10 good reasons to eat grapefruit
(Health Secrets NewsletteStandup comedian Lewis Black on the occasion of his turning 60 told this anecdote: “A group of guys are talking. One of them says, Harry, I saw that movie you told me about. Harry responds, the one with that guy in it? Others jump in with similar confusion.” To this Black comments, “You’d think they didn’t know what they’re talking about. But they know EXACTLY what they’re talking about. They just can’t remember names”!
All the stress and toxicity around us and in us is resulting in a rapidly rising tide of mental fog, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and associated brain and nerve disorders. It seems wise to launch an all out effort with as many preventative measures as possible when we begin struggling with names and titles that were once easily remembered.
Uncommon nutrient brain boosters
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that decreases as we age and needs to be boosted as we approach or pass mid-life. This can be done with the right nutrients. Even if brain memory cells are not damaged, without enough acetylcholine, accessing those memories can be exercises in futility.
Mag Boost is an excellent choline supplement that acts as a precursors for increasing acetylcholine in the brain. According to Dr. Ray Sahelian MD, choline can furnish rapid results for memory improvement. Mag Boost also helps increase magnesium absorption and aids in fat metabolism.
The herbs gingko biloba and ginseng aid acetylcholine production. Omega-3 rich foods such as hemp, flax, and chia seeds also help support acetylcholine.
L-arginine, a common amino acid sold as a supplement, is a precursor for nitric oxide (NO), a gas that enhances blood flow to brain blood vessels and other organs. Brain benefits are considered secondary to NO’s ability of preventing heart attacks and strokes. But nitric oxide has been found to benefit the anti-aging and brain deterioration associated with aging. Inhaling nitric oxide has been used with emergency treatments for brain injury traumas.
Another supplement, Acetyl-L-Cartinine (ACL), has demonstrated excellent results in slowing down or preventing brain and nervous system deterioration. Most studies showed memory and cognitive improvement after 90 days of 1000 to 2000 mg or one to two grams of ACL daily.
Anything that increases brain energy production will reduce excitotoxicity, commonly associated with MSG and artificial sweetener consumption. Lipoic acid, CoQ10, niacin amide, and all of the B vitamins, creatine monohydrate and acetyl-L-carnitine have been studied for effectiveness against dementia and even brain damage from strokes. Results have been positive.
And What about Alzheimer’s Disease?
Read this earlier article if you are concerned about Alzheimer’s, or if you are beginning to observe early signs of Alzheimer’s setting in or you know someone who is bogged down with Alzheimer’s disease.
The discovery of coconut oil as a treatment for Alzheimer’s has gone viral on the internet. Mary Newport MD, the doctor who discovered its effectiveness by pulling her husband out of seriously advancing Alzheimer’s, has written a book called Alzheimer’s Disease: What if There Was a Cure?
Non-nutritional approaches
Most hormones decrease with age, but not cortisol, according to Dr. Al Sears. Cortisol increases with age and high levels of cortisol are a major source of mental or brain deterioration. Since stress produces this fight or flight hormone, minimizing stress can eliminate excess cortisol production.
Meditation is a proven method of reducing stress that can work wonders on cortisol. The corpse pose of Hatha Yoga, done properly, promotes total relaxation, eliminating every trace of tension. Practiced daily, either or both of these methods lead to a general demeanor of stressing less over situations that were common stress factors. Truly relaxing and emptying your mind is a key for curbing cortisol production.
Exercise helps too, and it doesn’t have to be vigorous. Brisk walking for a mile or so a few times a week has demonstrated improved memory and mental acuity as people reach middle age or later. So has lifting weights. Recently, a three minute simple exercise has been found to reduce brain fog and improve mental acuity. Access the video in the sources section below.
Using your mind more for interesting pursuits instead of using it less as you age is wise. Use it or lose it applies here too. Instead of retiring to a life of absolute leisure, engage regularly in some activity that’s interesting to you and requires using your noggin.
Please use the sources list below to find out more. As mentioned earlier, it’s best to involve nutrient supplementing coupled with some type of exercise to go beyond the age of 60 with your complete mental faculties still in tact.
Sources included in this article:
http://homeopathyplus.com.au/poor-memory-can-be-improved-by-one-simple-exercise
http://www.raysahelian.com/acetylcholine.html
http://www.raysahelian.com/nitricoxide.html
http://www.selfhelpdaily.com/relax-for-the-love-of-your-brain-cells-relax/
