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THE AGELESS MIND
The impulses that
give us our ability to think, express ourselves, maintain our
physical being are the mind/body/spirit interface.
The anti-aging movement would
certainly have no appeal if we could not take with us
into those extended years our most precious possession-our mind.
Illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases are frightening
prospects for the older population. While we are more likely
to suffer from memory loss and cognitive decline as we grow
older, this mental decline is not inevitable.
The past two decades of scientific
research into the causes of brain disease have given us extraordinary
insights into how we can successfully address both the symptoms
and the causes of brain-aging.
Uniting
neurology and nutrition we now have strategies the can slow,
prevent, and even reverse brain dysfunction.
The Brain Conducts Our Human Orchestra
The brain is a complicated, well-organized
matrix of intricate nerve endings communicating every thought,
orchestrating every action, creating every emotion. Billions
of electrical impulses travel back and forth through this matrix
every second directing upward of 15 million possible chemical
reactions. This brain energy operates in mineral, electrical,
chemical, magnetic, and emotive
wavefields. The frequency,
amplitude and wavelengths of these transmissions vary with states
of alertness, mental and physical activity, external stimulus
and internal environment.
Neurotransmitters are the chemicals
required to send the impulses from one cell to the next in harmonious
fashion.
Anything
that interferes with ability to make, send or receive these
chemical messengers will prevent the brain from functioning
effectively.
Why The Brain Deteriorates With Age
Brain cells require
a supply of specific nutrients to maintain their membrane integrity,
to clear out waste products, to manufacture cellular energy
and neurotransmitters, and to scavenge free radicals. Any deficiency
in the supply of these nutrients will adversely affect neurotransmission.
Studies on brain-aging have
shown a significant decline in important neurotransmitters
in
those with age-related cognitive impairment. The most important
of these is acetylcholine-the main neurotransmitter needed for
memory and learning. Almost all people with Alzheimer’s show
a marked deficit of acetylcholine.
Maintaining
healthy neurotransmitter, especially acetlycholine, levels is
the centerpiece of any brain enhancement strategy. Our anti-aging
protocols include safe, effective
"smart
nutrients" that
promote cellular energy and enhance production of neurotransmitters.
Poor circulation is another
factor in brain-aging. The brain requires a steady supply
of oxygen, glucose and other nutrients to function. 25% of all
blood pumped by the heart goes to the brain, thus any deficiencies
in the circulatory system will put the brain at risk. About
20 percent of all cases of serious mental decline in the elderly
are circulation-related. Decreased blood flow contributes to
general mental lethargy and to the slow degeneration of the
brain by starving the neurons to death.
If
you are interested in brain health, maintaining good cerebral
circulation is imperative. Attention to exercise, blood pressure,
and selected natural nutrients that improve circulation are
important aspects of our brain longevity strategies.
In each of our cells including our neurons,
there is an area known as the mitochondria. This is the energy-producing
center of the cell. For brain longevity, the neurons must maintain
a constant supply of energy to protect against cell loss.
The mitochondria are especially
vulnerable to free
radical damage because
of their heavy oxygen utilization. In a healthy mitochondria
neighborhood there are plenty of free radical scavengers, anti-oxidants
maintaining damage control. A few of the more important ones
are vitamins C and E, beta carotene, super oxide dismutase,
glutathione, Co-Q 10, selenium, zinc, lipoic acid, melatonin,
and acetyl –L- carnitine. However, if the anti-oxidant pool
is in poor supply – the mitochondria have no defense. Once enough
oxidative damage is done to the mitochondria by free radicals,
the cell dies. Free radicals directly kill brain cells. Patients
with Parkinson’s disease have been shown to have severely impaired
anti-oxidant activity in the substantia nigra area of the brain
allowing for unchecked free radical destruction those brain
cells.
Anti-oxidant
levels in the brain tend to decrease with age. Testing for free
radicals, assessing and enriching your anti-oxidant status is
an important component of your personal anti-aging program.
Hormone imbalances that may begin as soon as the mid-thirties
also have a detrimental effect on brain function.
Dehydroepiandrosterone
(DHEA) is a neuro-steroid produced by our adrenal glands. Brain
tissue contains five to six times more DHEA than any other tissue
in the body. (People with Alzheimer’s have almost half the amount
of DHEA than their age-matched peers). DHEA stimulates the production
of key brain cell messengers and the formation of branches that
connect cells. DHEA is necessary to balance the potentially
destructive forces of stress hormones, especially cortisol.
As we age, rising levels of cortisol and declining levels of
DHEA set the stage for memory decline and cognitive impairment.
Additionally, inadequate levels of estrogen, testosterone,
progesterone, thyroid, growth hormone, and pregnenolone have
all been implicated in cognitive decline, loss of libido, mood
disorders, impaired memory and communication problems.
Any comprehensive
brain longevity plan includes assessing and restoring healthy
hormone levels. At our clinic, we stress periodic evaluation
and counsel on the use of natural intervention when appropriate.
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