Take action to save brain cells

CHICAGO — There is no “magic pill” for your brain. It is part of an ecosystem that includes your body and all your surroundings — including, artificial flavors, dyes and additives and the chemicals you inhale.
ChicagoHealers.com practitioner Dr. Martha Howard, offers these tips:

Avoid chemicals as much as possible. The more your house and office are “clean and green” the better your brain will work.

Watch out for paint strippers, paints, varnishes, and the fumes from new carpets and furniture.  

Avoid using plug-in or spray deodorizers. Use natural citrus sprays instead.   

Use body products that have natural ingredients instead of chemicals.  

Get organic foods whenever you can, or if they are not available wash all foods with a good fruit and vegetable wash. And learn the “dirty dozen” — the list of fruits and vegetables that, if not organic, are likely to have the highest pesticide content.

Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water daily. Dehydration actually causes brain damage.

Take fish oil. Deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to lower intellectual performance and is linked with dementia.

Fish oil’s active ingredients are the essential fatty acids, DHA and EPA. Thirty percent of the content of your brain is these very fatty acids. It’s tough to eat enough fish to get the right amount of fatty acids, so take a good supplement. Do your best to get at least 600 milligrams of combined DHA/EPA per day.

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. The best ones, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, have the highest antioxidant value such as blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, spinach, raspberries, Brussels sprouts, plums, broccoli, beets, avocados, oranges, red grapes, red bell peppers, cherries, and kiwis. Five servings a day of fruits and vegetables is recommended.

Drink green tea. Green tea (and to a lesser extent, black tea) slows the buildup of plaque in brains from amyloid deposits, and also prevents strokes. Drinking tea also helps mental alertness.

Eat eggs. Eggs are rich in choline, a fatlike B vitamin. Studies have shown that it increases memory and chases away fatigue.

Get exercise. Greater blood circulation means more oxygen to the brain, and more production of mood-enhancing endorphins.

Meditate. Meditation changes brain frequency and function. The frequencies of deep meditation allow a “brain rest” you cannot get anywhere else. Meditation also enhances connection and symmetry between the right and left hemispheres of the brain.

Try these supplements: Alpha Lipoic acid (aLa) is a powerful antioxidant, and is both fat and water soluble. It can get into the brain easily, and can pass through to all areas of the cells to “mop up” free radicals and stop their damage; Acetyl-L-Carnitine is the other half of the “A-team for the brain.” It is a primary contributor to the production of the neurotransmitter “acetylcholine,” which is required for mental function; Phosphatidyl Serine stimulates brain cells to make new dendrites and axons. People who take it remember more names, faces, phone numbers, and written information.

Source: ChicagoHealers.com