Brain Health

Can we improve the way our brain works? There is new evidence that we can. With the almost epidemic of Alzheimer’s and Dementia in our elderly it makes sense to do everything we can to keep our brains healthy. How much more sense does it make to do these things to help our brains heal if they have already been injured?

Exercise comes in many forms. When it comes to the brain there are many benefits to multiple forms of exercise.

Stretching our brains by expanding our knowledge has been shown to reduce or postpone dementia in most of its forms.  One of the keys to this expansion of knowledge is to truly want to use the information you are learning. Memorizing a shopping list does more good than memorizing a random list of words. Learning a new hobby or a new language does even more.

Our brains can become dehydrated just like our body. When the brain is dry thinking becomes harder, and slower.

Physical exercise is just as important as mental exercise. Exercising while listening to music seems to do the most good. You don’t have to spend hours at it, but you do need to get your heart beating a little faster each and every day. Depending on your fitness level this can mean as little as standing for thirty minutes a day. If you can’t manage even that then start with the amount of time you can stand before your knees feel weak and your heart is pounding.

Certain foods are important in boosting your brain power. The antioxidants found in green tea are a good example. Healthy fats are another example. The healthy fats are the ones your body uses to build and maintain brain and nerve cells. Healthy fats include coconut oil, avocados, walnuts, and Omega 3 fatty acids that can be found in fish (look for mercury free) flax, hemp oil, and organic free range meats and dairy. Many people think only of Vitamin E when they think of healthy oil, but all Omega 3 fatty acids work in similar ways.

The spice turmeric is an anti-inflammatory that crossed the blood/brain barrier.  Celery contains luteolin, which has also been shown to reduce brain inflammation. Broccoli and cauliflower are known for their choline, which supports brain development. Eggs and meats (organic grass fed) are very high in choline.  Blueberries are a well-known antioxidant.

On the flip side there are foods we want to avoid for healthy brains. Grains and sugars top that list. 

Both cause inflammation.

Fasting can also trigger brain rejuvenation.  An easy way of doing this is simply skipping one or more meals per day. This has been shown to increase the neurotransmitters in the brain.

Anything that lowers the immune system lowers the brain system. This includes antibiotics, anti-psychotics drugs, and anti-inflammatory medications (not supplements).

Controlling stress is another key to brain health. EFT (emotional freedom technique) is a very handy tool in relieving stress. With its help you can take the pain out of past events, rendering them unable to trigger an emotional reaction in the present.

Sources:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/24/lifestyle-changes-may-decrease-stroke-risk.aspx?e_cid=20130624_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130624

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/01/brain-exercise.aspx?e_cid=20130801_DNL_art_2&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20130801

http://www.naturalnews.com/041873_green_tea_improved_memory_dementia_prevention.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/042073_healthy_fats_food_sources_fatty_acids.html

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/10/25/exercise-for-brain-health.aspx?e_cid=20131025Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20131025Z1

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/10/31/9-foods-brain-health.aspx?e_cid=20131031Z1_DNL_art_2&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20131031Z1

http://www.naturalnews.com/043119_brain_health_vitamin_E_natural_supplements.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/043191_mental_health_immune_system_treatment.html

http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=135141&CultureCode=en

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/30/eft-mapping-emotions.aspx?e_cid=20140130Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20140130Z1&et_cid=66919168&et_rid=412993462

http://www.naturalnews.com/043899_fish_oil_brain_health_omega-3_fatty_acids.html

Traumatic Brain Injury

When we think of Veteran’s we commonly think of PTSD or old age related problems such as Alzheimer’s. Many of our currently returning veterans are suffering from something entirely different. It is called Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI. Civilians can get this as well, especially in sports or automobile accidents. A TBI can occur when something hits your skull, but it can also occur when your body is moved forcefully enough that the brain ‘bounces’ against the inside of the skull. 

Think of a person being thrown from a car. They may not actually hit their head on anything, but the jarring effect of the sudden landing can cause damage. Children sometimes get this type of injury when shaken.

The results of this type of injury are very traumatic. The person may look fine on the outside, but be unable to think clearly or remember details for an extended period of time. For some it is like suddenly having Alzheimer’s. The good news is that they don’t typically continue to downward spiral like someone with Alzheimer’s. The brain can heal itself, but it is a long hard road, filled with frustration, anger and depression. These roadblocks occur for the family of the injured person as well as the victim. There are things we can do to speed up the process. It can go from a seeming standstill to the pace of a slow snail.

Things to avoid:

1. The modern American diet. This is not what the injured person wants to hear. They want to get back to normal. They want to hang out with their friends and do what their friends are doing. Their friends are killing brain cells with artificial colors, artificial flavors, pesticides, antibiotics, and just plain poor nutrition. The person who is trying to rebuild their brain can’t afford to kill brain cells.
2. Alcohol. This is tough because their buddies may be imbibing and they want to relax and hang out with them, but they can’t afford to.
3. Antibiotics. If you need them to save your life, take them, but follow up with a good probiotic and fermented foods. Good gut health equals good brain health. We have to start taking care of our guts before the body can take care of the brain.
4. Wheat products. There is a term called ‘grain brain’ that describes what happens when someone eats a diet based mainly on grains. It closely resembles dementia.
5. Avoid toxic substances in your home. These include lead, Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and other flame retardants, Toluene, PERC found in dry cleaned clothes, and fluoride. If it smells or tastes like a chemical then you will want to stay away from it.

There are some positive things you can do to improve your brain power, even if your brain has been injure. The first is to eat a healthy diet. A diet based on organic fruits and vegetables that include a lot of green leafy vegetables. This doesn’t mean you have to avoid meat and dairy. Good organic meats and dairy contain the critical Omega 3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation and encourage the brain to heal. 

In addition to that here are some more things you can do:

1. Supplement with herbs such as Ginko Biloba, Feverfew, Butcher’s Broom, Bacopa monnieri, Gotu kola, Ginseng, Sage, Rosemary, turmeric, and Periwinkle.
2. Supplement with vitamins such as B vitamins, Coenzyme Q10, Magnesium, Vitamin C and probiotics.
3. Eat for brain health. Include Omega 3 rich foods, coconut oil, green tea, coffee, blueberries, spinach, grapes, and tomatoes are all known to increase brain function.
4. Move your body. Sitting in front of the TV all day is wrong on many different levels. Physical exercise, including strength training has been shown to help with more than just increasing the blood flow. It decreases stress, produces nerve protecting compounds, improves the production of neurons, as well as releasing feel good hormones.
5. Learn something new. Even just reading a book, or listening to a book on a subject you are unfamiliar with helps create new brain cells. The more you are interacting with the information the more good it will do you. Learning a new language has shown the most benefit, but only if you actually use it.
6. One of the simplest things you can do is to make sure you stay well hydrated. An easy formula to remember is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half. That gives you the optimum number of ounces to strive for. If you sweat heavily increase it accordingly. It works best if you get half your water in before lunch.

For those that have a long way to go to achieve brain health the progress is going to be painfully slow, but it will be there. For the rest of us, using these tips can slow down and possibly prevent brain deterioration as we age.

Sources:

http://www.naturalnews.com/046083_herbs_brain_health_improved_circulation.html

http://www.motherearthliving.com/health-and-wellness/mind-and-body/brain-boosters-zmfz13jazmel.aspx?newsletter=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=HW%20eNews&utm_campaign=7.29.14%20MEL%20HW#axzz39iyCidaI

http://www.naturalnews.com/046544_omega-3_fatty_acids_neurons_cell_membranes.html

http://www.motherearthliving.com/health-and-wellness/mind-and-body/8-chemicals-affecting-your-brain-health-zm0z14sozpit.aspx?newsletter=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=HW%20eNews&utm_campaign=8.26.14%20HW#axzz3BcjT3UOE

http://www.naturalnews.com/046951_memory_cognitive_conditions_brain_herbs.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/047209_brain_health_IQ_cognitive_function.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/047220_Western_diet_cognitive_function_obesity.html

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2014/10/24/strength-training-improves-memory.aspx?e_cid=20141024Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20141024Z1&et_cid=DM58447&et_rid=704527585