In this week’s Gary Null’s Newsletter:
• Reboot Your Brain: Part 2: Your Aging Brain
• Gary Null's Show Notes
• Recipe for Linguini with Garden Vegetables
Reboot Your Brain: Part 2: Your Aging Brain
“The brain is not, like the liver, heart, and other internal organs, capable from the moment of birth of all the functions which it ever discharges; for while in common with them, it has certain duties for the exercise of which it is especially intended, its high character in man, as the organ of conscious life, the supreme instrument of his relations with the rest of nature, is developed only by a long and patient training.”
—R. V. Pierce (The People’s Common Sense Medical Advisor in Plain English, 1917)
From the moment of conception, our brains are developing, growing, and changing, and scientists and researchers are constantly discovering new information about how our brains develop throughout our lives.
For instance, it had long been thought that the human brain created crucial neural pathways in the early years of life and then, over the course of a lifetime, worked to reinforce and strengthen the most important of these connections, while pruning away those that were underutilized. In other words, the brain was formed and influenced in early years, remained largely unchanged in middle years, and declined in old age.
Throughout the last few decades, as scientific research techniques have become more sophisticated, our ability to learn about the complexities of the brain has accelerated. Now scientists are discovering that the growth of the brain is far more complicated and ongoing than previously supposed. Studies have shown that crucial development in the prefrontal cortex occurs after the teen years, and other researchers have discovered that brain cells can continue to develop well into old age.
It is amazing to consider how our brains—these three-pound organs that constantly grow and change throughout our lives—are charged with the oversight of our entire being. This mass of tissue and nerves drives our intelligence, interprets input from our senses, initiates the movement of our limbs, and regulates the social aspects of our behavior.
In this issue, I will talk about the structure of the brain and how choices you make about your environment, lifestyle, nutrition, and other factors can impact the health of your brain as you age.
Understanding the Brain
To get the most out of the Reboot Your Brain program, you need to have some knowledge of the most basic structures and workings of the brain and to understand how external factors influence both the growth and decline of this amazing organ.
The Architecture of the Brain
Our brains sit under our scalps, within the bony safety of our skulls, floating in cerebrospinal fluid and covered by the meninges. The meninges consists of three layers: the dura mater, a thick membrane that can restrict the movement of the brain within the skull, preventing movements that may burst the blood vessels of the brain; the middle layer, or arachnoid; and the layer closest to the brain, the pia mater. Our brains are nourished by our circulatory systems, which convert the nutrients in our blood into fuel for the ongoing computations of the brain’s billions of nerve cells. The brain is covered with a thin layer of tissue called the cerebral cortex. This coating is also called gray matter because the nerves in this area lack the insulation that makes other parts of the brain appear white. Most information processing takes place in the cortex.
The Forebrain
When you look at a picture of the brain, it is likely that the first part you notice is the cerebrum. This intricate, wrinkled area, along with its covering (the cortex) is the source of higher-level functions. It holds memories and allows you to plan, imagine, and create. This is the part of your brain you use in problem solving, abstract thinking, and making judgments. The cerebrum is split down the center by a deep fissure, creating two halves, each with very different functions. At the base of the split is a thick construct of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum, which keeps communication flowing between the halves of the brain. Signals from the brain cross over on their way to the body.
The right cerebral hemisphere controls primarily the left side of the body, and the left hemisphere controls primarily the right side of the body. In most people, the left hemisphere is dominant in controlling responses, as well as language production and understanding and cognitive functions. The right side of your brain controls temporal and spatial relations, pattern recognition, recognition of complex auditory tones, and communication of emotion.
Each of the cerebral hemispheres in the forebrain can be further divided into sections called lobes, which govern specific functions.
The frontal lobes lie directly behind your forehead and control your ability to plan, reason, and imagine. They are also important in memory construction. The rear part of the frontal lobes has a motor area that controls voluntary movement. on the left frontal lobe, a section called Broca’s area works to transform thoughts into words.
The parietal lobes govern sensory combinations and comprehension of stimuli, such as touch, taste, temperature, and movement. The parietal lobes also function in reading and arithmetic.
The temporal lobes are associated with music, memory, and sensation. These lobes also process emotion, including strong emotions such as fear. They are important in forming and retrieving memories.
The occipital lobes process images from the eyes and link that information with images stored in memory.
The Midbrain
This area of the brain controls some reflex actions and is responsible for some voluntary movements.
The Hindbrain
The lowermost area of the brain is composed of the upper part of the spinal cord, the brain stem, and a wrinkled ball of tissue called the cerebellum. The hindbrain governs cardiac, respiratory, and vasomotor centers.
The Limbic System
Deep within the brain, hidden from view, lie the structures that make up the limbic system, the area of the brain that is responsible for our emotional states. These gatekeepers of the brain include:
The hypothalamus, a structure the size of a pearl, which works as a regulator, returning your body’s systems to a “set point.” The hypothalamus controls hunger, thirst, response to pain, and sexual satisfaction, as well as our emotions, such as anger, unhappiness, joy, and excitement.
The thalamus acts as a clearinghouse for information flow between the cerebrum and the spinal cord. Clusters of nerve cells called basalganglia surround the thalamus and are responsible for integrating movements.
The hippocampus works as a memory indexer and is vital in the construction and reconstruction of memory.
The amygdala regulates our stress responses to fear and anxiety.
Communication in the Brain
All the structures in the brain communicate with each other and the rest of the body by sending signals through cells called neurons. Information passes from one neuron to another at a junction called a synapse. Chemicals known as neurotransmitters are released by one neuron, cross the synapse, and attach to a receptor in a neighboring cell. There are at least one hundred known neurotransmitters, all with individual chemical reactions that occur constantly at the millions of synaptic junctions in our brains.
Key neurotransmitters, which help the brain function quickly and smoothly, include acetylcholine, serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). Maintaining the delicate balance of these neurotransmitters within the brain is crucial to brain health.
Aging and the Brain
Our brains begin to form just three weeks after conception and continue to develop, expand, and adapt throughout our lifetimes. Babies are born with more than one hundred billion neurons, roughly the same number they will always have. Throughout the next three years, trillions of synaptic connections form between these neurons. During this period of time, frequently stimulated synapses strengthen and proliferate, and rarely used synapses are discarded. Scientists use the term “plasticity” to define this period of adaptive growth.
Until rather recently, the prevailing theory had been that, from adolescence through adulthood and old age, the brain continues to simply discard neuronal connections. Doctors told elderly patients experiencing age-related conditions such as memory loss and mental fatigue that there was nothing they could do but accept the inevitable: “old” neurons had died, and there were no new cells to replace them. A decline in mental sharpness was an inevitable by-product of aging.
But research has shown that our brain—this amazing organ that grows and learns through interacting with the world through both perception and action—can continually adapt and rewire itself. A Princeton research team discovered there is a natural regenerative mechanism in the mature brain that creates neurons that migrate to the cerebral cortex, where they “plug in” and become a new part of the brain’s central circuitry.1
Think about the brain of an infant, which is constantly amassing new information and stimulation and enrichment for the neurons forming synaptic connections. Now consider your own perceptions about challenging your brain when you are middle-aged or during your elder years. Stimulation, mental activity, and challenge all are essential in brain growth and vitality. This new research brings new urgency to a key maxim for vigorous mental health at any age: “Use it or lose it!”
But clearly the issue of what weakens our brain function is not simply the act of aging. Despite what we have been told for decades, we need not accept the idea that our bodies, or our brains, simply and inevitably “wear out” as we grow older. Staying vital both mentally and physically as we age requires paying close attention to the mind– body connection and the effects outside factors such as environment, nutrition and diet, and stress and emotion bring to bear on our welfare.
Negative Factors and Brain Weakness
What does happen, as we grow older, is that we begin to experience the cumulative effects of negative lifestyle habits and outside influences. Mental health conditions that have been labeled “age-related” are more often the result of our neglect of our bodies and our brains. If we understand the negative factors and how they impact our mental vitality, we can make the changes necessary to ensure vigorous mental health throughout our lifetimes.
In the rest of this chapter, I discuss the key factors in your environment and lifestyle that can negatively impact your mental health as you age. In chapter 3, you will find out how you can protect yourself from these external hazards and rejuvenate your brain naturally.
Environment and the Brain
Pollution and poisons in our environment are especially harmful to our brains. Let’s examine the substances of greatest concern.
Toxic Substances
our daily environment can be hazardous to the health of our brains. It is shocking to realize that there are approximately one thousand substances that may cause brain toxicity and accelerate the decline of the brain. of these one thousand substances, we are in danger of being exposed to several on a regular basis.
These substances cause brain damages in two main ways:
Acute toxicity occurs when there is a single exposure to high levels of a substance, causing immediate neurological damage.
Chronic toxicity results from continuous exposure to lower levels of a toxin and can result in long-term negative effects in the body.
Four general categories of substances may contribute to brain toxicity: heavy metals, solvents and fuels, pesticides, and carbon monoxide.
Heavy Metals
Heavy metals that are not metabolized by the body can accumulate in the soft tissue with toxic effect. Heavy metals enter our bodies through food, water, and air. They may also be absorbed through direct contact with our skin. Blood and urine tests can be used to assess levels of heavy metals in the body. According to Dr. Christopher Calapai, Do, “The biggest enemy of the brain is clearly heavy metals. Research going back thirty years has linked heavy metals with Parkinson’s, ALS, MS, lupus, Alzheimer’s, autoimmune disease—it runs the gamut. And as we pull metals out of the body with appropriate chelation therapy, and we get vitamins, minerals, glutathione back in the body, we start to see significant improvement.”1
The list below contains four heavy metals that appear in the top ten substances on the 2003 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Priority List of Hazardous Substances, compiled by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).2
Arsenic. Arsenic is the most common cause of acute heavy metal poisoning in adults. Arsenic is released into the environment by certain manufacturing processes. It can be found in our soil, water, and air. The central nervous system, blood, kidneys, digestive system, and skin are the main targets of arsenic toxicity.
Lead. Children are particularly susceptible to lead toxicity because they are likely to ingest lead-containing substances, such as paint chips. (Paint manufactured prior to 1940 contains lead.) Lead exposure also occurs in the home as drinking water passes through pipes, drains, and soldering materials used on plumbing. Adverse effects of lead exposure occur in the brain, bones, blood, kidneys, and thyroid. A simple blood test can determine lead levels in your body.
Mercury. Mercury affects the cerebellum, the basal ganglia, and the visual centers of the occipital lobe. Among the many conditions linked to mercury in the body is short-term memory loss. Mercury is extremely toxic, and exposure can result in serious physical and neurological problems, and even in death. Mercury is used in thermometers, thermostats, and dental amalgams. Mining operations and paper industries are significant producers of mercury. Until 1990, mercury was added to paint as a fungicide. Mercury is also present in the medicines Mercurochrome and Merthiolate, as well as in some childhood vaccines.
Cadmium. Cadmium is a by-product of mining and the smelting of zinc and lead. Fertilizers with cadmium are used in agriculture and may leach into water supplies. Cigarettes also contain cadmium. Inhalation or ingestion of cadmium can result in damage to the brain, liver, kidneys, bones, and lungs.
Other Toxic Metals
While not considered heavy metals, two other metals pose serious dangers to the brain:
Aluminum. We are exposed to aluminum in abundance. It is found in food additives, antiperspirants, drinking water, automobile exhaust, tobacco smoke, foil, cookware, cans, and ceramics. Researchers have discovered significant amounts of aluminum in the brain tissues of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Although there is no conclusive evidence either for or against aluminum as a factor in Alzheimer’s disease, research continues into the relationship between aluminum and such serious brain conditions as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Manganese. Manganese toxicity is a well-recognized hazard for those who may inhale manganese dust. Inhaled manganese is transported directly to the brain and may cause neurological symptoms similar to those of Parkinson’s disease. The symptoms of manganese toxicity generally appear slowly, over a period of months or years. Used in gasoline as an antiknock additive, the manganese-containing compound methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT) was approved for use in the United States in 1995. Manganese may also be ingested by drinking contaminated water and may also cause neurological symptoms.
Solvents and Fuels
Paints, glues, and thinners contain substances that have been shown to cause neurological problems. The usual symptoms of people exposed to these toxins include fatigue, headache, and confusion.
Toluene. Toluene has been associated with long-term neurological problems, such as dementia, balancing and coordination problems, and brain atrophy. Toluene occurs naturally as a component of crude oil and is produced in petroleum refining and coke oven operations. It can also be found in gasoline. Do not be lulled into thinking you have escaped its ravaging effects once you are inside your home, however, because toluene can be found in household aerosols, nail polish, paints, and cleaning agents containing a solvent base.
Sniffing or “huffing” substances containing toluene on a continual basis causes permanent brain damage. Researchers have long studied how exposure to solvents has affected humans. Among the deleterious effects are a wide variety of brain conditions, such as cognition, attention, and memory problems. Depression and anxiety have also been associated with exposure to solvents.
Pesticides
In my research I have seen numerous varieties of pesticides that have neurotoxic effects on humans. When exposed to pesticides, a person may develop headaches and fuzzy vision and have difficulty speaking. In severe cases, the lungs or other organs may fail. The main ways in which a person is exposed to pesticides are through inhaling their gases or absorbing their chemicals through the skin.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is invisible, odorless, and tasteless and kills like a silent assassin. Unlike other toxic gases that emit noxious fumes, carbon monoxide is odorless, so people can unknowingly be exposed to its vapors and will become unconscious, and often die, because of a lack of oxygen to the brain. During the last decade, carbon monoxide poisoning has made big headlines in the United States. But until the deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning of high-profile individuals, such as tennis star Vitas Gerulaitis, the importance of carbon monoxide detectors was on the back burner. In many states, there are no laws mandating that each home be equipped with carbon monoxide detectors.
When carbon monoxide does not kill, it wreaks havoc on the brain, causing memory loss and other cognitive impairments. The hippocampus, a part of the brain vital for creating new memories, is especially vulnerable to the effects of carbon monoxide.
Electromagnetic Radiation
The popularity of wireless technology devices has skyrocketed over the past fifteen years. Millions of Americans cannot go a few waking hours without using their wireless phones or computers. Henry Lai, an expert in radiation at the University of Washington, has compiled more than four hundred studies that examine the possible connection between radiation generated by wireless devices and human health. In an interview with The New York Times, Lai stated that more than 67 percent of all independent studies into the subject showed that the use of wireless communication devices produces biological changes in the body.2 Research has correlated exposure to radiation with an array of health conditions, including brain tumors and decreased cognitive function.3,4
And it’s not just wireless technology, but a wide variety of EMF sources that make up life in our world. As Dr. Ronald Klatz puts it, “There are significant adverse side effects from being engulfed in an environment of electro-frequency or radio-frequency pollution. Swiss researchers collected data on electrical towers and Alzheimer’s risk. People who lived within 150 feet of the towers were 24 percent more likely to die of Alzheimer’s than those who lived more than 2,000 feet away. The risk for Alzheimer’s increased with the length of time people spent near electrical towers. This radio frequency pollution can have adverse side effects on your sleep cycle, on the release of melatonin (a natural hormone necessary for restorative sleep), the repair of DNA. So avoid electrical frequency pollution if for no other reason than to protect your cognitive function.”2
Lifestyle and the Brain
Just as your external environment can influence the health and welfare of your brain, your internal environment—the way you react to events and emotions—has an equally powerful impact on your mental health. our daily behaviors and habits, if unexamined and unchanged, can predispose us to suffer some of the serious health conditions associated with aging.
Stress
Much has been written about how stress affects the brain. For instance, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, stress and depression are closely linked. A recent study shows that stress can actually rewire the emotional circuits of the brain. Stress is not only psychological but physiological. As Dr. Hyla Cass puts it, “our body chemistry actually changes as a result of stress—we actually use up the raw materials that we need to make the feel-good chemicals for our brain (serotonin, dopamine, etc.—the feel-good neurotransmitters that get used up in order to make adrenaline and cortisol, which are the stress hormones).”3
Specifically, constant stress produces disproportionate cortisol levels in the brain. Cortisol is a hormone that is released from the adrenal glands in response to a physical or psychological threat. When cortisol is continually produced, it will begin to impair the function of the hippocampus, the area of the brain that is related to memory. High cortisol levels from excessive stress result in atrophy and death of the neurons, destroying brain cells in the hippocampus and frequently affecting short-term memory.
In his book Does Stress Damage the Brain? Understanding TraumaRelated Disorders from a Neurological Perspective, J. Douglas Bremner, an Emory University professor of psychiatry and radiology, has used his more than ten years of research as a clinical psychiatrist to explain how changes in the brain that are the result of stress may be the cause of some psychiatric disorders, including, among others, depression and anxiety.
According to a report from Stanford University, intense stress may even cause brain damage that leads to major depression or eventual memory impairment. In an article written for the journal Science, Stanford researcher and professor Robert Sapolsky discusses what science has learned so far about how stress adversely impacts our bodies.
Sapolsky cites a number of studies: one that looked at the hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for explicit, declarative memory) of people who had recovered from long-term, major depression; another that studied Vietnam veterans; and a third that measured the left hippocampus of adults who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder because of childhood sexual abuse. In all of the studies, the hippocampus in these severely stressed individuals was smaller than those in the control groups.5
In his book Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, Sapolsky emphasizes how stress adversely affects our whole bodies. once stress triggers the sympathetic nervous system, hormones are secreted, and a whole host of physiological changes occur that prepare the body for what it perceives to be impending danger.6 This response is obviously beneficial to us when, for instance, we are being pursued by a tiger, but it also suppresses the immune system. Constant exposure to this type of stress and the resulting suppression of the immune system open the door to many diseases, both physical and mental.
Unhealthy Habits
There may be some daily habits that you indulge in that damage your brain. And remember that habits you recognize as being unhealthy for your body are just as damaging to your brain as those that you may indulge in without full knowledge of the risks.
Nicotine. Despite the well-advertised adverse effects of tobacco, nearly 25 percent of the world’s population smokes cigarettes. While most people understand the link between smoking and cancer or heart disease, few are aware of the fact that the effects of nicotine on the brain are equally as dire. Cigarettes lower oxygen levels in the blood, and studies have shown that chronic smoking decreases blood flow to the brain. Nicotine prompts brain cells to grow nicotinic receptor cells that respond to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This rush of acetylcholine explains why smokers may feel energized and clearheaded.
But as acetylcholine production continues at an unnatural rate, the delicate balance of neurotransmitters in the brain is upset, and mental sharpness begins to suffer. This is particularly noticeable for anyone who has undergone the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, which the American Psychiatric Association classifies as a mental disorder.7
Alcohol. The negative effects of alcohol on the body are generally obvious. Alcohol consumption hastens the breakdown of antioxidants, negatively impacts the central nervous system, inhibits vitamin absorption (leading to liver damage), and is toxic at a cellular level. The effects of alcohol on the functioning of the brain are also far-reaching, negatively influencing areas involved in emotion, processing sensory information, and regulating stress. Alcohol disrupts the balance of key neurotransmitters, including serotonin, endorphins, and acetylcholine. Evidence also suggests that alcohol can alter the activity in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is vital in memory. Alcohol acts as a depressant, decreasing the activity of the nervous system.
Caffeine. Excess consumption of caffeine can wreak havoc with sleep patterns, deplete the body of critical B vitamins, and upset the stomach, as well as cause physical symptoms such as tremors and exacerbate anxiety. Withdrawal from this potent drug is associated with irritability, headaches, depression, and nervousness.
Inactivity and the Obesity Epidemic
Back in the day, people believed that as we age, we should slow down, take it easy, and accept that our bodies can no longer keep up with an active lifestyle. In the 1980s and 1990s, research emerged demonstrating that this prescription for physical inactivity is, in fact, the worst possible advice for both your body and your brain.
A sedentary physical lifestyle contributes to impaired cardiac and respiratory systems, diabetes, arthritis, obesity, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and insomnia. A sedentary mental lifestyle can lead to anxiety, depression, memory loss, and loss of cognitive function. Dr. Klatz even cites recent research as linking obesity to major neurodegenerative disease: “A recent Johns Hopkins University report tells us that excess weight causes age-related cognitive decline. Having a BMI of 30 or higher increases a person’s risk. obesity was found to have a particularly high effect on Alzheimer’s disease, increasing the risk of that disorder by as much as 80 percent.”4
The mind-body connection is particularly clear when it comes to the connection between being both mentally and physically active. Muscle activity and chemical activity in the brain are closely related. In fact, bodywork practitioners find that deep muscle massage often triggers the release and awareness of powerful memories and emotions. Neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and dopamine work to regulate muscle movement and fine motor skills, and, in return, muscle activity serves to stimulate and increase synaptic receptors.
The benefits of physical exercise on the brain are many: improved blood flow, increased oxygen, and the release of mood-regulating neurotransmitters. The benefits of mental exercise are equally impressive: stronger neural connections, stimulation of new neuron growth, balanced levels of neurotransmitters, and increased memory and cognitive functions.
There is no reason to let any of your muscles, including your mental muscles, atrophy simply because you are getting older. An active lifestyle with an active interest in stimulating and enriching activities is a key component in keeping our brains vital as we age.
Nutrition and the Brain
Poor nutrition and an inadequate diet are leading causes of many brain-related diseases and conditions that are often attributed solely to aging. Most Americans fuel their bodies and brains with fast food, refined carbohydrates, trans fats, and sugar. Those who think they are eating more healthfully don’t consider the fact that they are consuming meats, fruits, and vegetables that have been genetically modified, irradiated, or raised in toxic environments where earth and water may be contaminated with pesticides and fertilizers.
While I have spent a great deal of time and effort working with people to educate them about the effects of poor nutrition on their bodies, I now feel that I have to speak out just as strongly about the damage their diets and ways of living are doing to their brains. According to Dr. Joel Fuhrman, who specializes in treating illness through nutrition and is the author of Fasting and Eating for Health, the frightening fact is that our American diet literally causes our brain to shrink by depriving it of necessary nutrients and oxygen over the course of our lives.8
In the next chapter, I talk about nutritional and lifestyle solutions that will protect your brain over a lifetime. But before you move on to reading about my Reboot Your Brain Nutritional Plan for optimum Brain Health, you should fully understand the damage you are doing to your body, and thus your mind, by following the diet of the average American. When considering what you put into your body, you should know that your brain health is compromised by the consumption of sugar and fats and by a lack of vitamins and minerals.
Sugar
Sugar is high on my list of substances that should be completely banned from our diets. Sugar is nothing short of toxic to our bodies, yet Americans consume, on average, 140 to 160 pounds of sugar each year. Sucrose, or refined sugar, is quite different from glucose, the fuel that your brain needs to operate smoothly. Glucose is a simple sugar that is obtained from the metabolism of carbohydrates in foods and circulates through the bloodstream to provide the body with energy. Meanwhile, refined sugars challenge the immune system, causing diabetes, hypoglycemia, tooth decay, and obesity, to name only a few conditions. Sugar depletes B vitamins and calcium, and generates exceptionally high levels of cell-damaging free radicals, promoting inflammation throughout the body, especially in the brain. overconsumption of sugar savagely attacks metabolism, causing a wide range of symptoms, including irritability, anxiety, confusion, nervousness, mood swings, lack of concentration, fatigue, depression, and headaches.
Fats
High-protein diets have been promoted, especially in recent years, as a quick way to lose weight. These diets preach what the average American wants to hear: You can consume lots of cholesterol and lots of saturated fats and lots of animal protein and still lose weight. Weigh these dietary tips against the fact that heart attacks and strokes kill about 50 percent of all Americans, and the connection is clear: The standard Western diet promotes cardiovascular disease.
As cholesterol and fats are transported through the bloodstream to the delicate tissues of the brain, the cells in the brain become coated with a waxy substance. This amyloidal protein buildup, or plaque, is found in the brains of individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. This amyloidal plaque has an inflammatory effect on the brain tissue. Inflammation is a prime cause of brain aging; I discuss it in more detail below.
There is no doubt that high-fat diets have an adverse effect on the entire circulatory system, but you may not recognize how this directly impacts the brain’s health. As plaque buildup narrows arteries and tiny blood vessels (a process called arteriosclerosis), the flow of blood throughout the body and to the brain is slowed. Blood that does reach the brain is oxygen-poor and lacking in nutrients, literally causing brain cells to die and the very mass of the brain to shrink.
Even as fewer nutrients are reaching the brain as a result of a high-fat diet, there is still more damage being done. Saturated fatty acids interfere with glucose use in the brain, starving the brain of energy and impairing cognitive function.
Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies
A diet that relies on refined carbohydrates, sugars, and animal proteins as its building blocks does not leave a lot of room for taking in important nutrients from plant products. The healthy brain needs B vitamins, especially B6 and B12, as well as folate, vitamins E and C, and zinc. Nearly all these important nutrients can be found in plant-based products. And few Americans are getting enough of them in their daily diets.
In recent years, much has been written about Vitamin D and the epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency for a sun-phobic public. According to a New York Times article citing the work of Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University, a leading expert on vitamin D and author of The Vitamin D Solution, everyone should ideally have 30 nanograms per milliliter. As Holick puts it, “currently in the United States, Caucasians average 18 to 22 nanograms and African Americans average 13 to 15 nanograms.” The low levels could potentially be connected to the rise of everything from Type 1 diabetes to various cancers, Holick’s research maintains. Dr. Klatz also notes, “An important study was published in 2010 that reports that Vitamin D reduces physiological brain changes that may trigger atrophy.” It’s clear that Vitamin D supplementation should be a key addition to our daily vitamin supplementation.
Special Risks
In addition to environmental, lifestyle, and diet factors, there are two other causes that play a significant role in brain aging.
Brain Inflammation
Inflammation is the body’s response to stress, disease, and injury. one’s environment and diet can bring on an inflammatory condition. It is the hallmark of every chronic disease. While the inflammatory response is a sign that the body’s immune system is functioning and vital, when it is too strong or does not naturally suppress itself, it becomes damaging.
Inflammation of the brain plays a prominent role in Alzheimer’s and dementia. The hippocampus, the region of the brain closely linked to memory, seems to be particularly vulnerable to neuroinflammation. Blood and urine tests can show whether markers of inflammation are elevated.
Hormone Imbalance
Hormones are natural chemicals produced in one location in the body and transported, via the bloodstream, to signal other organs or systems in the body. In short, they are responsible for the functioning of the trillions of cells in the human body. When any one hormone falls out of balance, the entire communication system in the body breaks down.
With aging, changes naturally occur in the level of hormones and the body’s response to them. It is important to maintain a balance of hormones in the body to protect the brain against changes that may lead to depression, anxiety, or decreased cognitive functions.
Summary
Having read this newsletter, you can see how important it is to practice a lifestyle that creates a healthy environment for your brain. When you ignore the health of your body, you are just as effectively ignoring the health of your brain. Just like your body, your brain doesn’t have to become fragile or weak simply because it is growing older. The good news is that it is possible to make changes to create a healthy environment for your mind.
In a future newsletter, I will show you a diet and supplement plan, as well as lifestyle practices, that will protect your brain and even reverse the impact that negative behaviors, habits, and environments have had up to this point.
Later, I will discuss specific conditions and diseases of the brain, such as depression, mental fatigue, senile dementia, and Parkinson’s disease, and show you how to naturally fight their debilitating symptoms.
It is never too late to implement these changes. The brain is a remarkable, adaptable, and regenerating organ. Given the right environment, the right nutrition, and proper stimulation, it will thrive, regardless of its chronological age. By making a concerted effort to make the positive changes I discuss in the next chapter, you can set the stage for optimal performance of both your mind and your body, and discard notions of inevitable and “age appropriate” mental and physical decline.
Footnotes
1. E. Gould, A. J. Reeves, F. Mazyar, P. Tanapat, C. G. Gross, and E. Fuchs, “Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Adult old-World Primates,” Neurobiology 96 (1999): 5263–67.
2. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, “2003 CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substances,” www.atsdr.cdc.gov/clist.html.
3. John Carpi, “Stress: It’s Worse than You Think,” Psychology Today (1996).
4. J. Douglas Bremner, Does Stress Damage the Brain? Understanding Trauma-Related Disorders from a Neurological Perspective (New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2002).
5. “New Studies of Human Brain Show Stress May Shrink Neurons,” Stanford News Service press release, August 14, 1996, http://news. stanford.edu/pr/96/960814shrnkgbrain.html.
6. Robert Sapolsky, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: An Updated Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping (New York: W. H. Freeman, 1998).
7. American Psychiatric Association, “Code 292.00, Nicotine Withdrawal,” Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed., revised (Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1994).
8. Joel Fuhrman, interview on The Gary Null Show on VoiceAmerica, November 11, 2004. Joel Fuhrman, MD, is a board-certified family physician.
Adapted from Reboot Your Brain by Dr. Gary Null, PhD
Gary Null’s Show Notes
Could a black raspberry extract help manage blood pressure?
Korea University
Supplements containing a dried powder extract from black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) may improve blood pressure and help support cardiovascular health, says a new study. Eight weeks of supplementation with a high-dose of the extract were associated with significant reductions in 24-hour systolic blood pressure in pre-hypertensive people of about 3.3 mmHg, report scientists from the Korea University Anam Hospital and the Gochang Black Raspberry Research Institute in Korea. Data published in Nutrition also indicated that the high-dose supplement decreased night-time systolic blood pressure by an average of 5.4 mmHg over eight weeks, compared to placebo.
Tahini Shown to Promote Heart Health Significantly
Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Iran), February 20th, 2022
You may not have ever knowingly eaten tahini, but if you’ve had authentic hummus, you’ve eaten it nonetheless. Raw and unprocessed tahini, without any additional oils or additives, could be a superior food-medicine for preventing heart disease and the risk factors associated with it. A recent study from the Archives of Iranian Medicine reveals tahini as a possible substitution for risky drugs like statins, drugs prescribed for heart health and known to come with potentially dangerous side effects.
Air pollution found to reduce sperm motility
Tongji University and Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (China)
A small team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in and around Shanghai, China, has found evidence that men who live in heavily polluted areas may experience poor sperm motility. In their paper published in JAMA Network Open, the group describes studying the medical records of thousands of men living in China. Prior research has shown that sperm counts for men living in North America, Australia and Europe have been declining since the 1970s. Scientists do not know why this is happening, but theorize it is likely tied to air pollution. Several studies have been conducted in recent years attempting to better understand the connection between sperm health and air pollution involving particulate matter. Unfortunately, such studies have delivered mixed results. In this new effort, the researchers in China sought to find connections by studying the health records of 33,876 male patients at fertility clinics in 130 cities in China.
Kids Who Consume Energy Drinks Are 66 Percent More Likely To Be Hyperactive and Inattentive
Yale University, February 19, 2022
Middle-school children who consume heavily sweetened energy drinks are 66% more likely to be at risk for hyperactivity and inattention symptoms, a new study led by the Yale School of Public Healthhas found. An alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, has been found to cause irreversible damage to teeth and erode tooth enamel. Two research papers, each published separately, suggest that concerns over levels of caffeine and sugar in energy drinks, and their effects on young people who drink them, are mounting. Athletes who consume too many energy drinks are also known to suffer from dehydration, tremors, heat stroke and heart attacks. Now the focus is on behavior.
Glucosamine plus chondroitin may reduce joint space narrowing
University of Sydney
Two years of daily supplementation with a combination of glucosamine and a low molecular weight chondroitin sulfate may significantly reduce joint space narrowing in the knee, says a new study from the University of Sydney, Australia. Results of the randomized, double blind and placebo-controlled Long-Term Evaluation of Glucosamine Sulfate (LEGS) study indicated that daily doses of 1500 mg of glucosamine sulfate (Sanofi-Aventis) and 800 mg of chondroitin sulfate (PureFlex, TSI) resulted in a statistically significant decrease of 0.1mm in joint space narrowing, compared with placebo.
Find at: https://prn.live/the-gary-null-show-notes-02-21-22/
Recipe for Linguini with Garden Vegetables
Yield: 4 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 cup water
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
Sea salt to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups broccoli florets
3 to 4 cups vegan linguini, cooked
Heat the oil n a large saucepan over medium heat and the onion, garlic, and pepper until the onion is translucent.
Add tomatoes, mushrooms, water, basil, oregano, thyme, and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the broccoli and continue cooking until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Place the linguini in a large serving bowl and toss with the vegetable sauce.
While broccoli has limited amounts of omega-3 fats, it contains no omega-6 fats, and can play an important role in balancing our inflammatory system activity. Two cups of broccoli supply 450 milligrams ol omega-3s in the farm of alpha linolenic acid (ALA) around the same amount as in a capsule of flaxseed oil, so the benefits mount up the more you consume. Extremely rich in vitamins C and K, a host of minerals, and phytochemicals to boot, broccoli should be a regular part of healthy diet.
From: Anti-Arthritis Anti-Inflammation Cookbook: Healing Through Natural Foods. By Gary Null, PhD. Essential Publishing
About Gary Null
An internationally renowned expert in the field of health and nutrition, Gary Null, Ph.D is the author of over 70 best-selling books on healthy living and the director of over 100 critically acclaimed full-feature documentary films on natural health, self-empowerment and the environment. He is the host of ‘The Progressive Commentary Hour” and “The Gary Null Show”, the country’s longest running nationally syndicated health radio talk show which can be heard daily on here on the Progressive Radio Network.
Throughout his career, Gary Null has made hundreds of radio and television broadcasts throughout the country as an environmentalist, consumer advocate, investigative reporter and nutrition educator. More than 28 different Gary Null television specials have appeared on PBS stations throughout the nation, inspiring and motivating millions of viewers. He originated and completed more than one hundred major investigations on health issues resulting in the use of material by 20/20 and 60 Minutes. Dr. Null started this network to provide his followers with a media outlet for health and advocacy. For more of Dr. Null’s Work visit the Gary Null’s Work Section or Blog.GaryNull.com In addition to the Progressive Radio Network, Dr. Null has a full line of all-natural home and healthcare products that can be purchased at his Online Store.
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