The brain's nutritional armor
You are here because you care
about your brain and want to keep it in top shape.
The biggest risks? An unhealthy lifestyle (don't
eat right, exercise, get enough sleep), stress, and environmental
toxins. Some of these may be hard - if not impossible - to avoid.
Protecting
Your Brain
In particular, you want to guard against cognitive
decline due to:
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decreased production of neurotransmitters with age
(including acetylcholine, the primary carrier of memory) |
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effects of the stress hormone cortisol, which
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disrupts the brain's supply of fuel,
glucose |
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interferes with the function of neurotransmitters |
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creates free-radical molecules which eventually
kill neurons |
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So, you don't want to get older and you don't want to
experience stress - right?
Preventing
Memory Loss
Okay, so scratch that! What you need, then, is
some nutritional armor to help shield your brain from such ill effects.
Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., medical director of the Alzheimer's
Prevention Foundation, outlines a memory-loss
prevention plan in his book, Brain Longevity.
Taken
from the book, here are the nutrients and dosages he recommends.
B-Complex Vitamins
These nutrients change carbohydrates to glucose (brain
fuel), improve cerebral circulation, and break down neurotoxins-- and
that's just for starters! Dharma Singh Khalsa's recommendation: A
50 mg multiple B-complex vitamin every day.
Vitamin C
Our familiar friend is involved in the creation of
several neurotransmitters. Levels of vitamin C in the brain are
almost fifteen times higher than elsewhere in the body--it's that
important. Brain Longevity
recommendation:
1,000 mg (no more)
three times a day.
Did You Know?
Vitamin C is the most popular vitamin
supplement in the US. |
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant. It protects
neurons from damage by free radicals and can even restore damaged
neurons. Brain Longevity recommendation:
A daily dose of 400 IUs.
Phosphatidyl Serine (PS)
PS is a naturally occurring form of fat, found most
abundantly in brain cell membranes. Taken as a dietary supplement,
it nurtures and revitalizes brain cells so they form better connections
and build better circuitry. It also hedps keep neural cell
membranes permeable, allowing nutrients in and waste, out.
Studies have shown that PS
improves both memory and mood. Recommendation from
Brain Longevity: 100 mg
of PS two times daily.
Coenzyme Q10
CoQ10 helps cells produce energy. It is also a
powerful antioxidant in the brain, getting rid of free radicals. Recommendation
from Brain Longevity: 100 mg once daily in the
morning.
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo is actually an herb, not a nutrient. It
improves cognitive function by increasing circulation in the brain.
Recommendation
from Brain Longevity: 90 mg a day (30 mg, 3x daily).
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