” as we get older!
References:
Braverman, Eric MD. Younger
Brain, Sharper Mind. Rodale Inc.
2011.
Kendrick, Malcolm. The
Great Cholesterol Con. John Blake
Publishing. 2007.
Kharrazian, Datis DHSc, DC, MS. Why Isn’t My Brain Working? Elephant Press. 2013.
Moore, Jimmy and Eric C. Westman. Cholesterol Clarity, What the HDL is Wrong
With My Numbers? Victory Belt
Publishing. 2013.
Perlmutter, David MD.
Grain Brain. Little, Brown and
Company. 2013.
