Brain Health: by Cambridge Naturals

mtwadmin - Thu, September 23, 2010

Have trouble concentrating?  Can’t remember details and facts like you could when you were a teenager?  Do you walk into a room and forget why you came in?  Our friends at Cambridge Naturals have some holistic tips to keep that lumpy mound of grey matter sharp as a figurative tack.

Ideas for a Healthy Brain

by Elizabeth from Cambridge Naturals

Maintaining a flexible brain requires proper nutrition.  The Mediterranean diet with its whole grains, abundant olive oil, variety of vegetables, legumes, fruits, and emphasis on fish and moderate alcohol is ideal for maintaining our brain health.

Studies show that this type of diet may help people avoid the small areas of brain damage that can lead to problems with thinking and memory.  Although investigators cannot yet point to any single lifestyle behavior or to any single nutrient to avoid or prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) investigative studies have found a 40% risk reduction in AD among people whose eating habits followed a Mediterranean-like diet.

Omega-3 fatty acid content is one reason the Mediterranean diet is considered to be so heart and brain healthy.  “Our brains don’t work without omega-3 fats. Period,” says Mark Hyman, MD, an author and researcher in the field of functional medicine.  Omega-3s build the myelin sheath, which coats our nerve cells and facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses throughout the body.  Omega-3 oils improve brain function, decrease inflammation, reduce the incidence of fatal heart attacks and ischemic strokes, improve the outcome of autoimmune diseases, and improve vision.

DHA,one part of the Omega-3 fatty acids, has been shown to improve mental function for concentration and focus.  EPA, another one of the omega-3 fatty acids has been shown in research studies to provide benefits in the treatment of depression, ADHA and other mental disorders.

Deficiencies in Vitamin D, which are prevalent throughout the US population, especially here in the northeast with so little sunshine and our long winters can contribute to mental decline. Researchers like Michael F. Holick, MD at BU Medical Center says such Vitamin D shortages have been linked to depression and dementia. Supplementing with Vitamin D has been shown to positively affect both memory and mood.

Being deficient in B vitamins–especially Vitamins B-6 and B-12 along with folic acid, is another factor in cognitive decline.  This group of 3 B-vitamins helps control high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid associated with greater risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease.

A number of herbal supplements may be helpful in slowing the effects of aging on the brain. Gingko biloba is a known to be powerful brain antioxidant.  Ginkgo has been used in Traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years to enhance memory.

Huperzine A (Hup A), an herbal supplement derived from Chinese club moss (Huperzia serrata) has shown significant benefits in dementia with few side effects.  Hup A, by reducing brain inflammation in animals studies, leads researchers to believe that Hup A when used in humans may prevent malfunctioning in the mitochondria that accompanies inflammation in our human cells as well.

India has one of the lowest AD rates in the world and many researchers believe the key may be the prevalence of curcumin , the compound in the herb/spice turmeric found in curries in the traditional daily Indian diet.

Curcumin has demonstrated an ability to fight formation of the plaque deposits within the brain that occur in Alzheimer’s and other inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis lesions, high homocysteine levels, which produces both clots and plaque build-up in our arteries, hardening of LDL (the ‘bad cholesterol’).

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential component of cellular energy production. It not only serves as a powerful antioxidant in its own right, but also recycles vitamins C and E, the body’s main dietary antioxidants. While CoQ10 is best known for boosting cardiovascular health, long-standing research indicates that it may help protect the brain as well.  Low levels of CoQ10 are associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD), a brain disorder.  Treatment in the early stages of PD shows improvement in the condition.

By addressing some of these health issues with: exercise to keep our blood circulation moving, dietary changes to provide the right food nutrients, the addition of supplemental antioxidants, andScientifically proven herbs and vitamin supplements we may help ourselves to keep our flexible brains active and energetic. 

Recommended Nutritional Supplements for a Healthy and Flexible Brain

• Irwin Naturals Ginkgo Smart: containing 9 powerful boosters for memory and mental clarity. *
• Country Life SharpThought: contains a very special conjugated complex of Phosphatidylserine (PS) and DHA from omega-3s. It is in this form that PS that is found in the brain and supports the utilization of DHA by the brain. Clinically Shown to INCREASE mental function. *
• Cambridge Naturals Vitamin D: to provide support for both memory and mood, and brain effectiveness. *
• New Chapter TURMERICFORCE: containing a Proprietary Complex of Turmeric supercritical extracts with curcuminoids.*
• Bacopa Herb from Himalaya Institute: which research shows assists in heightening mental acuity and supports the physiological processes involved in relaxation *

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent disease.