20 Mar Living the brain healthy life

I can help you stave off Alzheimer’s or even reverse it.

How is it possible to prevent dementia? Or cure it? No drug can do that.

Yes, no drug has had any real promise for people suffering with cognitive decline. But Dr. Dale Bredesen developed a successful protocol for ending Alzheimer’s. And I am certified in Reversing Cognitive Decline, a health coaching program developed by Dr. Dale Bredesen and Functional Medicine Coaching Academy.  It involves medicine and supplements as needed, but mostly lifestyle modifications.

That’s what I do. I help people make healthy lifestyle choices and now I can help you make the choices that will keep your brain functioning well into old age. I’ve already written about the diet here. But there’s a lot more to do besides eating a brain healthy diet.

Brain Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Dementia can be caused by chronic inflammation in the body as well as exposure to toxins. So step one is to clean up your diet to lower inflammation and remove exposure to pesticides and chemical additives in your food. Next step is to start adding in these lifestyle hacks.

Help your body remove toxins through sweat and breath. And the easy way to do both of those is to move and exercise. By move I mean anything besides sitting, so that means doing laundry, climbing stairs, shopping, sweeping, putting dishes away, and so on. Sitting is the new smoking, it’s said, which means that healthy bodies with healthy brains are moving bodies. And even better is to start a vigorous exercise program, because that has special benefits to brain chemistry and structure.

Get a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep is associated with inflammation which is associated with Alzheimer’s. Deep sleep is restorative and it’s when the brain flushes out toxins. So why don’t people get a good night’s sleep? Some skimp on sleep to “get things done” but the main thing getting done is damage to brain health. Sleep apnea can prevent deep sleep. Also exposure to toxins like heavy metals, mold, and pesticides can prevent restorative sleep.

Heavy metals, molds, and pesticides can contribute to dementia. Your body can only handle so much exposure before it gets a disease like cancer, autoimmune, or Alzheimer’s. And some people are genetically less able to detox, so they need to be even more careful. You can encourage detoxing through sauna–another way to sweat, and through certain foods like turmeric and cruciferous vegetables.

Another way to keep toxins moving out of your body is to keep things moving. As in elimination. Going regularly, like a couple times a day, is essential for good detox. So is drinking lots of water. Wash your problems away and down the toilet.

But the best thing to do is avoid exposure so you have less to detox. That means avoiding lawn chemicals, flea control products, solvents, adhesives, cleaning products, fabric softeners, personal care products, deodorizers, fragrances, and freeways. Get in the habit of reading the labels on the products you buy. Pull out your reading glasses and see what chemicals are on the end of the ingredients list. They will be absorbed through the skin or breathed in. And then they will damage your brain. Slowly, of course, over the years. If it was dramatic and sudden, none of these products would be in use.

One more toxin to avoid—toxic thoughts. Worry, stress, and negative relationships have physical consequences. Negative emotions cause your body to release cortisol, the stress hormone. That hormone affects every cell in the body. It’s great for when you have an emergency, but chronic stress wears you down, and it wears down your mind. So try some relaxation techniques like meditation, stretching, walks in nature, yoga, or deep breathing.

The good news about all these lifestyle choices is they all help each other. You’ll get a better night’s sleep if you exercise (but not at bedtime). Your blood sugar improves if you exercise and if you sleep well. You have less cravings with adequate sleep so you tend to eat better. You’ll be calmer and less stressed. And all these good habits mean you’re less likely to get dementia and some people can even reverse their symptoms. There’s a point of no return, but there are a whole lot of us who are staring at old age and want better outcomes.

You can keep your mind in old age.

It’s not easy implementing all these lifestyle choices. But I can help. It is so worth it. What are you willing to do to stay out of a nursing home where you don’t even recognize your own children? Yes, that’s scary. So consider working with me. I’m in the business of helping you have a bright future. The intro phone call is free.

Comments: What are your thoughts about Alzheimer’s?

Dale Bredesen, MD: The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline

Dr. Mercola: Mercury Toxicity and Cognitive Decline

Chris Kresser: Alzheimer’s and Diabetes

Lifespa: Detox the Brain

Dr, Perlmutter: Reducing Dementia Risk

Dr. Perlmutter: Alzheimer’s Can Be Reversed

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