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October 2005
Words from us…
Wayne’s World
Some of us think that getting older means slower
mental abilities. It is true in a small number of cases that mental slips can
also be the first sign of serious diseases of aging, such as Alzheimer’s disease
or other dementias. The good news is we can improve how we function mentally.
You can significantly increase your mental endurance, improve your memory and
optimize your ability to focus. You achieve this by eating healthy foods,
participating in regular exercise, and taking the right supplements. Ginkgo
biloba, bacopa, folic acid, fish oil, vinpocetine, vitamins B6 and B12, and the
important alpha lipoic acid come to mind. These nutritional supplements have
been scientifically shown to quickly reduce mild age-related memory changes, as
well as greatly reducing the risk of developing more serious brain diseases
later on in life. I especially like quality formulas that synergistically
combine nutrients for brain health. Jarrow is a leader here, as well as
LifeTime and Solgar, three of our excellent supplement
manufacturers. The use-it-or-lose-it theory applies to our brain as well as our
body. Keep mentally active by reading, solving crossword puzzles, playing card
games, and visiting museums for example. Taking these scientifically-validated
nutritional supplements consistently is vital to memory and focus. Please call
us at 877-2494 for more information on brain health. Our knowledgeable staff is
ready to help you with cognitive support via literature and their own
expertise. Stay healthy by staying sharp.
“Harmony is the natural condition of an enlightened mind”
Thank you so much for your patronage. Stay Healthy!
Jenny's Jive: Nutrition
has been shown to affect cognitive behavior, such as the ability of an
individual to think, reason, remember, and attend to information effectively.
Food influences cognitive function. Cognition is affected by missing meals,
dieting, and snacking. Ingestion of a meal, no matter what the composition,
alters mood and leads to a decline in tension, depression, anger, and confusion
within 30 minutes of meal consumption. Lack of food, such as missing breakfast,
has been shown to have detrimental effects on performance, reaction time,
memory, and immediate word recall. There are specific foods that are good
for the brain, but we rarely get enough of them. These include leafy green
vegetables, salmon, nuts, lean meats, yogurt, milk and fresh fruits. To
be at our best, we need water! When the water percentage in the blood drops, the
salt concentration in the blood is higher. Higher salt levels increase the
release of fluids from the cells into the bloodstream, which results in an
elevation of blood pressure and stress. Because the brain is made up of a
higher percentage of water than any other organ, dehydration takes a toll,
quickly resulting in a loss of attentiveness and lethargy.
Jeff's
Positive Vibrations:
Do you feel
mentally foggy, spacey or slow? Have you lost the ability to concentrate? Are
you often tired for no physical reason? Have you lost the ability to remember
well or for a reasonable length of time? Do your nerves feel raw and on edge no
matter how much sleep you get? The best brain activity comes from feeding it and
using it. We know that brain health is intertwined with immune response (it’s
especially sensitive to free radical damage), with glandular function
(especially sexual response), and via the hypothalamus, with the cardiovascular
system. The brain makes up less than 3% of our body weight, but uses over 25% of
our oxygen, more than 25% of glucose and 20% of our blood supply! Research shows
high levels of stress hormones stunt new brain cell development, while ample
levels of serotonin, the “feel good “ hormone, enhances it. The brain is our
primary health managing organ, so feed your brain. Nutrient fluctuations and
deficiencies can send the brain into a major decline. In contrast, brain
nutrients have a rapid, noticeable effect on performance. Long term brain
nourishment can straighten out even grave mental, emotional or coordination
problems, so take a look at your brain’s diet. Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’S) are
very important for sustaining the health and function of the brain. Ginkgo
biloba and bacopa increase blood flow and your B vitamins help increase brain
power.
Come into
Stay Healthy!
and our staff will be happy to show you the way to mental clarity.
J.C.
Speaking Words of Wisdom
Want to remember this article after you read it? Deep breathing
oxygenates the brain which in turn sharpens the intellect and improves cognitive
well being. Look into brain respiration at this website,
www.brainrespiration.com, for insights. Your brain needs lots of water to
function at its best and just a slight amount of dehydration can show up as
mental fatigue. Your diet directly affects your brain performance, so if you
want to enhance your memory, adding organic fresh fruits and vegetables are
vital. Brain exercises are another key to keeping your cognitive skills sharp.
Although everyone loses brain cells with age, brain mass can actually be
increased. How can the brain become heavier
when there are fewer brain cells? This is because the more you use your brain,
the more synapses form between existing brain cells. This increases density of
the brain as a whole. Crossword puzzles, name games, cards and reading are all
good brain stimulators. Learning new things as you get older is one of the best
ways to keep your mind healthy and bright. Nutritional supplementation is
probably one of the smartest assets to optimal brain power. Nutrients like DHA,
essential fatty acids, whole food B-complex, and phosphatidylserine are some of
my favorites. Herbs can also increase circulation and mental performance. Some
of the most powerful are ginkgo, bacopa, rosemary, periwinkle, club moss and
sage. Essential oils like peppermint, spearmint, lemon, and orange can also be
used to invigorate the mind and can be used to enhance the memory. Chi-kung
offers many different techniques to wake up the brain, such as teeth chattering,
tapping the scull (jade pillow), generating saliva, and massaging the scalp.
Want to know more about chi-kung? Ask me, look on-line, or in books.
Knowledge applied
is wisdom…
Interpretation by NIK
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