Forgetfulness: Are you afraid you are losing it?
| Hello my dear friend, Do you have occasional times when you can’t remember someone’s name, where you left your keys, or where that very special place is that you put that object so you will remember where it is when you need it? Having a time or two of forgetfulness is normal, but what is happening when it becomes more frequent? Well, Maria Atwood was able to interview Dr. Bruce Fife who has studied forgetfulness for many years and this is what he has to say about it. According to Dr. Fife, “forgetfulness is an age-related disorder that involves brain cell deterioration, and it is part of the normal aging process. Forgetfulness is not a disease. You can improve your brain health and reduce the forgetfulness. Also, forgetfulness does not progress into dementia, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s. These are true progressive diseases of the brain for which there is no known cure.” And we are back to inflammation… Continuing on with the interview, “Inflammation is the single most harmful condition that makes life miserable, and it may be the major cause of brain dysfunction. So what exactly is inflammation? It is your body’s response to stress-especially from a diet consisting of lots of sugar which is a lethal component of inflammation. There is a modern epidemic of chronic low-grade inflammation that destroys the balance in your body. When your body is constantly inflamed, you become more susceptible to aging and disease.” Our brains need glucose to function, but it needs healthy glucose that comes from healthy fats, not straight doses of refined white sugar. Too much refined sugar will eventually cause insulin resistance which (I was not aware of this) does not allow the glucose to nourish the brain. Once you are insulin resistant, your brain cells cannot absorb energy from glucose and they begin to die of malnutrition. Bottom line is… we need to STOP ingesting refined sugar. Me too! So what can we do to help support healthy brain cells? 1-Coconut oil, it is unique in that it converts into ketones, a healthy brain food. The recommended dosage is 3-4 tablespoons a day. It is also important to include other good fats in your diet; raw butter, organic lard, tallow, and duck fat. 2- Exercise is a great way to promote ketones, but this has to be intense exercise. Ketones are created when fatty acids are released from our fat cells. This will help your brain and your body to be physically fit. 3-Fasting is a great way to support our brain health. When our body has been without carbohydrates, our body shifts from burning glucose to burning, what are called, ketone bodies. Other nutrients that support brain health are Omega-3 fatty acids and Ginkgo. My recap: To help our brains be healthy so we can remember, stop the sugar! Add healthy fats to our diet, vigorous exercise, and fasting. Supplementing with fish oil and Ginkgo is also a good idea. Now where did I put my keys? Oh I remember!!! Have a great week! Much love and gratitude! Janalee |