QuickZine #5-Brain Aging

Is your brain aging well?  It seems like some people's brains age really well, while others don't.  Is there a secret?  Are some people genetically protected from dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) or is it the "luck of the draw" as to who gets it and who doesn't?

With incredible growth in the study of the brain, science is discovering three very important principles about the brain.

#1. How perilous it's health can be.

#2. What an amazing ability it has to rewire itself.

#3. How simple it is to protect the brain.

Science faces a real conundrum.  It can prolong life, keep people alive with drugs and machines, but is limited in how it can keep a brain alive and well.  So when I hear science telling us that eating foods like carrots and blueberries help prolong the life and health of our brains, I listen!  

Tomatoes Can Keep You Smarter, Longer!

A new study once again shows us the importance of eating foods high in carotenes.  But it isn't to protect eyesight this time, it's to reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairment!

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can be the precursor to more serious brain disorders like AD and dementia.  It is a transitional phase between normal cognition and the onset of the disease process.  Patients who develop MCI show diminished mental capacity usually related to memory,  impaired judgment, disorientation and fearfulness or paranoia. 

In a cross-sectional study involving over 500 healthy elderly individuals over the age of 70, levels of carotenoids were measured as well as testing for cognitive performance.  The bottom line showed that the group with the lowest test scores in both the Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS), testing for speed of information processing, and the Trail Making Test Part B (TMTB), which tests motor speed and attention functions, had a high probability of low levels of lycopene.  Lycopene, a form of carotenoid, is a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes.  A few years ago it was found that men who consumed a good quantity of tomatoes had a lower incidence of developing prostate cancer. Here's a lovely recipe I developed that not only has tomatoes and a good supply of lycopenes but also has phytoestrogenic spices to help with the symptoms of menopause. 

Click Here and Enjoy Curried Cherry Tomatoes with Pine Nuts

Memory Maintenance

Much about the human brain remains a mystery especially when it comes to the aging brain. Memory holds the key to many aspects of brain aging and health. As we age our ability to store memories in short term declines. Long term memory on the other hand usually remains intact. This difference in our ability to recall memory stems from the difference in the location of stored memory. Long term memory is stored as meaning and is enhanced and solidified by reflection and repeated recall. Short term memory on the other hand stores items for only up to 30 seconds.

Most of us are not eagerly anticipating losing memories. We want to hold on to them. The best way of accomplishing this is to:

• Create several different associations to the memory. E.g. Hearing about the event from several individual perspectives.
• Practice recalling the memory by visualizing it.
• Spaced repetition involves retrieving the information or event after certain periods of time, several times, in other words, memorizing.
• Implant information into long term memory by reviewing the material within two hours of learning it.
• Record the event in a journal.
• Share the information or event with someone else.

If you are having trouble recalling information, it is important to boost the interaction between the two brain hemispheres. By moving your eyes from side to side for 30 seconds you can warm up your brain, increase the communication between the two hemispheres and bolster your ability to retrieve certain types of memory.

Diabetes Brain Drain

Individuals dealing with diabetes are at a greater risk of suffering brain damage and cognitive decline. According to the University Medical Center of Utrecht researcher, Ineke Brands, both abnormal blood sugar levels and vascular risk factors impact the brain of those with Type 2 diabetes. Brands found that patients with Type 2 diabetes had a higher incidence of challenges with information processing.

Yet another study shows an even more worrisome correlation between insulin resistance, an additional cause of Type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). "Insulin resistance occurs when the normal amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas is not able to unlock the door to cells. To maintain a normal blood glucose, the pancreas secretes additional insulin. In some cases (about 1/3 of the people with insulin resistance), when the body cells resist or do not respond to even high levels of insulin, glucose builds up in the blood resulting in high blood glucose or type 2 diabetes." Stanford University Website. The study showed that there was decreased activity of insulin degrading enzyme in the brain and an increase in the number of AD like amyloid plaque's in the same test subjects. Without proper insulin function, glucose, the brain's fuel source, can't signal the cells to allow the fuel entry. No glucose in the cells, no fuel or energy.

What this breaks down to is if you have diabetes, make sure it is under control, without dips and spikes in blood sugar levels. If you have prediabetes, understand the disease process and how you can be proactive in preventing the onset of diabetes. If you have challenges with blood sugar, listen to your body. It is trying to get your attention so you can prevent a more serious condition from developing farther down the road.

Next Quickzine will be dedicated to the understanding and prevention of diabetes. Do me a favour and if you know someone who you think would benefit from this information, please forward this newsletter to them. Thank you.