By Dr. Michael Wald
Brain aging is a natural process, but for many, the aging brain causing levels of mental dysfunction that often reduce the quality and length of life. Loss of short and long-term memory, increased inability to “find the right words” or connect something you are looking at and recalling its name, mental fogginess, outright dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and an overall sense of fatigue are just some of the ways in which an aging brain could affect you.
Below are some of my thoughts regarding nutritional and natural ways to offset the degenerative effects of aging upon the human brain that Integrated Medicine of Mount Kisco have researched and perfected for use with our large patient population. These are general considerations to help prevent certain age related changes and to offset those that may be inevitable. It is essential to keep in mind that careful medical and nutritional history, dietary review, personalized laboratory (i.e., blood analysis and other testing), brain imaging (i.e., MRI, CT, EEG, EEG, etc.) can all potentially improve overall quality of life.
1. Consuming 4-6 pieces of fruits and vegetables per day will give you antioxidants that help to reduce the oxidative stress of brain aging, memory loss, etc. Juice everyday! See our Juicing Recipe in the Articles section of our website; supplement your juicing with dehydrated fruits and vegetables to increase nutritional and enzyme content thousands of times more! See our Blood Detective products including our product, Brain Food.
2. Eating healthy fats such as mono- and polyunsaturated fats especially from cold pressed (virgin, imported) olive oil and avocados help ensure that the cellular membranes of brain cells maintain a healthy fluidity. Hardness of brain cell membranes or loss of membrane fluidity is often associated with memory loss, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, MS, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory diseases and atrophy (shrinking of the brain). Consuming supplements of these types of oils and others including mercury free fish oils (i.e., salmon, sardines, mackerel, krill, etc.) can increase the brain content of these healthy oils much faster than eating foods alone. Special tests are available to help ensure that the proper dosage of these oils (otherwise known as the, “therapeutic dose) is reached. Otherwise, you may be wasting your time. These oils, if consumed in therapeutic amounts, require other nutritional synergists (aka, partners) such as vitamin E and selenium (also in certain amounts) that can be determined through careful expert examinations such as our Blood Detective interpretations and our clinical experience.
3. Increasing one’s intake of healthy protein sources such as raw nuts, seeds, free-range animal proteins; proteins are required to produce neurotransmitters in the brain – chemicals that allow for proper brain function. Vegetarian proteins are probably best, but then again, proper testing and other considerations must be considered when choosing the right proteins for someone with a goal of improving and slowing down brain aging. Proper levels of stomach acid and pancreatic enzymes are only two essential considerations and both clinical experience by our doctors and testing help to clarify for each individual.
4. Reduce one’s intake of refined and processed carbohydrates and sugars such as desserts, refined pasta and table sugar; these types of sugars (carbohydrates) cause wild fluctuations in brain and blood glucose levels that can increase brain and nervous system aging. This is important for anyone we believe for any health purpose whatsoever, but even this must be done correctly. We see many patients who have imbalanced diets in their efforts to be healthy. We can help figure this all out! What is important is to understand that certain sugars (not including fruits) can damage the nervous system and many other structures causing and worsening nervous system (i.e., brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve) function causing many serious health problems. The nervous system controls many essential functions so the damage can extend virtually anywhere in the body.
Stay tuned for part 2 of this article shortly…..
– Dr. Michael Wald, aka The Blood Detective, is the director of nutritional services at Integrated Medicine of Mount Kisco, located in Westchester New York. He has appeared on ABC World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer, Channel 11 PIX, Channel 12 News, CNN, The Food Network and other media outlets. Dr. Wald earned the name Blood Detective for his reputation to find problems that are often missed by other doctors. He earned an MD degree, is a doctor of chiropractic and a certified dietician-nutritionist. He is also double-board certified in nutrition. He has published over a dozen books with three additional titles due for release late 2013 including: Frankenfoods – Genetically Modified Foods: Controversies, Lies & Your Health and Gluten-A-Holic: How to Live Gluten Free and the Blood Detective’s Longevity Secrets. Dr. Wald can be reached at: www.intmedny.com or www.blooddetective.com or by calling: 914-242-8844.